7 times--irrigation, mining, roads (standard)
1 time -- standard plus bronze working
1 time -- standard plus alphabet
1 time -- standard plus alphabet and masonry

I think it has to do with where you start out. If you start on initially bad terrain, you are more likely to be given some techs.

As for the civ not having an influence on starting tech, I'm not sure. I just did a test myself - 40 times starting as Americans, 40 times as Vikings (lucky I have a fast computer)

Americans - Code of Law - 8 times
Code of Law and Ceremonial Burial - 4 times

Vikings - Code of Law - 3 times
Code of Law and Ceremonial Burial - 1 time

On the border of being statistically significant. One thing is for sure, actually getting Monarchy is pretty uncommon.

Back to Tom: Actually, I thought your impromptu experiment was more statistically significant than mine. I also have a fast computer, but unfortuntately, that computer doesn't have a very fast operator.

When you say the americans got CerBur and CodeLaws, I'm assuming they also got Alphabet in there, too?

Just imagine getting both Monarchy AND 4-trade starting location! I think when I have some spare time, I will try to come up with some OCC starting locations (generated at random), for use here. If I find a good one, I'll see about submitting it.

Oh, a link to the thread:
../../Forum2/HTML/001151.html?date=15:36

in 20 starts,

Persians - Code of Law and Ceremonial Burial - 1 time

Carthaginians - didn't get Code of Law even once

Although the Carthaginians got a lot of tech (4 quite often), they seemed predisposed to getting Mysticism or The Wheel as a second order (with a prerequisit) tech.

I expect if someone spent all day just starting games (and no, I'm not volunteering), a pattern of starting tech preference would emerge for each civ. But the best combo for OCC would be Alphabet, Code of Laws and Ceremonial Burial.

My e-mail address is in my profile.

Thanks!

I've got a notion that it may also be related to the disposition of the civ as defined in the rules.txt file. Just a random thought, not like I've fiddled with leader dispositions.

However, it was the hardest OCC I have ever played. All the AI's were nowhere to be seen, and as soon as I found any they killed my exploring units. I only had contact with 2 AI's until way into AD. Both were very hostile, I only got 1 tech and no tribute.
Just to make matters worse I only found 2 huts before my two warriors were killed, giving me just 25 gold and warrior code.

And that's without mentioning the start area, which is pretty bad for OCC. No grassland just plains, hills and ocean (although very easy to defend). And the wine was nice (other than when the damn barbs kept pillaging my mine).

Anyway, I did finally reach AC in 1953, my worst OCC performance to date. I arrived a mere year before the Sioux who I was very worried would get there before me. Incidentally, I rushbought UN when I could. Although I got little back in tribute, I think the protection from the warmongering Sioux was worth it. It was a bit a gamble, but I think it payed off. Also, given the start location I had to rush to explosives, to terrafrom those horrible plains. I then had to rush to refrigeration, meaning the Sioux got Darwin's. As soon as I could I bribed two Sioux engineers for a total of 940 something gold, and disbanded my own.

I think this map is a good challenge and, as always, comes down to a lot to luck (if only those warriors had reached some more friendly civs/turned over a hut or two more). I'm sure it can be done a lot faster than 1953, because I didn't bother to micromanage as much as I should have, and wasted various turns over the course of the game.
Still, it is an unusual and amusing OCC, and I'd like to see how other people got on, so give it a go.

Graag