how does the Great Library work?

[murewa]

1. i'm asking this because it has never worked whenever I build it. built it once when i was two techs behind the only other civ i had contact with and nothing happened.

2. also what happens if you capture it from a conquered city? do you still get the 'bonus techs'?

3. like the first instance but i captured it instead of having built it. And the civ i captured it from is the only civ i have contact with. what happens? do i get any tech that civ has that i don't have? what if later on i meet the other civs? do i get any more 'free' techs?

4. lastly, if i built it but had no contact with any other civ. what happens? and then again what happens when I finally meet the other civ/s?

thanks.

ps. on a related note - does the "Theory of Evolution" allow you to choose which 2 techs you want for free?

 

[philippe]

1)there must be at least 2 enemy civs who have the techs
2)thoery of evolution picks random techs.

 

[BCLG100]

actually when i have buil theory of evoloutin ( i used a great leader so it was ready that turn it finished the tech i was researching then when i was asked for another tech it gave me that one as well

1-i think you have to have contac with at least 2 civs who have the tech
2- no
3- no
4-as soon as you get contact with another civ and mre than 2 people have that tech you get all of them cos i was once on an island met another civ who had a really big tech lead from another continent and i got all his techs

 

[Catt]

The Great Library gives you any technology that at least 2 other known civs already have discovered. If you only know one civ, the Great Library will do nothing for you.

The Great Library (like other wonders) works for you whether you built it or captured it.

In those instances where you only know one civ for a long time, you just might get the very pleasant surprise of, when meeting that next civ (or two), suddenly getting 4 or 5 techs for free.

The Great Library becomes obsolete (stops "working") when you have discovered Education. I good tactic might be to avoid researching Education if you can and focus on other techs -- but eventually you will be "given" Education through the power of the Great Library. (Conversely, when an AI civ controls the GL, you may want to research Education quickly -- that is if the AI civ is being stingy about trading techs).

Theory of Evolution (with version 1.21f) gives you the tech you're currently researching, and lets you choose the next tech as well, so you are best off setting your research to zero if, no matter your research rate, you can't finish another tech before you build ToE.

Finally, murewa, I and others are happy to help with your questions, but most of your recent threads should really be posted in the "General Discussions" forum instead of the "Strategy and Tips" forum.

 

[Missing Persons]

To make things simple: GL gives you techs that at least two KNOWN rivals posess. It is useless if you are on a continent with one rival or alone. The advantage is you can reduce your science tax to nill while using your income to rush improvements. A good opportunity to get those oh so neccessary MKTplaces and rush cultural such as temples and libraries. Works for me.

 

[Missing Persons]

Oh yeah, after it gets Education for you, it's over. bummer.

 

[robinm]

In some specific situations you can get techs beyond education from the Great Library.

The Library checks all civs you have met at the beggining of each of your turns, and gives you any techs you don't have that at least two of them have. If you get given eduacation as one of these then you immediatly get the GL obsolescence message, but you continue to recieve all of the other techs the GL made available to you for that turn only.

The most extreme example I have managed wsa in a One city Challenge I was playing on Deity. I had only bought techs up to Literature and then just gone hell for leather at the GL. I was very very far behing in tech. When I got the GL I was given all the ancient techs, all techs up to Metallurgy and all techs up to banking + astronomy in one turn. Tghe Library became obsolete the turn I got it , but it delivered over 25 techs in one hit.

Robin