Where to draw the line?

[Willem]

I came across a post of someone wanting ideas of slowing down the tech trading in the Ancient era. To make a long story short, I had a look at the Writing tech and noticed the "Enables Communication Trading", and it made me stop and think:

"How can civs on different continents even hope to communicate with each other when no one even has Map Making yet, never mind the ability of sending ships across the ocean?"

So I'm posing a question to ask where do you think the most appropriate advance to attach that ability would be?

Yes it's a fluff question, it's just my way saying this doesn't make sense to me anymore, and I don't feel like trying to figure out the alternative at the moment.

[lockstep]

To me, communication trading on the same continent makes sense, but Writing is definitely too soon. Somewhere between Map Making and Invention would be appropriate IMO (perhaps Astronomy).

On second thought, the whole map trading / comm trading / explorer issue makes me want to tinker with the tech tree, and this is rather low on my modding priority list.

[GhengisFarbâ„¢]

I hadn't thought of thia before, but I tend to agree that it does seem to happen early.

When you think about it in Ancient Times civilizations did have contact with one another, but not to the the level of tech trading and embassies we have in Civ2.

[smellymummy]

there was a mod that changed just that, and it brought it up to astronomy I believe (or around there). Same thing was done to map trading, and ocean/sea trade too.

[Willem]

Originally posted by lockstep

On second thought, the whole map trading / comm trading / explorer issue makes me want to tinker with the tech tree, and this is rather low on my modding priority list.

My thought exactly, which is why I figured I'd let everyone else discuss it for awhile. It seems to me that communication should be split between continental contact, and overseas. Unfortunately, the game mechanics won't let me do it that way.

[joespaniel]

Thats one thing I personaly would not change.
I think trading contact and technology is pretty realistic as it is.

Its not too offen you get contact with other continents before astronomy or even navigation.
In those rare instances, its usually because there is a landbridge or channel.

I would like to see tech trading slowed down too.
I havent messed with the "AI Trade Rate" in the editor yet, but now I may have to experiment.

Anybody tried that yet?

[Optimizer]

It does make sense.

If - let's say - England has encountered both the Iroquois and Japan, and then sell contacts with the Iroquois to Japan, the Japanese emissaries of course travel from Japan to the Iroquois on an English ship.

[Willem]

But in the event that the Iroquois was at war with England, that would mean they wouldn't be able to negotiate with Japan. And that's not what happens.

[Optimizer]

They can always send pigeon mail to each other

[Sheik]

I think it is good at Writing. If you don't want it at writing then put it at map making.

[Willem]

I settled for Astronomy myself. At least it could be possible to reach another continent with a Caravel at that point.

[Kuciwalker]

I never really noticed this, but now I think something more like late medieval age would work well. It would encourage more independent exploration. Actually, this would be good for map trading as well.