Technology Progress

[LethalFist]

Somehow when playing online I just can't keep up with everyone once it hits mid-game, I don't know how everyone gets so far advanced in techs so quickly. I think I'm pretty good early in the game, I usually have the high score till a couple hours in or so, which is where everyone else gets such a lead on me and basically puts me out of contention. It seems like I hit a wall once I get to 900 points, and everyone else will be close to 2k points and climbing fast. To the point that everyone has cannons, musketmen, etc, while I'm still working with horse archers and spearmen.

So, basically I can never win a game if this continues. Any tips to keep up with them would be much appreciated.

 

[oldsaxon]

Well, can't really give tips without more detail on the games. Here are a couple of hunches, though:

(i) Do you tend to have less land than the others? That can make you tech quickly in the begin, but fall behind later.

(ii) Are you doing enough tech trading? Trust me, the others will be

(iii) At times, lightbulbing (then trading the tech) can help you get back on even terms.

(iv) Give us some dates for your 'problem period'. When you talk about still having spearmen... are you falling behind before Macemen? If you're having trouble that early, then

(v) Get Pottery & make lots of cottages (easiest way to tech quickly, though not necessarily the best)

(vi) learn which techs are important, and when/why - you may need to go for Code of Laws or Currency more quickly than you had been.

 

[LethalFist]

hm, maybe I do have slightly less land most of the time. Usually by mid game I have about 3 or 4 cities, which I'm guessing I should have much more than that? But, I didn't think teching had anything to do with that, other than the capability of maxing out the research slider.

Tech trading is typically disabled online, so I can't go that route. Lightbulbing, I'm not sure what that terms implies.

thanks

 

[JBossch]

Tech rate is the sum of the beakers produced in all cities, so yes, it is based on number of cities insofar as you will hit a ceiling on tech with a small empire. As a general rule of thumb go for about 6 cities by 1AD, give or take.

Lightbulbing means using Great People (usually scientists) to advance quickly through certain techs by clicking the lightbulb icon.

 

[CCRunner]

Usually by mid game I have about 3 or 4 cities

That right there is your problem. A good rule is six cities by 1 AD. More if your economy can handle it. Don't be afraid to drop the research slider a lot. Remember

Land is Power

Lightbulbing, I'm not sure what that terms implies

Lightbulbing is using a GP to automatically discover a tech which is usually traded around for a lot of other techs.

 

[LiberiGlacialis]

CCRunner: Bulbing a Great Person for a later tech only takes a chunk out of your research. Tends to crop up once you get a bit past half-way down the tree.

 

[oldsaxon]

Anyway, to be honest you can ignore all my other hunches now - it's the land area that's making the difference. Settle more! Go to war if you need to! Aim for a strong core of nine cities or so, that's a 'good number' for your average map (though it will depend on how crowded things are).

 

[Elandal]

That right there is your problem. A good rule is six cities by 1 AD. More if your economy can handle it. Don't be afraid to drop the research slider a lot.

Different number for different map sizes. Larger maps are harder also because one needs to get more cities earlier, and the maintenance is no less than on normal or smaller maps.

I'd say I would love a core of cottage capitol, gp farm, and two production cities of which one goes to military and the other handles the rest of heavy lifting. In addition some reasonable cities so one gets about 6 on standard size map, +/-1 per size difference from standard, and eventually various fillers (like fisheries, unless you founded them for running scientists already earlier).