Tech Trading Exploit Question and Suggestion

from GalCiv2 Forums
I'm glad that the devs listened to those who wanted to have tech trading optional, but I'm wondering if they would consider a 3rd alternative to the issue.

As I understand it with the no tech trading option it means exactly what it says, no tech trading period. I think the main 'abuse' was in tech trading for BC, not so much tech trading for other techs. So, I'm wondering if it wouldn't be possible to add the third option of no BC in tech trades, but to still allow AIs/player to trade tech(s) for tech(s).

Granted not all those deals will be even, but so what?

Call it the middle way if you will
ideas
5,158 views 4 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
On Suicidal, I have found that the only playstyle which works for me is:

Racial Picks:
+50% diplomacy, +50% research, Populist party (for +20% morale and +20% diplomacy)

Initial Strategy:
Build 3 factories on all colinized worlds, with the rest being research labs. Then proceed to out-research the AIs, and trade my techs for BC to fuel my nonexistant economy.

Sliders:

100% Spending
0% Military
50% Social
50% Research

Note #1: This strategy CRUSHES AI's on Intelligent and below.
Note #2: You can't do this forever. Eventually (around week 52) you have to change your economy to facilitate military production, and to support itself (albeit barely) without relying on selling techs.


My main point in writing this (besides responding to one of many intelligent posts), is that I don't consider the above strategy as "abusive" on Suicidal as the game still supplies me with a great challenge at this difficulty. There are numerous events which occur which force me to adapt from this initial strategy (AIs quickly producing a military presence and wanting to thrash me is among them) The only issue that I have is, this is the ONLY playstyle which I've found to work on this difficulty level.

I'd like for other playstyles to be just as viable. If anyone else has a strategy that works on Suicidal let me know. I'd be interested to hear it.

Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I think ubertaco is right. A middle road option feels right on this.

Ms. Nadia, I don't think ANYONE wants to eliminate the option to be able to sell tech for BC. All opinions I've seen posted reflect a desire to control whether or not it can be done. Personally, my style is similar to yours, but I frequently run 100 on tech. Then if any world needs military or social production, I focus their production on one of those. I generally try to buy (outright) many of the things which I'd be otherwise building. Again huge research and selling tech is a definate winner.

BTW, thanks Stardock!!! You have the best 4x around. (Civ II was the last NEW Civ. CTP, III & IV were paint jobs.)
Siege of Centauri
Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
The thing about Tech/Tech trades that everyone was complaining about though, is that the AI does this constantly. So in effect, you have the combined tech might of all the AIs against you if you do not participate in their tech trading game. So one aspect is not to stop exploits, but to actually let the player not participate in tireless tech trading that would be required otherwise.

Also, I use the 50 social/50 research with the Iconians and Populists to start, trading techs for money to maintain my economy while I rapidly expand and build my planets up. Its definately the winning strategy on small maps, on larger maps you simply cannot afford to do this because you dont meet enough races early enough.

This pretty much destroys the AI competition, unless you are unlucky with planets or the AI is very lucky with planets.
Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I agree that the AIs trade tech constantly, and you screw yourself by not participating in, or ideally dominating, this tech trade mini-game. The games tends to favor this strategy(I find, even on the largest of maps), which, I think it would be GREAT if the devs could come up with a way to make other playstyles work just as well without reducing the effectiveness of this strategy.

For example:

It would be very interesting to play as a war profiteer. This playstyle doesn't work at all because the AI pays nothing, or next to nothing, for ships (even when they are at war against vastly superior forces).