Technology is an important resource in Cyber Nations. Small nations typically have between 0 and 100 technology levels, while large nations can have 10,000 or more technology levels. The more technology you have, the more it costs to research another level:
- Your first 50 technology levels cost about $812k, without discounts, provided it is bought in the following order:
- 0.0 → 4.5 (4.5)
- 4.5 → 14.5 (10)
- 14.5 → 24.5 (10)
- 24.5 → 29.5 (5)
- 29.5 → 39.5 (10)
- 39.5 → 49.5 (10)
- 49.5 → 50.0 (0.5)
- After you get around 1000 tech, the next 50 levels cost about $5 million.
In Cyber Nations, you can "sell" someone technology through Foreign Aid. (referred to as Technology trading) Large nations would prefer to buy technology from smaller nations than research it themselves. Large nations have 2 options:
- Research their own technology for ~$5,000,000 / 50 levels
- Purchase technology for ~$1,500,000 / 50 levels from small nations.
Steps to find a tech buyer
- Take your nation out of peace mode.
- Familiarize yourself with technology and foreign aid.
- Register on the CN forums.
- Joining an alliance will give you more credibility and access to your alliance's tech programs.
- Post in the Black Market with: "Selling 100t/3m"
- Chat with other players on IRC.
What to do after you get an offer
This gets a little tricky, in that you are not allowed to repay someone immediately after they send you the money. You must wait 10 days before you can have another aid transaction with the same person. Typical trades are $3m for 100 tech. $3m is the max amount of money aid; 50 tech is the max tech transfer.
1x1 trade ($3m/100t)
This is one buyer and 1 seller. The transaction takes 21 days.
- Buyer will send you $3,000,000.
- You must accept the money in the Foreign Aid screen.
- You instantly get $3,000,000.
- Make a note, recording the transaction, maybe on your User Notepad.
- Buy tech as noted above. Do not buy more than 50.
- Wait 10 days
- Send the buyer 50 tech
- Buy 50 more tech in the same order.
- Wait 10 days
- Send the buyer the remaining 50 tech
- Keep ~ $1,400,000 in profit.
You can run up to 5 of these deals simultaneously.
2x2 trade ($3m/100t)
A 2x2 is when 2 buyers are paired up with 2 sellers. This transaction can be done in 11 days.
- Buyer 1 sends MONEY to Seller 1.
- Buyer 2 sends MONEY to Seller 2.
- Seller 1 sends TECH to Buyer 2.
- Seller 2 sends TECH to Buyer 1.
Steps
- A buyer will send you $3,000,000.
- You must accept the money in the Foreign Aid screen.
- You instantly get $3,000,000.
- Make a note, recording the transation, maybe on your User Notepad.
- Buy tech as noted above. Do not buy more than 50.
- Send the other buyer 50 tech
- Buy 50 more tech.
- Wait 10 days
- Send the same buyer the remaining 50 tech
- Keep ~ $1,400,000 in profit.
You can run two 2x2 deals simultaneously, and an extra 1x1 if you get a Foreign Ministry.
3x3 trade ($3m/100t)
A 3x3 is when 3 buyers are paired up with 3 sellers. This transaction can be done in 1 day.
- Buyer 1 sends MONEY to Seller 1.
- Buyer 2 sends MONEY to Seller 2.
- Buyer 3 sends MONEY to Seller 3.
- Seller 1 sends TECH to Buyers 2 and 3.
- Seller 2 sends TECH to Buyers 1 and 3.
- Seller 3 sends TECH to Buyers 1 and 2.
Steps
- A buyer will send you $3,000,000.
- You must accept the money in the Foreign Aid screen.
- You instantly get $3,000,000.
- Buy 50 tech.
- Send 50 tech to one of the other buyers.
- Buy 50 more tech.
- Send 50 tech to the remaining buyers.
- Keep ~$1,400,000 profit.
Note that you must wait 10 days before you will be able to do this again. You can do up to 2 1x1 deals at the same time as a 3x3.
Other trades
There are many other kinds, including those that use a middleman.
Tips
- Try to get the Gold and Microchips resources. They make technology cheaper, and let you keep more money.
- Get a Foreign Ministry. This gets you an extra foreign aid slot, so you can make a fifth deal.
- Instead of buying tech in increments of 10, buy it like this (starting from 0): 4.5,10,10,5,10,10,0.5. This saves ~$50,000.
- Use descriptive aid reasons, like "first 50" or "second part" to help keep track of what is owed.
- Do not try to cheat someone out of their tech or money. They will make you regret it many times over.
- Be social, have fun!