Hi guys,
I've read a lot of people on these forums talk about the importance of technology trading (which is pretty obvious of course), but I find that the AI are hardly ever willing to trade at a 'fair' rate (measured by research beakers required for given techs), even when I'm on quite friendly terms with them. This is kind of frustrating as it's obvious that any rational leader trying to win the game would be very inclined to take a 'fair' two-way trade in the great majority of situations, but whatever, I suppose they aren't meant to represent other human players.
My question is, do you guys routinely take the worse side of a deal just to keep up in the technology race? And if so, how bad a deal will you take? Or is there something I'm missing?
(For clarity: I'm playing on Monarch level, on the original Civ IV i.e. no Warlords/BtS. Also I'm talking about techs that seem to have roughly equal strategic value, not trying to give someone Divine Right in 1850 or whatever.)
Thanks,
Cultured
I used to hate getting ripped off so badly, and consequently tended to trade very little technology. However, as I gained experience, I learned that this is a recipe for disaster. Sure, on low levels you can go solo and tech everything you ever want for yourself and never trade it away, and still end up way ahead in the tech race.
But at the higher levels, if you are out of the tech trading, you are probably out of the game (unless you already have everything you need, like planning a Keshik rush for early conquest). Think about this: An Oracle or winning race to Liberalism seems great to get a free tech, right? That's just one tech, though. Now think how many free techs you can get with trading. Think of them as free techs, because in fact you give up NOTHING... you still have access to the tech you traded away.
Of course, you need to assess whether the AI getting this tech earlier causes harm to your strategy, but be assured they will get it eventually, perhaps by trading with another AI.
If you still can't stand getting ripped off, trade the same tech to several different AI, and I assure you that the amount of beakers you gain is much more than the amount of beakers any single AI gains from you. It also prevents anyone else from making a gain trading away that technology.
This is one other good reason to trade you techs at cut-rate prices: the AI will only trade techs with each other if they can get something they want. If YOU have already traded Alphabet to Asoka to get Ironworking, then nobody else can trade Alphabet to Asoka to get Ironworking or anything else... and probably nobody else has anything good enough yet to offer in its stead, and so 6 AI manually tech Ironworking while you are going on to bigger and better things.
Try beelining alphabet on a map where you can meet a lot of AI by that time. On Monarch level that should let you trade Writing to get the back-fill techs you want, and then get you Ironworking for alphabet (plus just about everything else known in the world). Recall, that once the AI have alphabet, they can trade techs with each other, though. And THATS where you really lose out if you won't trade techs. 2 or 3 civs can work together and get a big lead on everyone else.
If you find yourself behind in tech, look what techs the AI do not have yet... those will be worth most in trades. Being first to one tech can catch you up quite quickly.
And if you still hate getting ripped off... kill them all with modern armor while they are still defending with muskets. You'll be that far ahead.