tech trees

from GalCiv3 Forums

so i had 2 ideas for tech trees

the first was convergent techs 1 tech that can have 2 or more requirements to be met before it becomes available

example hydroponics bays on star-ships increase range of ship, and morale of troops on ship requires [ life support I ], [ farms I ]

multiple arc-types of tech trees I envision 3.

In Galciv II there is really 1 tech tree throughout the game with each race having its own flavor some races have racial techs, some don't have common techs, and some have the same tech with a different name but ultimately its one big tech tree.

what I imagine is three tech arc-types [organic] [hybrid] [synthetic]

the organic and synthetic tech trees would be mutually exclusive meaning a synthetic race would not be able to use an organic tech and vice versa.

the hybrid tree would be its own tree but would allow the use of select techs from eithar organic or synthetic trees with a choice at some point to specialize on organic synthetic or hybrid

each of these arch types could then be further broken down by race to keep each races uniqe tech trees

 

anyway just a thought id throw out see what others think of it

 

11,297 views 3 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

Didn't we discuss this in a previous version's development? I have difficulty seeing the "reality" of there being greatly divergent tech trees. Some things, based on a Civ's physiology might be believable, but most of it would have to conform to basic physics, which is not just a galactic condition, but a universal condition.

Reply #2 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

well lets look at a simple idea lets say you have a cube on a table and two races tasked with pushing it off one race is a sentient slime and the other is an A.I

in order to push the cube off the table the slime would need to grow muscles and some system of climbing up the table and then pushing it off

the A.I. would need to build a motor, raise it up to the level of the cube and then push it off the table

in this case both have the same result but both races took different approaches to get there and both approaches have different pros and cons

lets say in order to move our aforementioned cube both the races need energy for the slime lets say it chooses to consume organic material and for the AI it learns to build solar panels

now both races are diverging the slime will need an ecosystem to survive while the AI is going to be hampered by an ecosystem (plants growing over the solar panels, animals chewing through wires)

 

I guess the point I'm trying to get across is not that the tech trees will be truly mutually exclusive but that due to the choices made in the races early development it would be so inefficient to go the other races route as to not even bother with it

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Reply #3 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

Androshalforc, I think you just made my point for me, although it may not be readily apparent. The specific example you give is a good one for showing some divergence in tech trees, but it doesn't get past the point that researching how gravity works is a universal problem. The method of getting to the point of being able to use the knowledge may vary, but the uses that can be made of the basic discovery is limited by the rules of physics imposed by the universe itself.