What is the point of "History" techs?

They were probably included just to give a little background on the race. It's no big deal to research them. They don't cost anything and they are just for fun. That's my opinion.

Not true.

Altarian: Social Matrix
Arcean: Stellar Forge, Lite Constructor Module
Drath: Nothing
Drengin: Arena, Basic Slave Pit, Black Market (essentially basic improvements for their tree)
Iconian: Dream Conclave, Precursor Archive
Korath: Arena, Basic Slave Pit, Black Market (essentially basic improvements for their tree)
Korx: Nothing
Krynn: Consulate
Terran: Market Center/Innovation Complex
Thalan: Economic Direction Unit, Temporal Entertainment (Hyperion Matrix)
Torian: Market Center/Aquatic Transport Station, Central Mine, Harvester, School, Temple of Memories
Yor: Basic Stalk, Collective, Maintenance Grid, Research Matrix

And that's not even counting the other two Iconian techs that unlock things very early on, or research in anyone's tree, namely but not limited to the Drengin and Korath, or Industrial Revolution, which almost but not quite everyone gets.

It establishes a "design", or if you'd prefer a "theme" for their improvements, and in most but not all cases gives you access to the basic ones.

And while GrnDragn is not quite correct that they don't cost anything, the vast majority of them are close to free, while the others are free.

Also not true.  Open up the tech tree, hit the button in the bottom left hand corner that allows you to see the whole tree, and drag it to the left until you see the techs in question-which you've already researched, or chosen at the start of the game-and satisfy your curiosity.

True, but what I meant was that the devs wrote these big, long paragraphis in the "detailed description" area that are actually somewhat interesing, but since the techs are already researched at the start, you would never see them within the game. I now realize that they are to create race-specific improvements, but that doesn't explain why they bothered to include the text...

Valid point.

Would you prefer that they be auto-researched at the start of the game, that way you see the text?

I do not really care, since I have galactopedia, but I still wonder why the devs went to so much effort to create stuff that would never see the light of day. Ahh well, now I know what they are for, the only question is why they are so elaborite...

Right click on them in the tech tree.

You can read the detailed descriptions by selecting the tech and clicking 'details' at the bottom left.  I think they were added for flavor, and to set up the 'mood' for future techs they unlock.

Yes, also they are to create race-specific improvements at the beginning of the game, such as charging stalks.

Is there anyway to create 'mutually exclusive' techs in the game - something similar to good and evil, but if you research 'x' you don't have access to 'y' and vice versa?

Jonnan

Not possible w/o changing ethical alignments AFAIK.

This is desperately need methinks.

Jonnan

Why would we "desperately need" mutually exclusive techs? In all honesty, I can't see much point... I think reviving multiple prerequisits is of much greater importance.

Primarily for cultural (as opposed to technological) innovations - it would allow you to generate a tech tree that allowed for 'historical' information to decide the future growth of technology.

I will concede - this is in part due to my own 'aesthetic' belief that, scientific laws being identical across all space, perforce you should be able to use a single technological tree for every race, with specific rationales for why a specific technological application would be 'culturally' unlikely to develop in one civilization or another.

This would enable that - but if you disagree with my philosophical preference, I won't claim it's writ in stone. I'll just badmouth you behind your back and slander your good name.

But then, I do that anyways, which may explain I'm so unsuccessful attempting to use it as a threat - {G}.

Jonnan

Maybe, but probably not.

It would seem to be simpler to set up the techs in question such that Tech A gives +x bonus1, -y bonus2 while Tech B gives -x bonus1, +y bonus2.  So you could still technically research both, but you wouldn't be at any real advantage by doing so.

I'm not positive the AI is intelligent enough to deal with it, but TA should support penalties in techs now as well (haven't tried that yet either!)

But if you wanted to say unlock one improvement rather than another...meh.  Can't help you there.

The only "cultural" thing I could think of is with ethical alignment or others of what I call "Cultural Facets". Since the modifications you are describing would require major alterations of the souce code anyway, I think that including more dimensions to alignment would be a *slightly* better option. I have talked about this idea in a bit more detail in another post: Link

My problem with that is I don't particularly care for the "Make a decision" aspect of the alignment system - I'd *much* rather have things like the mind control center or the altairan "Can't remember what it's called because works been busy tonight but it improves the planet by 3 tiles and give 10% industry bonus" be obvious consequences of multiple decisions made earlier in the path, and remove the 'good/evil' aspect from the technical game to the RP 'meta' game.

And for that you need to make decisions both open and close doors.

Jonnan

Edit - "Yeah, what Sole Soul said!" - {G}

Biosphere modulator?

Yes, biosphere modulator.