Yeah, the interface right now is pretty clumsy. The window for the actual tree is too small in the default view, and if you go to the fullscreen tree view, there is no info on what each item does.

What I'd like to see is just some context on the fullscreen view, like being able to right click and get an info popup, or something. In a good UI design, you wouldn't need two different window options to see the tree and make decisions.

I guess it wouldn't hurt to have a feature that let you choose an advanced tech, and then stayed on the path to that tech. The game already does that for items that don't require branchind (defaults to the next tech in series), but this would take care of branching options. I probably wouldn't use it though, because I shift research around too much based on changing situations, or what I'm able to pick up with trading.

I really would like to see a tech tree with each item a hyperlink to a pop-up that told exactly what each item did. That way, you don't have to change the appearance, just link the names, and allows the player to look up what each item of the each tech does at their leisure.

I'd like the ability to research more than one branch of the tech tree at a time and adjust the percentage of resources allocated to each branch. Much like the original MOO could do long, long ago....

Ability to zoom out a bit would be good, and make the bottom viewable portion fo the tech screen BIGGER. Also listign mayeb cost more prominately, like by zoomign out I can tell how long eacht ech woudl take so I dont have to click each one.

the game doesn't tell you what anything costs, other than in "weeks",

If you are really interested, go to /data/English/techtree.xml and open it up - As for in the game, "weeks" tells me the division result already, and in this game, unlike GC1, leftover research credits go to the next tech you select so the management to be efficient with the credits isn't necessary.

I really would like to see a tech tree with each item a hyperlink to a pop-up that told exactly what each item did. That way, you don't have to change the appearance, just link the names, and allows the player to look up what each item of the each tech does at their leisure.

/signed

Seriously, I never played the first GalCiv so if some of these techs are from the original game I'm at a loss. Like sensors (whatever rank) gives : Eyes of the Universe. This sounds cool, but I don't know *what* it does. If I could hover over the name "Eyes of the Universe" and get a pop-up or even if I had to click the word to get an in game 'dictionary definition' or something, that would be awesome. It would definately eliminate a lot of the trial and error I've been using to find out if I like researching down specific tech trees.

I have no problem with the way the tech tree is presented per se' but I do find it irritating to see that a certain tech is going to be applied to a ship design only to have it tell you that 2 or three other techs are needed to access it but it doesn't say which ones. It's really a pisser when your being attacked by cruisers and heavy fighters early on in the game by the AI and you've been researching military techs like crazy but only very rarely do you actually receive ship designs. In a way you are making the player continually guess which techs to upgrade too even though you attempt to say what each tech does. Is there a definitive tech tree listed somewhere or am I missing something. I'm all about discovery and fun but you've got pretty decent AI and they seem to know exactly what techs to develop to kick your ass early on in the game and it makes for some frustrating gameplay

There have been some very good suggestions here about improving the tech tree. For me, this is also the biggest stumbling block of the game. Especially for the beginner as you end up researching mainly because something sounds cool but you don't actually have a concrete idea what it does.

Tech tree reseach is critical to whatever strategy you decide to play. And it takes so long to reseach the techs that the "trial and error" method required to learn what the actual items and bonuses do takes ages and can be off-putting. Simply providing more detailed information would fix this and remove some of the frustration beginners may have with the game.

Cheers!

really like this game, but I really feel that the tech-tree/reaserch line isn't well optimised. They should have included something to allow more lines of research. Maybe something like 10-15 labs (plus a Research capital?) per a reasearch line. This would allow as much flexability and bonuses that are received by economic and manufacturing plants. I really feel it shouldn't take 2 years (in game play measured by weeks) to go from tiny fighters to small, and an additional 4-5 years to work up to MEDIUM when you have 40-50 labs spread out through your territory. Especially when your also trying to research some of the other stuff that might be nesessary to USE them. What do you think?

Well, I think multiple research lines would just add more micromanagement with no real benefits. This is assuming the total time to research each individual tech remained the same, and you're just splitting up the labs' efforts. In other words, you wouldn't reach any single tech any faster than you do now.

Also, having a single line of research means it's much easier to suddenly switch gears if the strategic situation changes. For example, the enemy suddenly starts using a different type of weapon or defense. In a situation like that, I'd be setting everything but the critical item to zero research anyway. Since I always seem to be needing some critical item or other, it's just easier to keep track of it as a single line of research.

If the overall pace of research seems too slow, try doing a lot of tech trading with other factions to bootstrap your research. Or build more labs. Maybe it's possible to mod in a "superfast" research rate.... I don't know if that can be done or not. Just remember the AI will get the tech just as fast, and you'll have to counter that.

it should really change from weeks to months it would be more realistic

because really it took 5 years for the german army to take most of eroupe while t takes 12 weeks to defete most of an etire space civilisation not too realistic

Dont be like that. A game can be both.
If it wasnt somewhat realistic, then spaceships wouldnt be nessesary. People would just fly around naked in space, shooting lasers out their fingertips.

So a degree of realism is always needed...

People would just fly around naked in space, shooting lasers out their fingertips.

You say that like it's a bad thing...