Matrix Games Forums

Is there an unlimited research feature in Distant Worlds?

For example; once the end of the research tree is reached with major advances it can continue with bonuses and improvements to those advances.

If not then this might be another game of ultimate limitations in various areas.

I, and others I've seen in forum posts, have always found it odd and disappointing when a game reaches the "end" of research path. It doesn't make sense that all research would cease in an area because all has been discovered in it. Even more odd once ALL research has been done. So for all the future, research advancement will be stagnant.

Agreed. The end of research trees should include numbered 1, 2, 3, etc. after a generic name like "Advanced Energy Weapons" or whatever and these advancements should give generic small improvements in already existing technologies. In this way there is at least some point in pursuing a hyper focused research strategy throughout the game and not just until you hit a certain point where the game decides your culture is perfect and can become like medieval China.

Yeah, any game should copy MoO at least as far as tech tree goes

I'm not disagreeing with you (it would be awesome in a way to have unlimited research!) but to throw a spanner in the works - shouldn't there be some sort of cap so that a balance can be maintained? Otherwise one race could be wayyy overpowered and that could completely ruin a game.

MOO2 hyper advances reduced component costs and space usage. DW could also use the same system as most of techs are actually component-based.

Each "Future Advance" could increase in research cost by 25%, 50%, or 100% and have very small bonuses to structures, ships, and components,and other advances. I don't think that is overpowered. It seems more fun.

Good question. Personally i like to create few but technologically advanced uber ships, by giving massive amount of my empires resources to research. Replacing quantity with quality. That is pretty much impossible if player and AI have both reached the level cap...
So.. is there an unlimited research?

Well, since most research grantsn specific components, rather than on base level "+5% to economy" improvements, I'm not sure that this would work quite in the way you are stating.

That being said, research isn't a light endeavor. Your new techs are going to cost time and resources to reach a breakthrough, and then the new components are going to need resources to construct and implement. I would say it takes quite a while to reach the end of the tech tree.

SoM

How slow is max slow resarch speed?

ORIGINAL: Sarissofoi
How slow is max slow resarch speed?

It's pretty slow - hard to give a specific measurement, but each tech breakthrough on "very slow" really feels like you've earned it [:)]

ORIGINAL: elliotg

ORIGINAL: Sarissofoi
How slow is max slow resarch speed?

It's pretty slow - hard to give a specific measurement, but each tech breakthrough on "very slow" really feels like you've earned it [:)]

Will the normal research setting max out all the techs in a full game on a large map?

ORIGINAL: Webbco

I'm not disagreeing with you (it would be awesome in a way to have unlimited research!) but to throw a spanner in the works - shouldn't there be some sort of cap so that a balance can be maintained? Otherwise one race could be wayyy overpowered and that could completely ruin a game.

I disagree Webbco, because that is just one aspect for you to manage in a 4x game. Otherwise it is just a RTS in space. A 4x by definition, and technology is part of the expand part. If you are finding your self behind then you didn't do something right, and should adjust your strategy. (This is what makes these types of games fun.)

However, unlimited technology can be done wrong. For instance one glaring example is that of the Gal Civ series. I mean come one, Laser IV? Could they be more generic?

However, unlimited technology can be done wrong. For instance one glaring example is that of the Gal Civ series. I mean come one, Laser IV? Could they be more generic?

I don't like some things about Glactic Civilizations 2 but how else would unlimited research be done? Beside "Laser IV" and similiar techs was in all parts of the GalCiv2 tree. Did it even have unlimited research? I don't think I went that far.

If I recall correctly, Master of Orion 2's unlimited research of future advances consisted of a similiar 1,2 ,3...approach at the end of the research tree. That's one way to do it.

Each "Future Advance" could increase in research cost by 25%, 50%, or 100% and have very small bonuses to structures, ships, and components,and other advances. I don't think that is overpowered. It seems more fun.

There can be many more weapon types fleshed out with just a little brainstorming, and real life inspiration.

Take for instance Metal Storm, a weapon being developed in Australia (I believe) and being looked at by the US DOD.

It is capable of firing 180 rounds at 1,000,000 rounds a minute. That is just a prototype!

Gal Civ broke down
Ballistic
Laser
Missile

Moo was more interesting because it had
Laser, Ballistic, Missiles as well, however you could make them continuous, pulse, armor piercing, etc. <--That was brilliant

If I was paid a decent wage to be on a development team, and had all day to think about cool weapons to have in a game to be researched and used, trust me I could come up with more than Laser I, Laser II, etc..

I didn't really mind the generic weapons names in GalCiv. Real military weapons don't generally have imaginative names, either.

I'd happily take having Laser V and Stinger III if it meant having a huge tech tree. Huge (and meaningful!) tech trees are a huge selling point for me.

It seems that Distant Worlds abstracts all of those weapon types from the tactical to the strategic basics of :

There are beam weapons (shorter-range laser blasts), torpedo weapons (long-range, homing, missile-like energy bolts) and area weapons (omni-directional blast waves)

tm.asp?m=2379285

I suppose that either game design can be good depending on how well it fits into the gameplay.

Regarding unlimited research, once all unique game advances are reseached at the end of an exhausted research tree then it would have to be generic Advance 1, 2, 3,...etc...that continue to give small bonuses.

Ashberry, I'm not sure, but I would say with a 1400 star system (the largest) you might hit tech cap in <some> areas. I would guess a 1400 star game would take a good long time.

Of course, it all depends on victory conditions, and if you play a "sandbox" game with no victory conditions.

Another stupid question....what is a sandbox game?

Good Hunting.

MR

"Well a "sandbox" game are games where you can go wherever you want to go and do whatever you want to, basically there are very few limits like maps,weapons, and abilities which is why you play the game."

Usually a "sandbox" game refers to game modes that are non-campaign based but can still have different victory conditions.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandbox_(video_games)