AI Randomly Gaining Tech

[DING!]

Hey, everyone, I've read the game manual and it says if all nations but one has a certain tech then all nations will get that tech because its "common knowledge" now.

Well, I've been trying to prevent the AI from gaining tech for 70 turns now so that I can have the techological edge and when I destroyed Russia suddenly everyone had canister shot.

There are still 15+/- nations around and few already had that tech but not all including Russia. Any idea why this happens?

[Inardesco]

So, you're telling me, that because you spend 35 years on destroying Russia, it is weird that every nation has, what is most likely, the first technology in the cannon tree?

I mean...you can research canister shot at the immediate start of the game...I mean...Come on dude, 70 turns and you don't expect the AI to come with their own technological advances?

[DING!]

Sorry, I should have been more elaborate. I didnt want to make it too long. Anyways, nations, usually minor factions, without schools can't learn tech unless they buy or steal it right? So, I destroy Russia and then suddenly all factions have canister shot available with or without a school. This actually happens if I destroy Great Britain too.

A tier one engineering school is needed to even unlock canister shot. The AI shouldn't be able to technologically advance if I raid and occupy their schools and territories as well. So how can they acquire tech when they don't even have a school or the prerequisites to unlock it?

I've actually had a thing happen in one of my GB campaigns that I'd like to mention where after I ended my turn suddenly every AI faction acquired all techs and max prestige. Before that I had almost every tech learned and was the most prestigious nation then one turn later I'm at the bottom.

For example, nations one turn before that didn't even have plug bayonets now had socket bayonets and fire-by-rank even though they didnt have a school or the required barracks level to unlock it. The techs weren't stolen from me either because I assassinate/duel any and all gentlemen that come near my schools. I don't share or sell tech either.

The reason why I also take a long time destroying nations too is because I want them to build special buildings in each capital territory before I take it.

Eh, maybe its just bugged. I guess I'll just destroy everyone.

[Alwyn]

You asked if AI minor nations without schools can get tech without buying or stealing it. I think they can. I believe that the game manual is right when it says that, if a significant number of AI factions acquire a tech, the other AI factions will learn it automatically. There is a line in the game's scipring.lua file which starts a script called something like 'technology osmosis', I guess that relates to this process of technology becoming common knowledge. (If you play as a minor faction, then you cannot acquire technology without buying it or stealing it - this process does not benefit players, presumably to make the game more challenging.)

[HazardHawk]

Somewhat true... Only some technologies can become common knowledge and then they will not until the player has them researched.

[DING!]

I see. Well, that sucks.

[deRuyter]

Originally posted by Alwyn:

You asked if AI minor nations without schools can get tech without buying or stealing it. I think they can. I believe that the game manual is right when it says that, if a significant number of AI factions acquire a tech, the other AI factions will learn it automatically. There is a line in the game's scipring.lua file which starts a script called something like 'technology osmosis', I guess that relates to this process of technology becoming common knowledge. (If you play as a minor faction, then you cannot acquire technology without buying it or stealing it - this process does not benefit players, presumably to make the game more challenging.)

This is correct and has to do with ballance, the game would be a lot easier if this was not the case as the AI can be quite terrible when it comes to researching stuff and (at least I have this impression) they seem to care more about placing their agents in other schools and try and steal stuff.

[HazardHawk]

There is a question... How do you steal technologies? lol I always drop my scholars into the school for research advantage because I also use tech as a commodity. By mid game I have everything I have researched and everything everyone else has researched. Just never really bothered with using agents in may ways.

[Inardesco]

You place your agents in AI schools instead of your own, select a research that they've researched and wait.

[HazardHawk]

Wait? They keep trying until they get it?

[Inardesco]

Originally posted by HazardHawk:

Wait? They keep trying until they get it?

You're shown the % of succes + how many turns it'll take to steal it. If they're succesfull, they stay in the school, if they're unsuccesfull, they're kicked out of the school and move away from the school 50% of their movement points, see it as a retreat. Next turn, you can place 'm back in the AI school to try again.

[HazardHawk]

Thank you for explaining. It may look foolish as many hours as I have played not to know that. lol Now I have to go see!