AI Tech Trade - No Middle Ground(?)

[bigvic]

Can one win a scientific victory with an AI tech trade rate of greater than 100? Sure, I can see beating the cr@p out of the other AI's and forcing them to "tech you up", but is it possible without being a total warmonger? I set the AI to AI tech trade rate at any thing over 100 (even 105) and in next to no time I'm way the heck behind. Set it at 100 and soon no one is even near me. Anyone else getting this? I mean, what is the point in having anything other than butt kicking victory conditions at high levels. Am I just being impatient? Does it even out after you construct a few libraries?

[Antrine]

Well, my understanding is easy (these are the default settings) is 110 and hard for the human is 200 (Sid Level). So playing under 110 should be a 'sleep walk' victory for the human. Where as 200 should slay you before Middle Ages are reached. Is this your understanding?

That said, there is another factor, IF you have been modding along these lines and that is whether a tech is even tradable. You can set the AI to AI trade at say 150 (difficult) yet pull off over half the techs from being tradable and that will keep things more even and constant. So my experience shows thus far.

[bigvic]

Hmmm.... OK, I have it modded to allow all 31 civs. That could have something to do with it. But then by about 100 BC - 100 AD, even trading with AI's, I am 4 - 5 techs behind on anything more than 100 rate tech trade. It does not seem to make any difference whether tech trade rate is 101 or 200. Untradeable techs? huh?

[Antrine]

Untradeable techs will bring the AI's to a halt if you want! I've done it, over done that is and then backed off to 30% of techs as tradable, emphasis on techs that are important so as not to hobble the AI's but leave going through the tech tree at a more predicable pace (that is slower). These ideas basically reflect my game play feelings as it were.