How does the AI do this?

[thadian]

Well, maybe the AI knows a little bit about metagaming.

If i have moderate tech advances, and a superpower asks for the 1-2 things i have that they dont have and need to kill me, i will immediatly start sharing these with civs i know to hate the superpower and build a coalition.

I would be happy to give monty or even shaka rifling and let them take a big charge as long as i felt confident A: they would immediatly use it against you so i dont have to take the risk and B: While you deal with them i can work up a tech lead of my own.

Maybe the computer sees your advances as a threat to them, so they shared amongst themselves knowing that if they pumped each other, they might build themselves a later enemy, but if it gets you taken care of for a while it could be worth it.

I even did ONE multiplayer game thus far - and players "cheat" in the same manner.

If i am 9 techs ahead of the word, some of the other players might make a secretive alliance pre-build against me by first swaping each tech they all know, then readying their units and lastly, having one of them provoke me into an attack or attacking me, so the other 2 can jump in by suprise. In doing so, if i survive i might be reduced big and now be the last place, but it worked in their favor - for now. of course ill remember who did this once i have nukes

I think the computer thinks along the same lines.

 

[_alphaBeta_]

There's where you're getting missed. If you notice, the AI pops up the moment something they want is available. They don't wait a couple turns. Start a game and see how the turn that one of you researches Writing, they'll ask for Open Borders.

So what's happening, in effect, is that the AI is checking with the other AI every single turn to see what techs are available to trade. If you're really intent at keeping up, you'll do the same. Also, if you trade one tech to an AI, assume that they'll trade it to the other AIs unless you beat them to it -- so when you're the first to get a highly desireable tech, trade it to everyone, not just your friends. It might hurt knowing that you just gave your sworn enemy a copy of Philosophy for an old Compass, but better you get that Compass than someone else.

I asked a similar question months ago, and this is the answer I got and I agree with it. They jump four techs because they trade their own tech with four different people, hence they go up by 4 techs. They also do this immediately upon learning the new tech.

If I'm one of the first to research a certain tech, I'll try to trade it to everyone, even if it's only for a small gold amount. At least it blocks who you just traded it to from benefiting.

It was already said that you can't see techs an AI has until you research the prereqs. There's been a couple times that I thought I was in good shape and researched a tech that unlocks a bunch of others. It looks like the AI suddenly gets a bunch of tech, but it's only a matter of finally being able to see it.

 

[Lord_Zath]

I also keep no tech trading checked. I hate watching the AI move up technologically for seemingly no good reason.

 

[Drago Askani]

Fortunatly in BotS they are making it so you cant trade a tech if you didnt research it. So it might limit how much the AI spreads Tech among themselves. etc etc.

 

[Cryptoanarchist]

I seem to be in the minority that likes to keep tech trading on :s.

A faviourate strat of mine is to beeline writing then horde it as long as possible so that only I may trade techs

But I only play on the mid range difficulties so meh.

I'll also second the view of unlocking a prereq and suddenly realising how far youve slipped during those xzenophobic years but can usually recover from there, all it takes is one good tech and you can score like 4 from different AIs.