Getting AI to Gift you Techs (Prince)

[Xerhid]

I currently play on Prince, but I haven't been able to get the AI to give me Techs on any difficulty level, short of a military threat.

How do you get the AI to give you techs as a "friend"? Even when I have pretty good relations, I just can't seem to do it. Yet, the AI expects you to give them techs very early on, without a positive relationship. It just doesn't make sense.

 

[Smirk]

What are you saying, that you never get the text that says "Would you give this to a good friend", or when selecting that the AI never gives you anything? (The actual text is most likely something else that I don't remember.)

If you initiate the gift they won't give you much, also its timed you can't repeat this every turn and expect to get anything. I've easily received techs like Sailing and such early, but I've had more success with threats than friendship with more expensive stuff, unfortunately.

 

[patmcq]

Sometimes, if you are very far behind, the nicer AI's will offer you free techs unsolicited. I've seen Mansa Musa, Cyrus and FDR do it, and this is on emperor. Also if you can secure a permanent alliance you get all of their technologies for free, and you can ask for any resource or any amount of gold and they will give it to you for nothing. I love PA's.

 

[GenocideBringer]

Well, it makes sense. If you are winning, they shouldn't give you stuff without threats. It's the same reason that in my game I would never give FDR techs-because he was leading.

 

[Xerhid]

What are you saying, that you never get the text that says "Would you give this to a good friend", or when selecting that the AI never gives you anything? (The actual text is most likely something else that I don't remember.)

Sorry, I guess I was slightly unclear. Yes, I get the message as above, but they never go for it. From what others have said, I guess the reason I don't get them to gift me techs is because I am usually anywhere from the middle to the top of the pecking order. Meh.

 

[Shillen]

Asking for a gift reduces their willingness to give you one. I've tested this by asking for a tech and getting it, then reloading, asking for something more expensive that they're not willing to give, then asking for the same tech they gave me before and then they won't give it to me anymore. So if you keep asking for a gift every turn you will never get one. You need to wait a long period of time with friendly relations and then ask for something. With experience you'll get somewhat of a feel for what they're willing to give and when.

 

[Firebot]

I find that if you've given them something in the past when they ask (and they are pleased/friendly with you), that they will often gift a tech to you if you ask them on the same turn as you gave yours. Of course this is provided you aren't well ahead in tech.