Tech Tree: Did you notice this?

Jason Beaudoin · October 21, 2001, 07:37

I was looking through the tech tree screenshots and I noticed something in the screen below:

1) It seems that various techs take a different amount of time to complete. Can that be true? Notice how Monotheism takes 10 turns to complete, while invention takes 9. Strange.

2) In the Theology tech, the Wonder that is associated with that tech is crossed out. I guess another CIV must have built it, and that is being reflected in the tech screen! Very nice!

[IMG]c:\install\civ3middle_ages.jpg[/IMG]

korn469 · October 21, 2001, 07:40

Quote:

2) In the Theology tech, the Wonder that is associated with that tech is crossed out. I guess another CIV must have built it, and that is being reflected in the tech screen! Very nice!

nope the crossed out wonder means that it is obsolete

Jason Beaudoin · October 21, 2001, 07:46

Obsolete!? Cool! That's good too!

I'm surprised that they would have made the tech tree reflective of what is going on in the game.

Crouchback · October 21, 2001, 07:49

Quote:

Originally posted by Jason Beaudoin
1) It seems that various techs take a different amount of time to complete. Can that be true? Notice how Monotheism takes 10 turns to complete, while invention takes 9. Strange.
[IMG]c:\install\civ3middle_ages.jpg[/IMG]

Wasn't it always true that some techs took longer to research than others? It's been a while since I played Civ 2 SP, but it seemed that way in MPG, SMAC and in the CTP series. It makes sense though, discovering God can take a while...

David

Jason Beaudoin · October 21, 2001, 07:52

I didn't know that it took longer to discover certain types of techs in any CIV type game.

lockstep · October 21, 2001, 08:04

IIRC, the research costs of a tech in Civ2 were simply a function of the number of techs your civ already knew (and perhaps the difficulty level). This sometimes resulted in very illogical gameplay, e.g. it was a hindrance to gain a tech from a goody hut because it delayed the arrival of another 'key' tech.

Dare I say it, but (again, IIRC) CTP2 had fixed tech costs (with higher costs for late-game technology) and therefore avoided this problem. From the Civ3 tech-tree scheenshots, I can only conclude that Firaxis adopted this solution.

Jason Beaudoin · October 21, 2001, 08:24

IIRC? What's that?

(God I hate acronyms!)

lockstep · October 21, 2001, 08:32

IIRC = If I remember correctly. I have to use it quite often.

Frozen_Vomit · October 21, 2001, 08:59

hi, this is the first time i write something in this forum, so it could be that i'm totally wrong. the image you attached is not shown on my monitor (agrrrr), but i think that inventin takes only nine turns now beacose you spent one or more turns on it already, at least it was this way on another picture if seen

Asesino_Virtual · October 21, 2001, 10:29

yep, the image doesnt show.

BLackraven42 · October 21, 2001, 10:33

I'm not getting anything either.

Dida · October 21, 2001, 13:42

Quote:

Originally posted by Jason Beaudoin
I didn't know that it took longer to discover certain types of techs in any CIV type game.

Don't you think researching Space Flight should cost more money than Tool Making?
You played Civ game, and not notice this?

Faboba · October 21, 2001, 13:59

Well comparatively there are very few differences due to your science production increasing. The only discrepancies I ever saw in Civ 2 were for Bridge Building and Industrialisation, but that could have just been due to the way I was playing it, it could be that you were expected to develop them later, I just aimed at them for King Richard's ( which allowed me to produce wonders in my capital at a stupendous rate ) and for the factories.

Dauphin · October 21, 2001, 14:06

The benefit of fixed cost for each tech is modification potential. You can make certain techs extortionate, such as nuclear weapons. That way it is open only to those who can afford a lot of scientific input, and ignored by those who would not/could not research that tech path.

Faboba · October 21, 2001, 14:34

Or they steal it / buy it from another civ / the AI researches uit anyway and gets screwed.

Much better idea imho is to utilise the unique unit option we've now been given, and give those civs you want to have them, their own nuclear uu.

Sabre2th · October 21, 2001, 14:38

Quote:

Originally posted by lockstep
IIRC = If I remember correctly. I have to use it quite often.

Now why is that? You're not getting old, are you?

The Templar · October 21, 2001, 14:57

Yes, CTP techs had their costs fixed in the advances.txt file. So Modern Medicine and Corporate Republic, two techs very close to each other, would take different amounts of time to research.