How do you decide what to research?

[k-girl]

How do you decide what you want to research? Do you try and decide what you need right away, try and get to something in the future as quick as possible, always pick the one that will be the quickest? etc?

[Vizurok]

Lots of questions...
You should reasearch the tech you need... If you are in war, Gunpowder, if you are in peace, Banking. (e.g.)

There are tactics, such as philosophy race: getting philosophy as soon as possible to gain a free tech.

Some players bee-line (go straightly) for a tech, such as cavalry, to dominate with the new unit...

If you see that the AI's miss or skip a tech, research and & trade it! It makes great money.

Hope it helps...

[SesnOfWthr]

That all depends on the difficulty level I'm playing.

If Monarch or below, I go for whatever fills my needs at the moment, whether it be a wonder, unit, or knowledge.

If emperor and above, I try to go for techs the ai tends to neglect. Good examples in the AA are Lit, Rep, and Curr. This way I can use these as trade bait and pull two or three fers (or more).

[Babbler]

Here a problem that I have alway rangled with: what tech should you reseach first?

[The Omega]

Originally Posted by Babbler

Here a problem that I have alway rangled with: what tech should you reseach first?

Poterry! You get granaries!
Smilies!

[Reprisal]

In almost any game, save perhaps a One City Challenge, it seems as though Pottery is the single most important technology to know since the Granaries it allows you to build are so vital in the population rush to build Workers and Settlers. After that, I would say that it's up to you. If you've got a UU coming up with Warrior Code, The Wheel, Bronze Working, Horseback Riding or Iron Working, then I suggest you make for that one after you get Pottery. Unless I'm a Scientific or Expansionist civilization that starts with Alphabet, I rarely try for the Philosophy gambit. I like trying for Iron Working right away, since I'm more more of a (Swordsman + Catapult) warmonger, rather than a (Horseman + Horsemen + More Horseman) kinda guy.

- Rep.

[Perfection]

My (very generalized) strategy

If you're behind save the money to buy techs

If you're keeping pace go for the stuff the AI ain't going for (IE whatever is most useless) unless you desperately need the advance

If you're a smidge ahead, try busting down a single line of research

If you're way ahead go for whatever is most useful

[Aggie]

Mostly I try to get the free tech from Philosophy and plan to trade for the vital tech Pottery. It is cheap and normally you can get it before you could have finished a granary. After Philosophy I normally try to get Republic asap. I consider Currency and Construction to be vital as well (marketplaces, aquaducts). Map Making and Literature can be important depending on the situation in the game (seafaring trait and archi map vs opportunity to get the Great Library).

In the middle ages it can go either way. In a peaceful game I try to get Banking very fast and probably try to get to Free Artistry (Shakespeare is a super wonder). I could also go for the scientific techs, depending on the situation. As a warmonger I like to get Chivalry and later on Military Tradition.

In the Industrial Age I generally like to go for Steam Power, Industrialization and then towards Scientific Method (Theory of Evolution).

In the Modern Age it depends on what I need most.

Generally I see it as vital to get to a good governemnt asap (Republic in most cases) and get my economy up and running (marketplaces, aquaducts, courthouses,...). Another thing that changes things is the UU of the civ I play. I like to get that one soon.

[Perfection]

Well my strategy is (I usually play ottomans) to eschew all nonvital middle ages stuff (save military tradition) and head straight for the industrial ages. Then with my GA I smash through the early industrial age techs, this gives me a large production edge over my openents allowing me to build the industrial age wonders and basicly kick major ass.

[Babbler]

Poterry! You get granaries!

But that the easiest tech to get from goody huts.

[Rammstein]

I lean on three questions when deciding:

1) What will I need to fulfill my nearest goal?
2) What do I need to fulfill my overall goal - i.e., which victory condition am I after?
3) What does the AI neglect?

The second one is decided very early on, preferably before the game even starts. I can approximate which paths I have to take to get there. But number one is still more important, because no matter how much I plan for things to happen, new situations always arise that make me deviate. The third is more of a trade leverage, the AI tends to neglect some of the techs, but is still very keen on buying them when you offer. It's a great way to gain some GPT's or other techs.

[sealman]

sometimes i play a variant that i research whatever pops up when i learn a new tech.

[rainmaker]

There is frequent mention of techs the ai neglects. Sesnofwthr pointed out literature, republic, and currency. Could someone list a few more?
Also. whenever I have saniitation early they want it real bad. Is that something I should not be so eager to trade, giving them bigger cities.

[nullspace]

Originally Posted by Babbler

But that the easiest tech to get from goody huts.

That's because it's the cheapest tech. If you resereach or buy it, you'll get a more expensive tech from the hut

Agricultural and expansionistic civs get pottery from the beginning, and you're bound to run into one of them soon enough, so I usually buy it.

Otherwise, I like Perfection's strategies, good stuff for all situations.

[Reprisal]

Perfection's strategy can also be used quite well with the Russians -- though somewhat differently. Rather than having a higher attack value, the Cossack has the ability to blitz.

A good ability to have, especially with a movement value of three.

- Rep.

[SuperBeaverInc.]

I research what I decide would be best for me to get. If I want military units, I research a military unit. If I want a wonder, then I research the tech that gives a wonder.