Trait-specific techs...

[CyberTyrant]

...is what I'm interested in. Here's what I mean-

I want to be able to 'group' every (or most) technology in the game to a specific civilization trait. For example, Archery, Horseback Riding, and Rifling would all be examples of "agressive-trait" technologies. Banking and Currency would be "financial-trait" technologies, Meditation and Priesthood would be "spiritual-trait" technologies, and so on and so on. Basically, I want civ traits to be a little more important by making technologies that can be linked to a certain trait a little bit cheaper for a civilization that has the trait. Got that?

Examples:
Archery costs 40 for a non-agressive civ, but only 35 for an agressive civ.
Meditation costs 35 for spiritual civs, but 40 for non-spiritual civs.

Is it more clear now? I want technologies to be cheaper for a specific trait... but how? I've begun poking around, but have came to the conclusion that this would involve more than editing XML files. I'm thinking about the possibility of perhaps adding a "<traitcostmodifier>" or something similar to the "CIV4TechInfos.xml" file...

<TechInfo>
  <Type>TECH_MYSTICISM</Type> 
  <Description>TXT_KEY_TECH_MYSTICISM</Description> 
  <Civilopedia>TXT_KEY_TECH_MYSTICISM_PEDIA</Civilopedia> 
  <Help /> 
  <Strategy>TXT_KEY_TECH_MYSTICISM_STRATEGY</Strategy> 
  <Advisor>ADVISOR_RELIGION</Advisor> 
  <iAIWeight>0</iAIWeight> 
  <iAITradeModifier>0</iAITradeModifier> 
  <iCost>50</iCost> 
  <Era>ERA_ANCIENT</Era> 
  <FirstFreeUnitClass>NONE</FirstFreeUnitClass> 
  <iWorkerSpeedModifier>0</iWorkerSpeedModifier> 
  <iTradeRoutes>0</iTradeRoutes> 
  <iHealth>0</iHealth> 
  <iHappiness>0</iHappiness> 
  <iFirstFreeTechs>0</iFirstFreeTechs> 
  <iAsset>8</iAsset> 
  <iPower>0</iPower> 
  <bRepeat>0</bRepeat> 
  <bTrade>1</bTrade> 
  <bDisable>0</bDisable> 
  <bGoodyTech>1</bGoodyTech> 
  <bExtraWaterSeeFrom>0</bExtraWaterSeeFrom> 
  <bMapCentering>0</bMapCentering> 
  <bMapVisible>0</bMapVisible> 
  <bMapTrading>0</bMapTrading> 
  <bTechTrading>0</bTechTrading> 
  <bGoldTrading>0</bGoldTrading> 
  <bOpenBordersTrading>0</bOpenBordersTrading> 
  <bDefensivePactTrading>0</bDefensivePactTrading> 
  <bPermanentAllianceTrading>0</bPermanentAllianceTrading> 
  <bBridgeBuilding>0</bBridgeBuilding> 
  <bIrrigation>0</bIrrigation> 
  <bIgnoreIrrigation>0</bIgnoreIrrigation> 
  <bWaterWork>0</bWaterWork> 
  <iGridX>1</iGridX> 
  <iGridY>11</iGridY> 
  <DomainExtraMoves /> 
  <CommerceFlexible /> 
  <TerrainTrades /> 
- <Flavors>
- <Flavor>
  <FlavorType>FLAVOR_RELIGION</FlavorType> 
  <iFlavor>9</iFlavor> 
  </Flavor>
- <Flavor>
  <FlavorType>FLAVOR_GOLD</FlavorType> 
  <iFlavor>1</iFlavor> 
  </Flavor>
- <Flavor>
  <FlavorType>FLAVOR_CULTURE</FlavorType> 
  <iFlavor>8</iFlavor> 
  </Flavor>
- <Flavor>
  <FlavorType>FLAVOR_GROWTH</FlavorType> 
  <iFlavor>2</iFlavor> 
  </Flavor>
  </Flavors>
  <OrPreReqs /> 
  <AndPreReqs /> 
  <Quote>TXT_KEY_TECH_MYSTICISM_QUOTE</Quote> 
  <Sound>AS2D_TECH_MYSTICISM</Sound> 
  <SoundMP>AS2D_TECH_MP_MYSTICISM</SoundMP>

Any thoughts? I would hope there would be more people interested in something like this than just myself.

[joshjiggler]

I think this is a really cool idea. The Traits system seems kind of lackluster to me in its current state, and I think this would go a long way towards making them a more important decision. I'm not fully sure how you would go about it, however. I've been mulling over the various XML files, trying to get a good feel for them, but still wouldn't condsider myself very well versed in them. Maybe as I get more comfortable with them, I might be able to help out with this a bit.

Wish I could do more than just say "cool idea" though...)C:

[CyberTyrant]

So, nobody else is interested in something like this, huh?

That's unfortunate. Because now I have to try to figure it out on my own.

[bhiita]

heh I'm interested, very cool idea... hope you're able to figure it out
that's all I'm good for... moral support

[Colonel Kraken]

I'm interested if someone knew how to implement it.