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Fixed Tech Tree, fixed appliances on each tech , same for everyone.

Fixed Tech Tree, fixed appliances on each tech , based on species/abilities

Fixed Tech Tree, selectable appliances on each tech (MOO2 like)

Fixed Tech Tree, appliance randomly generated at start of the game and visible.

Fixed Tech Tree, appliances randomly generated after dicovering the technology.

Multiple Fixed Tech "Lines" ,fixed appliances. (Separate tree/line for each type of technology/science , ie physcis,chemistry etc (MOO2 like) or Shields/Missiles/Industry...

Multiple Fixed Tech "Lines" ,selectable appliances (MOO2)

Any of the above with additional requirement for certain techs. (special techs). Certain requiring certain conditions, ie killing Space Crystal, colonizing certain type of planet, having more then certain amount of ships/population/systems, discovering artefact etc.

No pure research, everything depandable on factors other than tech tree.

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JFS1988 wrote:
I think it makes more sense that each race has its own unique techs. For one its more realistic, and two its funner because it makes each race unique, which really adds to the replayability value. It was something that bothered me in other games like SOTS.

Though certain techs could be general. Another thing unique research trees add is that it increases the importance of espionage and diplomacy, because if only a certain race gets a certain tech it means the only way for other races to get it would be through diplomacy and espionage and maybe battle. But most important thing is to have tons of techs, because in other games like Sins of a solar Empire you can research the entire tech tree in an hour or so, after which no side has a clear tech advantage and its always fun to have a tech advantage.

I agree, some racespecific to add a bit of gamestyle difference to them is good.



Some other options to make techs availble is if you have to do alternative stuff to just research to get techs... like you have to steal blueprints for a building from race X to get a special tech named Y. That adds more than just a "I got these techs cause im that race"-thingy that most games with that kind of techtree/hero-progression has.

I posted this in another thread but this one may be more appropriate...



I'd like to put in that I really really would like a tech stagnation option. For those of you who are not familiar with this it means you can set relative tech costs as an option at the start of the game. For example +250% tech costs, for myself I always choose something along these lines as I often felt like you would research something and half the time you wouldn't even build any of them as you can skip to the next tech without exposing yourself too much etc (Mostly I am referring to the civ series, but either way I like protracted periods with minor advances )

Ok here is my idea. I have been playing Mass Effect 3 along with Ascendancy and it sparked this.



At the start of the game, all races start with the basic tech, like food gathering or w/e the race uses to grow and expand. From here you can place research points on 2 options.



(A) Current tech that has already been discovered for new appliances(?). For instance after you have researched Space Travel for humans, you can place research points into space travel and random appliance will become available after a random amount of turns. Let's say you get an improved engine for the space shuttle, which allows travel to mars possible and faster then normal space travel. While at your first visit to mars, you discover an inactive probe from another race...



(B) You put research points into new technology that has been acquired from other races(like finding the probe and reverse engineering it only to found it about a new fuel that can be synthetically made which improves space travel etc, or finding out a new race and acquiring tech through trade which then you have to place research points into to figure out how it works and how to make it) or tech that has been discovered from previous tech(like roads after getting the wheel in civ5).



Anyways, these are my 2 cents, forgive me if this will not work for Endless Space, I have just recently found out about this game and have not read all the lore (there is a lot!).

I agree, half the time I wouldn't bother using certain units because I knew I would get one even better n no time at all which is why I usually played on epic. GalCiv 2 had a system that worked relatively well, but unfortunately you didn't have to bother researching certain techs because the AIs were more or less willing to trade you all their techs. You could of course ban all tech trading at the beginning but it was rather annoying, on the other hand in SOTS it takes forever to trade anything so it should be balanced.

So a system where you can chose the rate of research is a good idea.

SOTS had a nice techtree based on species odds to get the tech. If you failed the check (that was made once at the beginning of the game) - you lost any access to that tech and those coming after it. You could salvage the missing tech or get them from allies, but the tech above it still was unavailable to you (which is not funny IMHO). Random techtree increased replayability of the game.



MASTER OF ORION 2 had the most well-thought techtree ever designed:

1. the techtree was divided into 8 disciplines: biology, physics, engineering, chemistry, power, electronics, sociology, fields. Each had 10-11 tiers with 2-3 techs in each.

2. you had to choose one tech from a list of 2-3 equally powerful techs leading to planning your strategic decisions far ahead. Other techs from a tier were lost after you got the chosen one.

3. each weapon or a piece of ship equipment had refinement levels if you get further into that discipline. Each refinement level reduced construction cost and size of the piece of equipment. Weapons also got various options such as auto-fire, continuous, MIRV and Armored for missiles etc.

4. you could gain access to the techs via artefacts (giving you 1-2 techs from available for research), espionage and trade, but you had to develop at least one tech from a tier to progress to a new one.

5. the choice of techs was balanced in such a way that some of the species had to choose something to neutralize their weakness rather than getting a nicey and shooty gun or powerful shield or a tough armor.



I like to see a techtree with techs being random and species-dependant (SOTS), having multiple tiers with each having choice of 2-3 techs (MOO2) and with some additional spin-off projects being unavailable until you complete a requirement for it or get enough experience with its predecessor (either by using it or being used by it against you). Something like this:



- BRANCH A

-- Tier A with 2 techs from the list (species one being a priority):

--- tech 1 (species 1)

--- tech 2 (species 2)

--- tech 3 (universal)

--- tech 4 (universal)

--- tech 5 (universal)



-- Tier B with 3 techs from the list:

--- tech 1 (species 3)

--- tech 2 (species 4)

--- tech 3 (universal)

--- tech 4 (universal)

--- tech 5 (universal)

-- etc.



- LIST FOR SPECIAL PROJECTS (without tiers, depending on requirement)

--- counter to tech B1

--- boost to tech C3

--- tech SP1 that requires certain resource or condition



etc.

Okim wrote:
SOTS had a nice techtree based on species odds to get the tech. If you failed the check (that was made once at the beginning of the game) - you lost any access to that tech and those coming after it. You could salvage the missing tech or get them from allies, but the tech above it still was unavailable to you (which is not funny IMHO). Random techtree increased replayability of the game.

Personally I couldn't play MOO2 because of the tech tree. It meant that every damn game could have a semi-predictable outcome on what would be picked in the tech tree.



SOTS, in my opinion, has the best tech tree of any game ever. It encourages replayability because on your next run of the game, the tech tree WILL be different, so you can't create a godly ship design that destroys everything in its path. Battles remain fun, even if you have not got much military tech. It seems like that if you fail techs in one section, you will succeed in another. In SOTS II, this showed when I was playing the game on multiplayer. I did not get a single technology for shielding, while I did get a good amount of armour technology. So instead of being dependent on shields, I used armour instead.



The random tech tree kept things fresh. There are a few techs that are really rare, sure, but they will come up eventually, either on your side, or the enemies. Some techs have multiple links, and therefore multiple chances.

Yes, that`s why i wish to have tiers with one choice, but with randomly picked techs

I have to throw my two coins into the same same but different category (same basic tree but random outcomes for each race). This makes espionage more useful and gives the game a lot more ebb and flow as tech and counter tech is developed.



I enjoyed MOO how you could conquer a colony and take research, use espionage and steal it, trade it with ur space buds or hide in your corner of the galaxy and just do your own.

A little correction to my previous post



That`s why i wish to have different branches with multiple tiers in each, with each tier having 2-3 techs randomly picked from a list of 4-6 available with prioritising on species special techs for that tier. One choice per tier, unlimited trade/salvage/stealing. Additional list of techs that depend on events, resource availability, conditions and on researched techs.

I would also add that, though research is important it shouldn't be the end all be all. I remember games like Deadlock (back in the age of 4X the '90s) where research was so important that it ruined an otherwise great game. If you fell behind you might as well start over.



As i mentioned slipping in technology should allow you to change tactics using one of the other 3X to gain an edge over your opponents. Even better would be if you had to beat different races in different ways. i.e. You may be a tradecentric race but then you come across a race that doesn't want any of your goods... only your land and you abruptly better have some friends with big guns to help you out or you're... Dust.

I'd prefer a fixed tech tree with appliances based on species/ abilities. I'm curuous how the different premade and custom species will affect the tech tree throughout the game.

I suppose that this can be governed by species family and some race atributes. Say insectoids or races with hive mind might get a tech with a bonus against enemy espionage. Cats or race with additional accuracy bonus migh get a better computer to further improve their combat performance. Etc.