*lower* the cost of science?

I don't understand how we are playing the same game. Contemporary Era science costs need to be doubled or maybe tripled, IMHO.

When a tech can be researched in 1-3 turns, but units take 3-5 turns to make (or get enough gold to upgrade 1 unit), then the tech becomes pointless. By the time you can use it, its already obsolete, and with the mandated score victory, the entire Contemporary tech tree becomes almost pointless (except for Score), as you race to finish line.

Don't feel bad, I'm not sure the AI can even reach contemporary tech below civilization difficulty so it is not required at all. The game is a lot more fun when you and the AI stay close to eachother in tech. I play on humankind and the most advanced unit I've ever seen the AI build is a biplane(around t200). It seems to be the expected result if you don't expand much and don't change your focus toward increasing your research in the late game. If you do a good job expanding and building up your production during the early/mid game and then pick the right civs in the late game your research can skyrocket to the tens of thousands.

Ya, forcing a 300 (or any #) turns is just plain dumb.  I have played about 9 games now; all speeds; and I never get to anything but railroads before the end.  They NEED to make number of turns in a game off, with option to turn them on.  I have continued games after they end, but I totally HATE the pollution mechanic.  Even when I spam forests in every possible hex; and build NO polluting buildings, I am always listed as top polluter.  

StarCleric wrote:

Ya, forcing a 300 (or any #) turns is just plain dumb.  I have played about 9 games now; all speeds; and I never get to anything but railroads before the end.  They NEED to make number of turns in a game off, with option to turn them on.  I have continued games after they end, but I totally HATE the pollution mechanic.  Even when I spam forests in every possible hex; and build NO polluting buildings, I am always listed as top polluter.  

I can guarantee you that you are not playing as well as you could be, not only you but everyone else who struggles with this as well. When i play on Humankind difficulty on normal speed i can easily reach the contemporary era on turn 150 and so does the ai. This is of course if am picking only strong culture like egypt and khmer. However for the fun of it i did a run where i pick only subpar cultures like Hittites, Goths and still was able to easily reach contemporary era on turn 190, with still 110 turns left till the end. So yeah i am sorry to say this, but just get good. This is a strategy game, so all you are lacking is probably knowledge and you will do fine. 

The usual mark for reaching the Contemporary era on Normal speed is around turn 200. Some players have reported getting there around turn 150 even on Humankind difficulty. I personally win the game by either Mars expedition or researching all techs with 50 to 70 turns to spare on Normal speed.

One key part of scaling your science even if you are not playing as a Scientific culture is to get as soon as possible to the Patronage tech in the Early Modern Era. This lets you build manufactories on any type of luxury resource within your territory (as long as you have 50% of its total copies that are on the map). This gives you and only you access to it Wondrous effect which is percentage based - for scientific luxuries this can give you +5% Science per copy of that resource.

It scales very well and quite fast, giving you an immediate boost once you set them up. The Hanging gardens cultural wonder also acts as an early manufactory and is well worth getting it.

Once you have your percentage-based boost and trade with/conquer other civilizations for additional copies, you will be able to research, build and grow way faster.