Technologies

[Jon Shafer]

Re: What I was thinking on some of my suggestions:

Originally posted by Brizey
Student Loans/GI Bill: a sort of post public education thing that creates a large professional class[/b]

Some sort of education beyond "Public Education" is what you're suggesting, I'm guessing. I'm not sure how much student loans have influenced society (though, I'm willing to bet uni students would disagree ), but perhaps something like "State Sponsored Universities" or something of that nature would work.

Meteorology: A very important thing for modern regional scope conflict. Could allow better coordination between AF, gound based and naval units. Could also effect farming if you call it Climatology.

Hmmm, this could be an interesting one...
I think it could be highly useful if you give it the ability to add aircraft to an army or navy, allowing coordinated strikes (in other words, here comes aircraft carriers and blitzkrieg!).

Digital Control is a sort of post computer or applied computer science thing. It is just as fundamental to stealth fighters as the composite materials.

Hmmm, this one is growing on me. I'll have to consider it.

I have always thought that Calculus or Applied Math should replace Physics. I prefer the more applied concepts for game purposes.

Hmmm, I think Physics is probably more practical and well-known. I doubt many people could actually define Applied math for you.

Fossil Fuels: Coal. Maybe steam power is better. I just threw this one out there.

Yep, I think Steam Power about covers that. After all, steam power was originally run off of coal burning engines; think of the first ironclad ships or paddlewheel steamers. Defineatly lots of coal needed there.

[Jon Shafer]

Originally posted by Deornwulf
If you want tech research to be challenging, think about making the player put efforts into lines of research and making the discoveries random based on the amount of research focused on a particular line. Blind research may seem too random to some but it does make for more interesting strategy and gameplay variety.

I already have a theory on how the new tech system works, with different categories of research (i.e. math, chemistry, etc.) where you can achieve different "levels" of mastery, and once you reach certain levels then some new techs emerge. The example I used before... math level 28 and chemistry level 35 gives you "Explosive Munitions". Maybe you already read that (and that's what you were referring to, if so, my mistake ), and were simply implying you wanted a more random system of techs. I feel that beyond that, the randomness can only be +/- 1 or 2 levels, because otherwise the techs would get screwed up. For example, if gunpowder was a +5 necassary in techs, and cannons (or the equivalent tech for it) was a -5, then you may end up with a situation where you discover cannons before gunpoweder... very odd, if you ask me.

[Jon Shafer]

Originally posted by Miznia
Applied Sexism (permits a new culture improvement)

Could ya lump that with universal suffrage? Or do you think that's really that much different and unique to warrant a new tech?

Objectivism (requires Communism, permits "Atlas Shrugged" wonder)

Any other benefits do you see coming from it?

Applied Nationalism (prereq Nationalism)

What benefits would this entail?

[Jon Shafer]

Originally posted by dunk999
Mass Media...

There are 2 suc techs in Civ III. Printing Press (think newspapers) and Radio. Both are mass media, which means communication directed and delivered to a very large audience. Perhaps television would be a valid additon, perhaps not.

Good point. I think I'll leave things at Printing Press (newspapers), Radio, and Television, unless someone can come up with another type of mass media that would be as influential (internet perhaps, but I'd have to work out the idea fully before implimenting it).

[Jon Shafer]

Originally posted by Sir Kruschev
also like Bridge Building . this could become available with the Construction Advance . but need special Engineer to build bridges , not a worker . an Engineer cant perform normal worker chores , and would cost twice as much .

I like the engineer idea, and I like the bridge building idea. It shouldn't be that suddenly once you discover construction bridges appear out of no where.

how about this one................Under Ground Tunneling ! would become available sometime in the Modern Era , and require ROP if building to another Nation . also require Engineers to build . or maybe as a Small Wonder .

Good idea. Could be used to greatly enhance international commerce, etc.

Nuclear Blast / Fall out Shelter as a city improvement . would reduce pop kill to 30% in the event of a strike . made obsolete by SDI.

I think a better way to impliment this would be to build "Nuclear Shelter" improvement, and once a first nuclear weapon was used, then you could order your population to enter them based upon what level you built them up to. For example, a level 1 shelter could hold 10,000 people, a level 5 shelter could hold 100,000, etc. Of course, this would be incredibly expensive... otherwise the government would have done that during the Cold War...

[Andrew Cory]

(RE: Atlas Shrugged wonder)

Originally posted by Trip
[/b]
What benefits would this entail?

Well, the same as the origional: None *grin*

[Jon Shafer]

*Shakes his head*
You're making this difficult for me ya know!
What do you think I'm trying to fix?

[Sir Kruschev]

if you think about it a bit , I would bet we could come up with some pretty good Future Tech ideas ..........
like Time Travel ! imagine it . you could build a time machine in your Modern Era game , load a bunch of ICBM's into it , then transport the nukes to your Ancient Era game and take care of those damn Aztecs the RIGHT way........ hehe . could be called the Meet Your Maker Strategy .

[Sir Kruschev]

but seriously now . how about a Regional Specific Commander . this would portray how important a guy like Schwartzkopf was to the Gulf War , " Vinegar Joe " Stillwell to the CBI theater , etc .
the Commanders influence would cover a 50 to 70 square area around itself , resulting in a 20% increase in attack or defense per unit . 0 defense for the Commander would require a military escort , of course . and very low movement abilities , thus preventing the player from constantly moving him around . very realistic !
the building of a Commander would require a tech advance early in the game ,and a Small Wonder linked to that Tech ; but would be VERY expensive to build . in the neighborhood of 400 shields per . this would prevent player from building enough Commanders to cover all his territory . or maybe have a limit on how many Commanders can be active at a time . and possibly even a life span on how long it will live .

[Jon Shafer]

Originally posted by Sir Kruschev
but seriously now . how about a Regional Specific Commander . this would portray how important a guy like Schwartzkopf was to the Gulf War , " Vinegar Joe " Stillwell to the CBI theater , etc .
the Commanders influence would cover a 50 to 70 square area around itself , resulting in a 20% increase in attack or defense per unit . 0 defense for the Commander would require a military escort , of course . and very low movement abilities , thus preventing the player from constantly moving him around . very realistic !
the building of a Commander would require a tech advance early in the game ,and a Small Wonder linked to that Tech ; but would be VERY expensive to build . in the neighborhood of 400 shields per . this would prevent player from building enough Commanders to cover all his territory . or maybe have a limit on how many Commanders can be active at a time . and possibly even a life span on how long it will live .

In (one of) my games, I've designed a battle system that's heavily dependant on your leader. For example, morale is higher (so they don't retreat so soon), as well as an increase of attack and defense strength. And the abilities of the supreme commander are combined with those of the local unit commander, so the further away a unit is from its main leader, the more it relies on its own leader, etc. A pretty good system if you ask me.