Elemental Forums
This doesn't happen every game, but the fact that it happened this game (brand new game, no mods) means that this might be happening in other games and I wasn't aware of it.
http://www.mediafire.com/?t2ydgd7i1nadm64
This is why the AI can't win by casting spell of making, they can win by turn 75 if they could 
AI shoud not cheat like this...
game shoud allow AI to deal with mobs on autoresolve ever if it is definite lose (not leaving tons of mobs intact), provide maphack, allow to have some infinite resources (everything but gildar due rush), but shoud not provide such advantages.
Maybe he picked up ancient libraries all around his area? I played a game when I looked at the entire map and next to the AI was 5 of these goodie huts. Sooo.. maybe it happened to all the AI in the game and they traded all the research with each other, while chuckling that they are going to win by research alone... or maybe it is a bug.
Umber is just that good. That is why they were not fully in the game for a while. Then they crept back, and will rule you all!!
looks like ancient wikipedia, ever with 10 libraries player can't advance that far
You have Umber set on Insane AI difficulty. That gives him a +150% research bonus. He has spread quickly and got a Conclave up, which he built a cloister and school in. He is now getting 25 research per turn from his 4 cities as compared to your 4 research per turn.
only the conclave seems to research at 150% - the 3 towns and the village show +100%.
I don't modify individual AI settings and I would have had to click 2-3 times to move Umber to Insane AI.... strange. Sorry for the wasted effort. You can take away my forum privileges for 1 hour.
Then there's something weird going on with the difficulty levels on opponents ... because I'm running into this same general situation on Beginner difficulty ... the AI expands crazy fast ... and researches technology they shouldn't be able to get to at really early levels of the game. The AI in the early game just tromps everything ... so now I only play with two or so opponents on a huge map so I'll have time to do fun stuff before I get my rear end handed to me.
You see the 150% on the conclave because that conclave has a Cloister in it. The cloister is boosting research by 50%, including the +100% from the AI's difficulty level, so you see that bonus as +150%.
If you can provide a save I would love to check it out.
In general I'm seeing similar things. The AI is getting tech way faster than I am. I'm able to go into their lands and buy horses super early in the game for instance. Long before I get to mounted combat myself.
Sure ... next game up I'll get you a saved gave for it.
Maybe you can tell me what I'm doing wrong. 
I think it's time to bow to our Urxen overlords and pray they show us mercy.
Maybe you just need a better starting location
Tbh i dont think you can compete with insane AI bonuses. Even if you focus 100% on empire building you will fall behind. You can be 1st in population or 1st in research production but your empire will never be as effecient as AI empire (due to huge gildar/research/production/growth bonuses)
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