Tech seems to be to far behind

[civ4lyfe]

Ok, so since I still suck at III i'm playing a game on the difficulty setting 1 above the easiest, whatever that may be.

Now I know I'm the most technologically advanced civ in this game, but the year is 1800 and not even past the medieval ages yet. WTH is with that, it seems odd to me and it also baffles me that none of the AI is above me in their current age.

I am still enjoying the game, but when the year is 1800 and people are still boppin eachother with swords and the ocassional stone axe, it kinda p's me off and makes me want to start another game and get it more "historically correct," if you know what I mean.

What Am I doing wrong here... Also when I play the difficulty setting above, I feel overwhelmed by the other civs technological advances and they play well above me.




EDIT: Also how do I delete save game files?

 

[vmxa]

The level above Chief is Warlord. The one above that is Regent. Regent is the level where you and the have more or less no bonus to cost.

Save can be delete using the tools for the OS. In Win7 that means Windows Explorer. If you get the CAII from the utilities forum, it can be used to delete files as well and is a lot easier.

Well 1800AD, should be game over or in Modern Age. The AI will lag way behind though. Main things are not expanding at a good pace and not managing the land. Tha means not enough workers and not using them effiecently.

You could look at my Warlord or Regent tutorials in the Strategy Articles to get some details. You could go to the SG forum and look at the list of training games and read one. NOt many below emperor, but iirc TR02 was a good one at Monarch level.

 

[shl7070]

In the last save-file on 1800AD.
How many beakers you produce, how income is divided how many cities and what are the map settings. If you post a save we will be able to analyze what happened.
In 1800AD I'm usually in modern although sometimes I'm at industrial (on bad maps). The worst case was industrializing at 1770AD in an obscene map (cold,dry,3bn,80% archipelago,6 city core and no rivers in the entire standard sized map)

 

[Raliuven]

At lower levels, the root of technology lag is not enough gold per turn (gpt). Even at self research (you research all the techs yourself) you should be able to launch a space ship well before 1800AD (map quality may vary).

Even if you make the mistake of research top to bottom rather than left to right and don't trade a single thing, at warlord you should be able to outpace the AI.

So, first - when you research, climb up the tree. Up is left to right, not bottom to top. The faster you go up the tree, the more the techs are worth in a trade.

Second - trade. If the AI has something you need, give him something you've got. Try to trade a new tech to every civ you know during the same turn. If you don't, the first AI you trade with will spread the tech around and you get zip. Eventually you will be so far ahead the AI will not have much worth trading except gold, gpt, luxuries and resources. But those are nice too.

Third - Science Slider. Move the science slider from 0%-100% and you can see the range. Make sure to play with the slider every few turns (or every turn if you are obsessive like me), but at the very least play with it on every turn for the last 4 turns. Often you can adjust the scale and get the tech in the same number of turns but also net some gold. Fail to do this and you lose out on the gold.

Use tech trade to build up your treasury and gpt so you can 'deficit spend' on research. If you have 1000 gold in your treasury, it doesn't matter if you are researching Replaceable Parts in 4 turns at -58 gpt. Research the tech and then use it to rob the AI blind. Make them pay for your research.

Forth - gold per turn (gpt). Research is really all about how much gold you can produce per turn. That means you need cities - if you don't have some cities at your borders that are 95% corrupt, then you did not expand fast enough. These cities need to be big - the bigger the better so long as you can keep them happy. Working citizens make lots of gold. But only if they are working on improved tiles. So make enough workers (recommend about 1.5 per city) to improve all your land. More Cities=More Citizens=More Gold=Research.

**Danger** Almost everything you build in a city cost gpt to maintain. Check your maintenance costs on the F1 screen. All those colloseums, barracks, temples, banks, and libraries cost money to upkeep. Only build what you need in the city. Everything else is wasting gpt. Same for a large military - check your unit support on teh F1 screen. Make sure it is 0gpt or a reasonable amount (in republic/etc.). Of course, make sure you have enough military to handle any conflict that might arise.

Fifth - Even more gold. So you've got big cities and lots of citizens but it still takes a long time to research everything? What you really need is something to multiply all that gold. Solution? Libraries, Universitys, Labs. If you want to bury the AI in research, build them. Marketplaces are good because multiply luxury happiness. Banks and Stock Markets - maybe if you are not running research at 100%. Consider that carefully because you'll be paying gpt for maintenance and that defeats the purpose. As previously mentioned, take a hard look at each building you are going to construct and make sure it adds something you need. At warlord you can get away with quite a lot, but that only makes the temptation to build all the stronger. I'm a natural builder, so I understand that urge.

Sixith - Even MORE gold. Governments. You can bury the AI with any government at Warlord (but please get out of Despotism as soon as possible anyway ). You can go Monarchy or Republic and you'll be just fine. Most players prefer Republic because it gives an extra gold for every tile worked that is already producing gold. That means +gpt. With that said, Monarchy is a easier government for new players to deal with, in my experience.

Seventh - Science Farms - won't go into that here unless you want to know more, but corrupt cities should be used to hire scientist - as many as the city will support.

Good luck!

 

[CKS]

On low levels, the AI are really bad at researching. At warlord, the AI will rarely be able to out-research a human, even when the human is new to the game.

To research fast, you need the science slider set high and you need lots of commerce. You want to work tiles with roads (and rivers, when possible). You need to be out of despotism, preferably in a republic. Your core cities need libraries and universities (when available). Your outlying cities, with high corruption, should use non-productive citizens as scientists, gathering beakers directly. Research left to right across the tech tree, and trade with the AI to get lower level techs and move everyone along.

 

[Desertsnow]

Another thing is your workers. You'll need lots of these as well. I usually play with three workers per two cities (one and a half per city), but more often recommended is two per city, especially if you're not playing an Industrious civilization. The conventional (and justified) wisdom is build mines in grassland, hills, mountains and tundra and irrigate anything else. There are exceptions, but you'll get by following this rule at Warlord level. Also BUILD ROADS--this is all-important. Roads connect cities and boost economy. Workers should not leave any tile until the road at least has been built. This makes your cities more productive, which in turn allows more income to get what you need, including tech.

If you have any issues, just ask.

 

[Theov]

Early game is key.
You first cities should only build settlers, workers and few military.

 

[civ4lyfe]

Well, I always build a good amount of workers(1-2) per city.

If my city is corrupt or unhappy, I use those unhappy citizens and make them scientists.

I never like to put my science slider above 60 or 70 percent because it usually makes my gpt negative.

I always have a decent sized military, one of the strongest in game.

I always make sure to improve tiles, and only build culture and happiness buildings when my major cities need some cheering up.

The one thing I noticed I don't do is trade techs, and I also notice that I research my techs somewhat randomly, but I don't really know what a good route to take is with research order. I think I got used to civ 5 being so easy, in that it basically guides you which techs to research.

 

[vmxa]

Tech path selction is very dependant. Do I intent to trade very much or almost none, which may be a fucntion of the level as well. What is the victory choice? Many of the VC's lend themselves to trading, if the level lets you.

Domination or Conquest may preclude trading or limit it greatly. Of course AW means no trading or at least none after first contact.

What is the map size and settings have an impact, but the level is the biggest one. Playing Deity or Sid, you may have very few trade options, till very late. Playing Chief, Warlord I may not have any either as they will be too slow or too poor.

You really have to be able to adapt, the AI is not able to alter its path by much.

 

[Ataxerxes]

Small addition, remember to tech from left to right as Raliuven said. I usually try to use the "Republic Slingshot" so I go Alphabet (first trade if I don't start with it), Writing, Code of Laws, Philosphy and take Republic as free tech. I try to make contacts early and trade for all the left side AA techs. Medieval is the choice - bottom to Military Tradition and Cavalry or top for economy? I usually go top and try to trade for lower techs and then finish off the lower part of the tree. Industrial I beeline Replaceable Parts. Standard games you can always trade. Modern era the AI is well behind me so I just take what looks good now.

Note: be careful trading Writing before you finish Code of Laws. AI may foul you up by going immediately for Philosophy.

Always look to expand, peacefully or otherwise.