Thalassicus
Bytes and Nibblers
Goals
I believe the challenge of researching a tech should match the power of its reward. I also think the capability to beeline for specialized techs makes the game fun. I believe the game should display the power of each tech in an easily-understood manner. Finally, I think it's fun when every game of Civ is different.
Gem v1.11 updates the technology tree to accomplish these goals.
1. Tech Groups
I visually grouped similar techs so it's easier to understand the purpose of sections of the tree and plan accordingly. I gave important techs ingame and historically (like Industrialization) strong prerequisite chains, and niche techs (like Architecture) fewer prerequisites.
Grouping the basic paths of peace (top) and war (bottom) makes it easier to see those paths. Earlier eras have more than two groups, but follow the same basic principle. Players can quickly realize the top area's more peaceful than the bottom area with the help of the new AI. Experienced players know the power of various sections of the tree, but the original design did not present this information well for players unfamiliar with the game. It can easily seem like an indecipherable tangle. The new design organizes info more clearly.
I also moved some items to appropriate techs historically and for gameplay. For example, most Roman wonders like the Colosseum and Hagia Sophia now unlock in the Classical era.
2. Tech Power
I created an AI to figure out the power of each technology. This big new feature can help humans with a wide range of tasks, from learning the game to analyzing complex balance issues. The AI discovered many things even I did not know, especially in later eras I'm less familiar with, and I used the AI's guidance to improve the balance of the tree.
Say a player called Bob is new to the mod, and doesn't know much about the tech tree yet. Bob's in the early Industrial era.
He glances over the 4 late-industrial techs available to him, and the AI tells him Biology is powerful for growing population and getting vanguard units. The AI also looks ahead and realizes Biology soon leads to the Apollo Program, so Biology is essential if Bob wants a spaceship victory. Biology also leads to several world wonders, so the AI tells Bob it's decent for wonders, though less so than the rest. It presents this information to Bob with simple color-coded priorities.
Bob no longer needs to look at every number on every object for every tech in the whole era before deciding what to research. All that information easily overwhelms humans because most of us are capable of holding only a few numbers in our head at a time. Unlike humans, AIs are fantastic at analyzing vast amounts of data, so this system augments our human limitations with computer intelligence. We choose goals (a human strength), and the AI helps us reach those goals by looking at lots of numbers (a computer strength).
The AI gives Bob the level of information he wants with a simple glance: what is this tech good for? Bob can simply click Biology if growing population is an important goal for him, and get back to the main game. If Bob wants more detail, he can glance at the Hospital itself, and the AI shows him Hospitals power growth. Bob can get even more detail by looking at specific Hospital stats like cost, food, and maintenance, but he doesn't need to anymore. We can stop at the level of detail we feel comfortable with.
In the past, a human had to tediously analyze everything on every tech to set these power levels by hand. The process was slow and prone to human error. The new AI is faster, and less likely to make mistakes.
Don't worry, I created my AI to like peaceful stuff too, so he will hopefully be a benevolent ruler when he takes over humanity.
3. Tech Themes
I think it's fun when every game of Civ is different. I like variety! Maps are randomly generated, so I believe the best way to get tech diversity are bonuses for specific types of start locations. It encourages a different path each game, particularly in the ancient era.
I look for reasonably realistic themes with synergy. It makes sense for Trade to help expansion and gold, so when we have lots of room to expand, we're more likely to go for trade. Animal Husbandry is the main cause of deforestation of the Amazon, and horses favor open terrain, so pastures, deforestation, and horses make sense together.
The goal is to look at our circumstances to decide a tech path. Are we near Montezuma? Do we have a good coastline nearby? I believe choices like these are more fun than going for the same techs in the same order every game. I want every early situation to clearly favor a tech path, and every tech path should have good circumstances to pursue it.
Situation
|
Tech
Expansion room|Trade
Safe neighbors|Writing
Hostile neighbors|Archery
Hostile neighbors|Masonry
|
Rivers|Sailing
Rivers|Trade
Rivers|The Wheel
Forests|Animal Husbandry
Forests|The Wheel
Forests|Horseback Riding
Desert|Construction
Hills|Mining
Hills|Bronze Working
Hills|Iron Working
|
Resources: grain|Pottery
Resources: sea|Sailing
Resources: plantation|Calendar
Resources: livestock|Animal Husbandry
Resources: camp|Archery
Resources: shiny|Mining
Resources: quarry|Masonry
I believe the challenge of researching a tech should match the power of its reward. I also think the capability to beeline for specialized techs makes the game fun. I believe the game should display the power of each tech in an easily-understood manner. Finally, I think it's fun when every game of Civ is different.
Gem v1.11 updates the technology tree to accomplish these goals.
1. Tech Groups
I visually grouped similar techs so it's easier to understand the purpose of sections of the tree and plan accordingly. I gave important techs ingame and historically (like Industrialization) strong prerequisite chains, and niche techs (like Architecture) fewer prerequisites.
Grouping the basic paths of peace (top) and war (bottom) makes it easier to see those paths. Earlier eras have more than two groups, but follow the same basic principle. Players can quickly realize the top area's more peaceful than the bottom area with the help of the new AI. Experienced players know the power of various sections of the tree, but the original design did not present this information well for players unfamiliar with the game. It can easily seem like an indecipherable tangle. The new design organizes info more clearly.
I also moved some items to appropriate techs historically and for gameplay. For example, most Roman wonders like the Colosseum and Hagia Sophia now unlock in the Classical era.
2. Tech Power
I created an AI to figure out the power of each technology. This big new feature can help humans with a wide range of tasks, from learning the game to analyzing complex balance issues. The AI discovered many things even I did not know, especially in later eras I'm less familiar with, and I used the AI's guidance to improve the balance of the tree.
Say a player called Bob is new to the mod, and doesn't know much about the tech tree yet. Bob's in the early Industrial era.
He glances over the 4 late-industrial techs available to him, and the AI tells him Biology is powerful for growing population and getting vanguard units. The AI also looks ahead and realizes Biology soon leads to the Apollo Program, so Biology is essential if Bob wants a spaceship victory. Biology also leads to several world wonders, so the AI tells Bob it's decent for wonders, though less so than the rest. It presents this information to Bob with simple color-coded priorities.
Bob no longer needs to look at every number on every object for every tech in the whole era before deciding what to research. All that information easily overwhelms humans because most of us are capable of holding only a few numbers in our head at a time. Unlike humans, AIs are fantastic at analyzing vast amounts of data, so this system augments our human limitations with computer intelligence. We choose goals (a human strength), and the AI helps us reach those goals by looking at lots of numbers (a computer strength).
The AI gives Bob the level of information he wants with a simple glance: what is this tech good for? Bob can simply click Biology if growing population is an important goal for him, and get back to the main game. If Bob wants more detail, he can glance at the Hospital itself, and the AI shows him Hospitals power growth. Bob can get even more detail by looking at specific Hospital stats like cost, food, and maintenance, but he doesn't need to anymore. We can stop at the level of detail we feel comfortable with.
In the past, a human had to tediously analyze everything on every tech to set these power levels by hand. The process was slow and prone to human error. The new AI is faster, and less likely to make mistakes.
Don't worry, I created my AI to like peaceful stuff too, so he will hopefully be a benevolent ruler when he takes over humanity.
3. Tech Themes
I think it's fun when every game of Civ is different. I like variety! Maps are randomly generated, so I believe the best way to get tech diversity are bonuses for specific types of start locations. It encourages a different path each game, particularly in the ancient era.
I look for reasonably realistic themes with synergy. It makes sense for Trade to help expansion and gold, so when we have lots of room to expand, we're more likely to go for trade. Animal Husbandry is the main cause of deforestation of the Amazon, and horses favor open terrain, so pastures, deforestation, and horses make sense together.
The goal is to look at our circumstances to decide a tech path. Are we near Montezuma? Do we have a good coastline nearby? I believe choices like these are more fun than going for the same techs in the same order every game. I want every early situation to clearly favor a tech path, and every tech path should have good circumstances to pursue it.
Expansion room|Trade
Safe neighbors|Writing
Hostile neighbors|Archery
Hostile neighbors|Masonry
|
Rivers|Sailing
Rivers|Trade
Rivers|The Wheel
Forests|Animal Husbandry
Forests|The Wheel
Forests|Horseback Riding
Desert|Construction
Hills|Mining
Hills|Bronze Working
Hills|Iron Working
|
Resources: grain|Pottery
Resources: sea|Sailing
Resources: plantation|Calendar
Resources: livestock|Animal Husbandry
Resources: camp|Archery
Resources: shiny|Mining
Resources: quarry|Masonry
