The old thread asking for technology feedback (with GoogleDocs) is out of date, listing technologies that do not exist any more. I figured I would initiate a more up-to-date conversation on the topic.



Era I

Economy and Population

Open-Pit Mine - Depends on your starting location to how important this tech is, but I usually research it. Often in Era I, sometimes Era II. It is a solid tech.

Empire Mint - Must have! This is always one of my priority Era I technologies and something every single faction needs. It results in one of the priority buildings for every single new city you found.

Aquapulvistics - This is a good, well-balanced technology. Depending on random map generation and faction, it can be either extremely important or not important at all. I always stop to evaluate this technology, but do not always research it.

Seed Storage - Almost must have. Unless I am playing Broken Lords, I will always research this technology, and I usually research it in Era I. The building is rarely my HIGHEST priority, but one that most cities I found will have early on.

Military

Mercenary Market - A good technology. I personally rarely use Mercenaries, but the Heroes are well worth consideration. It is not an essential technology (except for some factions/quests), but usually a solid choice. An AI Roving Clans can completely invalidate it making it not worth researching, which is a flaw in the game's AI rather than the technology.

Military Science - Probably the worst Era I technology and one I never research. Fortifications are meaningless and the extra Militia is completely useless. There is no reason to research this.

Empire and Expansion

Sewer System - Must have. Every faction generates expansion disapproval and needs sources of approval: this is the quickest and easiest way to gain it. It is not the highest Era I priority, and I often put it off until Era II, but I always research this.

Search Party - Completely worthless. There is no way I would waste a research slot on something that (a) has a nebulous benefit and (b) slightly improves the quality of freebies I pick up. This is the only Tier I technology that does not offer the potential of a lasting and meaningful benefit.

Language Square - A good technology. It is not essential, as it is often quicker and easier to just attack villages, but this is always worthy of consideration. Some factions require this for their main quest, however, which can make it a much higher priority than it otherwise would have been. If I do not *need* it, it is usually a low-priority but still desirable Era I technology.

Science and Industry

Public Library - Must have. This is always one of my priority technologies to research (usually first or second) and results in one of the highest priority buildings for every single new city you found. I cannot think of a single situation where you would not take this technology.

Alchemist's Furnace - Almost must have. If the random map gods have turned against you and there is no Glasssteel or Titanium for miles, you may not pick this up. You may also just quit the game and try again! This is usually one of the last Era I technologies I research, as it becomes vital in the mid-game.

Advanced Alloys & Armour - Essentially worthless. You simply lack the resources to use these in Era I, and they are completely invalidated by Era II technologies. I see no reason to ever research these, even with Vaulters who potentially COULD use them would still be better off waiting the few turns for Era II.

Geomic Labs - Another good technology. Depending on location and faction it could be worthless or highly valuable. I always consider whether or not to pick it up, but do not always take it and almost never make it a high priority. If I do pick it up, I usually do so in Era II.

Mill Foundry - Almost must have. If you have a Dust-heavy economy (eg Broken Lords) this can be passed over, but most factions and situations will make this one of my two highest priority technologies. The building is invaluable and usually the first I construct in any new city.



Era II

Economy and Population

Imperial Coinage - I rarely research this technology. Only the final-tier strategic resources are hard to pick up in your own empire and the AI Roving Clans will inevitably ban you before you need this technology. If both Market technologies were rolled in together, and the AI improved, this would be more appealing to me.

Aquacultural Science - An interesting technology. Depending on location and faction it could be completely useless, and I rarely find myself in a situation where I am desparate for more food, but when I have a lot of costal/river cities and not enough growth (eg perhaps I went into a desert for Dust) then this technology becomes highly attractive.

Public Granary - Generally a more appealing option than the previous technology, but still a low-priority that I do not always research. It falls under the 'one last technology to break into Era III' category for me. Worth having, but not worth having over other, higher-priority technologies.

Prisoners, Slaves and Volunteers - A great technology. I do not always pick it up. In fact, I rarely do, but it enables an alternative play using Dust in place of Production. Anything that enables alternative strategies but is not vital to be successful is a perfect technology in my opinion!

Military

Conscription Centre - I never, ever research this. The slight head-start on experience is OK, but by itself is not worth considering. It would perhaps be a more interesting option if it were rolled into another technology.

Meritocratic Promotion - Must have! I cannot imagine a faction or playstyle where you would not pick this, as doing so would surely gimp you against every other player or AI in the game. This is perhaps the definition of a bad technology, as you HAVE to research it to be viable.

Empire and Expansion

Central Market - Must have! Every faction needs approval, and every faction benefits from increased growth when approval is high. I cannot imagine a situation where I would not research this.

Glory of Empire - A good technology. Not every faction/situation requires this, but most benefit from it. I always evaluate whether or not to pick this up and usually do, but it is neither must have nor rarely have.

Native District - Another good technology. Generally speaking, asimilating a second minor faction is worth an Era II technology, but not every faction needs this and not every situation benefits it. It is not unusual for me to leave this until a later Era to pick up, but sometimes the stars align and I have a lot of villages of two desirable minor factions in my early-game Empire and I prioritise this.

Diplomat's Manse - At present, I rarely pick up this technology. It is not a question of the technology itself, but the current poor state of the AI and diplomacy in general. Once they improve, this will become a significantly more appealing option.

Shipyard - At present, this is a highly situational technology and highly uninteresting. Depending on the map generated, it could be required immediately, required later, or completely worthless. It is always a boring technology too, so I never relish situations where I have to research it.

Imperial Highways - Roads and trade routes need to be better explained to new players, as these are a little vague on your first game. I pretty well always research this technology and it is usually a high priority for me in Era II. Roads are too useful to pass up and trade routes are highly desirable. It seems to be exceedingly rare when I can trade with another faction, however. I am not sure if this is an AI issue, or an issue with the design of trade routes, but I would like to see this enhanced in future versions of the game. Watchtowers, on the other hand, are currently terrible. They are obsoleted later on, but you cannot upgrade them. This really needs to be rectified, either by them automatically upgrading when you research the relevant technology, or having a (very cheap) option to upgrade old towers when new ones are available.

Science and Industry

Management Sciences - An interesting technology. I rarely pick it up, but it has the potential to be extremely valuable to most factions. +1 on all tiles is poor when you get it, but once your city grows it has the potential to be extremely valuable. +1 on Forest is, by itself, a fairly poor option, but the two combine quite well. Far from essential, but situationaly creates an important boost to the empire.

Alchemical Alloys & Armour - A solid option. I do not always research either of these, but I usually do. With certain factions (eg Vaulters) I prioritise it, while others I will hold off until later. The armour is a lower priority than the weapons in my mind. Without the armour, units are already (mostly) very sturdy and doing enough damage is the bigger challenge and the cost per unit gets too high if you add armour as well, though the accessories for Heroes can be invaluable.

Alchemy Workshop - A good technology. I do not always research it, and it is not always the highest priority, but it is usually too good to pass up. If you do not keep your research as high as everyone else, you will be severely disadvantaged, and this technology can make or break your empire.

Canal System - An average technology. I very rarely research this, as Management Sciences is superior in every situation and the benefits are too small to make a meaningful difference. +1 on only some tiles only during Summer is a very weak option.



Era III

Economy and Population

Reaping Station - A solid technology and usually a high-priority in this Era. By this time, your empire should be large enough to have multiple resources from this tier within, and they are almost always worth having.

Dust Refinery - Must have. Every faction needs Dust. The more Dust you have, the more flexible your empire will be. A strong boost like this is impossible to pass over.

Dust Depository - This is a really interesting technology, and a concept I think has been underutilised in the tech tree. If you have a large population and dedicate a lot of them to Dust, this is valuable. Otherwise, it varies between an OK option and a poor option. A solid enabler technology!

Plow Factory - This is a really solid technology. I rarely take it, as I rarely need that much extra growth, but it can open up certain locations that would have otherwise been undesirable. A high-Science frozen wasteland or a high-Dust desert could be undesirable options if you cannot support a population worth mentioning, but this technology makes those scenarios more palatable. I rarely use it, but I love it when I do!

Military

Borough Government - Another worthless military technology I never use. Fortifications are meaningless and I have never needed to increase the health regen of garisoned troops --- battles tend to be too decisive for such things.

Empire and Expansion

Bread and Circuses - Almost must have. I always evaluate this one when it comes up. If I need it asap, I pick it up as a priority. If I am doing fine at the moment, I wait until later in the game. I very rarely skip it altogether.

National Museum - I very rarely take this. I usually have enough Influence without it, but it is fairly important in a Diplomatic Victory, especially for Drakken. It is not useless, but perhaps a little under-valued at the moment. This is probably because Diplomacy needs to be improved to make Influence more important.

Highway Outposts - A good technology I usually prioritise. The extra trade route and increased Dust is worth consideration, and this is the point where Towers become worth producing (and they usually only take 1 turn now).

Cargo Docks - An interesting technology, but very situational. The costal district can be useful, and the coastal trade route is potentially profitable (though rarely so in my experience). Never a must-have, but also never a priority. I tend to use this as a situational filler technology, just to unlock an era, but I find the benefits a little on the weak side.

Science and Industry

Statistical Methods - A good technolgy. By this point it is not essential for all games, but vital to a Scientific Victory and not undesirable for other victory conditions.

Smelting Station - Practically an essential technology. Most empires will have several sources of both resources, and both will become vital later in the game, so this tends to be one of my highest priority Era III technologies.

Uncommon Alloys & Armour - Not a bad technology, but not a high priority either. You will hit Era IV before you have the resources to benefit from this (unless you are the Vaulters or have asimilated Silic villages, when this could move up the priority list a little). As before, the weapons are more valuable than the armour, but the accessories are valuable.

Fluid Biomechanics - This is a highly situational technology. If I am going for a Scientific Victory and have many costal or river-front cities, this is worth researching. Outside that very narrow situation, it is not really worth consideration. Replacing it with a tech similar to Dust Depository would make it a far more appealing option without making it must-have.

Unskilled Labour - I have a love-hate relationship with this. If I do not research enough building technologies, I have cities sitting around wasting production. That said, I have found stockpiles to be thoroughly underwhelming. Honestly, I would rather see this broken up and merged into three different techs that do this AND something more interesting. For example, a tech where you get +4 Food/pop AND can use production to make Food stockpiles (and the same for Science and Industry).



Era IV

Economy and Population

Advanced Harvester - In most games you have enough of these resources available to justify this technology, and they are usually worth having if you can get them. I usually pick it up as a priority.

Isolation Sciences - This is an interesting technology. The buildings it unlocks are well worth consideration, but it is not a priority in every game you play. I always evaluate it and often pick it up, but its value tends to vary on how much Winter impacts on my cities' growth.

Neutrition Chemistry[/i] - While not a bad technology, I very rarely research this. I rarely need this much extra growth and, by this point in the game, I am usually well enough established that the technology will make very little impact on my game.

Military

Brigade System - A dull, but effective, technology. I never prioritise this, but will usually pick it up as a filler-technology to advance to the next Era.

Mercenary Corps - I have never used this, but I rarely use Mercenaries either. The basic concept is fine, but it has never entered my game plan.

Signal Corps - This is a good technology. By this point in the game, it is not essential, but a heavily militaristic game will strongly benefit from it. I do not always take it, but

Very interesting.

Although I think you might be overestimating the importance of a market ban. In my experience it's just a shake up to make you cough some Dust or something. Certainly worth considering when getting the techs, though.

Excellent analysis!



I only have one point of disagreement, and that's in regards to Endless Mechanisms:

• For empires without many armies (and without Vaulter teleport) speed is totally worth a tech all on its own-- especially considering the lackluster alternatives at tier 4.
• Ruin returns increase with tier, and it's very easy to pick up a few ruins with each reinforcement moving to your main army. The potential value of these ruins can be immense (strategics worth 600 dust from a single ruin, sometimes!), and is super front-loaded: you get it all now, you don't have to build anything or wait for returns to trickle in.
  
  

Market bans are irritating. They may be shakeups for some Dust, but in my experience, the AI expect a non-trivial amount of dust-- enough to make it so you don't have any left to be able to use the market!-- and there's no guarantee they won't just ban you again soon. But there aren't always Roving Clans players around either. I certainly consider the existence of the RC to be extra reason to avoid MM and IC, usually enough to not bother (but I don't find either tech particularly useful to begin with).

A well written review. I tent to agree with most points made. Although I too fin Endless Mechanisms to be worthwhile.



The state of fortification and unit xp techs is very sad indeed. If xp buildings added +1 level then they would be worthwhile.



Industry techs seem to be on the low side as well because most of the improvements they allow you to build are very costly and take far too long to earn back their cost. The biggest concern is the lack of % multipliers on them.