(5-CP) Counterproposal: Keep tech trading enabled by default, but limit tech trading opportunities

[Tekamthi]

This is a counterproposal to Make "Enable Research Agreements" and "No Tech Trading" the default settings

Background/Context:

The initial proposal seeks to disable tech trading and re-enable vanilla's research agreements; some feel tech trading is core VP feature and/or civ series staple, and must remain. However, even though past changes have limited its exploit potential, the initial proposal correctly identifies that tech trading can STILL be relatively easily exploited by unscrupulous human (its one of those cases where you could just not do it, but we are all likely more subject to temptation than we like to admit...). I would add that the mechanism of potential exploitation is also unrealistic in the ease with which human can instantly wheel and deal techs all over the globe. This counterproposal revisits a mechanism I proposed in an earlier round of congress, however there its target was deemed too crucial to core gameplay (and not actually in need of fix) to be adaptable for AI; here the tech trading isn't as crucial, the targeted mechanism IS exploitable and may benefit from some kind of fix.

Proposal:

• Keep tech trading default enabled option, research agreements disabled.
• Restrict tech-trading to civs that have active trade route between one another. ie if either civ A or civ B are currently sending a trade route to the other, both can trade techs back and forth, 2-ways.
  • If there is no trade route at all between civ A and B, tech trading is not available between these civs
• In the case of city state, if two civs are sending trade route to same city state, they can tech trade. ie civ A and civ B send trade route to CS C, but not to one another; Can still trade techs via CS trade connection
• trade route requirement for tech trades removed if either civ has tech with attribute "UnlimitedTechTrading". Add UnlimitedTechTrading attribute to telecommunications.

Rationale:
This won't eliminate all opportunities to exploit tech trading, but it will greatly limit the availability of those opportunities to human in particular (well, to everyone, but AI never attempts the human-style abuse, or not to the same depths anyway), while using an existing, thematically-related game function. If human seeks to exploit tech trades, we will have to be more methodical, patient and perhaps forego other trade route interests to accomplish our schemes AI is already considering beaker yields when deciding where to send its trade routes; its existing function should be well-suited to access tech-rich trading partners.

edit: per sponsor feedback & discussion

 

[Putmalk]

Sponsored. Implementation plan:

1. Create a new game option called "Unlimited Tech Trading" (default: disabled)
2. If game option "Unlimited Tech Trading" option is disabled:
  a. Tech trading is not possible by default.
  b. Tech trading is enabled if any of the following conditions are true:
    i. The two players have a trade route between each other
    ii. The two players have a trade route to the same city state
    iii. One player has a technology with the attribute "UnlimitedTechTrading"
  c. The Diplomacy Screen UI will be updated to reflect the above requirements if any of the conditions are not met.

 

[Recursive]

trade route requirement for tech trades removed if both civs have telecommunications

iii. One player has a technology with the attribute "UnlimitedTechTrading"

Desynchronized, please fix

 

[Tekamthi]

fixed OP to match sponsor's interpretation... will consider that community feedback on how it should work. Thanks!

I assume the intent is to have more than just telecomms with this UnlimitedTechTrading flag? I'll update proposal to match sponsor's take on what these should be, there are a few good candidates, telecomms, internet, etc. telecomms just seemed the most obvious when i was drafting OP

 

[Stalker0]

• trade route requirement for tech trades removed if either civ has tech with attribute "UnlimitedTechTrading" (telecommunications, others?)

MAGI: Need to be specific on which techs this is. @Tekamthi

 

[Tekamthi]

okay lets just leave at it telecomms now -- can always be expanded in future congress. OP updated.

 

[Putmalk]

fixed OP to match sponsor's interpretation... will consider that community feedback on how it should work. Thanks!

I assume the intent is to have more than just telecomms with this UnlimitedTechTrading flag? I'll update proposal to match sponsor's take on what these should be, there are a few good candidates, telecomms, internet, etc. telecomms just seemed the most obvious when i was drafting OP

I like to have flexibility so that this can easily be changed in the future, hence why I suggested adding the flag. That way if it needs to be rebalanced it's a simple XML / SQL update as opposed to digging into the DLL.

This will also prevent potential crashes / bugs for modmods (like I like to do).

 

[Recursive]

Change to game options approved.

 

[Hinin]

This counterproposal thread has been locked. Discussions and vote on this proposal must continue there.