Research and Development

[ChairmanCrassus]

Shouldn't progress in research and development be random and unknown in advance? Its not like we know what is going to be invented in the future. People didn't predict the iPhone 50 years ago.

Hell, they thought the home computer would look like this:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

I think the tech tree (or whatever they call it this time around) should slowly reveal itself as you develop a certain branch of technology. It would make it harder to plan ahead and would leave something for the player to discover. Also more uncertainty as to the time it will take to develop a technology. Also infrastructure development requirements like in Shogun 2.

Comments? Ideas? Discuss >>>>>

[Historyaswas]

I like the idea

[empr guy]

well the family/government/general could put money into development and have a reasonable idea what the result would be, like the computer the result might not be what they expected but you still get the home computer like they wanted. Making a tech tree hidden doesn't seem like a great idea, I imagine the tech is going to be mostly upgrades so you'd want to know what the tree does so you don't just waste your time.

[theDaedricPrince]

well the family/government/general could put money into development and have a reasonable idea what the result would be, like the computer the result might not be what they expected but you still get the home computer like they wanted. Making a tech tree hidden doesn't seem like a great idea, I imagine the tech is going to be mostly upgrades so you'd want to know what the tree does so you don't just waste your time.

I actually like that idea. Players are required to pay for research development (which is realistic). However, the thing you research might not really turn out as it seemed to be. Maybe, players can actually pay more to boost up the research development, but, it will still be different.

[Dan113112]

So instead of choosing a tech to research you should only be able to select what branch of science you want to research? Nice idea.

[osros]

There are other games like this and yes it is a nice approach.

[Sun Jetzu]

Shouldn't progress in research and development be random and unknown in advance? Its not like we know what is going to be invented in the future. People didn't predict the iPhone 50 years ago.

Hell, they thought the home computer would look like this:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

I think the tech tree (or whatever they call it this time around) should slowly reveal itself as you develop a certain branch of technology. It would make it harder to plan ahead and would leave something for the player to discover. Also more uncertainty as to the time it will take to develop a technology. Also infrastructure development requirements like in Shogun 2.

Comments? Ideas? Discuss >>>>>

It could slowly reveal itself but what path you choose. You choose one tech than the next branch opens up with two techs, then you choose another and 3 more techs open up to you.
I cant really think of another game to compare it to.

[DaciaJC]

Now there's an interesting idea.

[scivian]

I am a fan of limited randomization. As an example, Empire TW did a good job of allowing factions to steal research.

[ChairmanCrassus]

well the family/government/general could put money into development and have a reasonable idea what the result would be, like the computer the result might not be what they expected but you still get the home computer like they wanted. Making a tech tree hidden doesn't seem like a great idea, I imagine the tech is going to be mostly upgrades so you'd want to know what the tree does so you don't just waste your time.

That makes things too easy to plan. In reality you can see down the tech tree but only so far into the future. If you want easy, play with cheats.

I am a fan of limited randomization. As an example, Empire TW did a good job of allowing factions to steal research.

Stealing research should be an option. This could happen randomly. For example, if you are trading with, waging war on, or neighboring another faction you would automatically discover some of their technology from time to time. The Romans once happened upon a Carthaginian warship and the Romans learned much about how to build warships from that example. Technological secrets don't need to be stolen, they leak out on their own.

[212967]

This idea sounds like something that could be interesting. Maybe when the game comes out someone could make this into a mod

[Argon Viper]

Sounds like a great idea.

I also like the concept of "common knowledge" that you've come up with. As soon a certain threshold of neighboring regions (not factions) have access to the technology, you can access it on your own tech tree regardless of your own research level.