Solitair

Join Date 01/2002

Research screen on beta 0.11b[b].002

Here are my latest comments on the research screen on the latest beta (1st April).

- First up the research screen now updates.

- The sliders at the bottom of the research window don't work if you click on them. They move, but the screen does not move. You have to hold them to move the window.

- The required tech box shows the last tech researched not any tech required for the tech you are looking at

- It is still not clear what techs are researched, ready to be researched, and require further pre-requisites. Can we change the shading here to make this crystal clear. It would asve a lot of hassle.

- When you complete a tech the research screen needs to immediately show you the new tech you have just researched so that it is clear.

- there needs to be a way of looking around the tech screen without changing the tech being researched. I suggest a 'research' button (like 'build') that researches the currently highlighted tech. You don't have the shipyard automatically building the ship you're looking at, or the planet automatically build the building you're looking at, so why does the tech screen? Keep it consistant across all methods of doing things.

- I also suggest a researching window (showing what is currently being researched), seperate from the viewing window (showing you the tech you are currently looking at).

- research queue. Why not adda research queue so that peopel can stack up research projects just like a build queue. Would help reduce micromanagement and allow for peopel to stack up all the techs needed to reach tech X. Could even have the computer add the pre-requisite techs to the research queue for you if you click on a tech and add it.

Looking good though,

Paul.

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Most of that we were already planning on correcting. We're still working on that screen, among others. I'll have to look at the scrollbar though, I thought that it was working peroperly. As for the queue, I remember discussing it but not why it wasn't included. I'm interested in how many people would like a research queue.

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I'm interested in how many people would like a research queue.

Count me in!... a queue would be excellent. Paul's mention of auto-magically adding pre-reqs would be nice as well. Intuitive interface means less micro management which means more fun!

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Count me in too. More, it will make sense if we are able to specify a goal and have all needed techs for this goal queued.

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I would very much like to have a research queue.

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It may be best to start a new thread for the head count on a research qeue request.

The title of this one does not exactly scream "Vote Here". Just a thought.

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I'd like to see queueable researches, especially if the excess research from the last turn of the previous research gets applied to the new one. I tend to drill down to techs I consider important, so by the time I get around to going back to fill in the early techs I skipped, I'll have 6-10 techs with a "next turn" ETA, and playing with sliders to spend as little as possible on research but still get the tech next turn is the worst type of micromanagement, since in GC1 you had to flip back and forth between screens to adjust the amount then check the results.

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another for the research queue here

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Count me in for the queue!

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I'm all for the research queue, too.

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The required tech box shows the last tech researched not any tech required for the tech you are looking at

I found that required tech box doesn't correctly reset, especially on tech with no requirement:
- click on prouplsion, then ehanced hyperdrive: required tech is ion drive
- then click on biology and soil ehancement, the required tech stay ion drive
- then click on weapons and miniballs 2: required tech is miniballs
- then go back to biology and soil enhancement, the required tech is now miniballs.

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kryo

Join Date 05/2003

+458

[posted in wrong thread, but I do support queueing ala Civ3

]

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Are we going to get robots presenting techs again, or actual aliens now that we can play different ones?
Or are you guys leaving that kind of thing out of the game?

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I am in favor of a research que.

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Zoomba

Join Date 11/2002

+114

I would like a research queue too. I'd love to, in the early game, setup my research map and let it go for the rest of the game, tweaking it when the need arose. Leaves the option for micromanagement for those who want it, but lets those of us who don't, to cut it out.

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I'd like to understand what I should give up to get the research queue...
Basically I don't need it, but if it's free... and I can switch it off, it doesn't hurt

gherardo

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From memory:

* Requirements window isn't being reset or cleared unless the tech selected by user is "Researchable"

* Scroll bar does work... as long as you are looking at a tech that has enough to scroll! If there isn't (IE, Medical), it is still shown, and you can move it, but it doesn't do anything. Gives impression that it doesn't work.

* Scroll bar thumb goes to right edge of screen. Not right edge of scroll control, or of inner windows.

Research queue is definately something to tuck into the main features of the game before it goes "production".

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One possible way to display a tech queue would be to use a number system like in this psp-edited image below. The number system might not work well though, because it would be scattered across several tech trees, and thus be hard to follow. It might be useful as convenience info. Also, the technologies that are completed could be indicated in some manner as well. Some possibilities: a lame check mark, a filled green progress bars (would only work if others had empty/partial green progress bars), or the concept of "greyed out".

The border & intensity change works well for highlighting the currently selected item, but several levels of that get confusing.

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Lucky_Jack

Join Date 01/2002

+62

Some possibilities: a lame check mark, a filled green progress bars

If the check mark and green progress bar was used, perhaps instead of green they could be a compliment color so they would show well. That way it would show well with the green "biology" techs.

So would a check mark be used for the currently selected tech? Or for a tech that has all of its prereqs satisfied?

How about using numbers to indicate how many techs need to be researched before this one? Then selecting the tech would show which techs are prereq in the information area. Or perhaps just floating the mouse over the tech could show the prereqs? And when a tech shows "0" it is researchable.

More ideas?

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