Getting the right tech

[KnightTemp]

Can anyone help, please? I've read (although I'm not sure I fully understand it yet!) about only getting some of the next available techs presented when you've just finished researching the previous one. But is there a way of ensuring that the ones you want are presented to you?

It's really annoying when, say, you've planned it all carefully to have researched all the pre-requisites for Philosophy and Democracy. 'Now', I think, 'I'll research Phil (to prevent the AIs getting it first), and then for the free tech, I'll grab Democracy, and build SoL'. Smug, sit back, all under control.

But then, having just got Invention or Banking, whichever, the 'What shall we research next' list doesn't contain Phil!!

Any ideas, please? Thank you

 

[Magic_gorter]

KnightTemp at the higher levels of Civ there is a 2/3 tech rule. It means that a certain group of techs can not be chosen. The techs are devided into 3 groups. Group 0, 1 and 2. At start you can chose techs from group 0 and 1 (also the first available tech in the alphabet (this could be from group 2). Next turn you can chose techs from group 1 and 2 (and the first available tech.....), next turn from group 2 and 0 (and the first.....). IIRC the list with all the techs and the group they belong to can be find in the great library of the Apolyton site and it's in the document for early landing.

 

[KnightTemp]

Thanks, Magic_Gorter, that's very helpful. Can I clarify? When you say 'turn', do you mean that
a) if, say, I'd completed the previous tech in BC1050, I'd get presented with one list, while if I'd completed the tech in BC 1000, I'd get presented with the next list?
or
b) I complete my (say) 7th tech and so get presented with one list, and then when I complete my 8th I get presented with the next list?
Hope my question makes sense - can't think of a clearer way of asking it??!!

 

[Magic_gorter]

Its the b option. Every time you complete a tech you get a new list. You don't get an other list every turn (as you mention in a).

 

[KnightTemp]

excellent - very many thanks!

 

[Clausewitzian]

And as you don't always get your sought after tech, it usually makes sense to have two or more goals, one your primary objective, plus an important secondary (tertiary etc) one. When done right, it rarely matters what the computer offers you, you'll still be able to maintain focus.

 

[simpeter]

If you read the threads about the "Succession Games", you can observe the best players in action (very informative), and you can see how they delay "popping" huts at particular moments exactly because they don't want a free tech, as it will alter the tech sequence and slow their progress to the "target" tech.