In strategy computer games, the technology tree or tech tree is an abstract hierarchical visual representation of the possible paths of research a player can take. Strategy video games are Video games that focus on gameplay requiring careful and skillful thinking and planning in order to achieve victory @@@ main@@@ - title Hierarchy@@@ keywords structure; sociology; information@@@ review@@@ - Research is defined as Human activity based on Intellectual application in the investigation of Matter. Typically, at the beginning of a session of a strategy game, a player may only have a few options for technologies to research. Each technology that a player researches will open up more options, but may or may not, depending on the computer game the player is playing, close off the paths to other options. The tech tree is the representation of all possible paths of research a player can take.
A player who is engaged in research activities is said to be "teching up," "going up the tech tree," or "moving up the tech tree. " Analysis of a tech tree can lead players to memorize and use specific build orders. In Strategy computer games of both the turn-based and real-time varieties a build order is a linear pattern of production research and resource management
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Types of tech tree
Prerequisites for technology advances
In many real-time strategy (RTS) games you need particular buildings in order to research specific techs or build specific advanced units (Starcraft, Age of Empires, Total Annihilation). A real-time strategy ( RTS) Video game is a strategic game that is distinctly not turn-based. StarCraft is a Military science fiction Real-time strategy Video game developed by Blizzard Entertainment. Age of Empires is a series of computer Video games developed by Ensemble Studios and published by Microsoft Game Studios. Total Annihilation (abbr TA) is a critically-acclaimed Real-time strategy game created by Cavedog Entertainment and released In many turn-based strategy (TBS) games the prerequisite is one or more lower-level technologies, with no dependency on specific buildings (Master of Orion series, Civilization series, Space Empires series). A turn-based strategy ( TBS) game is a Strategy game (usually some type of wargame, especially a strategic-level wargame that is Master of Orion ( MoO or MOO) is a Turn-based, 4X Science fiction Computer strategy game Sid Meier's Civilization is a Turn-based strategy computer game created by Sid Meier for MicroProse in 1991 The Space Empires series is a long-lasting series of 4X Turn-based strategy games by Malfador Machinations that allows the player to assume the
Complexity
The structures of tech trees vary quite widely. In the simplest cases (e. g. Master of Orion) there are several completely separate research areas and one could research all the way up to the highest level in one area without researching other areas (although this would often be suicidal). Master of Orion ( MoO or MOO) is a Turn-based, 4X Science fiction Computer strategy game In the most complex cases (e. g. Civilization) every technology above the starting level has more than one prerequisite and one has to research most of the lower-level technologies in order to research any of the top-level technologies. Sid Meier's Civilization is a Turn-based strategy computer game created by Sid Meier for MicroProse in 1991 And there are many possibilities between these two extremes, for example in Space Empires researching to a specified level in one field may enable the player both to research to a higher level in that field and to start research in a new field which was previously not available. The Space Empires series is a long-lasting series of 4X Turn-based strategy games by Malfador Machinations that allows the player to assume the
Are all technologies available?
Some RTSs make different techs available to different races / cultures (especially Starcraft; but many RTSs have special units or buildings for different cultures, e. StarCraft is a Military science fiction Real-time strategy Video game developed by Blizzard Entertainment. g. Age of Empires expansion pack and later versions, Red Alert 2). Age of Empires is a series of computer Video games developed by Ensemble Studios and published by Microsoft Game Studios. Most TBSs make all technologies available to all cultures (e. g. Civilization). Civilization is a series of Turn-based strategy Video games produced by Sid Meier. Master of Orion (original version) is a complex special case in this respect: the full tree is the same for all; but in each game each player gets a random subset of the full tech tree. Master of Orion ( MoO or MOO) is a Turn-based, 4X Science fiction Computer strategy game
Balance between civilian and military techs
In many RTS games tech advances are almost exclusively military (e. g. StarCraft). StarCraft is a Military science fiction Real-time strategy Video game developed by Blizzard Entertainment. But in most TBS and some RTS games the research and production costs of top-end military techs are so high that you have to build up your economy and your research productivity first (RTS - Age of Empires and Empire Earth, where one of the most significant costs is going up an epoch; TBS - the Civilisation series and Master of Orion series). Age of Empires is a series of computer Video games developed by Ensemble Studios and published by Microsoft Game Studios. Empire Earth, also known as EE, is a Real-time strategy Computer game developed by Stainless Steel Studios Civilization is a series of Turn-based strategy Video games produced by Sid Meier. Master of Orion ( MoO or MOO) is a Turn-based, 4X Science fiction Computer strategy game
What happens after you've researched everything
In many games there's nothing useful to do and the player may scrap research centers to save maintenance costs and / or devote the resources to something else (Space Empires series). The Space Empires series is a long-lasting series of 4X Turn-based strategy games by Malfador Machinations that allows the player to assume the
In the Civilization series researching "future technologies" increases a player's score. Sid Meier's Civilization is a Turn-based strategy computer game created by Sid Meier for MicroProse in 1991 In Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri, researching everything leads to victory (this is tied with the storyline).
In the Master of Orion series more advanced research reduces the size and cost of spaceship components, and "hyper-advanced" research in areas which have military applications therefore enables players to build more high-tech weapons into a given ship size and at lower production cost. Master of Orion ( MoO or MOO) is a Turn-based, 4X Science fiction Computer strategy game
History
Tech trees started showing up in the early real-time strategy and turn-based strategy games in 1990, where Mega Lo Mania had a system of research levels/epochs that allowed the deployment of better units and defenses. A real-time strategy ( RTS) Video game is a strategic game that is distinctly not turn-based. A turn-based strategy ( TBS) game is a Strategy game (usually some type of wargame, especially a strategic-level wargame that is Mega Lo Mania is a Real-time strategy mission oriented and resource gathering Computer game. Civilization (1991) was probably the first game to feature the same basic structure of tech trees seen in games today. 1992's Dune II is another example of an early game featuring tech trees. Dune II The Building of a Dynasty (retitled Dune II Battle for Arrakis in Europe and for the Mega Drive/Genesis port is a ''Dune'' computer
Dictionary
technology tree
-noun
- (video games) A hierarchal representation of technology that may be researched and implemented for the whole faction by the player, most often in real-time strategy games.
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