Varying Tech costs

[SwampCow]

This may be mentioned elsewhere but I was curious about peoples' thoughts on varying costs for techs trees based on civilization. Maybe not the advanced techs, but the first couple of techs per tree should have their costs reflect differences based on civs.

For some civs, it is thematically consistent that Hunting would be much more easily gained then say, fishing. At no time should any of the elven (or Doviello) have to spend the same amount of time working to get hunting researched as, say the Bannor. Likewise, dwarven civs should have a lower cost for masonry tree while fishing would be quicker for Lanun and mysticism for Elohim.

We already assign traits that fall in line with trees so I feel it may be better to have research varied based on such traits.

Or, I may be a total fool.

 

[[to_xp]Gekko]

yeah, this could be a nice idea. getting some early key techs a little sooner would make me happy. hunting for the doviello is a good example seeing as they often start in tundra terrain and they need to hook up those furs and deers ASAP .

 

[SwampCow]

Yeah, the idea that it would be twice as costly to research Hunting as Fishing for Svart, Dov, Ljos just doesn't make sense and can hurt them in the short run. They should be the ones taking advantage of wild animals as well as the deer and beaver resources. Half the time there is nothing left to tame by the time i have Animal Husbandry and Hunting researched.

 

[Annex]

I like this idea. Maybe it should cost less for good civs to research way of the wise while it costs less for evil civs to research way of the wicked.

 

[Mailbox]

Railroading civilizations down certain paths isn't very fun or interesting. Right now civilizations have incentives to go down certain paths without the need to add flat tech cost reductions.

 

[SwampCow]

Railroading civilizations down certain paths isn't very fun or interesting. Right now civilizations have incentives to go down certain paths without the need to add flat tech cost reductions.

You are missing the point. It doesn't change the dynamic of research at all for the most part. It simply acknowledges the fact that certain civs would not have such a steep cost for certain techs or trees at the onset of the game. It is actually handicapping to nature civs that it takes so much longer to research their basic low end techs while others have no trouble at all with theirs.

The ease with which the Lanun can get Fishing and then access to the Heron Throne should be no greater than any elf civ attempting to gain Hunting. Conversely, no elf (or dwarf) should have equal shot in the beginning at accessing Fishing and Heron Throne.

You choose different civs to play different types of game. Those civs should have a slight advantage in accessing techs that complement their race. If you wish to play against your civ's traits and bulldog your way to techs you don't have affinity for, you should be at a slight disadvantage for trying.

Again I will point out, I think this is a good idea only for the first few techs. The ones that represent the groundwork of your civ's personality.

 

[Stoik]

I agree with this idea. Another way to have the same type of result could be to give that affinity's techs every time you find a free tech in goody huts and not a random one.

 

[MagisterCultuum]

I wholeheartedly agree that different civs should have different costs for different techs. I'd like to completely get rid of the python forcing civs to research certain techs (especially religion-founding ones), and just make said techs much cheaper for those civs.

Having civs alone modify tech costs is not enough in my opinion. Traits, Religions, Alignments, and maybe civics need to modify costs too.

Having just as many techs be more costly as cheaper for each civ/religion/alignment/civic seems appropriate.

 

[SwampCow]

I wholeheartedly agree that different civs should have different costs for different techs. I'd like to completely get rid of the python forcing civs to research certain techs (especially religion-founding ones), and just make said techs much cheaper for those civs.

Having civs alone modify tech costs is not enough in my opinion. Traits, Religions, Alignments, and maybe civics need to modify costs too.

Having just as many techs be more costly as cheaper for each civ/religion/alignment/civic seems appropriate.

That last statement is the kicker Magister. If you could alter research costs on the fly, based on your civ traits as well as civic choices, that would bring a great new dynamic to the game.

I love to go to war but rarely use the military civics because there upside simply is not enough to change to from other, more encompassing options. Make military techs costs lower while in these civic states and now you are talking.

 

[jimi12]

im not sure i would like this idea. it seems like a new player would really not know why tech costs are different and it doesnt really add any new or fun dimension to the game.

 

[MagisterCultuum]

It might also be good if known techs could effect how easily you can research other techs.

 

[Mailbox]

You are missing the point. It doesn't change the dynamic of research at all for the most part.

Actually it does change the dynamic. It means that certain civilizations will always have major bonuses to certain processes. If the Lanun always win the race to Fishing and the Heron Throne, that isn't fun for an Illian or Khazad player who started on the ocean and lost that race just because of arbitrary numbers.

It simply acknowledges the fact that certain civs would not have such a steep cost for certain techs or trees at the onset of the game. It is actually handicapping to nature civs that it takes so much longer to research their basic low end techs while others have no trouble at all with theirs.

Or just keep the research costs globally the same and let the player decide how they want to research. If I wish to found the RoK as the elves, I should have an equal shot as the Khazad. Them starting with Crafting is their tech advantage.

The ease with which the Lanun can get Fishing and then access to the Heron Throne should be no greater than any elf civ attempting to gain Hunting. Conversely, no elf (or dwarf) should have equal shot in the beginning at accessing Fishing and Heron Throne.

Why not? Why limit the player if they wish to play a civilization differently?

You choose different civs to play different types of game. Those civs should have a slight advantage in accessing techs that complement their race. If you wish to play against your civ's traits and bulldog your way to techs you don't have affinity for, you should be at a slight disadvantage for trying.

The player already is at a disadvantage, making that disadvantage unable to be overcame is overkill.

Again I will point out, I think this is a good idea only for the first few techs. The ones that represent the groundwork of your civ's personality.

Again, this is why different civilizations have different starting techs.