Research thouhts

from Sins Forums
I was playing a long game yesterday. Awesome game!! I can see where this will be alot of fun.

At any rate, will the technology rate be customizable??? In the game I was playing yesterday, I stayed in my solar system and didn't travel to a distant star, but I had practically maxed out the tech tree. I think to make this game truly feel epic, technology needs to be slowed down, or have more techs in the tree to make the game feel epic. I think the best solution would be to have the tech rate in terms of costs of each tech and the time to research each tech customizable. That way, by the time you have explored your own solar system and journeyed to the next one (taking several minutes of game time to phase jump to that star) you and your opponenet won't already be maxed in the tech tree. I think in this game, technology would loose its meaning if by the time you finally journeyed to another system, you and whoever was in that system was already maxed out. By making it cost more, you also have to take gambles to reserach tech which could mean less ships to defend yourself with for many many minutes.

The last truly epic feeling real time game I played was empire earth (the first one). That game truly felt epic, because I remember it took so many resources to advanced to the next epic. I mean just to go from cavemen to bows and arrows and sling shots took alot. To play a game where you started in the stone age and wanted to advanced to the last era (where you have walking mechs, laser rifles, etc.) would take hours and hours even if you were really fast in advancing through the epics.

What is everyone's thoughts on this? At any rate, I hope the tech rate will be customizable.
6,947 views 18 replies
Reply #1 from Sins Forums Top
I'm of the same opinion as you. I want this game to be truly epic. I would like to see a 10 stage tech tree with each stage having five tiers. That way each stage would account for a 10% total improvement in that area and each tier would be 2% at a fundamental level. The tiers could then be customized for each race and the variables could be adjusted as needed.

There could also be "plug-ins" bonuses for the races to boot in one of the tiers at every other stage or something like that.

I also truly hope that the developers allow us to design our own races and allow us to have something akin to heroes just for good measure.
Reply #2 from Sins Forums Top
it has been slowed down a little bit with requiring more than one research station to reach the upper levels of research... maybe increase the research times?

right now it takes me a bout 2 hours to max the tree out playing against 3 other hard AI players on a small map.
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Reply #3 from Sins Forums Top
My thoughts are the tech tree is tiny.It's about 1/4 size or smaller than all the 4X games I have played.The devs seem to have ignored this opinion that many support.
Reply #4 from Sins Forums Top

My thoughts are the tech tree is tiny.It's about 1/4 size or smaller than all the 4X games I have played.The devs seem to have ignored this opinion that many support.


take into account that most items have 2 levels of research... so its actually almost double what its on-screen representation shows.

*looks around and then whispers* but I do admit it is still small...
Reply #5 from Sins Forums Top
Additionally it is a beta yet. So I have assumed that most systems are in basic form right now. So the depth we would expect from the different systems is simply not there yet.
Reply #6 from Sins Forums Top
well hope thay will add more of the game when it goes to Beta 2
Reply #7 from Sins Forums Top
I was thinking that how about a tech tree that if you follow a certain patch of research it closes off other paths? Maybe along the lines of the way HoMMV uses building cities. This could give a little more personality to the different races.

of course you could during the game gain access to teh closed off research by buying the tech from the other races or maybe finding it (reference derilict ships I suggested earlier)
Reply #8 from Sins Forums Top
I was thinking that how about a tech tree that if you follow a certain patch of research it closes off other paths

its neither fun in gameplay, nor in any way logical. (my engineers have discovered a way to amplify light, so they dont know how to build hulls???)
Reply #9 from Sins Forums Top
Actually it is logical. Your example doesnt make sence. Amplifying light has nothing to do with hull design. Light amplification may affect weapon strength or telecommunications so by focusing on one or teh other will tell how your empire expands so instead of at the muzzle of a gun you expand through diplomacy. You cannot randomly associate one tech with another. it should follow a natural progression.
I am not saying to start a branching at the very first tech but maybe after the first 3 tiers start a small branch so your society would have built up the essencials.
Reply #10 from Sins Forums Top
Schem got it right.

But maybe Chip5541 can explain to us why studying one tech area will forever close a player off from other study options. I bet the answer will be along the lines of "it is logical, it just is!"
Reply #11 from Sins Forums Top
My thoughts are the tech tree is tiny.It's about 1/4 size or smaller than all the 4X games I have played.The devs seem to have ignored this opinion that many support.


We haven't ignored anything or anyone. We read every post and carefully consider all suggestions. We are in Beta 1 and provided only a portion of our research trees
Reply #12 from Sins Forums Top
We are in Beta 1 and provided only a portion of our research trees

good news!
I like expanded tech trees.

speaking of which, will there be any big update soon... you know... with the advent perchance?
You cannot randomly associate one tech with another. it should follow a natural progression.

fine then. explain to me how understanding and engineering one thing will stop you from understanding and engineering another.
Reply #13 from Sins Forums Top
speaking of which, will there be any big update soon... you know... with the advent perchance?


erm, no, it should be the vasari
Reply #14 from Sins Forums Top
hellz no. advent
Reply #15 from Sins Forums Top

hellz no. advent


who needs magical elfs in space? we need aliens with the power to destroy the evil TEC
Reply #16 from Sins Forums Top
Who said anything about tech being lost forever? well other than Paradoxnt

of course you could during the game gain access to teh closed off research by buying the tech from the other races or maybe finding it (reference derilict ships I suggested earlier)




But maybe Chip5541 can explain to us why studying one tech area will forever close a player off from other study options. I bet the answer will be along the lines of "it is logical, it just is!"


please! give me a little more credit than that. After all it was just an idea.

Reply #17 from Sins Forums Top
Okay Chip5541, I'll give you credit. Just because I like ya!
Reply #18 from Sins Forums Top
Okay Chip5541, I'll give you credit. Just because I like ya!


LOL!!! a kodak moment