Technology and age advancement

[Simak]

Hi, new to the forum, and kinda new to the game. I've been playing for about a month now, and I still can't figure out this question I have.

When you advance to a new age, and say you have all the techs of the previous age, what happens to the AI players if they don't have all the tech advancements of the previous age.

For instance, If I advance to Middle ages, and the AI hasn't learned Masonry yet, do they forever not be able to do the masonry aspects of the game? Or does the computer automatically give all players AI or otherwise, the tech advancements of the previous age?

Thanks.

 

[Headbanger]

Each civ advances seperatley. You could be industrial and the ai could still be in the early middleages.

 

[Simak]

Excellent. Next question.....How do I know when the AI advances in age as well. Will it let me know? Or will I suddenly be surprised with, "holy crap, they got that!"

 

[lucashp]

Cities will look differnt the moment that civilization ages.

 

[vmxa]

Also the leaders will wear different appeal for each age. You can also tell by going to the F4 screen and trying to make a trade and see what techs the are lacking that you have.

To make it simple, use CivAssist II and it will tell you what age they are in. This is not a cheat as you can see for yourself, if you want.

 

[againsttheflow]

It is better to go by what techs they have, what age they're in is mostly irrelevant, it gives you a general idea of where they're at but say they're in the middle ages, it's more helpful to know whether or not they've researched gunpowder etc. than to know whether their citizens look like medieval peasants . When you trade w/ them you'll see the list of techs they do/don't have so you can know right where they are before you send you're MA against their muskets.
X-post with vmxa

 

[vmxa]

Don't forget that you can only see their tech up to the point that you have the knowledge. IOW if they are ahead of you in any field you will not see the tech beyond those prereqs that you have.

CAII will not tell you either. It does give a clue in that the price of the tech in beakers will have dropped for those that others already know.

 

[Simak]

OK, more questions. I was playing a regular game. I advanced to the next age, (middle ages). As soon as I did, everyone else I traded with was all of a sudden wearing more modern clothes? What gives? It seems they advanced at the exact same time I did?

Second question....Say I advance to the next age and didn't get one of those bonus advancements...you know, the ones that aren't required to advance. Can I go back to the previous age and learn those technologies? Why is it that when I look back on the previous age, it now appears that I have all of the technologies from that age researched already? Is there a setting on my preferences or something that is doing this to me?

 

[Aabraxan]

Yes, you can go back and pick up non-required techs. If they're all marked that you've got them, you should have them all.

 

[gmaharriet]

Why is it that when I look back on the previous age, it now appears that I have all of the technologies from that age researched already? Is there a setting on my preferences or something that is doing this to me?

Occasionally I look back and see that I have optional techs I know I didn't research. BUT then I'll remember that I got them in some sort of trade or peace treaty, but since they are extremely cheap by then, I'll not value them enough to recall getting them. If I go back in my save files, I'll find where the trade was made.