How Often Can the AI Steal Technology?

C

Cicerosaurus

Emperor
Joined
Oct 31, 2007
Messages
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Seems they can steal it a lot faster than I can.

I am playing on King level.

Turn 160 I kill a Russian spy in London.

Normal contrition. I forgive them.

Turn 169 an unidentified spy steals Sailing

Turn 172, Russia steals Masonry.

Turn 175 someone steals Construction.

Turn 179 Russia steals Engineering.

Turn 180 My spy, now a Special Agent kills an Arabian spy.

So in 7 turns Russia steals two technologies- others have been stolen by unknown agents. Despite my having an agent in the city.

And in turn 184 they steal yet another technology (Machinery). They're getting better- 5 turns now.
 
I always get the same feeling, that the AI doesn't have to follow the same rules as the human player. I also normally play at the King level, and it feels that they can steal tech much faster than me, wich is very frustrating.
 
Russia alone is tealing techs faster than I can discover them so if there is a bonus they will soon run out of stuff to thieve. It is taking me almost twice as long to steal (worthless) stuff from dido.
 
Yea I've noticed this aswell. In my latest game I was on a continent with Russia and Spain, after the first civ hit Rennesaince the tech stealing started. I don't remember the exact turns, but it was in less than 10 turns Russia stole 3 techs and Spain 2 techs, also with my own spy protecting my capitol.

I think it might be a mix of two things.

1: The AI gets a bonus, I guess haven't actually looked this up in the code.

2: I think the time it takes to steal a tech depends on the costs of the techs you can steal, as you might notice the first few techs they steal are really cheap ones, so that at least could explain the first few techs.
 
Yes, there's a variation in the number of turns it will takes to steal a tech. Maybe this is based on the number of beakers.
 
It is based upon the number of beakers and the level of the agent. I had France stealing a tech every 2 turns - and some of them were quite advanced.

Unless you're worried about the AI getting the defensive techs that can stall your offensive - my advice is to let them steal. An AI which is on par with you makes your RA's cost exactly as they should (no 100-200-300 for eras ahead). You know you will beat it in the end.
 
Cicerosaurus said:
Russia alone is tealing techs faster than I can discover them so if there is a bonus they will soon run out of stuff to thieve. It is taking me almost twice as long to steal (worthless) stuff from dido.
Click to expand...
The Ai proparly priorities anti spy buildings.
 
Apparently stealing time for the computer is based on the beaker amount required for the technology. It seems different for the player since once you reach the threshold you just choose any available tech.

In any case, since the computer does really weird beelines and is often lacking even Classical techs when it is in the Renaissance, it sort of makes sense that these primitive techs would be easy to steal.
 
Along the same lines I love it when you get these two messages in the same turn:
"An unidentified spy stole banking"
"Russia has entered the renaissance era"

Gee, who could it have been?
 
slapshot2119 said:
Along the same lines I love it when you get these two messages in the same turn:
"An unidentified spy stole banking"
"Russia has entered the renaissance era"

Gee, who could it have been?
Click to expand...
While it's highly likely to be Russia, it is still possible that a third civilization (who is Renaissance or later) stole it and Russia just *happened* to have finished a tech that turn to enter the Renaissance.
 
slapshot2119 said:
Along the same lines I love it when you get these two messages in the same turn:
"An unidentified spy stole banking"
"Russia has entered the renaissance era"

Gee, who could it have been?
Click to expand...

I don't quite follow your logic here. Just because Russia entered the Renaissance Era on the same turn that a spy stole Banking doesn't necissarily mean that it was Russia's spy that stole it.
 
shaglio said:
I don't quite follow your logic here. Just because Russia entered the Renaissance Era on the same turn that a spy stole Banking doesn't necissarily mean that it was Russia's spy that stole it.
Click to expand...

I think you all are taking this a little bit too seriously. He's using inductive logic; not deductive logic. Yeah, he doesn't know 100%. We get it.
 
Even on prince, I get a tech stolen every 7-10 turns. I think though, it's the fact that my 1 spy was away, trying to find out who the hell I'm second to in tech. When I started to get mad at tech stealers, I put the spy in my capital. I also realized that my capital had a 5 star potential. Sometimes it just may be a combination of things, which make it easy for the AI to steal.
 
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