I've tried several times, but I haven't succeeded so far.

Have a friend who did it in 151 turns on normal speed. He was playing serious.



The following things have major impact on your science.



Anomalies ( good starting location )

Landscapist ( good for anomalies )

Knack for knowledge (+1 science on science nodes )

Arcana for ardent mages (gives between 2-12 science)

And Ardent heroes with science spec ( +65% science on that city with level 10 hero )

Luxery bonus ( 75% which you need running at all times )

Titanium holy resource bonus ( 20% science ) (If playing vaulters)

Haunts minor faction ( gives 5% per village after assimilation )

And always keep your faction happy or fervent at all times.



Titanium should always be your game so you can get the latest science improvements. Which means choosing between 2 regions should always priorities the one with titanium.

The early game rush might be what's hurting me. I tend to usually build the founders monument first, and buy it as soon as I can since you'll have the money early game. That usually still takes around 4 turns or so, then building the settler takes another 10. By that point I usually try and place my second city on turn 20, right AFTER I choose my empire plan.



I do build up districts and I have governors on all my cities at the earliest point possible.



I guess the game just doesn't balance well for a small map to try and win a science victory. I'm positive it's entirely possible with a 3 city empire in 300 turns, but man, it's VERY tight.



Thanks for the feedback, and I'm going to try again going for fervent cities.



--Daulken

Science is accumulated at the empire level, so generally the more cities you have, the faster you can get science. Playing on a map with fewer regions per player than the default is therefore going to make science victory harder. On default settings, I have generally manged to get about 6 regions without going to war, so if you're only getting 3 cities, that's definitely going to hurt you.



It also sounds like you may not be optimizing very well. Turn 45 sounds rather late to get your third city, especially without the need to defend yourself against aggressive neighbors; in my game with Ardent Mages I got my third city around turn 22 and by turn 45 I believe I had 6 cities (none of them by conquest). Having your cities be only content or happy sounds odd because, even with the extra unhappiness from additional cities, my cities are generally all fervent starting around turn 60-80 (when I have enough influence to get the +25 happiness empire plan and am getting extra luxury resources per deposit from the era 3 upgrade). Are you leveling your districts? (A district with at least 4 adjacent districts levels up and gives an extra +2 science, +2 dust, +2 influence, and +15 happiness.)



Are you placing heroes in every city and teaching them skills that improve the city? Are you buying the hero accessories that increase the output per worker?



In my Ardent Mages game, I won a wonder victory, but it looked like I was on track to win a science victory around turn 170 (normal speed). Admittedly, I did conquer some enemy cities along the way, and again, more cities makes it easier to accumulate lots of science at the empire level.

Moonleaf, a luxury resource, raises science production by 50%.



Dustorchid adds another 25%.



Spend your production and dust on science stockpiles.