Which is better: Buy tech or sell tech?

[Runited]

I played a game last week where i had my tech at 100% from beginning to the end, for a while i couldn't afford any army at all because i wasn't making any money. But soon after i surpassed other civs in tech, they were paying me LOADS of golds. By 1600AD I was in Modern Age with 30,000Gold, earning +400gpt, all from tech trading.

It was a fun game, but a rather boring one because i couldn't go to war with the big guys.. (if i go to war, i will lose all my earning because they were paying me 600gpt).

I'm a newbie at the game, so I don't know much else except sell tech. My question is, if i want to go to War. What's the optimum science rate enough for me to keep up with other civs? If i'm behind in tech, my army will not be as sophisticated. If my science expense is too high and i'm ahead, i'll probably not be earning enough to support an army in Democracy...

Any suggestions?

 

[Runited]

No one has any idea?

 

[Tarkeel]

I am no expert on this area, but it depends very much on what difficulty you are playing. On the lower levels, the AI is so crippled it has problem researching anything at all, so you will be left selling to them. On the higher levels however, they will research much faster, so you might be better off researching at 10% (for the max 40 turn effect) and get even in tech with some clever trading.

It rarely is worth it to go 100% science though, as you won't even have upkeep for city improvements. Personally I try to never run a deficit, but sometimes it is worth to run a small deficit for a few turns if it will cut a few turns of an important tech.

 

[Darkness]

What level were you playing?
I ask this because on chieftain it's useless to try and buy techs from the AI, because techpace is incredibly slow.
And on deity you simply have to buy your techs from the AI (at least in the anceint age) because you can't keep up with them...

 

[thedirk]

I suppose if you have techs the AI wants you can sell them, and if the AI has techs you want then buy them. If you find that you are miles ahead of the AI and the game is boring, it's time to move up one difficulty level.

That said, when I'm ahead in tech I will sell tech to the AI to suppliment my income, but not strategically important ones. If I'm behind I do whatever I can to catch up a strategic tech is worth more than gold in the bank.

 

[Norlamand]

Depends on the game level and your play dynamics. In lower level games it tends to be a sellers market for the human, in higher level games it is a sellers market for the AI. If the AI is constantly ahead of you in tech, slow your research and earn money to buy tech. Use your resources and lux as extra bargaining power in the trades. It does help to remain on good terms with everyone if you are going to buy techs.

 

[Igmod]

I think it is time for you to try a higher difficulty level.

In any case, it seems the general strategy depends on the level you are playing on. If the AI has the tech lead, reduce your science rate and buy the techs. Once you can research faster than the AI, sell your techs for huge sums. Then use these sums to finance your chosen victory path.

In the game you mention, you could use all that gold to finance a sizeable army and wipe out your foes one at a time while maintaining large income from the AIs you are not fighting.

 

[Runited]

I feel ashamed to admit, but i'm still on Warlord difficulty...

thanks for all the ideas... i'm still no expert at the game so i think i'll stick it out at this level for a couple of more games until i find my way around..

i think buying techs is more suitable idea if you're not scientific.. i'll go try it out! thanks again!

 

[CruddyLeper]

Well, one thing that helps a lot - probably the biggest single thing - is a 2nd core.

You have the first core around your starting palace right? Getting another non-corrupt core of cities doubles your income (and research etc).

What I do is war until I have a 2nd core, then think about who I'm going to target next.

You are quite right not to declare war when a deal is in hand - but if you want to dominate, sooner or later (best done sooner) you have to pick a neighbour to go and conquer. Make sure your diplomacy is in order first (no deals you can't cancel) and see if you need a military alliance to finish it more quickly.

This isn't MANDATORY - but it does make the game a lot easier to win (and gives a higher score if you worry about that).

So for me, the first objective is the 2nd core (preferably with a new palace rather than the forbidden palace - FP cities can flip to the enemy, but your capital will never flip.

Not dissing any of the above posts - it just struck me that no one had mentioned my subject.

 

[Aurora_IceFire]

It's probably best to leave your enemy behind in technology, that way when we get the technologies you want, you can stomp him without him having any real chance at doing anything about it. I try to get my technologies as fast as possible, but at the same time gaining a little money each turn. You shouldnt maintain much of an army until you get to the level of technological sophistication that you are comfortable with, then cut the research to a minimum, and start making a large army. This way theyre stuck using musketmen, or pikemen, while you get to use tanks and infantry, or modern tank and mech infantry vs riflemen. You would pretty much take them out in just a few turns. So dont sell technology unless you absolutely MUST have money immediately.

 

[Runited]

but if you're researching at 50% (or less) to make money, how is it possible that the AI wouldn't catch up? Especially in higher levels.. i doubt this is possible.. atleast the other big civ (there's always atleast 1 or 2 big civ in the game) will always seem to be catching up with you on the tech the moment you slow down by a notch

 

[Puzzlinon]

As a general goal, I think you should almost always be in a position to trade tech (and set up three-way deals and the like) rather than strictly buying or strictly selling, unless you're going for a fast-as-possible conquest.

If you're always buying, you're just digging a hole for yourself: the AI is using your money to climb away from you. If you're always selling, you're slowing the overall tech pace, which moves the likely end-of-game date later and later.

It's -safer- to pull ahead of the AI and stay there, but you are reducing your point potential (and the difficulty of the game, in a sense) because your own absolute progress will be slower when the AI research isn't helping the overall pace.

(I.e. your relative position is a bit weaker if you let the AI's keep up, but your absolute position is higher-scoring because it's faster, and more interesting because the AI's have a chance.)

 

[Runited]

Puzzlinon, i agree with your post, except when you said that by strictly selling you move the likely end of the game date later and later...

i kept selling and selling and the AI built the UN so quick they beat me at diplomatic victory.. well, if diplomatic victory is not an option, then you may well be right