technology...

Other than that they start with the equivalent of Stellar Cartography, no. Perhaps they're ahead because they fund research more, or trade amongst other races that they've met more than you?

- Ash

~SDC~

then I must be doing something criticaly wrong, perhaps I could use some advice...

whenever I play, the AI is always *way* ahead of me in tech, and I mean from the very start... as soon as I meet someone for the first time (say less than 20 turns in to the game) they already have like 10 or more techs than I do. The first several techs take about 4 turns each to research if I put most or all of my money into tech... why are they so much faster than me? (right now they are all "bright")

by 20 turns into the game I have 5 colonies minimum and probably 3 or 4 techs. a whole lotta debt too. adjust your economy and try to figure things out. begin with the premise that the ai doesn't cheat, then try to work out from there. you'll soon see you can best them at every turn.

~SDC~

i meant 3 or 4 techs less than they do- bt am ahead of them in some tech areas, so I trade up to be even- but I have more colonies, unless they start off in MUCH better positions than I do.

~SDC~

The AI is a master at expanding in the early game and its much easier to fund research when their income is also increasing exponentially.

Don't get too worried about being left behind at tech in the early game. Focus on your own expansion first. U can also find ways to get back into the tech race once you are more established.

"whenever I play, the AI is always *way* ahead of me in tech, and I mean from the very start... as soon as I meet someone for the first time (say less than 20 turns in to the game) they already have like 10 or more techs than I do."

Yeah, that happens, but it's because I expand better than the AI. They seem to put more emphasis on tech in the early game, while I emphasize expansion. As a result, they gain more tech in the first few turns, but I catch up later because I end up with a larger economy and research pool...

- Ash

~SDC~

5 colonies?

I never have more than 2 by that point (including Earth).

You spend into the red? What happens when you do that?