Which technology is available when?

[VetLegion]

Everybody knows that there is a factor in game that modifies the technology that is available for you to research after each discovery.

I think someone mentioned that you are connected to AI tech rate and not allowed to go "farther" until there is some average tech level.

I think there was also a discussion among OCC players about that.

So, how does machine determine what can I research? Any formula? playtested algorithm? or just a link to previous discussion

I am certain it was discussed before

[KhanMan]

Actually, as far as I can tell, it's fairly random: sometimes I'll reload a saved game that is two turns old (for whatever reason), and the technology I chose before is not availible when the choice comes up.

I haven't heard anything about a formula for this, though if anyone knows of such a formula, I'm all ears.

-KhanMan the LLSS

[Smash]

The best theory I have heard is that you can't research 3 techs consecutively from the same Epoch.Or you cant have twice as many from 1 Epoch as any other.Something like that.

This is how you can get stuck in Despo for an enternity if huts go bad.

[Ming]

I'm surprised KhanMan that you have run across a situation like you mention. I was experimenting to see if you choices would change by resetting. No matter how many times I reset on the turn I got the science, the choices were ALWAYS the same. Now granted, you said you did it two turns prior.
I'll have to try that experiment.

It does really seem random to me. On a few rare occasions, I've been offered the straight path to monarchy, without having to take any non path science. But this usually isn't the case. Sometimes I'll get bronze from a hut, and be able to go straight to monarchy, yet other times it doesn't allow me to. No one has ever been to prove any hard and strict rules on this question. But, if you can, please post them

[DaveV]

I agree with Ming that reloading doesn't seem to change the choices, but I don't think it's random, either. There's some sort of algorithm which looks at which techs you have and determines which you can research. The sequence horseback, burial, alpha, code, monarchy *always* works for me in those rare cases where I don't pick up an additional tech to mess it up.

An example from my own sordid past: I was playing against the AI, discovered invention, and couldn't research gunpowder. I then researched philosophy, and couldn't get gunpowder as a free tech. I was so mad, I went back to a save file from before I discovered invention. The tech choices played out the same way. I tried again, but this time I stole a tech from the AIs before discovering invention. Now I could research gunpowder.

[Ming]

DaveV... I'm surprised that you say it ALWAYS works. I've never seen a science path (assuming no starting techs, none from huts, or none from other civs) that always is the same. I will admit I never choose horse first, so I've never seen that order of sciences. Does it really always work?

[DaveV]

Ming - I'll bet I've only done it 4 or 5 times total, but it never failed. A small enough sample that I could be wrong, but enough to make me fairly confident. I actually read this sequence in another thread, and haven't been using it for very long - I wish I could remember who posted it.

[Ming]

You may be right... as I said, never tried that path before.
Usually I use Alpha, burial, bronze, code and then monarchy. That works "most" of the time, but I've been screwed before.

[geofelt]

My usual sequence is ceremonial-burial,alpha,code-of-laws, monarchy. I never get there without having to research something else in the middle. I suspect that there is a restriction on how many techs of the same category can be researched without some balance. If adding Hoesemanship first guarantees early monarchy, then I will try it. If it does, then how about researching bronze first(applied vs military)? This gives you a viable defender, and a wonder to start on early.