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[Mod] Generalized Tech Trees 1.8.1 (updated for 1.8.1/Mercenaries)

Posted on Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Generalized Tech Trees v.1.8.1

This mod completely does away with the specialization system of GC III and makes it so that players can, eventually, research ALL technologies in their tech tree.

Due to the fact that things will start to go a little wonky if techs have more than one prerequisite, this mod comes in two flavors (see following posts and/or the attached README for full details).  

One version of the mod (Generalized Tech Trees) creates a new tech for most of the specializations as described in the original version of this OP below.  

The other version of this mod (Bridgeless Generalized Tech Trees) makes it so the first specialization of a group of specialization techs will ALWAYS unlock the next tech in the tech tree, while the other specializations can be researched at ones leisure later on.  The rationale for this is described in Reply #7 of this thread and in the README.

To install this mod, first click on the following link: 

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=download&id=0By8Y969dyvLHZWN4T0NTRmkxZE0 (v.1.0 [for use with GC III 1.3.2])

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=download&id=0By8Y969dyvLHOF9zYi1wQXNOQ2s  (v.1.4 [for use with GC III opt-in 1.4])

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=download&id=0By8Y969dyvLHS3RqdkpsLUxnam8 (v.1.6 [for use with GC III 1.6/Mercenaries])

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=download&id=0By8Y969dyvLHdF9vUWE3Nng5dG8 (v.1.7 [for use with GC III 1.7/Mercenaries])

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=download&id=0By8Y969dyvLHSWdNLWdxUDNQcDg (v.1.7.1 [for use with GC III 1.7.1/Mercenaries])

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=download&id=0By8Y969dyvLHMVc2NFZSVUVtazQ (v1.8.1 [for use with GC III 1.7.1/Mercenaries])

Unzip the file that was downloaded and then choose which version of the mod you wish to install. DO NOT INSTALL BOTH FOLDERS, as that will almost certainly lead to problems. Install either Generalized Tech Trees or Bridgeless Generalized Tech Trees, in other words.

For those who are now familiar with mods, the mod directory for GC III is found in My Documents\My Games\GalCiv3\Mods for Win 7 and Win 8 and in Documents\My Games\GalCiv3\Mods for Win 8.1 and Win 10.

I would suggest reading the attached README as it explains what is going on in this mod in a bit more detail than this post, and it might help you decide which flavor of the mod to install.

COMPATIBILITY:

This mod replaces the entire tech trees for all factions, so it probably will not be compatible with other mods that replace techs in the tech tree.  It should be compatible with most mods that add to the tech tree, as long as they do not add specializations.

I would NOT recommend using this with the otherwise excellent Ave's DeSpecify (or any mod that it is based on), as it will duplicate techs in the tech tree and might turn out to be very unstable.

Since this is a replace mod, it will be updated soon after Stardock updates the tech trees in the base game.

CHANGE LOG: 

v1.0
     All specializations removed from all tech trees. Two seperate systems inacted to deal with the loss of specializations.
     Industrial Specialization 3 renamed from Industrial Specialization to Maintainece Specialization in the Generalized Tech Tree mod in all tech trees where applicable.
     Warp Field Focus 1 renamed from Warp Field Focus to Warp Drive Focus in the Generalized Tech Tree mod in all tech trees.
     The prerequsite tech for Lossless Support System in the Yor Tech tree was pointing to itself in the base game, making it unavailable to research. The prerequsite has been changed to Life Support Mastery 1 in the Bridgeless Generalized Tech Trees version of the mod and to Life Support Mastery in the Generalized Tech Tree version of the mod.
     Short Decs for some specializations created and copied where needed for the factions where they did not exist.

v1.4.0
     Numbering scheme changed to reflect current GC III patch numbering.
     Sensor Mastery I changed on all tech tress to new base game values.
     Planetary Invasion Research Cost changed in tech trees where they were changed in the base game.

v1.5.0 (version not released to the public)
     For both versions of the mod:
        AI weights for dozens of techs synced in all tech trees.
        Tags for
           Armor
           Defense
           Kinetic
           Point
           Weapon
        added and synced to techs where appropiate across all tech trees.
        Research cost for:
           Xeno Commerce
           Commerce Specialization
           Commerce Specialization 1
           Commerce Specialization 2
           Commerce Specialization 3
           Xeno Economics
           Interstellar Banking
           Economic Focus
           Economic Focus 1
           Economic Focus 2
           Economic Focus 3
           Financial Sectors
           Galactic Stock Market
           Interstellar Commerce
           Marketing Masters
           Economic Efficency
        synced across all tech trees as appropiate.
        Stat bonus for Kyrnn The Path Specialization 2 synced.

     For the Generalized Tech Trees version of the mod ***ONLY***:

        Removed superfluous Hull Mastery Specialization for the Altarians.
        Fixed prerequisites for
           Altarian Payload Mastery
           Dreadlord Industrial Specialization 1
           Dreadlord Invasion Optimization 3
           Peacekeeper Invasion Optimization 3
           Space Monsters Industrial Specialization 1
           Kyrnn Agricultural Optimization 3
           Snathi Molecular Specialization 3
           Generic Tech Tree Invasion Optimization 3
           Thalan Stellar Folding
           Thalan Defensive Specialization 3
        Fixed text descriptions for
           Altarian Trade Focus
           Kyrnn Armor Focus Specialization
           Thalan Kinetic Acceleration Focus
        Fixed research cost for
           BRAINY'AK Manufacturing Focus
           Dreadlord Research Optimization 3
           Dreadlord Agricultural Adaptation
           Peacekeeper Life Support Optimization
           Space Monsters Weapon Specialization 3
           Space Monsters Beam Weapon Optimization 3

v1.6.0
     Created Generalized and Bridgeless Generalized Tech Trees for the Acrean and Torian factions.
     Tags for
        Hulls
        Carrier
        Logisitics
        Invasion
     added and synced where appropiate across all tech trees.
     Research cost for Drengin Slave Mills synced.
     Colonization tags added and synced where appropiate.
     ColonizationTech tag changed to NonMilitary tag where appropiate.
     Synced the text description of dozens of techs throughout various tech trees.

v1.7.0
     Removed all "<!-- Begin Tech -->" tags to sync with base game tech XMLs.
     Sensor Optimization 1 and Energy Field Focus 1 stat modification changed from Sensor Range to Sensor Power in all tech trees.
     Sensor Optimization 1 and Energy Field Focus 1 stat modifiers changed to reflect Sensor Power strength insead of flat ranges in all tech trees.
     Kyrnn Tourism Tech cost synced.
     Stat modifiers for Diplomacy Tech, Interstellar Alliances, Eminence Tech, and Majesty Tech synced in all tech trees.
     Minor adjustments to text descriptions in the Acrean and Torian tech trees synced.
     Restored the name "Base Tech Tree" to the Generic Tech Tree.

v1.7.1
     Removed the Global Scope tag for the techs Diplomatic Specialization 3 and Economic Focus 2 across all appropriate tech trees.
     Stat modifiers for Interstellar Governance, Galactic Governance, Interstellar Democracy Tech, and Star Federation Tech synced in all tech trees.

v1.8.1

    Research cost for Energy Phasing, Doom Ray Tech, Photon Torpedos, Nightmare Torpedo, Quantum Drivers, and Singularity Drivers all synced to reflect balance changes made in the base game.
    Stat modifier for Trade Focus 1 synced to reflect bug fix in base game.
    Thalan Trade Optimization 1 kept the same as 1.7.1 as this is likely a bug.
    Trade Focus 1 renamed from Trade Stations to Trade Tariffs in all appropriate tech trees.
    Minor grammatical fixes to text descriptions in the Acrean and Kyrnn tech trees synced.

 

If anyone has any comments, critiques, or feedback, please don't hesitate to make them.

Also, since I had to modify hundreds of techs, I won't be surprised if there is are a few errors in the two mods.  Please don't hesitate to point them out and I'll fix them as soon as I can.

Once again, here is the link for

v1.0: https://drive.google.com/uc?export=download&id=0By8Y969dyvLHZWN4T0NTRmkxZE0

v1.4: https://drive.google.com/uc?export=download&id=0By8Y969dyvLHOF9zYi1wQXNOQ2s

v1.6: https://drive.google.com/uc?export=download&id=0By8Y969dyvLHS3RqdkpsLUxnam8

v1.7: https://drive.google.com/uc?export=download&id=0By8Y969dyvLHdF9vUWE3Nng5dG8

v1.7.1: https://drive.google.com/uc?export=download&id=0By8Y969dyvLHSWdNLWdxUDNQcDg

v1.8.1: https://drive.google.com/uc?export=download&id=0By8Y969dyvLHMVc2NFZSVUVtazQ

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(Original Post)

One of the more hotly debated changes in GC III from GC II is the existence of "specialized" technologies. In the base game, some technologies are "locked out" when one is researched. While many people are in favor of it, in some cases strongly so, the existence of specialized techs has led to complaints from some quarters. Complaints ranged from it making the tech tree too short to the more basic "I wanna research everything" to the more abstract arguments regarding immersion. Specializations, as noted, also have their supporters, focusing on everything from forcing players to choose how to spend their limited resources to game balance and arguments involving, ironically enough, immersion.

This is NOT the thread to rehash those arguments.

Instead, this mod will be for those who wish to be able to research everything in the tech tree.

There has already been one mod that attempted to address the complaints of people who don't like specialization (the excellent Ave's DeSpecify), but it added to the base tech trees while still leaving in the specialization system. By the author's own admission this led to some problems that required some workarounds on their part.

One of the great strengths of GC III is being able to mod in or out things one doesn't like about the game. In that vein, this mod, when completed, will completely strip out the current specialization system from from the game. It is very much a Work In Progress at the moment and not ready for release. This is because I will be reworking and replacing each and every tech tree in the base game.

For each specialization currently in the base game I will be adding a new tech that 1) unlocks the two or three specialized techs in that area of the tech tree and 2) unlocks the next tech in tech tree that the specialization techs unlocked in case someone doesn't want to research any of the specializations. In essence this new tech replaces the specialized tech on the tech tree while adding a separate branch for the specializations that can now all be researched.

An example can be seen below:

In this example, I created a tech and used the GC III name and descriptions for Industrial Specialization. When it is researched, it, as in the base game, unlocks Advanced Construction and Institutional Research. What it ALSO does is unlock the three specializations that were tied to Industrial Specialization in the base game as a separate side branch. The techs in those side branches will be left untouched and unmodified, aside from the fact that they no longer lead anywhere on the tech tree and they have a slightly different prereqs than before.

So far I have converted the Terran Tech Tree, the "basic/default" Tech Tree, and the Altarian Tech Tree. If all goes well, this mod should be ready for initial release in a couple of weeks.