Ways too keep up with the comp in research if you remain peacefull

[Uber Warrior]

Ok I tried a building game and basiclly found I got raped on tech even when I had the sci bar on 90% the ENTIRE game. Oh well post away

[Theseus]

http://apolyton.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=57468

[vmxa1]

Well I for one could use a few clues. What level are we talking about? What civ are you using on what map settings? Is this a continuous deal, where you have tried this a few times and get the same results with many maps? What I mean is if this is a bad start and you only play it once or good starting locations, etc.
Basically keeping up in tech is a function of how you build your empire and the level of the game. As you get to monarch, it requires good empire managing to pull ahead on most maps. Above that level it will be a bigger hole to climb out of and you will need to make better decisions with your workers and tech choices.
In short I find that it is a lack of good cities and production that keeps players down.

[Theseus]

UW, probably the best thing is to post some saves... maybe at 1000BC and at 10AD, and then people can give more relevant commentary / advice.

[Uber Warrior]

Ok fair enough, lets say we are on a huge map with sixteen civs and at regent, Two main continents. I have tried multiple times with everyone from the Germans too the Americans. And no matter what I do I always end up about four behind in tech, now Is there anyway too bost tech?

[vmxa1]

If you start location is good, you would expect to be the tech leader fairly soon on most case. This is done by managing your workers to minimize their movement and what they do for task.
In the main you woudl need to mine bonus grassland tiles and then road them. Be sure that they are only improving tiles that will be worked now or very soon. I mean if you let workers be automated, they will improve tile that can not be worked at present and not for a very long time. They will mine tiles that are not in any cities radius.
If you do those things and plan your cities with some care, it does not require perfection at this level. You will soon be out producing the AI.
You must of course built as many cities as they do or nearly so to start or the sheer numbers will out pace you.
Use an industrious civ as a starter as their workers are faster.
Pay attention to the tiles that are more productive and be sure to get that pop growing.
Later look at things like rings or settler pumps and the like. This is not needed at Regent and you can work on that later via the many threads here or CFC.
You could micromanage to not waste food or shields, but that is not needed at this level either.
Do not be afraid to have cities overlap tiles, if you are now spreading out. You will not be able to work more than 6 tiles unless aquaducts or on a river. Even then you will only have 12 citizens, so you do not need the full 21 tiles.

[Uber Warrior]

That will help immensly

[Rhothaerill]

All the things vmxa1 said are good things, but here is something else to think about...don't always EXPECT tech parity in the early game. Because of AI trading one or two of them will sometimes be leading in tech until the mid-to-late-middle ages, even on regent depending on your start. The higher the difficulty, the farther you'll have to make up the tech parity. But if you take vmxa1's advice then you can gradually pull ahead of the AI. In many of my games I'll really start pulling ahead in the early Industrial age as my research machine is picking up steam and the AI's are devolving into MPP world wars.

[vmxa1]

Yes I did not talk about trading. This can be very powerful. I put that in with the advanced city placement. IOW things that you can read threads about and work up to as you go along.
There is an excellent thread on the strat forum on CFC to run down the power of trading.
You could browse some of the spoiler threads here on AU games to see how some of the better players handle it.

[vmxa1]

Originally posted by Uber Warrior
That will help immensly

Glad to hear it. Some a bit of time looking over the many good threads. I know it is a lot when you first look at tehm, but plug away at the ones you find useful. Implement the concepts that appeal to you and you will be on your way.
Some very strong players find things on the boards to help them from time to time. A new perspective can be an eye opener.

[Rhothaerill]

Yep, I owe a lot of my civ3 skills to browsing the strat forum. There is a lot of good info in there and the strat archives.

Another thing you can try is to play some of the Apolyton University courses. I wouldn't recommend starting on AU208 (somewhat frustrating because of the total war), but the new one that you can see in the strat forums is pretty good so far. Plus you have a chance to compare your own game with that of others. It's very helpful for learning because everyone is playing the same game and encountering many of the same events.

[Mountain Sage]

A twisted way of pulling ahead of the tech race is to have war declared by LOTS of other civs to the actual tech leader (he's better far away from you...).
After 20 turns, declare peace and watch the war going on and all the civs involved (including the tech leader) almost stop researching.
But please, don't tell anybody I suggested it. I have my reputation as the PP to keep

[Theseus]

Ooooh yeah.... do the Dog Pile.

That's not just for the tech leader, but for the ANYTHING leader. Too much land, too good land, top GNP, top pop, any of the above... get those red lines going.

(Very much in line with my rep, thank you very much )

[Uber Warrior]

Did that too Persia in a game Im currently wrking on...They got ass raped even though it took 25 turns or so......I already know that trick...Its my favorite one too pull

[Uber Warrior]

Oh I am currently doing that...read my other thread...It highlights it more