OK, OK, I did some tests of my own. I never ran into a faction for tech trading . Only three trials were run, though, but this is what happened...
First two times I (we?) failed. Some AI...er...other faction leader...got Secrets in 2128 the first time, and 2131 the second time. The first time was a VERY weird "Secrets" beeline. While researching Ecology, IIRC, I got Industrial Base AND Information Networks from two pods...and then the next tech choice, Social Psych was unavailable! I went for Industrial Economics and I was on Free Market . In 2128 there were 2 years left on Social Psych, with about 10 years per tech (this was the Big Bad Luck run - early secret time (at least, compared to my limited Thinker experience, 2128 seems VERY early), lots of extra techs slowing me down, and I lost a Colony Pod and a Former to Mindworm raids fairly early).
Second failure went fairly more smoothly. Unfortunately, the Morgan or Zakharov got Secrets in 2131, two years before we were going to get it. I can't remember what the pod situation was like, but I think the line went Centauri Ecology - Information Networks - Social Psych - Secrets, though it's possible that I got Industrial Base from a pod while researching Ecology and Social Psych was then an option, cutting down on one research cycle.
The third time I was successful. The other leaders obviously didn't do as well as the last two simulations, since I got Secrets in 2132.
Conclusion: Getting Secrets with our Centauri Ecology start depends on either meeting a faction for tech trading or popping a pod with Industrial Base, allowing us to continue right along to Social Psych. In addition, we have to hope the other faction leaders don't do well...we'd have to be very, very lucky to get Secrets before 2128 with a Centauri Ecology start!
Thus show the results of the computer simulations run by Zakharov VII of the Peacekeepers, year MY2101, not to be confused with the unethical Zakharov of the so-called University of Planet.
(OOC)I also noticed that the Peacekeepers start around the Freshwater Sea quite a bit! Twice in those four techs I started in the same place, a river near the Freshwater IIRC. The third time I started in a rainier area a bit north, near the Ridge IIRC. In another, more serious game I'm playing (that I'm actually SAVING so I can come back to it after more than one sitting), I started just south-east of our democracy game starting position - the one tile isthmus thing was about 3 tiles away.(/OOC)
Z
First two times I (we?) failed. Some AI...er...other faction leader...got Secrets in 2128 the first time, and 2131 the second time. The first time was a VERY weird "Secrets" beeline. While researching Ecology, IIRC, I got Industrial Base AND Information Networks from two pods...and then the next tech choice, Social Psych was unavailable! I went for Industrial Economics and I was on Free Market . In 2128 there were 2 years left on Social Psych, with about 10 years per tech (this was the Big Bad Luck run - early secret time (at least, compared to my limited Thinker experience, 2128 seems VERY early), lots of extra techs slowing me down, and I lost a Colony Pod and a Former to Mindworm raids fairly early).
Second failure went fairly more smoothly. Unfortunately, the Morgan or Zakharov got Secrets in 2131, two years before we were going to get it. I can't remember what the pod situation was like, but I think the line went Centauri Ecology - Information Networks - Social Psych - Secrets, though it's possible that I got Industrial Base from a pod while researching Ecology and Social Psych was then an option, cutting down on one research cycle.
The third time I was successful. The other leaders obviously didn't do as well as the last two simulations, since I got Secrets in 2132.
Conclusion: Getting Secrets with our Centauri Ecology start depends on either meeting a faction for tech trading or popping a pod with Industrial Base, allowing us to continue right along to Social Psych. In addition, we have to hope the other faction leaders don't do well...we'd have to be very, very lucky to get Secrets before 2128 with a Centauri Ecology start!
Thus show the results of the computer simulations run by Zakharov VII of the Peacekeepers, year MY2101, not to be confused with the unethical Zakharov of the so-called University of Planet.
(OOC)I also noticed that the Peacekeepers start around the Freshwater Sea quite a bit! Twice in those four techs I started in the same place, a river near the Freshwater IIRC. The third time I started in a rainier area a bit north, near the Ridge IIRC. In another, more serious game I'm playing (that I'm actually SAVING so I can come back to it after more than one sitting), I started just south-east of our democracy game starting position - the one tile isthmus thing was about 3 tiles away.(/OOC)
Z
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