 |
| |
|
|
Moderator
of Candle'Bre
|
Apr 1999
time: 19:22
| |
|
|
Creating branching functionality from linear trees
It’s an odd title for an essay to spark discussion, but the title rings true, for sure.
Bear in mind that Candle’Bre uses an “EU-style” research tree…that is to say, we have multiple trees (or rather, we will have, when it gets implemented) that have no branches…they are entirely linear in their progression.
In case you don’t feel like digging through the archives to find the early discussions on it, the tech trees are (will be):
Military
Infrastructure
Diplomacy
Espionage
For the foreseeable future, we’re going to completely ignore the diplomacy tree (we have no AI, and humans tend to make their own diplomacy, so there’s little need for it at present, and especially in the prototype engine), so for our purposes, we’ll say that we have three tech trees.
The abbreviations for each tech tree will simply be:
M1, M2, M3…M10
I1, I2, I3…I10
E1, E2, E3…E10
It is the goal of the game that the costs of the tech tree be structured in such a way that, unless you just milk the game, you’ll likely complete the game before you research all the techs in the tree. My intention is (tho again, I could be convinced otherwise with a compelling argument) to continue ratcheting up the tech costs until this (very desirable, IMO) outcome is regularly achieved.
My reasons for this are manifold, but chief among them are:
· I want to create a game that offers far more choice than can be explored in a single game
· I want to encourage experimentation and foster replayability…if you cannot reliably get thru the tech tree in the course of a normal game, then the hope is that you’ll feel a certain pull to “try another path” on the next go’ round
· By placing the techs increasingly “out of reach,” it should set up a situation where each tech choice is agonizing, and can dramatically impact your game.
I’ll also say that absolutely every tech in the game will do something of weight and import. There’s no speed bump techs here…I want them to all be hugely important.
And of course, the heart of this article and the discussion I hope to foster is this….just because the tech trees are linear, it doesn’t mean that we can’t have some extremely intricate “branching effects” not dissimilar to what we see in a traditional branching tech tree, a la Civ…the difference, of course, will be that such branches will exist on an individual item/building/unit/ability basis, rather than existing in a specific point in space on the tree.
For example:
When the game opens, you’ve got the ability to train Infantry, Archers, and Cavalry. A linear advancement would be that once you research M3, you gain the ability to train Pikemen.
A more intricate branching ability would be as described in another discussion thread re: the formation of an order of knights, where maybe you have to research M4, and have at least one Cathedral (I5) (in the same province as a barracks is built in), and have an Honor Score of +50 or higher (not tech related, but certainly an indirect “branch”).
Obviously the more components we involve, the rarer the event, and the more potent the effect…there is literally no end to how intricate such a system can ultimately become (including building increasingly rarified effects on the back of already rare occurrences, until we see effects that might only appear in one game in several million….not that I think we need to go that route right away, but those would be delightful “Easter eggs” to insert here and there…. Something to think about… 
Anyway....just an odd little essay to spark discussions along those lines.
-=Vel=-
|
|
| |
|
|
King
Nashville, TN
|
Mar 1999
time: 13:22
| |
|
|
Something I have always wanted to see in a strat game is making your tough research choices even tougher by making it so that choosing to research Tech A means that you can never achieve (through research yourself or tech trading) Tech G.
On a somewhat related note, but still viable, even if the above is not workable or desireable, it might be interesting to tie the ability to research the mid and later techs in an particular branch, to achieving certain level (or mixtures) in your SocPow graph.
I.e. Espionage 5 requires that (empire-wide) at least 25% of your provinces are Merchant-led and at least 20% are Academic-led. Esp7 might then require 30% M and 25% A.
|
|
| |
|
|
Moderator
of Candle'Bre
|
Apr 1999
time: 19:22
| |
|
|
Ohhhhh! I see where you're going with it, and I like it!
With the design in the state that it's in, it would be functionally impossible to do it in just the way you describe, but I submit the following alternative to you for your consideration:
What if the "prize" that you get from a given tech is dependent on such things as your current Social Power layout (kingdom wide...the cumulative effect of social power dynamics in all provinces you control, plus your position on the honor/infamy scale?
In that way, what you "get" for researching I5 might be a very different beast from what I get when I research that same tech....? whatcha think?
Because the tech trees are entirely linear, we can't (or rather, can't easily) prevent someone who has I2 from getting I3, but what we can do is say that, if you, by your in game actions and choices choose to gain benefit X from tech I2, then when you get to I3, you can't have benefit Y (which accomplishes the same thing, just in a bit different manner)...if you like that manifestiation, then I'll definitely explore it further! 
(oh, and check yer PM's!)
|
|
| |
|
|
King
Nashville, TN
|
Mar 1999
time: 13:22
| |
|
|
quote:
Originally posted by Velociryx
In that way, what you "get" for researching I5 might be a very different beast from what I get when I research that same tech....? whatcha think?
|
hmm... that does sound pretty good. And, like many other aspects we have been discussing, there can be a bit of a randomness factor in there, so no two research paths are exactly alike.
good stuff!
|
|
| |
|
|
Moderator
of Candle'Bre
|
Apr 1999
time: 19:22
| |
|
|
The way I'm seeing it, there would be some stuff that would stay the same (ie., everybody gets, say, Temples--the upgrade to Shrines--at I2, for example (or, maybe not...maybe the folks with religious leanings get them early, but everybody else would, of course, eventually get 'em), and then, we could have another "set" of bonuses that would be applicable depending on where you were in the social power/honor-infamy spectrum at the time.....
I will have to give this one more thought, but at first blush, I love it!
-=Vel=-
|
|
| |
All times are GMT. The time now is 19:22.
Apolyton Time is 14:22. |
top of page
|
|
|
|
|
|
