I'm ANCIENT!!!

[PunisheR2404]

Hi, Im new to this site, and this board. I Got Civ3 Christmas 2002, and played it on and off when I got it at first. I was never real good at all (in my opinion) and I never felt like I was ever advancing far in the game. I am not really into the game, and finding it to be a non-literal combination of History+Fun+Exciting+Heroin... But anyways, I have played several full games (whatever the round count it?) as miliatristic type countries (because thats the way I like to play). Anyways, heres my problem; I dont get far... I go all the way through into like 2050 and im just then figuring out how to build the railroad... and thats Sad, because I should at least have THAT by the 1800's. Now, Ive been reading the forums wheer people are talkign about nuclear weapons, building spaceships etc... and that just blows my mind, my civilizations have never even learned how to fly! Now if all the games last the same rounds, how is it that you guys are able to do all that cool stuff? BEcause I know all that is possible, but I jsut dont know what im doing wrong... Ive read strategies and stuff, but id like to hear "first hand" from players who have gotten that far... because lets face it; I'm ANCIENT!!!!

 

[Smellincoffee]

Two primary factors: your difficulty level and the amount of computer opponents. Chieftan and warlord cripple AI research, but the higher levels make it uber-easy for them. The level and the number effect the amount of trading civs do, which also speeds up the process.

If you're on chieftan/warlord and win easily, move up-- if you don't, try adding more opponents.

 

[PunisheR2404]

YEah Im not winning cheiftan, It just seems liek I dont advance fast.... where when you guys talk about making nukes and bombing other civs, my pathetic empires are just learning how to make wipper-snappers. All Im asking is, what my problem is when it comes to advances, is there a trick to making techinlogical advances extra fast, I know thats the whoel strategy aspect.. but im clueless!

 

[TheEndIsNear]

Try this:

- Build libraries and universities in many of your cities.
- Build Colossus, Copernicus's Observatory, Newton's University and (later) SETI in the same city, along with a library and a university. This isn't too hard on chieftain. That city will generate huge amounts of science.
- See your Domestic Advisor and you can set the amount of funds you are putting into your scientific research. Increase to speed up research.
- Get to your diplomacy screen and talk with the other civs. If they have techs you don't have, trade for them. Also, sell your techs to the other civs if you have ones they don't. You can make lots of money this way, as well as advancing on the tech tree.

 

[PunisheR2404]

Ok, if I up the scientific spendings, and I dont have enough cash, and im not already growing in that catagory then Im stuck in a rut. So do you suggest I just go for all cash, orrrr???

 

[Justus II]

One critical aspect of generating commerce (which of course leads to science) that is sometimes overlooked is road-building. Make sure you have roads in every tile that your cities are working, not just roads to connect cities, but everywhere. Before focusing too much on buildings, wonders, etc, make sure you have the infrastructure and economy to support it. A good rule of thumb is to have at least as many workers as you have cities, (maybe less if an Industrious civ), and have them build roads everywhere. I have seen many players (including my son, who is just starting out) build roads to connect the cities, but leave it at that, and so over half his citizens are working tiles without generating commerce.

 

[Illusion13]

No offence, but I was able to get to rail roads WAY, WAY before 1800s... I had my whole railroad system built up by 1800s I think... Well, actually, I think this is one of my best games ever, so cant argue there...

Two words: Goody huts.
Two more words: Early exploration
Couple more words: Dont let your cities go into early civil disorder, build settlers/workers so you dont hit the content population limit until later, when you get your happiness up.

 

[Robertr4836]

What size world do you play on? If you play a large world with a lot of AI players you should be able to get through all the tech easily before 2050AD.

 

[Affirmative]

It was kinda indirectly said by a few, but I'll state it directly.

Try Regent, the AI researches too, at an equal rate. This way, you can trade for some of the techs you want, and research others yourself. This saves turns and real life time.

 

[Goober]

Remember, on Chieftain level you do NOT need to have a positive GPT (Gold Per Turn), you can be in deficit with no repurcussions. I would need to know more about the settings of a typical game, but you Science should be at like 60%+, and luxuries 10%+.

Note that I am a recent graduate to Warlord level, where you MUST have a positive GPT or you lose units, etc.

Ya, build cities, city improvments, LOTS of roads. For your workers, you can automate them by pressing "a", and they will automatically improve the surounding terrain. Automating workers actually works, it really helps if you do not want to be bothered to manually move all your workers around.

Edit: one last thing - Do not stay in Despotism forever. Change to a different government type, generally Republic or Democracy for peace, these two have low corruption, which mean more GPT, and generally Communism, Fascism, or Feudalism (Note: Fascism and Feudalism C3: Conquests ONLY!) for war.

Actually, I prefer Communism overall, but for beginners Democracy works best, except in war.

 

[DS_Legionary]

Whatever you do, don't automate workers. You lose at least 50% effeciency. Build roads everywhere and keep science at 90-100% the whole game. (Since cheiftain doesn't have an penalty for defeciets) Or you could just move up a level, and you will get further in the tech tree much faster.

 

[oregonduckman33]

If you're not switching governments. DEFINITELY switch to SOMETHING other than Despotism. Preferably Republic or Democracy in peace times, aned you can switch to Monarchy/Communism/Facism/Fuedalism (whew, that's a mouthfull) when at war if you're having problems with War Weariness. I think trading with other civs is the biggest key when talking about advancing techs. Other things to think about are:

Size of empire: The more cities you have, the more commerce you produce
Roads: Build'em

 

[civilleader]

Just play as a civ with alphabet as initial advance. immediately research writing, then research literature. This way you'll get the great library. W/ this you can stay ahead of the game since you know what everyone else knows. Build lots of scouts or wariors to get goody huts. In chieftain they give ample rewards. I managed to get to the medivil age in 1000 BCE due to those.

 

[Illusion13]

Great Library sucks... It becomes obsolete too soon.

 

[Legator]

Originally posted by Illusion13
Great Library sucks... It becomes obsolete too soon.

still helps alot......especially on harder difficulties

 

[pelmeister]

By nationalism, you should be capable of producing a tech every four turns. That's not to say you need to (you may be wanting to rush some military units / improvements) but you should be able to. If you can't something's wrong with your set up. Possible answers:
a) is government type - you can still wage war effectively in Republic and its the best for tech.
b) corruption. Have you built the Forbidden Palace? (If not, have a war, get a leader, rush it.) More plausibly, you did build it and it is now too close to your capital to be really effective. Time for a palace jump - again get a leader, but also a settler, a boat and an obscure island.) Possibly also build courthouses in those cities losing between half and a quarter of their income to corruption.
c) - and quite common in chieftain - is that you have some huge cities, but almost every excess worker is an entertainer - get them taxing or doing science.
d) it may be that your army is too big. If you've got warriors and swordsmen about, disband them or send them on suicide missions. Upgrade the three key lines: (1) spear / pike / musket / rifle / infantry (2) cat / cannon / arty (3) horse / knight / cav, so that you have a standing army, two defenders in your border cities, no more than one in the each of the centre cities (and you don't actually have to have any). What you consider is a standing army is up to you, but remember that if you are at war and only using half your forces to take cities that's a lot of waste. Anything over and above that disband. You may have too many workers, add them to cities.
e) Have you traded your excess luxury resources??

 

[civkiller]

I had my entire railroad linking my entire empire by the year 1320. The way I get rich is to trade all my luxuries for abou 60-70 gold/turn. Also, I noticed something. If u want to maintain a treasury of <1000 gold, you HAVE to be commercial. Even for the AI, only England and France had treasuries of <1000

 

[pelmeister]

@ civkiller
Get C3C and play Sid, otherwise find a banana republic somewhere to run. You're wasting your life railroading a computer screen

 

[civkiller]

@ pelmeister
Good point.
I'm just beeeeeeeegggggggging my parents to get me C3C. But they are "still looking for better deals"

 

[yaksack]

Lately I have been creating warriors and setting them to explore as soon as they are made. This usually gives me a good amount of techs early in the game, but leaves my capital unguarded.

I also start on roads ASAP.