Specialized branches in tech tree

[Heinz4lif]

I think the Tech race would be made more interesting if the Civs could develop in different directions, instead of everyone following the same tech tree.

For exmple, if you start in ancient times in the center of a mountainous Pangea, what use is the shipbuilding techs right away?

What if your intent is to win cities over by popularity, instead of military force? Wouldn't you prefer a set of tecs that develop propaganda, rather than tanks?

What I'm saying is to have tech trees go in multiple directions, instead of just semi-linearly, and then once you change eras, you only continue down one path (some tecs should be present in multiple branches to be fair) until you reach another possible direction.

This could also make tech trade more interesting. When you choose one direction, you can only trade for the techs in the other branches. This way, it pushes you to research your branch so you can trade for other techs you can't research.

Also, it adds a little more variety to this segment of the game.

There are some kinks to this idea that would need to be worked out before it could be used, but I think it's workable.

 

[Spacetrvler]

I really like this idea because like in the middle ages, China and the Western world took totally different approaches and had different technologies.

 

[Archer 007]

This could make the game too odd though.

 

[bg2soatob]

How about if the techs had certain requirements (near mountains for iron, near water for ships), and you had a choice of branches to get to the next level (only one set would be required, the others would be extra techs).

 

[collin_stp]

there are already requirements for units, wonders, and improvements, I don't see the need for requirements for techs. I always thought a branching tech tree would be a good idea, but I think the branches should only be one dead end tech or two per era. So, for instance, in the ancient era, you could build barbarian units, or more "enlightened" units if you research that branch.

Also, already in conquests, certain civs can either follow different tech trees. In fall of rome, there is a big difference between what the barbarian tribes can build, and the two roman civs can build. Maybe something like that.

 

[bg2soatob]

I just thought of another idea. How about doing away with the age idea and simply making a bigger tech tree? More cumbersome, yes, but with proper interface control (like in Empire Earth) it would be good. Of course, careful branching is necessary so you don't have tanks before you discover iron.

 

[Shirastro]

Has anyone played Final Fantasy X ?
I know that the games are completly diffrent but i think that a "skill tree" from FFX could work fine.

 

[striq]

a cool way to change up the techs would be to have a culture group specific start location that would be based on traits given to each civ. Each era could have a core group of techs available to all civs. Each era would also have a number of trait specific techs where, for example, a religious civ could research along their line for 1/2 price. I think the first tech along the trait specific lines should be given to those civs for free and they should have a higher than normal research cost to reflect AI attitudes about safeguarding their unique way of life. This could be a great way to give the civs more flavor.

 

[mitsho]

So each trait has a own separate tech tree line? Not a bad idea imho, although it could get complicated to get enough techs, because in civ4 there certainely have to be more traits than in civ3 are

mfG mitsho

 

[Vizurok]

Trait-specific... good idea, but only with some (1-2) own techs, otherwise it would be too unbalanced.

 

[striq]

unbalance in the real world leads to disaster... i guess you just need to use deplomacy more to diversify your techs.

 

[GeZe]

How do you "discover" iron-working without actually ever seeing iron?

 

[striq]

good point... i think the techs are representing tatical or philosophical advantages, not actual the knowledge behind them.

 

[Heinz4lif]

How do you "discover" iron-working without actually ever seeing iron?

In the real world, if you have no practical use for something, you're not really going to notice signifigant quantities of a material. but once you find a way to extract and use it (most likely from small lab samples), you send people out to find any major available sources. I think the game reflects this fact well.

Besides, if you could "see" the resources before you discover it, that could unfairly imbalance the game.

 

[CivCube]

Wasn't there a single tech tree with no ages in Civ 2?

 

[Aussie_Lurker]

My thoughts:

1) I LOVE the ages concept of Civ3-it was such a HUGE improvement on civ2, because you really felt that transition from Ancient to Middle ages. As has been suggested elsewhere, though, I'd also like the 'Age-transition prerequisites' concept to be extended to social and economic factors as well.

2) As I have said in other threads, have a semi-directional tech paths, and more dead-end/non-prerequisite techs to make tech trees more interesting and diverse-especially in the areas of governments/religions.

3) Civ characteristics should effect the speed at which you achieve tech advances in certain fields. So, as an obvious example, militaristic civs obtain techs with direct military applications much faster than non-militaristic civs do! Some techs might have a 'dual character', though, like 'Bronze Working'-which might have a 'Scientific/Industrious character!

4) Access to a relevent resource might give you bonuses to researching a tech. So, for example, access to iron might give you a greater chance of getting iron working, and access to uranium might increase your chance of unlocking the secrets of 'Nuclear Fission'.

Anyway, just something to mull over !

Yours,
Aussie_Lurker.

 

[Verowin]

Yes, make them way more diversified. Have numerous tech branch options. This could make the game much more interesting