Some problems with tech research

[Caudex Maximus]

First of all, hello everyone! I'm new to the forums but have been playing Europa Universalis II for quite some time (since it came out actually). I have recently been playing a game as Brandenburg/Prussia (at 1731 I control all of North Germany) and have had some problems (or at least what is happening is wildly different from previous games) with tech research. I first began to be really worried when it was 1675 and I was still at Land level 19! Fast forward to 1731 and I'm just now researching Land level 28. Moreover, everyone else around me is in a similar state (Austria is at 31 and France and England are both still around 22 and 20 respectively). I have been researching infra. and trade tech level 6 seemingly forever and I still won't reach it before the 1760s. This is the first game I have played far into since downloading patch 1.09, and wasn't sure if it was supposed to be like this or if something was wrong. Usually, I'm at Land 31 at around 1700 and I'm done researching infra. and trade by the 1770s. So, needless to say, I'm a little baffled.

I looked over the Tech research FAQ and didn't see anything that might explain my problem, although it was pretty complex for my little brain so I might have missed something. Thanks for any help you all may offer.

 

[knul]

The economy faq explains tech costs. It also has a table of relative tech costs for the different tech levels. They vary enormously and in no logical way. I suggest you take a look at those tables.

For example, trade 3 is relatively cheap and trade 4 expensive, while Infra 3 is expensive and Infra 4 cheap(er). Don't know why, but it is.

 

[unmerged(58575)]

may I say: TRADE IS THE ESSENCE!

 

[artemis667]

What's your inflation? It affects your research costs (like everything else) and if it's relatively high then it's quite normal to lag in tech.

 

[Caudex Maximus]

I appreciate all of your responses. Now then, to answer some of your questions/comments:

My inflation is 0% or certainly somewhere lower than 0.5% so I'm fairly certain that isn't the problem. I have a fair amount of trade activity, holding monopolies in Anglia, Andalusia, and Ile de France all of which have what I consider to be high trade values (above 600) (Although my trading is a little curtailed at the moment as all three of those countries have embargoed me, most irritatingly of all England, with whom I have +131 relations and an alliance). I also realize that some techs are more expensive than others and so might take longer (it has always been like this if I recall correctly) however they all seem to take awhile. Again, it isn't just my own country, but all the AI countries as well. We all seem to have absurdly low tech ratings for the latter third of the 17th century/beginning of the 18th century.

 

[artemis667]

Hmm, weird.
Maybe for some reason Latin neighbour bonus didn't kick in very well in your particular game - not sure to what degree this could affect it but it could be an impact if a lot of one-province minors get annexed (as they tend to be fast techers) but I'm only theorising. I've played a bit with 1.09 in SP and MP, and didn't have any particular issues with tech.

 

[Caudex Maximus]

Now that you mention it, that might be part of it. My usual tactic as Brandenburg is to diplo-annex Saxony, Hannover, and, if possible, Mecklenburg farily early in the game. Moreover, Austria usually goes crazy in the first 40-50 years of any game that I play and diplo- or militarily annexes a good portion of the German states.

Also, I know that tech costs rise as you conquer more territory, I was sort of wondering if maybe my early expansion was increasing my tech costs faster than my increased income could cope with it. I did a test run as Brandenburg and I noticed the bigger I got the longer it was telling me that I had to go to research techs. Is it possible that I'm digging myself a hole early and just can't escape from it?