Choosing Tech

[Jim_P1238]

Whenever I play a game WITHOUT blind research I will often not get access to some tech. I remember one game that I was playing were I had to choose between 4 techs one being nonlinear math. I didn't choose nonlinear math thinking I could get it next time but the next time I had to choose it wasn't avaliable. So I selected a new goal and then when that one was done I was again able to choose nonlinear math. Does the computer only display some of the avaliable each time or is this some kind of problem. To check this I beat the game by transcend and then went to the scenario editor to see if I could give myself anything else. But it said I had developed all the tech avaliable when didn't think I had. Why is it that sometimes tech is avaliable and other times it isn't?

[big_canuk]

It has never been absolutely determined how directed research options are decided. Probably not random, but we just don't know the algorithm. Sounds like another topic for Ned, et al's upcoming "smax nuts and bolts" guide.

Here is a good thread discussing it:

http://apolyton.net/forums/Forum12/HTML/000767.html?date=16:34

bc

[Daddy-O]

I just started playing SMAC and can only offer a guess.

I play a lot of Civ2 and if SMAC shares the same engine or at least the same design, then this is probably the reason. I remember a similar question about techs disappearing. The theory behind it seems that the game does not want you to research in a narrow path. This was tested and seems to be the case.

eg. Monarchy is 3 techs away at the start of the game, but the quickest you can get there is in 4 techs.

This forces your Civ or Faction to broaden it's research and in turn it's culture.

[KrazyHorse]

Go see the Great Library thread in the Civ 2 strategy forum. Or, if you're lazier, go straight here. I have the sneaking suspicion that the available research path in SMAC follows the same pattern.

[Method]

i have had this happen a lot. example: trying to research to transcendence, i was researching up from digital sentience self aware, matter editation, etc. i could get 2 along that line, then it would make me research graviton and then the next time i could get back on the line to transcenence. not that i mattered that much i had breakthroughs every turn

[Ned]

You may not believe this, in double-blind research, which is what I normally use, I have researched transcendent thought before several other techs, incuding string resonance.