[SUGGESTION] Don't let me end my turn without researching something

+1

Or simply a notification.  I.e. the button to open the tech tree is highlighted differently when you are not researching vs. when you are researching.  Same with building creation, unit creation, etc.

This sort of thing only makes sense when Research has no associated costs, which obviously it doesn't at the moment but further down the line it might\should\could be to your economic benefit not to be researching anything.

+1 for notification

+1 for notification, as long as it's a passive notification (no pop-up window, etc.).

Question: would it be a good thing if the game also sent you to the Research screen every time you load or start a game, like in GalCiv2?

I actually never liked that. When I load a game I just want to see the map, because I never know what's the first thing I'll want to check - it could be research, it could be finances, could be a particular city, or even nothing at all.

I didn't mind it, although I usually clicked through after glancing and noting, "okay, so this is what I was working on last time." The idea for a more unobtrusive option might work better: even something as simple as red text that says, "Currently Researching: NOTHING" on the research progress bar would work.

Delete/ignore this please. Don't know how I got a double post.

Read the follow up suggestions.  Ambient notifications is an excellent compromise.

I agree, the game should at least warn me that I'm not researching and ask if I want to change that.

I never really liked this option, but I'd love to get a warning (message / color change / ...) somehow that I'm not researching anything. I usually notice it now when I haven't gotten any new tech in a while...

The UI has the little measure bar that lets you know how long until the next upgrade and it is blank if there is no ongoing research; this is an excellent interface for many.  My solution would be create a checkbox in options menu to provide end of turn notification if no research is being done.  I personally would hate the research screen popping up when I click end turn.

Agreed, it should be just like when you start Galciv2 and when you end turn it ask what you want to research.

Do something.  I could live with most of the suggestions above better than I could live with forgetting to research for several turns.

I really dislike the jarring full screen changes like the research screen popping or centering on units offscreen, but a more subtle messagebox reminding you that you aren't doing any research would be nice.

I think having that weird 'A' icon in the bottom interface start flashing (and possibly getting bigger/getting a tooltip) would be a good way to remind someone that they aren't researching something without outright stopping the game for them via a message box they have to click through.