Minimum research time?

Dr Strangelove · March 4, 2002, 14:28

I thought I saw somewhere a reference to a minimum period of time to complete a research project, I thin the default was 4 years. Is there a way to change this?

ColdWizard · March 4, 2002, 14:40

yes, iirc, there's a 4 turn tech cap, unless you're researching something than another civ already has, in which case there's no cap. no way of changing it afaik.

hetairoi22 · March 4, 2002, 14:45

I think there is an option in the editor. Under General Setting iirc.

Dr Strangelove · March 4, 2002, 16:22

I thought so too. I wonder if they removed this option with the patch.

The Andy-Man · March 4, 2002, 16:31

they didnt remove it... i have abused this option to have 1turn minimum, 70turn max....

Dr Strangelove · March 4, 2002, 18:59

The Andy Man- Where is it?

PGM · March 4, 2002, 21:18

Quote:

Originally posted by Dr Strangelove
Where is it?

In the editor, under General Settings - technology.

TheDarkCavalier · March 4, 2002, 21:22

What's the POINT of the 4-turn cap?!

Dr Strangelove · March 5, 2002, 01:49

What technology section? There are sections for Road Movement, Food and Gold, Hurry Production, Citizen Moods, Various Unit Attributes, City Size Levels, Culture Levels, Defense Bonuses, Default Units, Spaceship Parts, Resources, and Artificial Intelligence, but I don't see a Technology scetion. I'm using the 1.17f patch, but the editor is labeled as the 1.16 version.

Todd Hawks · March 5, 2002, 01:55

It's in the "General Settings" section in the lower left. In an area called Technology, the second from the bottom.

Dr Strangelove · March 5, 2002, 02:45

I swear it's not there in my editor. On the left I have Road Movement. Food, and Gold, Wealth, Hurry Production and Citizen Moods in that order from top to bottom.

Dr Strangelove · March 6, 2002, 00:12

I'm using version 1.06 of the editor. Could that be the problem? Can I get another version somewhere?

Todd Hawks · March 6, 2002, 01:54

Then you didn't install the 1.17f patch. My editor is v1.15.
Get it from civ3.com or here at apolyton.

Todd Hawks · March 6, 2002, 01:58

Dark Cavalier: The point seems to be to slow down tech research so you can't get several techs per turn like in SMAC. As Civ3 has very few techs you would be finished by 500 AD without the cap.

Dr Strangelove · March 6, 2002, 12:03

Ah Ha! I see, my first attempt to install the patch failed. So I downloaded the patch directly into the main Civ3 directory, and now it appears to have successfully installed, because I see the technology section in the "general settings" section of the rules editor.

Next question: Can I edit a game in progress to reduce the minimum research time. I've invested a great deal into building up research in my civilization so that I can get ahead of the others, who at some point will try to nullify my lead by forming an alliance and trading their technologies, in e3ffect working as a unit.
The game is a scenario, so it's not using the main civ3mod.bic. Would editing the scenario's .bic change the settings fior the saved game? How about if I use the Civ3 MultiTool to save the last save game as a .bic, edit it with the civ3editor, then put the edited .bic back in?

KrazyHorse · March 6, 2002, 15:14

Quote:

Originally posted by TheDarkCavalier
What's the POINT of the 4-turn cap?!

To stop *******s from launching a spaceship in 1 a.d. like people did in Civ 2?

Todd Hawks · March 6, 2002, 15:18

As far as I know changes in the bic file work for games in progress. So you just have to change it and can continue to play.
(Well, save game - change bic - load game, to be precise

)

Dr Strangelove · March 6, 2002, 15:37

Quote:

Originally posted by Todd Hawks
As far as I know changes in the bic file work for games in progress. So you just have to change it and can continue to play.
(Well, save game - change bic - load game, to be precise

)

I'm a little confused about how the bic thing works: I'm playing a scenario I designed with a custom made huge map, and I changed the optimum city rule to allow a larger civilization. I saved this civ3 editor .bic as a scenario. The game appears to be playing according to the custom made rules. My question is then, if I want to incorporate the new technology rule, should I edit the main civ3mod.bic, or the scenario .bic? If I have to do the first, then I don't understand why that should be, since the game seems to be playing under the scenario rules. The reason I'm asking is that I just modified the scenario .bic and nothing seems to have happened to the minimum time to complete a research project. Maybe it takes a turn or two to take effect or maybe once the scenario is started the rules can't change. Do you have any ideas?

Todd Hawks · March 6, 2002, 16:17

Uh, tricky

First of all: I am not absolutely sure that the changes will really be in the game after loading a saved game.

Logically you should have to edit the scenario. bic.

I suggest a test: Change something very apparent (e.g. cost of a settler) and check if it is changed after loading your savegame.
Try again with the civ3mod.bic.

If it doesn't work you can try the Multitool idea you had. I am unfamiliar with the tool so I can't say if/how it can be done. Sorry.

In the worst case you have to start a new game to reduce the tech cap.

Dr Strangelove · March 6, 2002, 17:44

I tried editing civ3mod.bic and it didn't work. Anyone got any other ideas on how to change the rules of an ongoing game?

cassembler · March 7, 2002, 17:13

Maybe it's just me, but I'm thinkin' about INCREASING the minimum tech cap. Four turns is just a bit fast for me for late middle and industrial ages... It's like once you got knights and musketmen, you just bee-line for the modern age units 'cause all of the units get obsolete so quick... that's juts me though.