New Science System For Civ 4?

The civ series is great, but one thing I dont like is how you have to get every tech...IMO you should be able to research just the techs you need then move along. Having to research monarchy when i'll never use it seems kind of dumb to me...

Heres some ideas for a new science system:

--You would choose 1 branch of the tech tree to concentrate on

For example in the ancient age you could choose The Republic as your focus and research everything leading up to the republic.

--You can research ONE other tech tree but the research will take longer

If you specialized in republic you could research the horseback riding branch but it would take 50% more research.

--After you reach your desired final tech you then get proceed to the next era.

--Once you are in the next era you may begin buying techs from the previous era from other civs.

And so on, its not perfect but it makes a little more sense

Alternately the current system could be used but there could be X techs you dont have to research before you move on...If I'm geared towards monarchy then republic is no use to me so if there are say...2 techs you dont have to research before moving to the next era I could skip philosophy and republic(neither offer a bonus to being a monarchy)

Just my thoughts...Flame me- agree with me- whatever- but tell me what you think!

Here's the thing:

You can kinda do that now. Republic isn't a required tech. It's a dead end one and you don't have to research it. You can also make beeline to it by clicking it. It makes all the required techs light up in proper order. Sure, after complete the path not all of the techs are researched and you can move on, but that wouldn't make sense in the real world either. "Well, we didn't learn flight or writing, but we should be considered advanced." Nope. YOu have to be well-rounded.

Fair enough, but how about this:

Once you complete a % of the techs...say 75% in the ancient age you may begin researching techs in the middle ages(being specialized in an area and maybe behind the times in other areas) This is realistic and offers a little more strategic diversity instead of everyone getting all the ancient techs then everyone getting to the next era around the same time. I might not need mapmaking right now but gunpowder could still be a viable option.

Although for common sense purposes navigation should not be allowed if there is no mapmaking and the same would apply to other techs which would logically be required before getting something else.

BUT you cannot get out of the middle ages until you complete all the ancient age techs...This keeps with the current science trading system so people can still sell sci's that other may not necessarily need(but have to have)

Same concept applies to the industrial and modern ages.

Hmmm... well, the techs that are there (that are required ones) are actually ones required in the real world. The tech tree is pretty streamlined (in my opinion) to include all of the techs that are necessary. 75% wouldn't make any sense really. Let's say the techs you choose are sporadic and many are dead end ones. That wouldn't make any sense.

they should change that you can chose wich tech.
it will be more realistic and it's always a suprise wich tech you've discoverd!

I think the science system is just great as it is

Having to research monarchy when i'll never use it seems kind of dumb to me...

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Like Evie said, you don't have to research some techs to advance, i'll give you the ones that spring to mind...

Ancient

Monarchy
Republic
Literature

Medieval

Chivalry
Music Theory
Economics
Democracy
Printing Press
Navigation
Free Artistry

...and maybe a few others, and i'm not going to bother listing the industrial ones

Just about every tech that you have to research is acceptable in my opinion. A civilisation couldn't advance into the industrial/Modern age without having some sort of Banking system, or they couldn't advance beyond the Ancient age without having some knowledge of Construction.
You can tell which techs you don't have to research by looking at the top right hand of the picture (on the f6 screen). If it has a circle with a line through it, then you don't have to research it in order to advance - or just ever for that matter...

The science system is just dandy

Right on, Gainy! That was exactly my point, although you articulated it much better. I like the tech tree the way it is. I think it is intuitive and accurate.

Gainy Bo- Thanks I really didnt know that...doh!

*hides in the corner*

alright nevermind then this thread is useless

Thanks for the praise

alright nevermind then this thread is useless

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Its not. There's still a whole bunch of people that can spam in it by repeating what Superevie (and myself) said...
Besides that, your idea is a seperate discussion in itself, what we/I said doesn't really contradict your idea.

And no problemo

Originally posted by Gainy bo
Its not. There's still a whole bunch of people that can spam in it by repeating what Superevie (and myself) said...

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[color=600f0f]I certainly hope not. I'm in a grumpy mood this morning, and spam only makes me grumpier. All other posters please take this as a blanket warning. [/color]

i like the tech tree now. it prevents people from rushign to much to 1 tech, icludes all essentails and sem optional ones that are not needed but provide a wonder. because of the way tehcs all lead into each other (mainly the industrial age, 4 start techs and 1 end tech...) you have to do most of them anyway, only a few you can leave, and they are all current optional ones.

I like tech as it is, but that doesn't stop game design. I think Bartholomaï has a good idea in "Suprise Techs" When researching refining maybe you discover plastics. Many of the dicoveries were more serendipity thatn planned.

Originally posted by RougeKing
I like tech as it is, but that doesn't stop game design. I think Bartholomaï has a good idea in "Suprise Techs" When researching refining maybe you discover plastics. Many of the dicoveries were more serendipity thatn planned.

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Isn't that sort of the idea behind a Scientific civ getting a free tech with each age? Sort of a "Hey we're really cooking now, but look at this cool new discovery our scientists made! This could really take us in a whole new direction we never thought of before!"

Also, tech's like amphibious warfare and advanced flight aren't required..

Originally posted by Bartholomaï
they should change that you can chose wich tech.
it will be more realistic and it's always a suprise wich tech you've discoverd!

Click to expand...

I concur, it should be addressed to what civ you are playing, so that for example, religious civs would more likely research monotheism than feudalism. But still keep it somewhat random. Then there should be state sponsored research for military and infastructure oriented techs. The govt. sponsored tech should only be possible after nationalism is discovered.

I kinda like the SMAC science system, where you can point out the general direction in wich scientific efforts are made (Military, Social, Growth, Science...)

This is far more realistic. For instance, never in real history a bunch of scientists gathered and said: "All right fellows, the next few decades we're going to develop something we'll call Currency!"
No, I think it was rather that in a given time period, in a given civilization, the social factors demanded a system be invented that promoted commerce and wealth. Wich eventually, more or less by coincidence, led to currency.

Mind you, I like the Civ3 science system as it is. It makes careful planning and tech trading much easier. But I wouldn't mind if in the future, either in Civ4 or in a patch for Civ3, I'd be given the option not to research a certain tech, but to merely steer my scientists in a general direction.

This would add an element of surprise, and perhaps even better tech trade opportunities!

Originally posted by Frollo
For instance, never in real history a bunch of scientists gathered and said: "All right fellows, the next few decades we're going to develop something we'll call Currency!"

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I am more facinated by the scientist deciding to make the wheel. And then uses 600 years to come up with a design they are satisfide with. Wonder how their first attempt looked like?