spaceship before radio

[rafisher]

OK, I'm slowly figuring out how to play this game,<br />but still don't understand the logic behind the AI. In my last game, I was dominating all civ's and far ahead in technology tree. The Indians stole the Space Program from me and gave it to the Carthagians. The Carthagians managed to build and send off a spaceship before having obtained "Radio" or "Advanced Flight". How can you have a spaceship without knowledge of radio?

And also, why does a civ still in medieval ages militarily, which is reduced to less than 6 cities, continue to sneak attack my civ (marines,<br />tanks, etc), but yet spend resources on a spaceship?

 

[The Shargon]

Well if u steal like advanced flight from enemy u can make bombers but not fighters etc. This is cool game but not perfect.

 

[kundor]

And also, why does a civ still in medieval ages militarily, which is reduced to less than 6 cities, continue to sneak attack my civ (marines,tanks, etc), but yet spend resources on a spaceship?<br /><hr></blockquote><br />Answer: the AI is stupid. <img src="rolleyes.gif" border="0">

 

[allan]

I suggested in the CivIII suggestions forum that a tech should not be "stealable" (by either dips, spies, or conquest) unless that civ is only one or two steps behind that tech in the tech tree. I.e., space flight would not be stealable without at least having advanced flight; advanced flight not stealable unless you have flight, etc. I HOPE THEY HEARD ME!

Anyway, I agree with you, and have similarly found such weird scenarios as an opponent whose strongest attacking unit was a knight somehow sending spaceship parts into orbit and fitting them there (of course, I never let them complete the spaceship!). Such things are simply silly....

I would also perhaps extend the limit on stealable techs I proposed above to techs you can get (or give) through diplomacy--i.e. you can't gift a tech to another civ that's more than two techs ahead of where they're at; so AI civs would have to gift the "supporting" techs first.... (but this is for the CivIII suggestion forum.)

As for countering this, if they are that deficient in tech, it shouldn't be hard to conquer them, even if they are larger than you in number of cities.... Or if you have FAR more cities and a huge industrial base, beating them to AC shouldn't be a problem either....

 

[starlifter]

Those suggestions sound good to me!

Since I give away lots and lots and lots of tech, I think it is only logical that I (as the giver) should have complete control over giving any tech I possess, any time I want. I should not be limited to 2 choices to negotiate with! Of course, the AI coudl decline an offer of tech, but I should not have to offer the "juciest" tech up front.

 

[jc011]

yeah, i agree with ya starlifer,

everytime i talk to another civ i will definetly save before talking to them. sometimes when i exchange knowledge, they want mobile warfare, but i don't want to give them this and i ask if they want something else like miniturization and then they will laugh at me and end the conversation. First of all, do they have miniturization?? and if they do, why the hell would it be a second choice on the list.

 

[jc011]

but then again, we do have acess to anything they have on their tech list!!! HEHEHE!!!

 

[allan]

Starlifter, you've said that you play for a spotless reputation (actually I generally do too)--so how do you "get the AI to do research for you" as you say? Because if you steal a tech at peacetime, there's a chance you'll get "caught" and this will lower your reputation. But if you try to swap techs when your power is supreme (even in midgame), they're usually so hostile they won't even talk about a swap until you give them something juicy outright (in exchange for nothing), and sometimes not even after that. You and some others here seem to have mastered the privitive and annoying diplomacy of CivII MGE, whereas I end up telling the AI to go f*ck themselves all the time, because they won't be reasonable....

Any tips about better diplomacy, or manipulating diplomacy? I end up researching EVERYTHING myself, since I'm generally at peace until late-mid or early-late game, and by then the AI has nothing I don't have. I play at king though, so maybe this wouldn't be the case if I play higher levels--if so, diplomatic tips would be very helpful if I actually must get some techs from the AI to keep up....

 

[starlifter]

Starlifter, you've said that you play for a spotless reputation (actually I generally do too)--so how do you "get the AI to do research for you" as you say?

I make embassies, or better yet, get Marco Polo... then I study who has what, and keep a general feel of when everyone is finishing their research so I know about how long it will be till they are done. Before they can finish a piece of research, like say Feudalism, I will trade someone for it (or finish it myself), then gift them. That way, their research is not "wasted" on an advance that the world already has paid for.

Do this for all 6 civs at Deity, and science will go very fast. At lower levels, I have just found (playing Warlord in this GOTM) that they research so slow (even at King they go very slow) that after the first few advances, they can never catch up, and by gifting them, their science cost is so great that often the game is over before they finish another advace (at lower leves). At Deity, their science rate will be adjusted to keep producing advances (the AI "cheat").

Any tips about better diplomacy, or manipulating diplomacy?

Make alliances early in the game when you are weak, and keep them. Gift science & swap maps, too. They often want something to keep allied, but I always gift them scinece anyway. Ad long as they are not too hostile, you can get gold from them (25 to 400 per contact) after you "give in" to their demands for your science.

If you keep lots of gold, they're gunna want gold, which I don't like to cough up. Spend your gold (barbs will ransom your cities dirt cheap, too), and that will make your allies feel sorry for you bank account and gift YOU gold, after you "give in" for an advance!

At low levels, the AI is worthless once past the very early game trades. The Sioux (my ally) in my GOTM 8 have not had an advance in 3,000 years, and I've given them EVERYTHING, including Stealth, LOL.