When are advances available?

[TimTheEnchanter]

I'm fairly new to Civ, so please bear with me... This is in my third game, currently playing Prince level, Civ II MPG.

Why can't I select every advance that I have prerequisites for? I had Alphabet from the start, and had been working towards Monarchy first, but when I went back to learn Writing, it was not an option on the list. I had to learn something unrelated first, then Writing was an option the next time around.

There were a couple other times when I thought I should have an advance available but it did not show on the list to select from, but the Writing one stood out because I had Alphabet from the very start?

Could it be related to the fact that a Civ had offered Writing to me in a trade and I had turned it down ("We have no need for Writing")?

Or do earlier advances disappear sometimes if you get too far ahead on another part of the tree, or if they go unselected for a number of times?

In general, how does Civ determine which advances you can select from?

Your sage advice is greatly appreciated,
TimTheEnchanter


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There are some who call me...Tim

 

[SlowwHand]

It's a random thing, nothing to be done for it.
Welcome to the CIVilized world !

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It's In The Way That You Use It

 

[shadowdale]

The higher level you play on the less advances you have to choose from....
So if you want to have absolute control over your research play on chieftan or live with it and play on high levels

 

[TimTheEnchanter]

Random? I was afraid of that.

I guess it's just another "feature" to overcome in my quest for world domination!

Thanks for the info.

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There are some who call me...Tim

 

[Lefty Scaevola]

Experience and experimentation a Apolyton appears to show that (when you have the prerequisites) a tech is available 2 out 3 turns on a regular schedule. If one is unavailable to you twice in a row check to see if you new advances are coming at a multiple of 3 turns, if so, then increase or decrease your science to a not multiple of 3 so that you will not keep hitting the same part of the unavailable cycle.

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Gauis Mucius Scaevola Sinistra
Pontificator Pedanticus
Older, richer, and wiser than you.

 

[Smash]

Its not random.In it's most basic form,it is xxo xxo xxo.

government changes follow a simliar pattern xxxo xxxo xxxo

 

[MrSparkle]

I usually have 2 goals so the i dont really care about the availibiltity. At the start i go straight for philo, and when i cant get those advances i get ones for gunpowder / demorcacy.

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I am disrespectful to Dirt! Can you not see that I am serious?