An Idea for SE V

[Mark Walton]

I think there may be better ways to change the tech tree in such a way that research helps define the race.

The way I would go, is increase the breadth and depth of the tree, and add more leaves, so that no one player can research everything in a typical game.

Another non-hardcode way to implement something like you suggested, is to have more "theoretical" research items which exist only to open up a branch of the tech tree, and to make these all very expensive in Research Points.

Another-nother way might be to do something like, make these theoretical techs into ruins techs, and dot more ruins about.

Personally I don't like all the extra effort involved in your method, it just seems to limit players for very little gameplay benefit.

[dogscoff]

I agree, I think an massive tree would be great. It would make every game (even more) different and allow so many more unpredictable developments.

I have to say I will be very interested to see the final results of the outacontrol mod - that promises to be an exceptionally convoluted and intertwined tech tree.

[Aub]

quote:

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Originally posted by Spyder:
Sooo....

You could end up with a race that excelled in propulsion & Missile weapons, but is only average in mining & Energy Weapons. His ships move fast, and he has hellacious missle attacks, but, he has problems with enemies that have lots of missile defense.

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I would say that, to achieve that, all tech levels would have to cost the SAME in lab points, no matter how advanced.

Then even if you have lots of regular RP, but only so many lab points, you have to research an advanced tech, or your RPs will be wasted.

Effectively, being limited in lab points is like having a limit on how many projects you can put in the research queue at a time, isn't it?

Another variation on the same theme: let's suppose that, just to be able to put an additional project into the research queue, you'd have to have an dedicated planet put in "research" mode (and it does not contribute to anything else in that mode). To make things worse, you may require that a special expensive facility be present on a planet before it can be
put in such a mode.

This way, you'd really force people to plan ahead on how many tech areas they are going to develop. It wold also make the choice of facilities a much more non-trivial exercise

0.02

Aub

[Spyder]

Some good points and ideas

What I am trying to achieve is racial specialty by research...instead of by selection menu at the beginning of the game. This'll require a research tree that much different than the one we have now in make-up and content.

Nope, can't do it by modding...have to program it...hence the title "Idea for SE V" (that's V as in Five). (Actually....you might be able to mod this, but, it'd change the game quite a bit)

Have to cogitate some....back in awhile