Is it possible to steal tech like in the original GalCiv?

Yes, I've seen this happen. Also when you conquer a system.

~SDC~

Coolness... I must suck at spying, then.

Bill

~SDC~

I had good spying and have on a few games gotten all the tech of another empire. Only it didn't seem to matter much to me, because when I would open the diplomat screen and check to see if I had all their tech, they still had some I didn't.

I have seen minor races steal from major races before. They set you up to buy it in exchange for a world. I had high level spies in all races. The report indicated if I bought any of those techs war would be declared against me. LOL I have only received tech after invaded a planet.

~SDC~

That message came up several times in my last game but I hadn't even made contact with that race yet. I didn't know it was a setup.

~SDC~

Stealing of technology is only going to occur after you invest quite a few space bucks on espionage. I seem to recall that there's some threshold, I'm sure, that acts as the trigger.

-Anx

~SDC~

Well, this happened to me very soon in a game, so I'm certain I hadn't spent anything on espionage in any races.
I was playing with the "luck" and "creativity" hability bonus (I don't know if this is relevant but since it was really a struck of good luck, well, it seemed so ).
I was at war with the Drengin, loosing badly, long behind in miliary and tech. The Altarians and some minor races were at wea with them as well.
Then I had this information screen, telling me that a joint-covert operation between the Alexians and me allowed us to steal ALL of the Drengin techs .
So I guess this can happen.
And I must say that I definetly had the feeling of beeing "more lucky" (I discovered a precursor ranger, and a +14 planet quality artefact in the same game )

~SDC~

It's not possible to steal technology using espionage. You can get technology by invading an enemy planet, but not through espionage. The minor race stealing technology thing is a random event, it will happen even if you have invested 0 in espionage. Also, if you think about it - you have to trade with the minor race to get, say stolen Drengin technology, why not just trade directly with the Drengin for it?

~SDC~

Maybe I should clarify. In the old GalCiv, you had a chance of outright stealing technology from another race. You would get a message saying that you stole blah blah technology. The higher the espionage setting for a particular race, the more chance you had of stealing some. You would also steal technolgy if you conquered a planet. Of course, the other races could do the same to you.

Bill

~SDC~

If you're at Advanced, there's a chance of stealing a tech. I've gotten Drengin techs that way, not as a result of taking over a star system.

~SDC~

I agree with Freddybear - I have had the same situation where I get an infrequent dialog box that tells me that I have pilfered a tech from a specific race because of my covert actions. I get this dialog as well when invading a major race's planet.

~SDC~

I respectfully retract what I said earlier. Just because it hasn't happened to me doesn't mean it's not possible. Thanks, Freddybear and 01Anxiety - you have restored my faith in espionage.

~SDC~

Faith in espionage. In a couple of my early games I pumped obscene amounts of cash into espionage.... for the privilege of learning how many ability points the enemy had, wow.

Destabilization has been similarly useless.

Cost/benefit, I'm better off keeping the money.

I find destabilization very useful. It speeds up the cultural absorption of their worlds. I use it a lot.

"Cost/benefit, I'm better off keeping the money."

You won't say that if you get the Dread Lord event (which is prevented if you have Advanced espionage).



~SDC~

I got the dreadlord event and then ten turns later it happened again. Needless to say, they slaughtered me in a few turns