The Advanced Beeline Technique.

[IdiotsOpposite]

I'm not really sure if I should be allowed to post in this forum, but here we go:

The Advanced Beeline

In essence, a "beeline" is focusing on one tech and ignoring the others. This usually involves taking the minimum requirements for a tech. The "Advanced Beeline", on the other hand, involves taking the MAXIMUM requirements for a tech. Used properly and in the right time, it's a wonderful technique.

Let's make an example. You are... Saladin, let's say. You managed to found Polytheism first, and now you have Hinduism. Now, this isn't real-game applicable, just an example, but let's say you wanted to get the Hindu Cathedral quickly, but you still wanted some substance in your actions.

Now, Music requires Mathematics and EITHER Literature or Drama. Drama simply requires Alphabet, and if you are Hindu, you have Polytheism, so Literature requires the same thing. Also, Mathematics and Alphabet also require the same thing. Writing requires one of three things: Pottery, Animal Husbandry, or Priesthood. With Saladin, Pottery will require either Fishing or Agriculture. Animal Husbandry will require either Hunting or Agriculture. Priesthood will require either Meditation or Polytheism, which you have.

So, you've traced all of this back. Now, with a regular beeline, the tech order MIGHT be, say, Agriculture-Pottery-Writing-Alphabet OR Mathematics-Drama-Music. Not necessarily in that order, but close.

With the Advanced Beeline, you would first want to get Fishing AND Agriculture. You would also want Hunting and Meditation. From there, you would get Pottery, Animal Husbandry, AND Priesthood. Then Writing, then Alphabet OR Mathematics, which may be placed anywhere between here and Music, then you would want both Literature AND Drama, and then, finally, Music. You've taken longer to reach your tech objective, but you also have more of a backbone behind that tech.

How useful might this be?

 

[Verge]

How useful might this be?

Useful to some extent, but not for the reasons you mentioned. A player pursuing an "advanced" beeline as you describe it wouldn't be doing it to get a stronger "backbone," but because researching all of a technology's prerequisites gives a boost to the research of the specific technology in question (I believe it's 20% per prerequisite, I'll have to check).

It sounds like your idea is simply advocating researching more techs for the sake of having more techs to work with. But players who need specific technologies will grab them along their beeline anyway.

 

[JujuLautre]

I fail to see any use of that.

I mean, the goal of a beeline is to get a given tech as quickly as possible, as you said, ignoring the others. So why use your waym when you can first get your beeline tech and then get back the usefull techs you need in the one you skipped? because after all, in all the tech your method would take, there are lots which you don't need at that time I'm sure.

 

[IdiotsOpposite]

@Verge: I forgot to mention that, and that's useful also. If you think about it, this will give you more techs for less time.

@JujuLautre: Some reasons might be:

Beelining can get VERY expensive at times, and this will cut costs.

Because of the cutting costs, you will get more techs for less total beakers. You are, in effect, saving beakers.

 

[Verge]

But what you're describing really defeats the point of the beeline. If I want to grab a certain tech ASAP, I'm already of the understanding that it's going to cost me in both beakers and in ignored techs. That's the point: you gain a key tech quickly at the expense of beakers and technology gains on different parts of the tree.

What you're describing as an "advanced beeline" is, at least to me, what a player should do when researching "normally." That is, advancing along the tree without the pressing need to get a certain tech quickly. In such an instance, grabbing all prerequisites is a given.

 

[JujuLautre]

@JujuLautre: Some reasons might be:

Beelining can get VERY expensive at times, and this will cut costs.

Because of the cutting costs, you will get more techs for less total beakers. You are, in effect, saving beakers.

If beelining would be too expensive, then you have no reason to make a beeline. Or at least, that's what I think

Imo, beelining is not just about getting a tech, it's about getting it the fastest way possible because you want to exploit it, because you have a plan. If you research other techs before, then it's not a beeline anymore. But that plan has to be good; otherwise, don't follow it.

Always imho obviously

 

[DaveMcW]

It's only a beeline if can pop a Great Artist from Music.

 

[alex sword]

If tech trade option is turned off, this strategy is the good one, it saves a lot of beakers (anyway, it might be a good idea to beeline UU and UB). With trading techs allowed, all the beakers will returned back after you trade beelined tech to your friends who perhaps research most of prerequsites while you beelined. In general, higher level = AI research faster = tech trading is a priority = beeline is a priority.

 

[Refar]

You beeline to save time, not costs.

Teching a additional prereq costst you more turns, than you gain from the target tech beeing cheaper. So in the end you loose time.

 

[cabert]

I do this all the time... at low levels.
It's very useful on the lower levels, where the AI is just useless in trades.

As soon as the AI gets bonuses (prince and above), you're better off backtrading (to some extent, beware of the WFYABTA effect) after a straight beeline.

Even at higher levels, I still research AH and pottery and sometimes priesthood before writing, because I need the prereqs anyway.

 

[Perugia]

I would like to add that when using this approach and you are choosing among pre-requisites for which there's no pressing technical need:

if you are not going to trade the tech, you should research the one that the most AI know (both friends and enemies) as this will attract more bonus

if you are going to trade the tech (if you can) then you should research the one that most of your friends don't know.

 

[Quotey]

My games are all an advanced beeline to Future Tech 9

 

[LlamaCat]

I'm not really sure if I should be allowed to post in this forum

? now this has me curious...

 

[kcmarkwell]

Honestly, sounds like a pretty horrible idea to me. By the time you actually reach your target tech, others would have reached it far earlier and probably annihilated you with a military tech beeline the correct way.

 

[Elkad]

In general, bad idea. (at least on an appropriate difficulty level).

Point is total beakers you spend per tech. Beelining and then tripling (or better) your beakers via trades is almost always the better choice.

In a no-trades game, working ALL the prereqs (or just always researching the cheapest tech on your list probably) would be the most efficient use of beakers.

 

[tempuraki]

it's not a beeline because you are deviating from the "line." this is more like bees on working vacation, stopping to take pictures, visit a museum, go to a ballgame, etc.

advanced beeline would be something like trading for prereq 50c on the dollar. like trading your pottery+priesthood for hunting so you can get animal husbandry faster. you know, do whatever it takes to speed up getting to your target tech. like buying a postcard at the airport instead of taking pics yourself.

 

[futurehermit]

it's not a beeline because you are deviating from the "line." this is more like bees on working vacation, stopping to take pictures, visit a museum, go to a ballgame, etc.

 

[IdiotsOpposite]

I'm not really sure if I should be allowed to post in this forum

? now this has me curious...

I have a very... low opinion of myself. Extremely low. And this is a forum where you post strategy ideas.

Also, don't criticize me for my low self-opinion. It helps me be pleasantly surprised more often.

 

[OTAKUjbski]

I have a very... low opinion of myself.

That's all well and fine. You can cut yourself at night if that makes you feel better ...

... just be sure to your ideas. (Confidence breeds believability.)

it's not a beeline because you are deviating from the "line." this is more like bees on working vacation, stopping to take pictures, visit a museum, go to a ballgame, etc.

nitpick: Bees only make a "beeline" after a forager bee has found a source of nectar and communicated its location to the hive ... only then do the bees "make a beeline" to that source. Otherwise, they fly around quite randomly until they find a good source of nectar.


On a related note: As others have said, this is a good strategy at the lower levels (or in any other situation where tech trading isn't possible or viable) but will typically leave you struggling if employed at Monarch and above.

 

[sylvanllewelyn]

The idea's not funny at all. It's valid for some circumstances. Actually, almost all "stupid" ideas are good ones under some circumstances. The funny part is the name you gave to your idea. When I saw the title "Advanced Beeline" I thought it was a thread about advanced techniques that helps you reach a target tech quickly, but.... err...

... yeah, I don't see much use for your idea other than for "no trading" games, and even then reaching a more advanced tech earlier is critical. Your civilization needs to be good at something to survive, and a flat research pattern does not help. There's even a "Sid's Tips" telling you not to neglect too many techs lower down, but you know what? I started getting better after I ignored that piece of advice.

Specialise. Your civilization needs a niche to survive.