Please consider the 8th (last) choice to be Doc:Loyalty (not that I'm recommending it with all this highlighting), as it was indeed forgotten by yours truly the pollster.
----------------------------------------
I know mateys that there is a lot on our plates already, paticularly the Vacillating Viceroys of Vociferocityy on our East who can't seem to finalize that they are trading us Planetary Nets and the build dicisions at our main bases - especially when we all know that what's really important is where the next cask is coming from, or maybe after that, where the next treasure chest is coming from, or maybe after that, . . . . , BUT, it is after 5 here and you'all gotta have something else to talk about at Deadman's Tavern besides *&&%^^y Cyborgs (unless 7 of 9 is on the negotiating team - or the other 8 of 9 for that matter, . . . , "Awwwkk Mateys! . . . 3 of 9 . . . Awwwkk! . . . off the port beam . . . Awwwkk!"), so how bout this for bar talk - what tech do we want to research next? (Yeah Right!!! - NOT - . . . they must really be watering the booze at Deadman's tonight if we're talking about research).
Anyway, I still think the offerings will look something like this:
-BioGenetics, IndustBase and AppliedPhysics should definitely be offered;
-at least 1 out of these 2 should not be offered - ProgenPsych, PlanetaryNets;
-EthicalCalc, enabled by SocialPsych,may or may not be offered; odds are it will be;
-Even if the CyCon were to give us PlanetaryNets already accepted and we took it before the tech choice (In fact, if they do, I wouldn't actually be taking it until after the tech choice so as to keep our tech costs down), it wouldn't lead to any new offerings since we don't have IndustrialEcon.
So here is the list again, with my 2 cents (do we need a smaller unit of currenty than a piece of eight? what would it be called?).
[list=1][*]BioGenetics --> The CyCon sound like they will have it soon if not already and it is not terribly useful for us;[*]IndustrialBase --> Seems like something that should be available for trade (or bypassable for the moment should we be able to get IndustrialEcon instead); maybe a second choice if offered a bad slate of techs, but see AppPhys below; Please note that Googlie makes a strong case for this tech in the post below; [*]AppliedPhysics --> This is one of the CyCons starting techs, so we don't really need to research it; however, if none of our desired techs are available, this choice might be a good second choice (as we may need to get it anyway if we are unable to jump straight to better weapons), since we could trade something to the CyCon for it and then start another tech; Note: I plan to roll over votes for ProgenPsych or EthicalCalc to this selection in the event either/both of those techs are not offered AND if PlanNets (which would be my first choice for the rollover) is also not offered.[*]ProgenPsych (may not be offered) --> it might be a good time for this one (after all, who else is likely to research it for us - we probably can't count on the AI, especially Miriam)[*]PlanetaryNets (may not be offered) - Knowing (or being almost sure) that we are getting it from the CyCon --> This puts off the choice 1 turn (or more if we get it next turn or later instead of this turn); it also scrambles the offerings, in this case IndustrialBase and SocialPsych will not be offered the next time and whatever, if any, of the other techs was withheld this time (i.e. ProgenPsych and/or EthicalCalc) will be offered for sure or if they were offered, may not be offered the next time. (it's not really that confusing, just too many nested depends ons - think of if as a fresh roll of the dice, or more properly a roll of a different set of also loaded dice). Note: I plan to roll over votes for ProgenPsych or EthicalCalc to this selection in the event either/both of those techs are not offered.[*]PlanetaryNets (may not be offered) - Knowing or being afraid that we are Not getting it from the CyCon --> If we find ourselves in this situation and this tech is offered, I suppose we probably want to research it so that if we do work something out with the Borg, we can get PlanNets and switch to something else and if we don't, we'll get it when the research is done at least.[*]EthicalCalc (may not be offered) --> It's a good tech, and is the prereq for 2 other good techs, so it is definitely desirable; IMhO, unless the CyCon negotiations go wrong, it is between this and ProgenPsych; I would probably give a slight nod to ProgenPsych as this tech will probably be a popular research target elsewhere and PP not.[*]Forgot Something? That would be [/u]Doc:Loyalty[/u] Consider it to be #8 if you want to vote for it (may not be offered) --> Fortunately for the Cuspidore (having forgotten it) it doesn't seem to be really desirable at the moment (although those of us who like cops and higher morale units will be wanting it afore long to be able to research IntelInteg[/list=1]
If you read through all that, you should get the impression that I think the choice is really between ProgenPsych and EthicalCalc and I give the nod to ProgenPsych becauseeveryone knows pirates don't have ethics (a) we are the only ones likely to research PP and (b) others will probably get EC sooner than us and that may put us under pressure to make a bad deal for it as we approach completion of the research.
Googlie makes a good case for IndustrialBase in the post below, certainly enough to consider it as strongly as EthicalCalc, although for my money, I still think that ProgenPsych is indicated by the same logic as above - that others will be following that path and that we should be able to trade for those things, whereas ProgenPsych is unlikely to be researched by other human factions. Furthermore, the Googster's targets (Doc:Init and AdaptiveDoc) do not specifically require IndBase - in each case there is an intermediate tech (PolyMSWare and IndEcon/Auto) - we could trade for without necessarily having to hold IndBase. BTW, PolyMSWare is not a bad tech for us in its own right, with its probe morale boost.
----------------------------------------
I know mateys that there is a lot on our plates already, paticularly the Vacillating Viceroys of Vociferocityy on our East who can't seem to finalize that they are trading us Planetary Nets and the build dicisions at our main bases - especially when we all know that what's really important is where the next cask is coming from, or maybe after that, where the next treasure chest is coming from, or maybe after that, . . . . , BUT, it is after 5 here and you'all gotta have something else to talk about at Deadman's Tavern besides *&&%^^y Cyborgs (unless 7 of 9 is on the negotiating team - or the other 8 of 9 for that matter, . . . , "Awwwkk Mateys! . . . 3 of 9 . . . Awwwkk! . . . off the port beam . . . Awwwkk!"), so how bout this for bar talk - what tech do we want to research next? (Yeah Right!!! - NOT - . . . they must really be watering the booze at Deadman's tonight if we're talking about research).
Anyway, I still think the offerings will look something like this:
-BioGenetics, IndustBase and AppliedPhysics should definitely be offered;
-at least 1 out of these 2 should not be offered - ProgenPsych, PlanetaryNets;
-EthicalCalc, enabled by SocialPsych,may or may not be offered; odds are it will be;
-Even if the CyCon were to give us PlanetaryNets already accepted and we took it before the tech choice (In fact, if they do, I wouldn't actually be taking it until after the tech choice so as to keep our tech costs down), it wouldn't lead to any new offerings since we don't have IndustrialEcon.
So here is the list again, with my 2 cents (do we need a smaller unit of currenty than a piece of eight? what would it be called?).
[list=1][*]BioGenetics --> The CyCon sound like they will have it soon if not already and it is not terribly useful for us;[*]IndustrialBase --> Seems like something that should be available for trade (or bypassable for the moment should we be able to get IndustrialEcon instead); maybe a second choice if offered a bad slate of techs, but see AppPhys below; Please note that Googlie makes a strong case for this tech in the post below; [*]AppliedPhysics --> This is one of the CyCons starting techs, so we don't really need to research it; however, if none of our desired techs are available, this choice might be a good second choice (as we may need to get it anyway if we are unable to jump straight to better weapons), since we could trade something to the CyCon for it and then start another tech; Note: I plan to roll over votes for ProgenPsych or EthicalCalc to this selection in the event either/both of those techs are not offered AND if PlanNets (which would be my first choice for the rollover) is also not offered.[*]ProgenPsych (may not be offered) --> it might be a good time for this one (after all, who else is likely to research it for us - we probably can't count on the AI, especially Miriam)[*]PlanetaryNets (may not be offered) - Knowing (or being almost sure) that we are getting it from the CyCon --> This puts off the choice 1 turn (or more if we get it next turn or later instead of this turn); it also scrambles the offerings, in this case IndustrialBase and SocialPsych will not be offered the next time and whatever, if any, of the other techs was withheld this time (i.e. ProgenPsych and/or EthicalCalc) will be offered for sure or if they were offered, may not be offered the next time. (it's not really that confusing, just too many nested depends ons - think of if as a fresh roll of the dice, or more properly a roll of a different set of also loaded dice). Note: I plan to roll over votes for ProgenPsych or EthicalCalc to this selection in the event either/both of those techs are not offered.[*]PlanetaryNets (may not be offered) - Knowing or being afraid that we are Not getting it from the CyCon --> If we find ourselves in this situation and this tech is offered, I suppose we probably want to research it so that if we do work something out with the Borg, we can get PlanNets and switch to something else and if we don't, we'll get it when the research is done at least.[*]EthicalCalc (may not be offered) --> It's a good tech, and is the prereq for 2 other good techs, so it is definitely desirable; IMhO, unless the CyCon negotiations go wrong, it is between this and ProgenPsych; I would probably give a slight nod to ProgenPsych as this tech will probably be a popular research target elsewhere and PP not.[*]Forgot Something? That would be [/u]Doc:Loyalty[/u] Consider it to be #8 if you want to vote for it (may not be offered) --> Fortunately for the Cuspidore (having forgotten it) it doesn't seem to be really desirable at the moment (although those of us who like cops and higher morale units will be wanting it afore long to be able to research IntelInteg[/list=1]
If you read through all that, you should get the impression that I think the choice is really between ProgenPsych and EthicalCalc and I give the nod to ProgenPsych because
Googlie makes a good case for IndustrialBase in the post below, certainly enough to consider it as strongly as EthicalCalc, although for my money, I still think that ProgenPsych is indicated by the same logic as above - that others will be following that path and that we should be able to trade for those things, whereas ProgenPsych is unlikely to be researched by other human factions. Furthermore, the Googster's targets (Doc:Init and AdaptiveDoc) do not specifically require IndBase - in each case there is an intermediate tech (PolyMSWare and IndEcon/Auto) - we could trade for without necessarily having to hold IndBase. BTW, PolyMSWare is not a bad tech for us in its own right, with its probe morale boost.
Comment