AI: Tech Commune. Fun?

[yeesh]

Huge Map, Monarch game. Year is 860AD, and more than halfway through the middle ages. 7 AI civs all have exactly the same technologies. Whenever one of them comes up with something new, all 6 of the others get it about one turn later. Now I've checked them out, and most of them don't have jack worth trading for, but they get it just the same. This was annoying back when I had the Great Library, but now it's just sucking the fun right out. I'm not allowed in their club for some reason. I figure, can't beat em, join em, so when I notice England has banking (cost 48) I try to offer my navigation (cost 52) for it. My advisor tells me they'd be "insulted". I say to you now, WTF? I can out-research 2 or 3 other civs, but a commune of 6? I don't think I can keep up, let alone surpass them.

My question: Does this keep up through the late game? And how do you deal with it? Even at 4-turn techs, 6 AIs will keep up and surpass you if they work together.

[connorkimbro]

i noticed this as well. i'm not sure that they're sharing techs yet. . i've seen AI's with different tech levels. the ones i noticed at the same tech levels all were about the same sizes. i think it may just be that they AI researches things in a certain order. or it may be something else even. . .

[MaSsConFUsi0n]

somehow, you have to stop their little "club." try getting all of them to fight with eachother. hopefully, some will ask you to help and then you can get the techs from em. or, just invade... very tough strat but doable under the correct leadership. just become a general nuisance, thats what i am most of the time...

MaSsConFUsi0n

[Lord Maxwell]

On deity it lasts forever unless they go to war. You need to get into the club early, and stay in the club. My only club ticket this far has been by playing where I started up surrounded by AIs so I could deny them access to each other until they started sailing the blue seas. By then they usually like me after all that trading, so I am allowed to stay in the trading club.

You want those techs. And you must be willing to give anything to get them. Luck with goodie huts, and some really aggressive trading is what you need. Give them tech for tech, give them spare resources, give them cash. (Or found worthless cities and give to them. They like cities...)

On regent (and perhaps on monarch) you can get away with just giving them cash for their techs. Then you can deny them an advantage you have. That's not possible on deity. Atleast not yet.. Once people get better it might be possible. A tech lead early on deity. Sweet.