Technology Tree Discussion

[Eldon The Noble]

Hey Guys, so one of the things I think that would amazing in this game is a technology tree. I think this would add a lot of end game activities. Anyway I have been tossing around ideas in my head and I decided to put some ideas down. So the image attached is some ideas for a tech tree focusing on improvements. It is hard to add things new to the game without knowing the direction the developers are going. So anyway what I have attached is fan made and definitely does not reflect anything that is actually going to be in the game. It is just for discussion purposes and I would like to know everyone's thoughts.

https://ibb.co/cRXFaS

[mrmarra1]

My question about that is.. how far could it really go? before you would eventually start researching yourself out of the middle ages? Would it be end game?...

[Eldon The Noble]

Right and I mean there are ideas on how far we could go. I mean we could even dig and do research to see when the middle ages ended and what we had by then. But at the end of the day the developers would be the one cap the technology with how far they want it to go.

[T.Luthier]

Maybe it's possible to let the research work together with the experience of workers. no matter what you have researched. Some things can only be made by experienced workers. Like the hide jacket would be easier to make than the letter jacket.

[mrmarra1]

haha this post was by Dustin from kickstarter, we were having the same conversation

[Eldon The Noble]

Here is an idea. Let's take a blacksmith that makes tools. At any given point you can focus it's work on one of three things. One, quickly producing tools, they may not be really durable but they are produced quicker. Second, Stronger tools so even though they take longer to make they are more durable and do more work before breaking. And label the two differently like you could have an iron tool and a strong iron tool. Third, you could focus on researching things specific to the blacksmith so you could be researching steel tools or something like that. This could be done for a lot of the production buildings. Same thing could be done for making ale or bread. Things like that. What do you guys think?

[Gariun Duanda]

Given what we've seen, foundation is set in the upper medieval period, which lasted from the 13th century to roughly the mid 15th century, giving us plenty of time for technological development. One obvious transition in the period was in the building of churches, specifically that they began as rather squat stone structures and ended up as the soaring gothic cathedrals we see today, mainly as a result of the development of the flying buttress. Used as an example this shows a natural reason to have a tech tree in the game. First we start off with small, unimpressive structures, and late game shows us building these huge beautiful buildings that are only possible due to the development of the city and availability of massive amounts of resources.

In addition to this I very much like the idea of better roads and things like that being part of a tech tree, however it might should have a requirement for the level of buildings around it in order for the road to upgrade. After all it would seem kind of silly to have paved roads heading out to some farm in the boonies.

[Eldon The Noble]

@Gariun Duanda I could not agree more! Actually what would be really cool is that as the population gets to higher tiers the more they need things like churches with more advanced architecture. Like the more advanced the more it would have something like "Beauty" or "Piety" points it generates where as plain churches do not generate much.

What you said about the roads is what I just had a conversation about with another friend who is interested in this game. I don't know how many tiers of villagers they would have. But it could be something like before you can get to tier two you need cobble roads for a certain vicinity around the house, then before tier three you need paved stone, then before four paved brick. Something like that so that it doesn't create what you said about really nice paved roads in a little farming village way off from your city.

[mrmarra1]

Originally posted by Eldon The Noble:

Here is an idea. Let's take a blacksmith that makes tools. At any given point you can focus it's work on one of three things. One, quickly producing tools, they may not be really durable but they are produced quicker. Second, Stronger tools so even though they take longer to make they are more durable and do more work before breaking. And label the two differently like you could have an iron tool and a strong iron tool. Third, you could focus on researching things specific to the blacksmith so you could be researching steel tools or something like that. This could be done for a lot of the production buildings. Same thing could be done for making ale or bread. Things like that. What do you guys think?

i think the problem with this; while a good idea, pre dates the era.. i don't think stone tools were the going trend of that era.. While i understand its' a game.. little details like that would bother me.. being that we started in a era where iron and steel were already in mass production..

[mrmarra1]

Originally posted by Gariun Duanda:

Given what we've seen, foundation is set in the upper medieval period, which lasted from the 13th century to roughly the mid 15th century, giving us plenty of time for technological development. One obvious transition in the period was in the building of churches, specifically that they began as rather squat stone structures and ended up as the soaring gothic cathedrals we see today, mainly as a result of the development of the flying buttress. Used as an example this shows a natural reason to have a tech tree in the game. First we start off with small, unimpressive structures, and late game shows us building these huge beautiful buildings that are only possible due to the development of the city and availability of massive amounts of resources.

In addition to this I very much like the idea of better roads and things like that being part of a tech tree, however it might should have a requirement for the level of buildings around it in order for the road to upgrade. After all it would seem kind of silly to have paved roads heading out to some farm in the boonies.

would it be feesable to suggest that the construction of "better" roads or buidlins etc would be based upon a certain score of the surround amenties and such? that way a town way out in the boonies would have fancy new roads but would instead be your basic dirt path ways as someone would more expect?

[mrmarra1]

I'm super eager to see if they will allow seperate settlements/village to sprout within the same map.. i think that could open up the game to a lot of different ideas and challangers.

[Gariun Duanda]

I’m also interested in having multiple settlements on one map, hopefully we can build supply chain and trading relationships like that. To refocus back to the technology tree, I’m also hoping that you can unlock upgrades for certain buildings to increase their efficiency and such. Maybe like a moving top for windmills or a water powered saw or hammer for the sawmill or blacksmith.Things like that to show early hints at industrialization.

[Eldon The Noble]

Originally posted by Gariun Duanda:

I’m also interested in having multiple settlements on one map, hopefully we can build supply chain and trading relationships like that. To refocus back to the technology tree, I’m also hoping that you can unlock upgrades for certain buildings to increase their efficiency and such. Maybe like a moving top for windmills or a water powered saw or hammer for the sawmill or blacksmith.Things like that to show early hints at industrialization.

I couldn't agree with you more! With everything you said! I want to see some really cool things to place on the water like a water powered saw to be put on a river! It is going to be amazing to build along a river!

[mrmarra1]

I'm sure what ever the devs don't do, the mod community will eventually mod for the game.. hopefully enough seasoned modders get excited about the game too,

[Eldon The Noble]

Well the devs have said they will not have the season system in there, so that means no winter and having to put food back for winter. So I feel like someone is going to do that mod.. I might take a crack at it lol

[mrmarra1]

yeah, i saw that on kicker, that they won't be adding seasons, that kind of blows.. i wish i had the inclination to figure out how to mod.. but i just don't haha