Is "research" too powerful?

Hey all,

I am playing with my friend a lot of CiV games, but we usually end early, because the game is already decided. The one who is in a tech lead usually gets all the wonders and is speeding more and more for space victory. This ended in such bad way, we can play only races which allow us to do more science/food or helps to build science buildings/wonders faster. Rationalism is a must! I try a cultural victory sometimes, but my mate is so teched he is getting all cultural wonders too. Is there something I can do? It looks like research is the king, now. I would love to play some different races. I like the Mongols for example, but I cannot race with a teching madman.
We have only two rules - never play as Austria and no wars against each others.

Thank you for your hints and sorry for my English.

but I cannot race with a teching madman

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race for what?

actually units are king not tech.

lets say he builds GL and NC early on u. can build about 8 archers (and upgarde them)/chariot archers in same time/amount of hammers.

If u dont kill him with having 8 more archers as he does u r doing it wrong.

tommynt said:

race for what?

actually units are king not tech.

lets say he builds GL and NC early on u. can build about 8 archers (and upgarde them)/chariot archers in same time/amount of hammers.

If u dont kill him with having 8 more archers as he does u r doing it wrong.

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Well as I wrote, we have a rule of not attacking each others. Even if this rule was not in place, we are playing large maps with 10 AIs, so he could be on the opposite side of a map - unreachable by me.

Well as I wrote, we have a rule of not attacking each others

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if only game end is a science vicotry its all about teching - isnt that obvious?

I mean - isnt it obvious?

tommynt said:

if only game end is a science vicotry its all about teching - isnt that obvious?

I mean - isnt it obvious?

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The point is you could try a cultural, but with someone teching you have no chance.

but how is that mp related?

I'd agree for the most part.
Cultural victory is simply not as viable in MP as Science. BNW sounds like it might be addressing this.
Diplo is just broken as you just need to ally enough CS and then DoW everyone, so it's utter garbage.

If you are not allowing war though, you are really forcing a tech race. Science and domination are the two truely viable VCs in MP, and they work hand in hand.
Obviously you need to balance growth, production, and military as purely staying ahead in tech doesn't mean you'll win if your neighbor attacks you successfully.
If you want some diversity, allow war...it's truely a fun challenge in MP, and it makes things like wonderspam far less useful.