Tech trading revisited

[atreas]

Initially I felt very suspicious about tech trading (experiences from earlier versions), but after a while I got accustomed to it. I remember people stating that "disabling tech trading makes the game easier about the player", but the more I play on higher levels (Emperor and Immortal) the more I find that if you master the basics, the player gets an overhelming advantage, both in cash and in catching up the early AI tech rush. I can't imagine how I would be able to catch up in techs without it.

I am thinking that maybe tech trading is more difficult in the case where there are many players (more than 10) - in the case of few players it makes the game significantly easier. But I rarely put so many AI players (don't want to wait forever). Also, probably map type plays a role too.

So I would like to have your opinions about this: when do you think that tech trading makes the game more easier for the player (if ever) and when do you think it makes it more difficult (again, if ever).

EDIT: forgot a word initially; i wanted to say "disabling tech trading makes the game easier about the player" and wrote exaclty the opposite "tech trading makes the game easier about the player"

 

[CarlCarlson]

I think the only time it makes it difficult on the player is when you don't pay attention to detail and you sometimes give up a tech that could end up costing you an advantage in war/wonders/whatever. As long as you're careful about when you trade away techs the AI doesn't have yet, tech trading will make the game easier since you can focus your research on one track rather than attempting to discover everything on your own.

 

[Boppo]

I have to say that it makes things easier as well. At lower levels you are probably out-teching the AI, so it is not as useful. In higher levels it can help you stay even with the AI. The more AI players there are, the more advantage the player has, because you are able to trade that much more.

Of course the AI players are trading with each other as well, so if you play a game where you have everyone mad at you you could possibly be helping the AI players more than yourself with trading allowed.

 

[MrCynical]

The game will always be easier for the human player with tech trading, except possibly against Mansa Musa. The AI is not well programmed for trading because it outright refuses to trade any techs only it has. This is almost invariably a mistake in tech trading, since you can frequently trade a monopoly tech for two or more other techs and a nice chunk of gold. Unless you really want a wonder, or a military advantage that tech gives, trade it away as soon as possible. Mansa Musa is unique among the AI since he will always trade tech, which allows him to be very good in the tech race. This, combined with Mansa Musa's ability to maximise his research output, makes him easily the strongest AI player.

Another major mistake the AI makes is that it won't trade tech, however out of date, for plain cash (Mansa Musa is again the exception). If a civ is 10+ techs behind you, but has a few hundred gold saved up, give them a tech for it. They're still miles behind you so it isn't losing you anything, and if you do this with two or three backward civs you should be getting enough hard cash coming in to run at maximum science whether you've got religious shrines or not. This in turn allows you to get tech faster, sell even more obsolete tech for cash, and continue to pull ahead. Rinse and repeat.

Tech trading is the key to both catching up and pulling ahead in the tech race at higher levels. If you turn it off it simply boils down to who can get the highest commerce per turn output. At the higher levels the AI has the advantage there, and turning off tech trading destroys your most effective weapon against it.

 

[kingjoshi]

If you're militarily weak but have a few tech's the other AIs don't, then they can start demanding things from you and create conflict.

 

[Boppo]

They will demand/ask for Techs even if you are stronger than they are.

 

[johnny_rico]

Tech trading is a huge bonus for the player. Beeline down a particular tech path and trade backwards. I'm usually not picky about holding onto techs because I tend to stay away from wonders. I find them to be too costly and rarely worth the effort.