I was thinking about the "Bleeding Edge Technology" racial trait in Stars! (newly researched components cost double but miniaturization is much faster than normal) and how that could be implemented in an SE4 mod, and that got me thinking - why limit research paradigms to two? So I came up with a couple of mutually exclusive racial traits:
Standard Technologists - Research as normal.
Cutting Edge Technologists - Race is geared toward the latest & greatest new toys. New components/facilities are gained several tech levels in advance of normal, but they do not advance as far up the tech tree (you might start with an APB equivalent to a normal race's APB III, but the best APB you can get is only equivalent to a normal APB VIII, for instance)
Refined Technologists - Race wants to make sure technology is properly tested before use. New components/facilities are gained several tech levels after normal, but they are able to advance farther (you might require Energy Stream Weapons level 3 just to get an APB I, but you can research more powerful APB's than a normal race)
This would be implemented in a mod by duplicating the tech tree for each paradigm and modifying the level requirements, of course. You'd have to have an Imperial Aspirations style "required" trait a la Adamant to enable one and only one research trait be chosen. (OK, you could take Imperial Aspirations and no paradigms and play as a race of Luddites with pumped-up stats... might be interesting for an AI race or some ancient peacekeepers or something something
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And of course there are other possibilities for research paradigms, such as the Bleeding Edge mentioned above - I just mentioned a few to get you guys started!
Research Paradigms
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