somethings gotta be done with future techs to make them more valuable than just "after game points"... something that would make a player actually want to research them... instead of just shutting down science and getting tons of tax money to start a war machine...

Most players on higher levels never even get to this point, so they're a minor aspect of the game for a majority of people.

I think a Future Tech Tree would be helpful, but would probably never be used enough to be a significant addition to the game.

Future techs are fine, but firaxis could be a little more creative. A start could be just at least naming them when you research them.

More score points would be good.

They should give you 'in-game' benefits as well, though, above and beyond their point value. Things like every future 'military tech' might allow you to upgrade your existing units in hp, morale, attack strength, movement and defense strength! Future 'Social Techs' might increase max population and city size and perhaps give you bonuses for your social engineering settings. Future 'Economic Techs' might increase your gold per turn, give you bonus gold for all your trade routes and/or reduce corruption in your cities. Future 'Industrial techs' will give you a boost to shield output and/or reduces pollution. Future 'Scientific Techs' would give you a bonus to food production, reduce population-based pollution, increase the success rates of Space Missions, and reduce the chance of disease outbreak. Oh and, of course, each future tech you get would contribute points towards your 'Scientific Victory'. Of course, these are just suggestions, but I think this will make future techs very much worth getting, in and of themselves, and convince players to remain committed to the sciences!

Yours,
Aussie_Lurker.

I like those creative ideas, Aussie Lurker. Certainly makes future tech more important.

Hmm, as pointed out, the game is pretty much over once you reach this point. It might be a little more fun, though, to have a line of 10 techs or so, that give a benefit once researched, like 1 more content citizen, one extra HP for offensive units, less pollution, etc. These should take a very long time to research though, 40-50 turns even if you own half the world and have science set at 100%.

Not so much. You have to get somewhat rewarded for putting at 100%. I would say no more than 30 turns per tech.

somethings gotta be done with future techs to make them more valuable than just "after game points"... something that would make a player actually want to research them... instead of just shutting down science and getting tons of tax money to start a war machine...

I agree wholeheartedly :goodjob:

I assume more people than me play this game not only to win in points but as a roleplaying game wich one would want to last as long as possible.

Yep, I totally agree. Makes the game a heck of alot more interesting.

Having the Future techs giving units or the like would defeat the point - it would amount to an extra era, basically. If they should have some in-game effect, better keep it real simple.

what if you had certain "future techs" that were already figured out... for example "shield generator"... and a bunch more... and for each FT that you researched, you would get a % chance to get a random future tech...

so i'd research FT's and maybe i'd go like 5 and get nothing... but on that 6th one, i get the "laser rifle" tech and it allows me to build a new infantry unit that uses lasers...

now these are just future techs that i made up, i don't know that i would recommend them for the game... but something along those lines... maybe only have future techs that would allow you to build improvements in cities that would improve culture, population growth, pollution... something like that? instead of helping you militarily... cause probably by that point in the game you have the greatest military already...

Oh and, of course, each future tech you get would contribute points towards your 'Scientific Victory'.

I think I've missed something here.....but if you're saying what I think you're saying, I'd like to put my support behind that.

Like I said, future techs don't REALLY need to be specific at all in order to work, they can simply represent increasing refinement of existing levels of technology. For instance, after X turns you get a message saying 'your scientists have discovered future military tech 1. You may now upgrade all your units for a +1 attack strength'. Later in the game, you get a message which says 'your scientists have discovered future military tech 2. You may now upgrade your units for a +1 defense strength.' the next one might be to increase firepower, then movement, then armour, then base morale, then HP, then a boost to the defense bonus of forts and cities-and so it goes.

In social techs, you will get a gradual reduction in unhappiness and corruption, and a steady increase in the maximum size of your cities.

In industrial techs, you will get an opportunity to increase production or reduce pollution generated from terrain and city improvements!

As for finishing the game before future techs come along, well in that case we need to see a major change in the dynamics of the game-such that it remains incredibly competitive right up until the end of the game (and not boring!)

Yours,
Aussie_Lurker.

somethings gotta be done with future techs to make them more valuable than just "after game points"... something that would make a player actually want to research them... instead of just shutting down science and getting tons of tax money to start a war machine...

I've said it before.. I think. Here is my excellent idea!

Each future tech adds points to already existing buildings, weapons etc. Future Tech 1 gives extra mobility to tanks. Future tech 2 makes the banks, marketplaces, etc generate more cash. Future tech 3 makes Battleships range increase. Etc. This gives more replay to the game and encourages people to keep adding those techs on to infinity! Maybe you could even choose what the future tech would improve, like your tank's firepower or how much scientific development is happening in your city.

Please do this!!!!

They should give you 'in-game' benefits as well, though, above and beyond their point value. Things like every future 'military tech' might allow you to upgrade your existing units in hp, morale, attack strength, movement and defense strength! Future 'Social Techs' might increase max population and city size and perhaps give you bonuses for your social engineering settings. Future 'Economic Techs' might increase your gold per turn, give you bonus gold for all your trade routes and/or reduce corruption in your cities. Future 'Industrial techs' will give you a boost to shield output and/or reduces pollution. Future 'Scientific Techs' would give you a bonus to food production, reduce population-based pollution, increase the success rates of Space Missions, and reduce the chance of disease outbreak. Oh and, of course, each future tech you get would contribute points towards your 'Scientific Victory'. Of course, these are just suggestions, but I think this will make future techs very much worth getting, in and of themselves, and convince players to remain committed to the sciences!

Yours,
Aussie_Lurker.

Yeah, this is what i'm saying!!! Although said better than me. ;) Do it Firaxis!!

Is there an official channel for suggestions???

I agree wholeheartedly :goodjob:

I assume more people than me play this game not only to win in points but as a roleplaying game wich one would want to last as long as possible.

Me too man, me too! Roleplay. I never watch points, except when I borrowed my friends Civ. I cheated and ran up the score as high as possible. This was the SNES version so there was no way for him to ever get rid of that score. :lol:

what if you had certain "future techs" that were already figured out... for example "shield generator"... and a bunch more... and for each FT that you researched, you would get a % chance to get a random future tech...

so i'd research FT's and maybe i'd go like 5 and get nothing... but on that 6th one, i get the "laser rifle" tech and it allows me to build a new infantry unit that uses lasers...

now these are just future techs that i made up, i don't know that i would recommend them for the game... but something along those lines... maybe only have future techs that would allow you to build improvements in cities that would improve culture, population growth, pollution... something like that? instead of helping you militarily... cause probably by that point in the game you have the greatest military already...

Nah, if you want that play Alpha Centauri.

I WOULD play as long as possible, if ONLY they would make the end-game a little less tedious. Its the Ancient and Middle Ages which I enjoy the most. But perhaps, as I said before, if they made the game more 'dynamic' through the ages (and, hopefully, more competitive) then even the 'points-players' would still have to stick around long enough to be getting future techs!

Yours,
Aussie_Lurker.