Techtree vs Timescale

[ChildServices]

Does anybody have suggestions on how to balance the techtree against a scenario's timescale? I'm trying to make a modded techtree, where the ancient era goes from 8000BC-500AD and this period of the game should be roughly 200 turns long. Most of the other periods are similar in terms of the average amount of turns spent in each one, at least from how I've got it planned.

Is there a formula that can be used to balance the technology costs against the game's time constraints, or will I simply have to playtest every single era rigorously to have it advance at the rough pace that I want it to?

 

[Nathiri]

Does anybody have suggestions on how to balance the techtree against a scenario's timescale? I'm trying to make a modded techtree, where the ancient era goes from 8000BC-500AD and this period of the game should be roughly 200 turns long. Most of the other periods are similar in terms of the average amount of turns spent in each one, at least from how I've got it planned.

Is there a formula that can be used to balance the technology costs against the game's time constraints, or will I simply have to playtest every single era rigorously to have it advance at the rough pace that I want it to?

You are just going to have to calculate the amount of turns it can take to research a certain tech with how many techs are in that era and use the timescale accordingly setting the pace of how many years are passed between turns. Depending on how accurate you are with your calculations you shouldnt need to test it too much at all. You can use the couple boxes in the General Settings Tab and set the costs for each tech to try and get exactly the amount of turns you want each tech to take.

 

[Ozymandias]

I "cheat."

Assuming a standard 600 (540? - it's been awhile) turn game, I simply add up all costs per era, and try to make the sums approximately equal (or, in the case of the 3-Era mod I'm working on, take the total and "shift" part of the total number back one era until I arrive at a similar number.)

Assuming that your 1st Era is 8000 BCE - 500 CE, I'd take the cost of all techs in the "standard" first era and multiply by the ratio between the standard # of turns and the number of turns you're allotting.

Similarly, I've found the ratio approach (including adding additional techs and modifying the techs' costs accordingly works fairly well.)

If you're adding a considerable number of shield/trade producing Buildings/Wonders then methinks you'll need to play around a bit.

Cheers,
Oz

 

[Vuldacon]

ChildServices... Also keep in mind the Minimum and Maximum Research Time Settings you set in the Biq under General Settings. The Minimum Research Time coupled with the Costs for Techs is a big factor. Ask yourself, "will the AI and Player be able to keep up with the Minimum Research Time you set to gain Techs?"

As time advances in the Game, players will more easily be able to afford the Minimum Research Time due to having more Cities and any improvements that provide more Science. Therefore it is best to set Tech Costs low to start then increase the Costs as the Game and Tech Tree advances.

Another factor is being able to Trade or Buy Techs from other Civs. This also increases the speed to get through the Tech Tree regardless of Time and Cost settings. The AI settings for the percentage of AI to AI Trade Rate is set in the Biq under Difficulty Levels. How often the AI Trades Techs is a factor that affects Techs a Player can try to Trade or Buy from them. Generally, the AI will Research different Techs than the Human Player when possible in order to be able to Trade or Sell the Techs to the Human Player... Yes, the AI knows what Techs the Human Player is Researching

The above Factors are considered when setting the Time Options you set in Scenario Properties.

There are more Factors that influence how fast one can get through a Tech Tree than is at first obvious.

Your Tech Tree will be as unique as any part of your Game and it all requires testing.

I am certain you will be able to have your Tech Tree play as to want...Good Luck

 

[ChildServices]

Thank you everybody for the suggestions! I've actually laid out the techtree and figured out most of the maths to give me my initial tech costs for the era, and the numbers I've come up with don't see too unreasonable.
I'm of course going to have to playtest it a little to get the timings to be right, but the basis is there and it's looked decent from the short tests that I did to examine the stone age units that I've added.

One thing I've done is make everybody start unable to build settlers or workers (but you start with two settlers so that the beginning isn't too slow), but the techs to get those units are both fairly low on the tree. I'm interested to see how this plays out as far as expansion is concerned. From what little I've seen, I'm actually fairly impressed that the AI managed to research "migration" and start to expand. I was half-expecting them to be pants on head and try to be city-states for 3/4 of the ancient era. However, considering that the AI can (and frequently does) trade techs, I guess it's not as much of an Achilles Heel as I thought it'd be.
I lowered the minimum research time to 3 in my initial test, I thought it made sense since I added more techs than usual to the ancient era. After the test I did though, I've determined that this is pretty much totally unnecessary and have returned it to 4.