Tech goals as the game progresses

[Earl Grey]

(This topic is aimed at single player transcend level SMAC.)

What research goals do you consider important at different stages of the game?

I gather that the following is quite common:
Industrial Automation followed by Fusion Power and then Advanced Ecological Engineering, but what is next on the list?
Perhaps the three above aren't even on your list of prioritized research goals?

[Stormwatcher]

IMHO I prefer the orbital installations like Hydroponic lab and Orbital energy transmitter
to the superformer, so I choose Adv Space might (gives me PBs on the way!)

May give a little less resources than terraforming into infinity, but my resources are out of harm's way instead of being bombed by attackers. But I would like to hear what other players think about that.

It's mandatory of course to make sure you're the only faction with orbital installations then. Should be possible in most SP games, if Yang is not too fast :-)

I agree with the other two research goals nevertheless.

[Senethro]

Mind machine interface anyone?

I often find myself going for Adaptive Economics so I claim the PEG soon after IA and the initial SP rush.

[Dis]

I don't know all the tech names, so bare with me.

Secrets of the human brain (if I play a faction that has any chance of getting it), Centauri Ecology, Industrial Automation, The tech that gives Virtual World, Doctrine: Air Power, I then try to clean up any of those techs that allow 3+ resources per square if I don't have them all by this point (I usually do). Then I go for Cloning Vats to keep it out of the hands of the AI. Then I go for flachette defense systems, then orbital defense pods (the ai's often build nukes, I need protection), and then I got for telepathic matrix so I can really exploit the cloning vats.

[Earl Grey]

If I go for Secrets of the Human Brain in order to get the free tech it typically delays Industrial Automation by 5-10 years. IMHO it's not worth the delay.

The Cloning Vats take precedence over Fusion Power and Super Former?

[Dis]

I have seen the AI attempt to build them, I just can't let them have it.

[Chaos Theory]

The Cloning Vats definitely trump super formers. Relative to Fusion Power, it would depend on what faction I'm playing (that is, can they pop boom normally), how much would I gain from fusion, am I at war, might I still be able to get the Cloning Vats if I go for Fusion first, etc.

[Maniac]

AFAIK I think CentEcol - IndAut - Environmental Economics is the most common tech path for a classic builder game.
Though for some factions something entirely different can be best.
Eg for the Spartans (which have recently become my most favourite faction ), I'd go for CentEcol - DocFlex - PlaNets, and then depending on whether I'm interested in a military adventure either Nonlinear Mathematics or Intellectual Integrity.

[Clear Skies]

I have a dreadful tendency to shoot straight for Centauri Empathy (after a shot at SotHB, obviously), then backtrack for Adaptive Ec, and then shoot for Pre-Sent and Fusion. After that my choices often depend on what I can trade, barter, bully or steal from the other factions - and on what I can't, as well (e.g. during a secret project race).

[Sikander]

Centauri Ecology

Industrial Automation

Environmental Econ

Hybrid Forests (can't remember the name)

Air Power - Spaceflight

Fusion

[baygator IV]

IMHO, the 3+ resource techs (gene splicling, environ. economics & eco. engineering) are very handy as is planetary economics (the Hybrid Forest one).

Fusion power too, but this one is almost a given.

[Flubber]

sikander's list although in certain circumstances I go to nonlinear maths or doc flex .

[#endgame]

I like:

Ind Eco (FM Switch)
Biogenetics
Restriction lifting beeline.

+ Morganite ICS.

I'm a bad player though

[Flubber]

Originally posted by Clear Skies
I have a dreadful tendency to shoot straight for Centauri Empathy (after a shot at SotHB, obviously), then backtrack for Adaptive Ec, and then shoot for Pre-Sent and Fusion. After that my choices often depend on what I can trade, barter, bully or steal from the other factions - and on what I can't, as well (e.g. during a secret project race).

While I can see the value of centauri emp. - I have never understood people's desire to get SOTHB. yes being first there gets you an additional tech but for me its at the cost of going up a branch of the tree I don't want in the early game

** Note I have also been known to be peeved if a pod pop gives me a tech. I hate gaining ANY off-beeline tech as it slows subsequent research VERY MUCH. Getting an unwanted tech can slow ind auto by 10 years!!!! Plus the AI tends to research all across the tech tree so it is an easy matter to steal or trade for the etchs I value less

[#endgame]

If early game mindworms were made really nasty, I could see the point of a SotHB beeline, but you get 2 techs for 1, then your tech cost goes up, like Flubber said. The free tech isn't even guaranteed.