How do "the eyes and ears network" works ?

[Calavente]

How do "the eyes and ears network" works ?

let me explain :

I'm playing a game where I built it... and lo, 5turns later, no "stolen" techs... not even when 2 civs I know "can trade" and 1 "can't trade" in the diplomatic screen, and I can research those techs. (I'm speaking of mithril working, theology, precision...etc)

I will give the background as it may have an influence on why it doesn't work :

-I am at war with those 3 civs. (it is written 3civs : not 3civs at peace)
-I play with "no tech brockering" (1 civ did not discover those techs..)
-those 3 civs are : mercurian and their allies (kuriotates) and their vassal :
maybe it this one : 1 team + vassal = 2civs ?, but it is written "3civs" not "3teams"..
-I have no direct path towards the mecurian grounds... maybe that's why ?

any ideas ?

thanks

 

[civ_king]

I think you need OB...

 

[xalien]

I think that team counts as one civ, at least that's my personal experience, but I could be wrong. I don't think you need OB, but the chance to get a tech isn't too high, it may take a good number of turns before you get them.

 

[MagisterCultuum]

		if pCity.getNumRealBuilding(gc.getInfoTypeForString('BUILDING_EYES_AND_EARS_NETWORK')) > 0:
			iArete = gc.getInfoTypeForString('TECH_ARETE')
			iHiddenPaths = gc.getInfoTypeForString('TECH_HIDDEN_PATHS')
			iInfernalPact = gc.getInfoTypeForString('TECH_INFERNAL_PACT')
			iMindStapling = gc.getInfoTypeForString('TECH_MIND_STAPLING')
			iSeafaring = gc.getInfoTypeForString('TECH_SEAFARING')
			eTeam = gc.getTeam(pPlayer.getTeam())
			listTeams = []
			for iPlayer2 in range(gc.getMAX_PLAYERS()):
				pPlayer2 = gc.getPlayer(iPlayer2)
				if (pPlayer2.isAlive() and iPlayer2 != iPlayer):
					iTeam2 = pPlayer2.getTeam()
					if eTeam.isOpenBorders(iTeam2):
						listTeams.append(gc.getTeam(iTeam2))
			if len(listTeams) >= 3:
				for iTech in range(gc.getNumTechInfos()):
					if (iTech != iArete and iTech != iMindStapling and iTech != iHiddenPaths and iTech != iInfernalPact and iTech != iSeafaring):
						if eTeam.isHasTech(iTech) == False:
							iCount = 0
							for i in range(len(listTeams)):
								if listTeams[i].isHasTech(iTech):
									iCount = iCount + 1
							if iCount >= 3:
								eTeam.setHasTech(iTech, True, iPlayer, False, True)
								CyInterface().addMessage(iPlayer,True,25,CyTranslator().getText("TXT_KEY_MESSAGE_EYES_AND_EARS_NETWORK_FREE_TECH",()),'AS2D_TECH_DING',1,'Art/Interface/Buttons/Buildings/Eyesandearsnetwork.dds',ColorTypes(8),pCity.getX(),pCity.getY(),True,True)

You definitely need Open Borders for it to count. You do not, however, have to actually be connected by any trade routes, roads or otherwise.

Although teams share all the same techs and it is the teams appended to the list, I'm pretty sure the lists can contain multiple identical elements so it is the number of players, not teams, that matters. Open borders with one 3 player team (which, if not a scenario with teams set at the beginning, requires someone to get a permanent alliance before finishing the Mercurian Gate to bring Basium in as a third member) sould suffice.

 

[Calavente]

thanks guys...

so first I have to have them make peace with me.. then OB ...
pfff... I chose to spend those 2 GE in order to overcome the tech difference during the war ... they don't want to make peace : They think I'm the one losing.
Even if I killed 200-300 units, lost 10, they don't lose points due to them being reborn as angel, taking settlements don't count to them, taking the 5 cities from their vassal : they don't care (he's left with just 1 now, I'm leaving it so as to have 3civs with the techs)...
I went from 1900pts to 4000+ points FROM this war, capturing phalanx and arquebuse when I'm ljosalfar, capturing cities...etc.
and they still think I should give them cities and should beg for peace ...

How to make peace and get OB ...???

Neither can I t have corindale, nor the seven pines... maybe spirit III?(never thougth about using this one)
maybe it's not possible...
too bad.

live one day, get hurt, learn from it, live one more day !

 

[Bootsiuv]

I think the fact that the units are being reborn as angels and Basium isn't one of the vassals may be whats keeping you from making peace.

It's been my experience that vassals won't (or can't) go against their ruling civ and declare peace while the latter is still at war....

If Basium was a vassal himself, gaining peace with his ruling civ might make things different, but even then, Basium might not go for it if you're constantly giving him righteous new units to send off to war.

 

[DarkxL0rd]

Once you start taking cities and moving in on their long-held land, they should start being more amiable to bury the hatchet. at least that is how it has worked in every single game i have played. vassals can't make peace the master has to. making peace is the easy part. Open Borders is another story. I would try adopting their civics and religions, giving them extra resources you have duplicates of for at least 10 turns and switching your alignment to match their's. after a while they will give in to open borders. I almost always rush to get Eyes and Ears in my deity games because everyone else techs so much faster than I. my last game i had 13 come in on the turn it built and then 4-5 more over the next 100 turns or so. Very Valuable!

 

[Calavente]

I am well aware of that ...

it's the issue...

the only "long held city" that is in range is... the kuriotate capitol...
with ardhenin (or what is name crossbowman hero) (CDIII, Combat V, Heroic Defense II) ... how did that unit get so much xp -more than 100- without even fighting once ?)
and with 20-30 units, knights...
and all those units have the "blood of the phoenix" promotion. As it's the capitol, each unit will be born again just here !!!
you can understand that I'm waiting a bit before attacking. Doing something like... closing all other combat fronts...

then adopting their religion would mean loosing 140 xp Yvain=> thus reducing my combat ability, and Basium follows FOL, while the Kurios follows RoK. It would also mean losing the possibility to have a religious victory.

don't worry, I'll manage. But I think I will have kill the vassals so as to reduce by 2 the number of civs I'm at war with, thus reducing happiness issues (150 turns of war does a thing for happiness), and I will thus forget any use of the "eyes-and-ears"...snif.

but thanks for the pieces of advice

 

[DarkxL0rd]

never underestimate the power of shadows. weaken the one and then finish off with a shadow. remember they only get reborn once and they are very weak when they get reborn. having an assassin or shadow there for the follow-up kill should sort them out in short order. arthidain sounds pretty nasty indeed, shadowalk, fireballs and maelstrom should help alot. yeah. if i had a leveled yvain i wouldn't switch either. he's worth more than a few extra techs.