Where is my tech? The sequel

[Sarxis]

I have seen this happen too. A game long ago had the same weirdness where my lab points accumulated exceeded the amount necessary to complete the current research. The research did complete with the one turn delay, and if I recall correctly, this happened in a MP game, but I can not say for sure.

[johndmuller]

I'm sorry to say that I have just seen the tech cost change (SmacV4 MP). Not only did I experience the phenomenon you all have been talking about where you have exactly the right amount of labs but still don't get the tech, but on the next turn not only did I not get the tech, but the cost increased so that I had some turns still to go.

I suppose it is likely that the factor causing this was pod popping a tech, and being in the early game, it had a proportionally greater effect (and hence quite noticable) than it would have later in the game. Grrrrr.

[Ned]

Suppose the following:

The research display gives the lab points needed to the next tech and the current "estimate" of the number of lab points that will be gnerated in the next turn. The research display apparently is updated "after?" processing all bases, but whether you research a new tech is determined base by base.

If the research display indicates that you should have researched a new tech, but you have not, then it is abundantly clear that the base calculation is either different from the research display calculation, or it recognizes a tech cost increase that is not reflected in the research display.

Now, Johnd reports popping a pod. This is known to increase tech costs. Perhaps, then, tech costs are increased for the base-by-base calculations but not for the display calculations.

Any thoughts?

Ned

[KrazyHorse]

Originally posted by Ned
Misotu, do you remember if anyone came up with a tech cost formula?

Betcha the tech cost formula is analogous to the one in Civ 2. You fellas should really visit the Great Library in the Civ 2-Strategy forum. Many of the questions I see being asked here were already answered. All right, you can be lazy and just go here.

[Ned]

CBN, The CIV thread states that the tech costs are a computed by multiplying an adjusted tech number by an fixed number associated witht the tech number. The adjustment to the tech number is based on where the CIV is vis-a-vis a so-called Key Civ. I don't know what a Key Civ is. However, what I think we are seeing in Multiplayer tech costs is that this value is a multi-faction reference value that is adjusted each time a faction gets a tech. Why? Because when the costs of another faction's tech is calculated, it then updates the number.

So, if another faction has researched a tech and closed the gap with you, the leader, it may reduce the penalty your faction is receiving because your penalty or bonus is calculated relative to this common number. Alternatively, if you pop a pod or cash an artifact, you may have increased this penalty to you. However, you do not see this reflected in the display, which apparently is not updated until you actually receive the new tech.

What I am suggesting is that if your tech costs have increased due to the adjustment in the penalty (or bonus), and the new costs exceeds the accumulated lab points, you do not get your new tech.

Does the above make sense? It is very consistent with Johnd's reporting that he popped a pod and received a tech that way. This could have increase his penalty and prevented him from receiving the tech in the turn he expected.

[Ned]

Ugh! The problem is not limited to MP games. In my current game, as Rose, I have

- Research Cost: 4070
- Accumulated: 4783
- Per Turn: 1274

I am using directed research for the first time in ages. I don't recall seeing the problem in blind research.

Ned