How to decide what tech to research.

[CivIVMonger]

This is a difficult question to ask. I know It depends on the scenario entirely, but in a vague sence, how would you decide? I know this just comes down to decision making, but that's what it really boils down too. I just can't seem to know what to research without guessing way too much. Help? Please?

 

[Yonez]

It takes me ages sometimes too, generally when I'm just about into the Medieval ear is when I start to scratch my head. I find it helps to look down the tech tree a fair bit and see what I can get to. Have a look through a few options and decide which is a priority for the victory condition you're thinking about aiming for.

 

[CivIVMonger]

It takes me ages sometimes too, generally when I'm just about into the Medieval ear is when I start to scratch my head. I find it helps to look down the tech tree a fair bit and see what I can get to. Have a look through a few options and decide which is a priority for the victory condition you're thinking about aiming for.

It's no good to decide on something that far into the futer...

 

[Yonez]

It's no good to decide on something that far into the futer...

I would respectfully disagree! Now, I'm not saying pick a an exact gameplan at 1AD and stick to it or anything like that, but I do think it's good to have an idea of where you want to go, and then either work out how to get past your obstacles (be that by aiming for some techs that really help your so-so economy or getting your military up to scratch) or boosting your stengths (like getting Literature to get Heroic Epic to build more of your strong units or something). There's never a 'best' option, but you should be able to work out a priority.

 

[Willem]

I'd say that a good place to start would be taking a look at what your neighbours have researched. For example, if they're beelining for the military techs then it would probably be a good idea to try and keep up with them.

 

[karadoc]

There is a lot to consider when choosing techs, and I think it either takes a lot of thinking or a bit of practice (or a combination...)

Here are a few things that I think about when choosing what to research next:
- I want the tech that will boost my productivity the most and the earliest (commerce, food, hammers, etc)
- If I have my eye on a particular wonder, I want to get the required techs before the other civs.
- I need to make sure that my tech is good enough to fight barbarians and other civs without taking heavy loses
- I like to research techs that the other civs don't have, because even if those techs are not quite as useful to me I might be able to trade them for the techs that I actually want.
- It is important to remember that techs that will take a really long time to research will probably be much faster when your civilization is bigger - so it is usually better to get something else that can help your civ sooner.
- There are certain branches of techs, and it is sometimes advantageous to focus on one branch so that you can maintain a lead (in that branch) which can be used to get some wonders. (To help you see what I mean, early in the game the branches are roughly Religion, Art, and War.)

.. yeah. Like I said, I think it helps to just have a bit of practice with choosing techs to see what helps a lot and what doesn't help as much. I know that my biggest mistake when I was a beginner was to think "well, that tech is going to take a really long time, but I have to get it sooner or later and I if I start now I'll have it before everyone else... " but that usually was a bad idea, because while I researched one tech, all the other civs got a few techs which helped them grow faster and trade more and in the end they were able to get the big techs just as fast as me anyway. ...

 

[god056]

There is a lot to consider when choosing techs, and I think it either takes a lot of thinking or a bit of practice (or a combination...)

Here are a few things that I think about when choosing what to research next:
- I want the tech that will boost my productivity the most and the earliest (commerce, food, hammers, etc)
- If I have my eye on a particular wonder, I want to get the required techs before the other civs.
- I need to make sure that my tech is good enough to fight barbarians and other civs without taking heavy loses
- I like to research techs that the other civs don't have, because even if those techs are not quite as useful to me I might be able to trade them for the techs that I actually want.
- It is important to remember that techs that will take a really long time to research will probably be much faster when your civilization is bigger - so it is usually better to get something else that can help your civ sooner.
- There are certain branches of techs, and it is sometimes advantageous to focus on one branch so that you can maintain a lead (in that branch) which can be used to get some wonders. (To help you see what I mean, early in the game the branches are roughly Religion, Art, and War.)

Generally what I try to do.

 

[Bluto_Longneck]

This is a difficult question to ask. I know It depends on the scenario entirely, but in a vague sence, how would you decide? I know this just comes down to decision making, but that's what it really boils down too. I just can't seem to know what to research without guessing way too much. Help? Please?

I just wondered where and when are you in this scenario?

All I can say:

Early - worker techs
Mid -maybe Military or forges, it all depends, right.
Little later - Lib or Steel and Rifling.
Much later - perhaps try for the Internet if you're behind.

Every new map is a new dilemma.

 

[Windsor]

I just can't seem to know what to research without guessing way too much.

Turn your slider down to 0% until you have enough gold to research the tech at 100%.

 

[Lord Civius]

This is a difficult question to ask. I know It depends on the scenario entirely, but in a vague sence, how would you decide? I know this just comes down to decision making, but that's what it really boils down too. I just can't seem to know what to research without guessing way too much. Help? Please?

You must decide what is more important and go with that. There has been many times when I wanted to keep researching for my booming economy but I had a Toko on my left and a Khan on my right. I needed to keep a military tech advantage on them so my economy had to take a back seat. The point is there will usually be a tech you need and a tech you want, take the one you need.

 

[RagingCalm]

I find that espionage can be really handy when I'm deciding on techs like Liberalism. If I can see what other civs are researching, and I see that no one is near it, I may go back for something like Optics just so I can get Astronomy with the free tech bonus. Espionage also comes in handy if you're planning a war since it gives you a better idea of what you're going up against.

 

[CivIVMonger]

Thank you all! So helpfull. I love this forum, it is full of a goldmine of helpful advice and nice people.

 

[Antilogic]

Early game, I tend to ignore the Mysticism path and go for worker techs (Bronze Working!) and then Writing-Alphabet to start trading. Then I get catapults to start knocking down a nearby AI. After that, my strategy varies.

Since I tend to go for Conquest/Domination, I usually try to get military techs quickly. So that means once I get to the Classical era, even if I make a detour for the Great Library, I will get Metal Casting -> Machinery and Feudalism or Bureaucracy. All depends on what I can trade, what resources I have, etc.

 

[CivIVMonger]

Yes. Yes. Thank you once again. Someone muttered that it varies with the map, which is true... I can't get a surefire answer always. (I wish I could.) But thank you.

 

[Antilogic]

Yes. Yes. Thank you once again. Someone muttered that it varies with the map, which is true... I can't get a surefire answer always. (I wish I could.) But thank you.

The problem with a surefire answer is that it will lead to you using the same strategy/tricks over and over again. The moment where these tricks aren't going to work, or they aren't as efficient, you'll get lost.

I forgot to mention I prioritize getting my uniques (unique units and buildings), so this is also a major factor. There are a bunch of little things that you just get in the habit of considering (like whether or not Calendar is worth it because you have two plantation resources, or whether you should go straight for Currency/Code of Laws to kill that city maintenance).

 

[DanaLea]

When I don't know what to research, or don't have anything I need right now, I go for whatever I can get the fastest (fewest amount of turns). I gotta research something right, and this way the dialog will pop again rather quickly when I may know what I need. (and you can always switch mid-way if something does come up).

 

[CivIVMonger]

Thank you Civilization Fanatics Forums Community for your answers.

 

[sabo]

I will usually go for the techs that the AI wants so I can do some trading. If I get Metal casting first I can usually catch up with everyone else by trading it away (on water maps I make sure I'm almost done with the collosus first) Nationalism is another one they seem to like, and any other techs that will give you a choice for a new government. Seems to me Civ III was the same way in this regard.

 

[PPQ_Purple]

In the early game (ancient era) I work on connecting any resources that are in my imediate suroundings. Next I beline a religion (usualy Confu. or Tao) for the culture and gold.

After that it depends on how many threats are in my region and what I need to destroy them.

 

[Pikkis]

Like karadoc said, it's sometimes very useful to go for techs that other civs don't have, even if those techs don't benefit you much. This is especially useful when the other civs are on different techpaths from each other. Then you can trade your techs for their techs and maybe even gain some money as a by-product. At least in my games the AI may actually want, for example, Divine Right even if its only benefit to the AI is the ability to engage in the race for the Versailles. Just remember that taking advantage from AI's irrationality isn't the most heroic way to get techs and may thus cause moral issues to some people.