I'm using espionage to compare my tech speed with AI. Usually, I'm on par with AI but this game I'm not. To understand details, I checked Worldbuilder (Ctrl+W) => Financial adviser for AI (F2)
* The low expanses are due to 5 cities (vs my 10).
* Hovering over Unit Cost I see lower Inflation (16% versus my 28%).
* Two shrines fund 100% research rate (versus my 50%).
* My worked tiles give 178 vs AI's 264 is also understandable: I worked my way chopping jungles + I'm not Financial leader, like AI.
* AI foreign trade is 54 vs my 49, even I have twice more cities: seems high population (14-15 verses my 10) and castles (+1 trade route) and Free Market contributes. Also, AI runs Free Religion (10% research).
* I don't understand how total commerce transformed into almost 2x Research...
My ideas to keep up with AI:
* I need to cripple too advanced AIs with war, capture Shrines and other goodies.
* I need to keep less cities to avoid higher upkeeps: actually I practiced it building Settlers and placing them only when AI's settlers were approached so I claimed the lend. I did it for heavy jungle lend, placing cities immediately is net negative for 40 turns...
I think jungle and far city placement (to block AI expansion) contributed to failure,
* The low expanses are due to 5 cities (vs my 10).
* Hovering over Unit Cost I see lower Inflation (16% versus my 28%).
* Two shrines fund 100% research rate (versus my 50%).
* My worked tiles give 178 vs AI's 264 is also understandable: I worked my way chopping jungles + I'm not Financial leader, like AI.
* AI foreign trade is 54 vs my 49, even I have twice more cities: seems high population (14-15 verses my 10) and castles (+1 trade route) and Free Market contributes. Also, AI runs Free Religion (10% research).
* I don't understand how total commerce transformed into almost 2x Research...
My ideas to keep up with AI:
* I need to cripple too advanced AIs with war, capture Shrines and other goodies.
* I need to keep less cities to avoid higher upkeeps: actually I practiced it building Settlers and placing them only when AI's settlers were approached so I claimed the lend. I did it for heavy jungle lend, placing cities immediately is net negative for 40 turns...
I think jungle and far city placement (to block AI expansion) contributed to failure,