Technology Selection like in Alpha Centarui

[Hawk666]

Hi,

has somebody already created a mod which simulates the technology selection of Alpha Centauri (SMAC/SMAX)?

I mean, I want to archieve that the human player (and the AI) can only choose the categorie(s) of technologies he wants to research and not a spefic technology.

Since I'm new to modding...would that be tough to mod? I've developing experience...that wouldn't be the problem, I think.

Thanks for feedback

 

[Refar]

Had you looked into the planetfall mod ?

 

[Hawk666]

Thanks a lot, I'm totaly new here and there are so many mods available I'm simply lost ;-)

 

[Maniac]

Planetfall doesn't have this.

Personally I never used Blind Research myself either, so unless someone else does it, it's not gonna happen.

Come to think of it, this might be possible to do with just Python. Create a few technologies such as Explore, Discover, Build, Conquer and perhaps combinations such as Explore/Discover... Players and AI research these technologies. Upon one being researched, the tech is set to being unresearched again, and Python randomly picks a technology of which you have all the prerequisites, the probability being affected by which Explore/D/B/C technology you researched.

 

[primordial stew]

Yup, python is all that is needed. In RFRE there is no money spent on research, instead you pick a tech, and 12 turns later the tech (that is currently being researched) is given.

It would be pretty easy to expand it to categories instead of specific techs, and then randomly pick from the list when the time comes. This does imply that all techs in a set have the same cost!!!! So there would need to be some work on the tech tree to balance that out, and maybe split high-cost techs up... Also there would be some interface work.

 

[Maniac]

This does imply that all techs in a set have the same cost!!!!

In SMAX tech costs was simply determined by how many techs you already had.

 

[primordial stew]

In SMAX tech costs was simply determined by how many techs you already had.

That's easy to do (scriptdata for each player), but it changes the whole research aspect of the game. Why build a library, university, etc.. now? If you've played the American Revolution mod that came with vanilla it's easy to understand the impact this makes. I never played SMAC.

 

[Maniac]

That's easy to do (scriptdata for each player), but it changes the whole research aspect of the game. Why build a library, university, etc.. now?

I don't understand the problem. Libraries and universities result in extra beakers, which speed up how fast you can research techs. This is unrelated to how tech costs are determined.

The impact of the Civ1/2/SMAC tech cost system is that is often better NOT to have a tech than to have it. It's best to keep your number of owned techs low, so you can research as fast as possible the really good techs. Techs of mediocre use are best delayed as long as possible. Thus in order to ensure all parts of the tech tree are used and players are willing to trade techs, this tech cost system has as requirement that all techs must be of the same value. A harsh requirement.

 

[Hawk666]

I'll have a look...if I've some findings I come back.
But since I'm an unexperienced modder I'll surely need the help of you guys