AI Science Development

[Rowick Hepan]

Hi All,

I've recently gotten back into Civ III and I am trying to work out the best order in which to research ancient and middle age technologies so as to be able to trade tech's with the AI nations.

I have been playing Celt's who are a religious civ and have so far found that concentrating on Mysticism/Polytheism/Monarchy works well followed by currency.

Does anyone have any suggestions for other research strategies for ancient and medieval civs that maximise the number of trades with AI civs?

Alternatively does anyone know which techs the AI considers most valuable and which order the AI researches it's techs in?

[Vince278]

Bee-line to Philosophy helps. Be the firstst with the mostst and keep the lead.

[albiedamned]

I'd say it's a balance between going for the techs you need the most vs. going for the techs that will get you the most in trade. I think most everyone agrees with Vince on the philosphy beeline since it gives you a free tech. Also the AI rarely goes down that path right away so you can usually trade those techs (Phil., sometimes Writing) for something else. Mathematics is another good one because the AI seems to rarely research it so you can usually trade it for something (plus if you have Ivory you can build Zeus). Literacy is another one the AI is infamous for ignoring, so you can either trade it or hold on to it and get a big headstart on the Great Library.

[Arrian]

This is heavily dependant on level of play.

It is also dependant on your starting terrain and your starting techs.

Best case: river start with commercial or seafaring civ (alphabet) on Monarch or lower. You can research Code of Laws first, then Philo, and take Republic for free. At that point, trade value is secondary.

Ok, drop the commercial/seafaring bit... with a nice enough start, you can still do it. But you might not.

Ok, now drop the nice river. Now detouring for CoL probably means you don't get to Philo first.

Now go up to Emperor... now a straight Philo beeline may not be viable at all, and you could be better served by going up the Mysticism -> Monarchy route. The only problem with this is that at least some of the AIs (the religious ones I believe) will do this now. Expansionist civs can also muck this up by getting Mysticism from a hut.

The AI seems to ignore Mathematics. That's a good one for trade. It also often ignores Literature. That too can be very useful, but you might want to hang on to it for the GL.

-Arrian

[vmxa1]

I agree that the level is key and the civ and start to some degree.

Playing at Sid, I feel I must make the free tech and get the GLIB.
Playing at emperor, I don't care and could do it either way.

If not a religious civ, I may have to be careful about those techs and when to switch.

What about the map? Is it a huge archipelago or std pangea? What techs do I start with? No conacts expected for a long time?

[Jon Shafer]

Stay away from Bronze Working and Iron Working. All of the AI civs bee-line for it, so the trade possibilities aren't all that great for those techs.

[alexman]

What will the AI research next?