A few questions for you Civ3 experts out there...

[Warlord Sam]

Ok, first of all: How can I increase my civilization's tech advance rate? I've tried both a democracy and communism, both of which had around 20plus cities with libraries, universities, and science labs. In both cases I had a super science city with both the great observatory and issac newtons college, with the science rate set as high as it could be without losing money. Yet the game fizzles out in 2050 with me barely able to learn advanced flight in Democracy, and not even close to advanced flight as Communism. What am I doing wrong?

Secondly, is there any way to make the AI *not* end *any* agreement after 20 turns????? I mean, several agreements such as my three luxuries for their one are canceled as soon as the deal is over, is that just the default thing for the computer to do?

Third: Are some techs considered to be more useful by the AI? I have noticed that when I am the top nation of the world, what I would think is a fair trade (1 of my techs for 1 of their techs) would apparently insult the AI civilizations. I thought maybe that was because I am the top nation, and wouldn't need a tech as much as they did. However, when I played as a middle-rate nation, the same thing happened, with a fair trade being laughable by those darned AI highway robbers.

This is all I can think of for now, but I'm sure there will be more once I learn how to achieve modern age before 2040

 

[eyrei]

Once you get used to playing, the easiest way to advance quickly is to play on a higher level, and trade with the other civs constantly. This way they do some of your research (actually a lot) for you. The AI civs WILL trade techs with each other, and if you don't get into the game early, you will fall way behind. Also, once several of your competitors have researched a tech, it becomes cheaper for you to research. Once particular strategy you might try, is: When asked which new tech to research, choose the one with the longest time. This probably means noone has researched it yet. Bump up your science as high as you can and hope you get to it first. As soon as you get it, trade it to all the other civs on the same turn for gold/turn. You will be amazed how much money you get. Then you can raise your science to 100% for 20 turns, and if you want, you can repeat the process. Again, the higher level you play on, the faster the ages will go. I normally get to the modern era around 1750 AD on monarch level, and I am normally not the one in the lead.

 

[Warlord Sam]

My thanks, good sir

 

[Woody]

I use eyrei's strategy on monachy level. A couple of games ago it worked extremely well and I was able to launch my spaceship in 1655.

 

[Warlord Sam]

Ok, got another one: How can I actually enforce my borders without going to war? I usually explore and find other cultures, build near them and block their path to my land, giving me time to slowly fill it all in with my cities. However, once the other culture has run out of room, they will send a settler and defense unit right through my territory. I complain, and they say "we're moving"... and they move another step into my borders. I can understand the AI rationalizing if its moving through three squares of my border, but I've had a settler try to go through the length of my empire. Is there any way to enforce the demand to remove troops without going to war?

 

[Moulton]

Be prepared for war. If you maintain a strong enough force you will have the option of saying 'get out or declare war' If they are stronger, they ignore you.
I have declared war after the second move through my territory, taken the advancing unit, and then sued for peace as soon as they would listen. After losing 3 or 4 units they gave it up. For awhile.

 

[NY Hoya]

sam, there are some good threads on AI settler prevention in this forum. One good one is to build a line of cities out away from your core along the AI boundary, then you just have to be vigilant about asking them to leave, they will eventually.

The tech broker strategy described above works wonders; you can usually set your taxes at 90-100%