Delaying your free tech

I'm only playing the demo at the moment, so while I know this silly little trick works in there, I would need somebody else to verify if it works in the final full release version.

Anyway... what I discovered is that it's possible to build the Great Library and get access to a free tech, but you don't need to spend it immediately. The situation is that the "End Turn" button is converted to a great big "Choose Tech" (or something), so you can't move to the next turn before taking your free tech. Or can you?

The keyboard shortcut to force the end of turn is SHIFT+ENTER. Use that shortcut for the next few turns to progress your research on whatever it is you're doing, and save the free tech for later.

Situation where this worked out nicely for me: I built the GLib ASAP, because I wanted it and not the AI (of course). But, I wanted Civil Service for the free tech, and didn't yet have Philosophy. No problem, begin research on Philosophy before GLib completes, then delay taking the free tech until Philosophy is done.

Advantage is you don't need to delay completing the GLib, so less risk the AI nabs it.

Disadvantage is I'm not sure if you'll be able to change your research while the free tech is available. So in the situation described above, you're pretty much locked in to researching Philosophy.

Exploit? Yes, I think so

I haven't actually tested this, but you might also be able to dismiss the free tech notification by right-clicking it. You can delay choosing new social policies in this manner, for saving up for later policies.

I haven't tried the force end turn, but it looks like there are three different types of notifications that change your message above the minimap. The first group comprises things like city state quests. Good to know, but not super necessary (policy adoption falls here, too, as I know you can ignore them). Second is stuff like unit needs orders/must unstack, choose research. These will stick around in the message bar even if you ignore the notification. Third are the oranges, which change the color of the message bar to orange (thus why I called them oranges ). I can only think of two of them right now, change production, and choose a free tech. I'm curious to know if the force end works in the full game

If this is possible in the full version of the game, is it possible for a mod to move this thread to the Bugs forum? Or perhaps other players who have the full version can confirm?

I wouldnt say it was a bug really, so long as you can't choose a new research project because the "free tech" priority comes first, the only question that would remain is that would research projects automatically change and continue if you say clicked on future tech as your planned path (including everything). That would be the exploit.

Arguably not a bug but certainly an exploit.

With a bit of forward planning, I imagine you could get any arbitrary tech for free.

I have some saved games, but they're only from the demo, so might not apply. Attached here are a few screenshots showing what is possible.
In the first and second screenshots I am 1 turn away from completing the Great Library. I go into the tech tree and queue up Animal Husbandry -> Trapping -> Philosophy.

For the next 23 turns I end each turn using SHIFT+ENTER.

In the third screenshot I have just discovered Philosophy, and take Civil Service for my free tech.

Possibly not a bug no, but with a bit of planning this could make the Great Library tremendously powerful.

You can just dismiss the notification on the right side of your screen with rt-click, you can do this for the adopt social policy notification as well so you can save up for Patronage or something that requires middle age tech.

So, by doing this, you break even with Babylon

It gives you a complete lack of flexibility until you get civil service, assuming you get the wonder right away, so I'm not sure this is worth it in most circumstances. If it clearly is, then it'll probably get patched.

Oddible said:

You can just dismiss the notification on the right side of your screen with rt-click, you can do this for the adopt social policy notification as well so you can save up for Patronage or something that requires middle age tech.

Click to expand...

You CAN'T do that with the free tech notification. That's why this is a bug. You're intended to have to choose it that turn.

SevenSpirits said:

\That's why this is a bug. You're intended to have to choose it that turn.

Click to expand...

I'm of the opinion that it's not what was intended for the Great Library. Oracle slingshots were always a gamble in Civ4, since if you delayed completing it in order to get a more advanced tech like Civil Service you ran the risk of having the AI build it before you. This trick obviously gets around that possibility.

Louis XXIV said:

If it clearly is, then it'll probably get patched.

Click to expand...

Yes, I'd like to see that happen. Perhaps a mod could move this thread to the Bug reports forum?

Having done it in my last game, it is definitely amusing, but as Adrian points out, you can only finishing researching the tech you're on, then you HAVE to take the freebie, as the tech-chooser interface puts your free tech before your next-research tech.

Now, if I were to try and really abuse it, I'm not sure what would happen if I had 2 or 3 techs queued...

Or if you get the chance open up the tech tree and click on a tech a few techs out and see if it makes you choose your free one still.

Hey! Does this still work??

No.

It was patched out ages and ages ago.

Really??? Well that bakes my muffin. And here I got all excited.