Why am I behind on technology?

[vaalen]

I am the US, in January, 1857. I am now fourteenth in the world in technology.

In July, 1857, I was eleventh.

I am second in the game in prestige, with high rankings in several areas, though only seventh in economy, though I have really developed the US.

I have been giving extra funding to four technologies a turn.

What I do not understand is why I am falling behind in tech, and what I can do to improve the situation.

Any ideas?

[yellow ribbon]

some wild guesses:

1.) research is not all, you also need to have to "master" the techs, means to implement them by using in buildings / units.

i understood that using a technology in many buildings improves research speed/mastering the full effects.

(to clearify: I DO NEVER EVER READ FIELD MANUALS, but when dealing with software of power plants. especially no manuals for games)

in my US campaign it needed up to 1862 to have new coal mining facilities i had researched in mid 1850s, meanwhile oil wells were given at once and improved oil wells been there with the next tech
but I DID FUNDED AT LEAST 12 Techs per turn after the Californian gold rush


recall it, US mostly was not in first ranks of economy, thus needs maybe longer to implement techs, for not using them much in practice (limited number of buildings)

2.) techs are also given by events

3.) not every nation is starting with same set of techs in the beginning, some are more advanced and therefor have bigger leaps forward

4.) some nations are clearly in advantage of researches speed and mastering speed at all, by having higher competence level (all the nice to haves in the policy folder F1)

to sum up, you could have even funded all research but be on a lower rank, not having all historical techs available for research yet

however, till 1862 i managed to be 3rd in technology and even after the ACW i was 11th in military

[vaalen]

some wild guesses:

1.) research is not all, you also need to have to "master" the techs, means to implement them by using in buildings / units.

i understood that using a technology in many buildings improves research speed/mastering the full effects.

(to clearify: I DO NEVER EVER READ FIELD MANUALS, but when dealing with software of power plants. especially no manuals for games)

in my US campaign it needed up to 1862 to have new coal mining facilities i had researched in mid 1850s, meanwhile oil wells were given at once and improved oil wells been there with the next tech
but I DID FUNDED AT LEAST 12 Techs per turn after the Californian gold rush


recall it, US mostly was not in first ranks of economy, thus needs maybe longer to implement techs, for not using them much in practice (limited number of buildings)

2.) techs are also given by events

3.) not every nation is starting with same set of techs in the beginning, some are more advanced and therefor have bigger leaps forward

4.) some nations are clearly in advantage of researches speed and mastering speed at all, by having higher competence level (all the nice to haves in the policy folder F1)

to sum up, you could have even funded all research but be on a lower rank, not having all historical techs available for research yet

however, till 1862 i managed to be 3rd in technology and even after the ACW i was 11th in military

How did you manage to be third in tech until 1862?

[yellow ribbon]

How did you manage to be third in tech until 1862?

*******

Mathematical optimization!

you need state funds for improving techs, techs are improving you economy mainly, thus, just need to get money...

simple as that:

start in 1850

build all possible gold fields in California, build a collection center, build a railroad there
furthermore BUY every available gold and gems from Mexico, and southern american states
and build gem fields in Bolivia and Bohemia just to sell this products (high value give you much of the private capital to buy gold from foreign markets)

all this gold shall be converted completely by the option in the F4-Folder (right upper corner),
since inflations does not work correctly yet, just forget every warning in the pop up given there

taxation: no census, full corporate tax, 30% custom and excise tax, 7% maritime tax
dont bother with slowed economy, you simply dont have enough population to rely on the domestic market yet and have to build up export orientated economy.

that shall be enough for at least 6-8 research field with additional funding.

DO NOT MAKE MAJOR INVESTMENT IN INFRASTRUCTURE OR COLONIES BEFORE CALIFORNIAN GOLD RUSH

after 2-3 years, Californian goldrush triggers and you can build more gold fields there (ALL should stay in domestic territories)

now you can fund some 10-15 techs every turn and still have 150 state fund surplus

build luxury good factories, your people buy at least 20 of them and this will boost taxes and private capital

now, lower the excise tax for more domestic sells of goods and you have a stable mathematical model nearly without inflation

and all that in 5 years after start.

PLEASE CONSIDER: techs are bound to historical dates, in 1855, 1860 you will get new techs available for research, you might fall back in ranking, but by funding at least 10 research fields you will have upper hand within 1-2 years again.

[vaalen]

*******

Mathematical optimization!

you need state funds for improving techs, techs are improving you economy mainly, thus, just need to get money...

simple as that:

start in 1850

build all possible gold fields in California, build a collection center, build a railroad there
furthermore BUY every available gold and gems from Mexico, and southern american states
and build gem fields in Bolivia and Bohemia just to sell this products (high value give you much of the private capital to buy gold from foreign markets)

all this gold shall be converted completely by the option in the F4-Folder (right upper corner),
since inflations does not work correctly yet, just forget every warning in the pop up given there

taxation: no census, full corporate tax, 30% custom and excise tax, 7% maritime tax
dont bother with slowed economy, you simply dont have enough population to rely on the domestic market yet and have to build up export orientated economy.

that shall be enough for at least 6-8 research field with additional funding.

DO NOT MAKE MAJOR INVESTMENT IN INFRASTRUCTURE OR COLONIES BEFORE CALIFORNIAN GOLD RUSH

after 2-3 years, Californian goldrush triggers and you can build more gold fields there (ALL should stay in domestic territories)

now you can fund some 10-15 techs every turn and still have 150 state fund surplus

build luxury good factories, your people buy at least 20 of them and this will boost taxes and private capital

now, lower the excise tax for more domestic sells of goods and you have a stable mathematical model nearly without inflation

and all that in 5 years after start.

PLEASE CONSIDER: techs are bound to historical dates, in 1855, 1860 you will get new techs available for research, you might fall back in ranking, but by funding at least 10 research fields you will have upper hand within 1-2 years again.

This is brilliant! Thank you so much for taking the time to set all this out. I will try your suggestions gladly.

Regards,

Vaalen

[Pocus]

Next patch (1.01i, now released) ask you to have a commercial agreement to deploy structures outside your country, to prevent such abuse (targeting all gem and gold mines of the world)

[yellow ribbon]

hey Pocus, i am just using your game.

nay, NO ABUSE given.

Bolivia is eager to have relations with me and i got as good relations and comm. treaty with ´em

Austria needed much persuasion before they let me build there, and war even lead to no connexion to the provinces

Gems are also given in BURMA i think, i cant reach it

and i can only SELL them, for IMPORT doesnt work lately (havent seen changelog of new patch, have you fixed it?)

Gold i do only IMPORT and thats bound to chance whether i get it, or someone else.
I can convert it, i can sell it domestically, can transform it into luxury and tax it high, same effect at all, enough for some 6 techs.

no need to build it elsewhere, since 9 fields in California, one to Canadian border by event, one in Colorado by event, but only nine gold fields available at all...

we call that STRATEGY, in economics: GAME THEORY

PS:

if you do just have a look about other threads. even if you have relations about +100 the nations refuse even a state visit due to your dominance in any field of the game.
if you truly bound it to comm. agreement, i would ponder if it will give some problems with the dice roll.
i am eager to figure it out, make it more interesting at least.