Lost in the Tech Tree

from Stardock Forums
OK, maybe I am missing something obvious, but I am having a major issue figuring out just what all this stuff I am researching DOES. For example, I research Advanced Trade. The ability of +1 Trade Route is self-explanatory, but the Social projects Galactic Stock Exchange & Economic Exchange, as well as the Military project Shopping District are just words on the page. I go to my governor, who lists all these social projects, but he doesn't know what they are either. I can go to an individual planet to find out what the Social projects are, but that seems like micro-management to me, and I still do not know what the Military project is.

Other than downloading one of the strategy guides, is there some way in the game where I can find out more detailed information about these projects?

Thanks for your help!
[Message Edited]
3,081 views 9 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top
I agree that the Governor screen needs descriptions of the projects. I hate having to go back to the planet screen to check the stats to see what order I want them in.

Note that the Galactic Stock Exchange is a wonder, so it can't be put in the Governor's build queue because it can only be built once.

Shopping district isn't a military project; it's a starbase module. There really isn't any way to see what it does in game without sending a constructor to a starbase and looking at the list of available modules.

I really think this game needs more online information about what stuff does. My only real complaint.

~SDC~
Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top
I haven't found any in-game features allowing you to get this information easy, but on this http://webpages.charter.net/trevorpowdrell/ site, it is pretty easy to find the information.

I hope it is usefull
Offworld Trading Company
Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top
Thanks for the input, folks! I was hoping to find a way to avoid either Alt-Tabbing to/from the game to look up information, or having 100 pages of documentation printed as reference.

Oh, well. Maybe after playing for a while I will memorize all this, but the old memory isn't what it used to be.

If any of the developers are reading this, more in-game documentation would be nice. Maybe an enhancement for GalCiv II?
Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top
I play in windowed mode, and have one of the PDF tech trees open in another application.
Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top
If any of the developers are reading this, more in-game documentation would be nice. Maybe an enhancement for GalCiv II?
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One of the best ones for this is the "Great Library" in Call To Power II. All the techs, improvements, units, and wonders are hyperlinked to each other. It was a great improvement (in 1.10?) when Stardock hyperlinked the techs. Now if the entries in the tech screens get hyperlinked, we'd really be cooking with--um--microwaves. -- HtL
Reply #6 from Stardock Forums Top
Oh, well. Maybe after playing for a while I will memorize all this, but the old memory isn't what it used to be.
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Don't worry, once you've played enough games, you get to know all the improvements fairly well. I can tell you off the top of my head that Economic Exchange improves the economy on the planet it's built, Galactic Stock Exchange is a wonder that improves your overall economy, and the Shopping District is a Starbase Module that increases influence.
Reply #7 from Stardock Forums Top
Don't worry, once you've played enough games, you get to know all the improvements fairly well.
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Yes, but this also means you can't use mods. If you research a tech of the mod which lets you build a SuperWazoooBazooo, what do you do? What does that thing do? How much does it cost? You must switch to the appropriate mod doc... if there's one. It's a pity because all the info is available to tell you, except you just can't reach it.
Basically, you're stuck to researching things randomly or thoroughly the first time, in order to learn what the techs do, thereby barring all strategy. Or you can dig into the files to retrieve the information.
Either way, there's no solution in-game. The hyperlinks Brad finally gave us are not very useful, but the best we can hope is an improvement of these.
Reply #9 from Stardock Forums Top
"I really think this game needs more online information about what stuff does. My only real complaint. "

I agree. Most of today's games have tool tips to explain what it does. Or with the right button. :(