RE: Philosophy first

[Remulak]

I was reading on another forum that you can get a free tech if you are the first civ to complete Philosophy. Is this true?

I usually am pushing to get the Great Library, so Philosophy is not a priority.

[Solomwi]

It is true of C3C, but not earlier releases.

[Shogun Gunner]

Yes, I often set Philosophy as an immediate scientific goal. It can be boom or bust. If you try to get it, but don't get there first, you could really lose out if you should have been researching a military oriented tech.

However, you can come out smelling like a rose if you get their first! A free tech at that point in the game can give you a competitive advantage. My experience is that the higher difficulity levels make it close to impossible to reach this tech first. Maybe others have had other experiences.

[Dis]

I do it all the time now. at the difficulty I usually play at, I almost always get it.

The main risk in doing so is not researching military techs. So it makes early war a no-no. And if someone attacks, you are in bad shape. I usually end up trading writing and philosophy for war techs to alleviate this problem.

[Aramis]

It's extremely disappointing when I don't get it, although I always try. It'd be nice if there was some sort of pop-up announcing its discovery somewhere far off in the unexplored blackness, so I could switch gears.
Nice, it would be, but I always ask for too much.

[punkbass2000]

IIRC, Civ2 had something like that.

[Tattila the Hun]

"Travellers tell you, Babylonians have discovered the art of Writing"

Something like that.

[Dominae]

Re: RE: Philosophy first

Originally posted by Remulak
I usually am pushing to get the Great Library, so Philosophy is not a priority.

Philosophy costs less than Literature, so you actually get to Literature faster by researching Philosophy first (assuming, of course, that you're the first to get it).

Similarly with Map Making, by the way.

[Theseus]

BTW, when you do get to Philo first, you can swith to F4 after receiving the first tech, trade witht the AIs, and then get a super-advanced second tech.

Some consider this an exploit; I consider it good play.

[trev]

I have found that there is risk in relying on getting Philosophy, so I no longer persue it, I instead go for literature and have found that trading that intelligently will help me make all the gains I may have achieved with Philosophy and it is almost definite that literature can be achieved first because AI's will not prioritise it. This is at Emperor/Demigod level.

[Shogun Gunner]

Originally posted by Theseus
BTW, when you do get to Philo first, you can swith to F4 after receiving the first tech, trade witht the AIs, and then get a super-advanced second tech.

Some consider this an exploit; I consider it good play.

I never thought to try this. You seem to know all the tricks, Theseus. I'm going to give that a try next time. Thanks.

Sue me for exploiting...I don't care

[joncnunn]

The more expensive tech you can have access to while still discovering Philosphacy first, the better.

Best possible that I'm aware of is Monarchy, requiring you to have Polythesism before finishing.

The Republic [requiring Code of Laws] & Construction [Math] are close seconds, next Currency, then Map Making [Writing]/ Literature [Writing].

Note that Monarchy can be a good thing to get for free even if your not planning on switching to it. (Hanging Gardens wonder is cheap enough to have a good shot at building if you can finish it before a wonder cascade.)

[Solomwi]

The one flaw in that, jon, is that if I can get Republic with it, I'll never research Monarchy.

[Lul Thyme]

And actually jon, currency costs more than map makin and literature.

[Remulak]

Thanks for the answers. I just started a new game and got Philosophy first. Not only did I get a free tech (Literature) but I also got a SGL, so I got the Great Library the next turn.