Hey folks,
Well, after thinking about it for a long time, I finally decided to take a shot at the One City Challenge (OCC). I've already won two games at Emporer level, so I'm doing fairly well: I won the first game Diplomatically, although I did a lot of reloading in that game. I won the second game with a spaceship, and did very little reloading (only on boneheaded errors, and to experiment with trading outcomes). My technique is strong enough that I am confident I can win without the benefit of any reloading.
BTW, I'm aware that my "wins" are tainted by the reloading. In almost every case, I continued with whatever my first response was. However, I wanted to experiment with a few games for educational purposes to master the craft. I don't have a lot of time on my hands, so I'd like to conquer this challenge ASAP.
I've read a number of threads both here and over at Apolyton, and I feel like I'm doing everything right - I keep myself caught up in the tech race early with Great Library, meanwhile building significant wealth for the transition to the middle game. The Nationalism payout transforms me from very prosperous to super-rich, and I never turn back. Other civs are always polite/gracious after Nationalism, so I can buy techs cheap, and steal the ones that are too expensive. Since everyone likes me so much, I can get caught stealing and not have a war declared. Furthermore, if someone did declare war, I have the resources to make alliances with all the other civs, making it unlikely that their forces would ever come near my borders. I've been defending Athens with Hoplites at launch/vote in each game.
My question is this: I have read about other people actually researching techs later in the game. However, even though I've built every single knowledge improvement and wonder, discoveries in the industrial and modern era are taking 40 turns at 100% Science rate. Yes, I have Library, University, Research Lab, Copernicus, Newton U., and SETI. In my space race, my "fastest" discovery was Electricity, clocking in at an excrutiating 28 turns on 100% science with all the aforementioned improvements/wonders (except SETI, of course). All others were 40 turns. Man was I pissed when I'd research Radio for 32 turns (8 remaining) and it dropped to 1 turn because three other civs (which had been making me rich with a total of 2000 gpt) beat me to it. Yeeesh.
My question is this: Am I missing something here? I'm playing PTW, with whatever their most recent patch is. Quite frankly, I don't really see the point of researching my own techs for 30+ turns when I can just buy/steal them in 4-10 turns. Although I haven't played at Diety just yet, I would have to imagine this is especially true at Diety, where my tech rate will be slower than it already is on Emporer.
In other words, unless I find something I'm missing here, I plan on giving up research as soon as I discover Literature. I also don't see any point in building knowledge improvements, since I'd be doing all my self-researching before any of them are available.
A quick side question: I've read that being the first to Philosophy gives you a free tech - do you have a choice in what tech it gives you, or is it pre-determined? If the choice is mine, I think I'd beeline to Phil and then choose Literature when I got there first.
Lastly, for anyone whose considered taking the OCC plunge but hasn't actually gotten around to it, I offer this advice: DO IT!!! It's a very fun alternative, and it will sharpen your regular games.
Well, after thinking about it for a long time, I finally decided to take a shot at the One City Challenge (OCC). I've already won two games at Emporer level, so I'm doing fairly well: I won the first game Diplomatically, although I did a lot of reloading in that game. I won the second game with a spaceship, and did very little reloading (only on boneheaded errors, and to experiment with trading outcomes). My technique is strong enough that I am confident I can win without the benefit of any reloading.
BTW, I'm aware that my "wins" are tainted by the reloading. In almost every case, I continued with whatever my first response was. However, I wanted to experiment with a few games for educational purposes to master the craft. I don't have a lot of time on my hands, so I'd like to conquer this challenge ASAP.
I've read a number of threads both here and over at Apolyton, and I feel like I'm doing everything right - I keep myself caught up in the tech race early with Great Library, meanwhile building significant wealth for the transition to the middle game. The Nationalism payout transforms me from very prosperous to super-rich, and I never turn back. Other civs are always polite/gracious after Nationalism, so I can buy techs cheap, and steal the ones that are too expensive. Since everyone likes me so much, I can get caught stealing and not have a war declared. Furthermore, if someone did declare war, I have the resources to make alliances with all the other civs, making it unlikely that their forces would ever come near my borders. I've been defending Athens with Hoplites at launch/vote in each game.
My question is this: I have read about other people actually researching techs later in the game. However, even though I've built every single knowledge improvement and wonder, discoveries in the industrial and modern era are taking 40 turns at 100% Science rate. Yes, I have Library, University, Research Lab, Copernicus, Newton U., and SETI. In my space race, my "fastest" discovery was Electricity, clocking in at an excrutiating 28 turns on 100% science with all the aforementioned improvements/wonders (except SETI, of course). All others were 40 turns. Man was I pissed when I'd research Radio for 32 turns (8 remaining) and it dropped to 1 turn because three other civs (which had been making me rich with a total of 2000 gpt) beat me to it. Yeeesh.
My question is this: Am I missing something here? I'm playing PTW, with whatever their most recent patch is. Quite frankly, I don't really see the point of researching my own techs for 30+ turns when I can just buy/steal them in 4-10 turns. Although I haven't played at Diety just yet, I would have to imagine this is especially true at Diety, where my tech rate will be slower than it already is on Emporer.
In other words, unless I find something I'm missing here, I plan on giving up research as soon as I discover Literature. I also don't see any point in building knowledge improvements, since I'd be doing all my self-researching before any of them are available.
A quick side question: I've read that being the first to Philosophy gives you a free tech - do you have a choice in what tech it gives you, or is it pre-determined? If the choice is mine, I think I'd beeline to Phil and then choose Literature when I got there first.
Lastly, for anyone whose considered taking the OCC plunge but hasn't actually gotten around to it, I offer this advice: DO IT!!! It's a very fun alternative, and it will sharpen your regular games.
.
. By 1000BC that's 80gpt. BTW, apparently this bonus does get affected by corruption, but it is also affected by modifiers, easily turning that 80gpt in 160gpt. I shouldn't even call it gpt, apparently, as it is actually Commerce pt, and can be raised by Science improvements as well. I hope we can talk the enthusiasts out of it...
