Save / Load Research Queue

For what's not in 'Top Priority Game Design'. Post your ideas, visions, suggestions for the game, rules, modifications, etc.

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UrshMost
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Save / Load Research Queue

#1 Post by UrshMost »

I would love the ability to be able to save the opening sequence that I use for the research queue, and be able to load it at the start of a game, much like you can save and load ship designs.
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Cpeosphoros
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Re: Save / Load Research Queue

#2 Post by Cpeosphoros »

UrshMost wrote:I would love the ability to be able to save the opening sequence that I use for the research queue, and be able to load it at the start of a game, much like you can save and load ship designs.
I second that.
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Nexus
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Re: Save / Load Research Queue

#3 Post by Nexus »

Thirded.

dbenage-cx
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Re: Save / Load Research Queue

#4 Post by dbenage-cx »

Found myself wishing for this same thing, which means I do not find much variety in the tech tree(or my playstyle) currently.
This is still 0.4.5 though and game mechanics, tweaks, and tech changes that are already planned will significantly change that.
In the long run I fear this feature may make those changes less desired or mask a need for some of them.

However, It might be beneficial for new players to start with 2-3 techs pre-queued, so they can delay sorting through them for a few turns.
That list could be expanded by more experienced players, but I think a hard limit should be set, possibly around 10 techs.
After all, why have a tech tree if noone uses it and relies on some min/max list.
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MatGB
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Re: Save / Load Research Queue

#5 Post by MatGB »

dbenage-cx wrote:Found myself wishing for this same thing, which means I do not find much variety in the tech tree(or my playstyle) currently.
This is still 0.4.5 though and game mechanics, tweaks, and tech changes that are already planned will significantly change that.
In the long run I fear this feature may make those changes less desired or mask a need for some of them.
That's my main take, we have made a few small tweaks recently that make certain choices less immediately obvious so I now have a couple actual decisions to make on the first few turns based on game situation, but it's always between two techs for first to complete and a couple extra for 2nd/3rd.

We are hoping to do a complete pass on the tech tree at some point but it'll take a fair bit of work and require an AI rewrite so it's not going to happen immediately. I definitely want to introduce a few more tweaks to make very early game choices actually choices, but my bigger personal priority is the mid-to-late-game tree which is badly costed and not scaled too well.
However, It might be beneficial for new players to start with 2-3 techs pre-queued, so they can delay sorting through them for a few turns.
That list could be expanded by more experienced players, but I think a hard limit should be set, possibly around 10 techs.
After all, why have a tech tree if noone uses it and relies on some min/max list.
I basically agree with this, it would probably be good for brand new players to have some techs queued, it might even be worth considering having some of the preunlocked "make the game work" techs be among them and set to complete on turn 2 or 3, but too much isn't a good plan.

Basically, if it's obvious to always take X Y & Z tech at the start of the game, then there's a problem with balance, not a need to have them auto-queued.

(specific recent changes: Planetary Ecology now gives an expiring small population boost to Good and Adequate planets which a) makes Adequate planets habitable and b) gives a small bonus to the homeworld and also the changes to weapon techs makes the refinement Mass Driver techs immediately useful as it affects the prebuilt ship you start with, making that capable of actually doing useful things relatively early. So it's not always optimal to jump straight for the research boosting techs then the population techs)
Mat Bowles

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Cpeosphoros
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Re: Save / Load Research Queue

#6 Post by Cpeosphoros »

Even with the choices, saving research profiles would be desirable. I could, for example, have some profiles: "Pop boost", "Research boost", "Mass driver boost", "AA rush", and so on, and choose from them according to the initial game setup.
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Vezzra
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Re: Save / Load Research Queue

#7 Post by Vezzra »

MatGB wrote:my bigger personal priority is the mid-to-late-game tree which is badly costed and not scaled too well.
I couldn't agree more. TBH, I think a huge part of the tech tree (especially the mid-to-late game, as you said) never got much consideration wrt to balance. Much of it looks like as if techs had been added, or better thrown in when certain game mechanics/elements had been implemented/became available, or someone wanted to make a proof-of-concept. In addition to this several techs had been removed over the course of time (whenever something didn't work out, became obsolete because mechanics/elements had been removed or changed, etc.). All of which left behind a huge mess, at least in some areas.

Another consequence of this are those "chains" of "theory" techs in the tree which IMO is the main reason why those theory techs have been perceived as a bad thing so often, which I don't think they are. I still believe that the original concept of theory-application-refinement is a very good and sound one we should actually try to implement as it was meant to be (back in those mythical, long gone early ages of FO ;)).

dbenage-cx
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Re: Save / Load Research Queue

#8 Post by dbenage-cx »

Created issue for this: #884
Hopefully it fairly represents the request.

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EricF
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Re: Save / Load Research Queue

#9 Post by EricF »

Personally I don't like 'Place Holder' techs. Techs that give me nothing, but are just there to be a prerequisite for something good later. If there is a tech in the Tech Tree then researching it should do SOMETHING for me. Else just remove it and make the good tech take longer to research. Just my opinion.

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Vezzra
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Re: Save / Load Research Queue

#10 Post by Vezzra »

dbenage-cx wrote:Created issue for this: #884
Hopefully it fairly represents the request.
Looks good :)

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