can't trade technology

[attackfighter]

Hey, I recently started playing civ 4 and I can't seem to figure out how to trade technology. I know there's an option to disallow tech trading in a custom game, but I've played two custom games with it allowed and 3 normal games. I haven't played any of these games for very long though, so is there a tech you have to research to allow it?

 

[Joshua368]

You need Alphabet to trade technologies (it says this) and there is a custom game setting called 'No Tech Trading', but tech trading is allowed by default.

 

[Supr49er]

Is the tech on the trade menu but redded out?
You can mouse over the redded out tech to find out why they won't trade.

Welcome to the Forums attackfighter.

 

[Xellos-_^]

You need Alphabet to trade technologies (it says this) and there is a custom game setting called 'No Tech Trading', but tech trading is allowed by default.

there is a exception to this rule as if someone else has alphabet, you can trade for it or another AI can you to trade it to you.

 

[Tiepolo]

Have alphabet = Trade with everybody
Don't have alphabet = Can't trade
Don't have alphabet but AI does = Can trade with that AI

 

[Xellos-_^]

the best thing about not having alphabet is that the other AI can't ask for free techs

I am looking at the tech tree and it seems Alphabets is not really that essential. What are the cons of not researching Alphabet. The Pro would be that the AI can't ask for free techs.

 

[Tiepolo]

You can trade for techs. Really, if you can't do this, you're out of the game. Once you get alphabet, start researching techs normally left alone by the AI. This allows you to keep pace by trading for parity.