In the Exploration and Expansion tech tree, there is a technology to be researched named Personal Fields, which unlocks Living Habitats.



In the Galactic Warfare tech tree, there is a technology to be researched named Personal Shielding, which unlocks Artifact Analysis.



Aside from the obvious (tech tree position, unlocked abilities/upgrades) is there a difference between the actual technologies these two researchables describe? They both appear to talk about shields which would be miniature enough to be worn for everyday purposes on individuals and vehicles. It seems unlikely that research endeavours into such a technology would receive funding twice.



Beau

Assuming the devs did this on purpose, I believe the logic behind this is that with personal fields, it is a magnetic/electromagnetic field which protects a person and the atmosphere from radiation and also possibly keeping atmosphere in a certain area AROUND the person. This is on a slightly different spectrum than a personal shield, which I assume uses magnetic/electromagnetic fields to instead control a large amount of sandwiched hot and cold plasma surrounding a ship which annihilates any physical object and absorbs electromagnetic waves (Lasers), which is much harder, larger, and different enough than personal fields to warrant another tech even if they use magnetic/electromagnetic fields.



Though this hypothesis is only going off of versions of the tech in real life, if the games ones works differently than that then who the hell knows other than the devs who made it.

KaiserTom wrote:
Assuming the devs did this on purpose, I believe the logic behind this is that with personal fields, it is a magnetic/electromagnetic field which protects a person and the atmosphere from radiation and also possibly keeping atmosphere in a certain area AROUND the person. This is on a slightly different spectrum than a personal shield, which I assume uses magnetic/electromagnetic fields to instead control a large amount of sandwiched hot and cold plasma surrounding a ship which annihilates any physical object and absorbs electromagnetic waves (Lasers), which is much harder, larger, and different enough than personal fields to warrant another tech even if they use magnetic/electromagnetic fields.

The description for Personal Shielding reads: "Primarily by bringing energy generation down to a portable size, small vehicles and even augmented individuals can transport their own shield systems."



Likewise, the description for Personal Fields reads: "By lowering the power requirements and toxicity of shields, and increasing their efficiency, it is possible to develop shields on a level that they can be worn by individuals and used to block radiation, noise and light."



Those appear to be practically the same thing to me.

KaiserTom wrote:
Though this hypothesis is only going off of versions of the tech in real life, if the games ones works differently than that then who the hell knows other than the devs who made it.

Well, I do hope the devs will be able to come in and answer this one, even though I know that this stuff probably doesn't rank high on their list of priorities right now.