Want the other CIVs to love you? Try this!

[LoverOfCiv]

Here's a simple strategy to try that works for me. First put everything into science that you have to to get the smallest number of turns to discover something, but still getting the greatest amount of cash back. If you check every turn, and reset it to 100% science (even if you're loosing cash) after a discovery, you'll stay ahead of the game.

First go for Literacy and have a big city start building the Palace before you get there. When you discover Literacy (guess what) switch the palace to the GREAT LIBRARY. After you discover Literacy, pick a tech line to follow and only go after that line, that way you'll be heavy on certain techs while the computer is well rounded-you get all the computer's techs of course when you finish the great library.

During this time, make sure to develop lots of culture, and talk to the other civs all the time. Keep trading with them, even if it's just world map for 2 gold. Occasionally give them a territory map for free!

As soon as the GREAT LIBRARY is finished you are on top of the world! You can now sell techs the computer doesn't have in exchange for GOLD PER TURN. This will enable you to keep your techs coming as fast as they can, but still getting plenty of money. Just stay ahead of the game, remember to develop Republic ASAP and Democracy very soon in the game and if the computer feels INTIMIDATED by you, they'll like you-especially when you're nice to it.

[Jethro83]

A good strategy for the higher levels when you just can't keep up with the AI's tech-whoring. No matter how hard you try, how much of your income you put into science, they'll always be ahead... at least until you get the GL. Then you can join their tech-whoring circle... until Education (without even giving them anything YOU come up with before them). Then, your libraries will get you ahead. And once you've finally gotten ahead of them, you can begin the systematic elimination of each rival, making sure that you make good use of diplomacy.