133:
343:
409:
36:
230:(TBS) games employ this type of tech tree. In these games, players typically have a 'command center', 'unit-training-facility' and 'research facility' at their disposal from the start, allowing them to both start research into more advanced technologies, or engaging in combat with enemies using the basic units (
268:
In some games, the requirement of an actual research facility is absent. In this case players can allocate research points, or in-game resources to purchase new technologies. In some games the allocation yields direct results, meaning that procuring the new technology isn't paired with allotted time
204:
and is often used to describe the technological strength of a player. Typically, at the beginning of a session of a strategy game, a player will start at tier 1, which offers only a few options for research. Each technology that a player researches will normally open up one or more new options, but
367:) 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. And there are many possibilities between these two variants, for example in
553:
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.
277:
In most RTS games the technology tree consists of buildings which must be built in a specific sequence, which in turn unlocks new technologies. These newly unlocked technologies can be more advanced units, upgrades for research or more advanced buildings.
530:
it raises the health and the happiness in the empire. Note that to reach the last technology in
Civilization V, all spaceship technologies required to win must also have been discovered, so the game will likely be nearing its conclusion.
361:) 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 far from ideal). In more complex cases (e.g.
563:, the final four technologies result in such an advantage that the game will likely end quickly. Also, the "knowledge" resource needed to research is also used late in the game to produce cruise missiles and nuclear weapons.
208:
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.
205:
may also, depending on the computer game, close off the paths to other options. The tech tree is the representation of all possible paths of research a player can take, up to the culmination of said sequence.
457:(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 subset of the full tech tree that depends on which race was selected.
763:
series have a larger number of research options and a significant proportion of civilian research options, the research options all depend on having the right buildings. See the relevant games' manuals.
471:). 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 –
621:
had a tech tree with a system of research levels/epochs that allowed the deployment of better units and defences and is considered to be the first game to combine a technology tree into a
916:
503:
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 (
909:
518:
series the last technology (called "future tech") represents an amalgamation of all possible future discoveries and can be researched repeatedly. In
298:
In most types of strategy games, the player needs particular buildings in order to research specific technologies or build specific advanced units (
222:
The
Classic tech tree is the one where extensive research into new technologies must be conducted parallel to the progression of a game. Some
1008:
902:
200:-shaped in the sense that it branches between each 'level', allowing the player to choose one sequence or another. Each level is called a
595:, technology trees have been used in various digital games. Likewise, the first creation of a technology tree as a mechanism refers to
773:
884:
718:(1996) one can do research without buildings, but it's much faster when supported by the right buildings (see game manuals). In the
119:
190:
progress of a given faction). Because these trees are technically directed and acyclic, they can more accurately be described as a
876:
53:
636:
578:
100:
573:
57:
72:
316:). In many TBS games the prerequisite is one or more lower-level technologies, with no dependency on specific buildings (
706:
have no research buildings; players simply allocate some of each colony's output to research (see game manuals). In the
386:
363:
324:
250:
79:
373:
researching to a specified level in one field may enable the player both to research to a higher level in that field
957:
947:
726:
583:
186:
visual representation of the possible sequences of upgrades a player can unlock (most typically representing the
86:
132:
68:
46:
696:
536:
192:
730:(1995) research can only be done via buildings, but these can research any technology (see game manuals).
708:
514:
485:
447:
662:
1003:
604:
286:
982:
612:
588:
227:
197:
977:
967:
937:
925:
859:
714:
702:
623:
306:
223:
342:
880:
396:
148:
93:
861:
Technology Trees and Tools: Constructing
Development Graphs for Digital Games - dissertation
690:
559:
549:
526:
491:
453:
420:
394:
have a much larger technology tree than most other strategy games; as an extreme example,
357:
318:
244:
408:
753:
520:
473:
435:
997:
801:(original version) has 10 levels per subject, and 2 to 5 technologies per level; the
720:
617:
505:
369:
330:
256:
238:
167:
797:
one can reach the highest level of one branch of the technology tree in five steps;
427:
Some RTSs make different techs available to different races or cultures (especially
759:
479:
312:
310:), while in other games upgrades/technologies are unlocked through research alone (
232:
143:
s technology tree, showing complex dependencies between technologies. For example,
828:
441:
160:
35:
962:
952:
942:
894:
805:
technology tree requires nearly 60 steps to reach the end (see game manuals).
433:; but many RTSs have special units or buildings for different cultures, e.g.
747:
467:
429:
414:
355:
The structures of tech trees vary quite widely. In the simplest cases (e.g.
300:
280:
183:
152:
144:
774:"Joystiq interview: Ironclad talks 4X strategy with Sins of a Solar Empire"
740:
17:
483:, where one of the most significant costs is going up an epoch; TBS – the
187:
829:"Technology Trees: Freedom and Determinism in Historical Strategy Games"
872:
868:
348:
156:
138:
608:
used a power-up system functionally identical to a tech tree in 1985.
465:
In many RTS games tech advances are almost exclusively military (e.g.
377:
to start research in a new field which was previously not available.
445:). Most TBSs make all technologies available to all cultures (e.g.
407:
341:
131:
540:
series the final technology solves the nature of existence, and
898:
29:
581:(1980) is given the credit of introducing a technology tree.
381:
60:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
269:for the research of said technology to complete.
676:
674:
615:games in the early 1990s. The 1991 video game
910:
8:
751:manual. Although multi-epoch games like the
587:(1991) is considered as an iconic computer
461:Balance between civilian and military techs
917:
903:
895:
524:, it increases a player's score, while in
814:
499:What happens after researching everything
120:Learn how and when to remove this message
661:Rollings, Andrew; Ernest Adams (2006).
653:
27:Diagram used in strategy computer games
294:Prerequisites for technology advances
7:
147:can be reached by first researching
58:adding citations to reliable sources
439:expansion pack and later versions,
346:86 technologies on a tech tree in
25:
611:Tech trees started showing up in
877:Tampere University of Technology
680:See the relevant games' manuals.
196:of technologies. The diagram is
34:
637:Timeline of historic inventions
45:needs additional citations for
1:
724:series (1993 onwards) and in
512:In later installments of the
858:Heinimäki, Teemu J. (2015).
404:Availability of technologies
226:(RTS) games as well as most
1009:Application-specific graphs
664:Fundamentals of Game Design
591:game for using them. Since
400:has over 200 technologies.
1025:
712:series (1991 onwards) and
933:
571:Typically the board game
602:The arcade shoot 'em up
584:Sid Meier’s Civilization
418:, a reimplementation of
741:"RTS Basics: R & D"
697:Galactic Civilizations
537:Galactic Civilizations
424:
352:
193:directed acyclic graph
163:
412:Research screen from
411:
345:
287:Command & Conquer
135:
155:, or by researching
54:improve this article
613:turn-based strategy
589:turn-based strategy
228:turn-based strategy
938:Actions per minute
926:Real-time strategy
867:. Vol. 1349.
776:. February 1, 2008
715:Master of Orion II
703:Sword of the Stars
624:Real-time strategy
425:
353:
307:Total Annihilation
224:real-time strategy
164:
991:
990:
397:Space Empires III
149:ceremonial burial
130:
129:
122:
104:
69:"Technology tree"
16:(Redirected from
1016:
919:
912:
905:
896:
890:
866:
844:
843:
841:
839:
824:
818:
812:
806:
791:
785:
784:
782:
781:
770:
764:
744:
737:
731:
687:
681:
678:
669:
668:
667:. Prentice Hall.
658:
218:Classic research
125:
118:
114:
111:
105:
103:
62:
38:
30:
21:
1024:
1023:
1019:
1018:
1017:
1015:
1014:
1013:
994:
993:
992:
987:
973:Technology tree
958:Micromanagement
948:Macromanagement
929:
923:
893:
887:
864:
857:
853:
848:
847:
837:
835:
833:gamestudies.org
826:
825:
821:
813:
809:
803:Civilization IV
799:Master of Orion
792:
788:
779:
777:
772:
771:
767:
739:
738:
734:
691:Master of Orion
688:
684:
679:
672:
660:
659:
655:
650:
645:
633:
579:Francis Tresham
569:
560:Rise of Nations
550:Master of Orion
527:Civilization IV
501:
492:Master of Orion
463:
454:Master of Orion
421:Master of Orion
406:
392:Master of Orion
358:Master of Orion
340:
319:Master of Orion
296:
275:
266:
245:Master of Orion
220:
215:
126:
115:
109:
106:
63:
61:
51:
39:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1022:
1020:
1012:
1011:
1006:
996:
995:
989:
988:
986:
985:
980:
975:
970:
965:
960:
955:
950:
945:
940:
934:
931:
930:
924:
922:
921:
914:
907:
899:
892:
891:
885:
854:
852:
849:
846:
845:
819:
815:Heinimäki 2015
807:
786:
765:
754:Age of Empires
732:
682:
670:
652:
651:
649:
646:
644:
641:
640:
639:
632:
629:
568:
565:
521:Civilization V
500:
497:
474:Age of Empires
462:
459:
436:Age of Empires
405:
402:
339:
336:
295:
292:
274:
273:Building-based
271:
265:
262:
219:
216:
214:
211:
168:strategy games
128:
127:
42:
40:
33:
26:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1021:
1010:
1007:
1005:
1002:
1001:
999:
984:
981:
979:
976:
974:
971:
969:
966:
964:
961:
959:
956:
954:
951:
949:
946:
944:
941:
939:
936:
935:
932:
927:
920:
915:
913:
908:
906:
901:
900:
897:
888:
886:9789521536335
882:
878:
874:
870:
863:
862:
856:
855:
850:
834:
830:
823:
820:
817:, p. 21.
816:
811:
808:
804:
800:
796:
790:
787:
775:
769:
766:
762:
761:
756:
755:
750:
749:
742:
736:
733:
729:
728:
723:
722:
721:Space Empires
717:
716:
711:
710:
705:
704:
699:
698:
693:
692:
686:
683:
677:
675:
671:
666:
665:
657:
654:
647:
642:
638:
635:
634:
630:
628:
626:
625:
620:
619:
618:Mega Lo Mania
614:
609:
607:
606:
600:
598:
594:
590:
586:
585:
580:
576:
575:
566:
564:
562:
561:
555:
552:
551:
545:
543:
539:
538:
532:
529:
528:
523:
522:
517:
516:
510:
508:
507:
506:Space Empires
498:
496:
494:
493:
488:
487:
482:
481:
476:
475:
470:
469:
460:
458:
456:
455:
450:
449:
444:
443:
438:
437:
432:
431:
423:
422:
417:
416:
410:
403:
401:
399:
398:
393:
389:
388:
383:
378:
376:
372:
371:
370:Space Empires
366:
365:
360:
359:
351:
350:
344:
337:
335:
333:
332:
331:Space Empires
327:
326:
321:
320:
315:
314:
309:
308:
303:
302:
293:
291:
289:
288:
283:
282:
272:
270:
263:
261:
259:
258:
257:Space Empires
253:
252:
247:
246:
241:
240:
239:Mega Lo Mania
235:
234:
229:
225:
217:
212:
210:
206:
203:
199:
195:
194:
189:
185:
181:
180:research tree
177:
173:
169:
162:
158:
154:
150:
146:
142:
140:
134:
124:
121:
113:
102:
99:
95:
92:
88:
85:
81:
78:
74:
71: –
70:
66:
65:Find sources:
59:
55:
49:
48:
43:This article
41:
37:
32:
31:
19:
972:
860:
836:. Retrieved
832:
827:Ghys, Tuur.
822:
810:
802:
798:
795:Warcraft III
794:
789:
778:. Retrieved
768:
760:Empire Earth
758:
752:
746:
735:
725:
719:
713:
709:Civilization
707:
701:
695:
694:(1993), the
689:
685:
663:
656:
622:
616:
610:
603:
601:
597:Civilization
596:
593:Civilization
592:
582:
574:Civilization
572:
570:
558:
556:
548:
546:
541:
535:
533:
525:
519:
515:Civilization
513:
511:
504:
502:
490:
486:Civilization
484:
480:Empire Earth
478:
472:
466:
464:
452:
448:Civilization
446:
440:
434:
428:
426:
419:
413:
395:
391:
387:Civilization
385:
379:
374:
368:
364:Civilization
362:
356:
354:
347:
329:
325:Civilization
323:
317:
313:Warzone 2100
311:
305:
299:
297:
285:
279:
276:
267:
255:
251:Civilization
249:
243:
237:
233:Warzone 2100
231:
221:
207:
201:
191:
184:hierarchical
179:
175:
171:
165:
159:followed by
137:
116:
107:
97:
90:
83:
76:
64:
52:Please help
47:verification
44:
1004:Game design
838:13 November
700:series and
489:series and
442:Red Alert 2
384:games like
161:mathematics
110:August 2024
18:Talent tree
998:Categories
963:Random map
953:Metagaming
943:Fog of war
780:2008-06-14
727:Ascendancy
643:References
338:Complexity
264:Allocation
172:technology
80:newspapers
748:StarCraft
648:Citations
544:victory.
509:series).
495:series).
468:StarCraft
430:StarCraft
415:FreeOrion
334:series).
301:StarCraft
290:series.)
281:StarCraft
260:series).
153:mysticism
151:and then
145:astronomy
983:Turtling
928:gameplay
745:and the
631:See also
328:series,
322:series,
254:series,
248:series,
188:research
136:Part of
873:Finland
869:Tampere
851:Sources
605:Gradius
567:History
547:In the
534:In the
349:Freeciv
157:masonry
139:Freeciv
94:scholar
883:
627:game.
380:Major
96:
89:
82:
75:
67:
865:(PDF)
213:Types
182:is a
178:, or
101:JSTOR
87:books
978:Tank
968:Rush
881:ISBN
840:2017
757:and
477:and
390:and
202:tier
198:tree
176:tech
170:, a
73:news
793:In
577:by
557:In
451:).
375:and
166:In
56:by
1000::
879:.
875::
871:,
831:.
673:^
599:.
542:is
382:4X
304:,
284:,
242:,
236:,
174:,
918:e
911:t
904:v
889:.
842:.
783:.
743:.
278:(
141:'
123:)
117:(
112:)
108:(
98:·
91:·
84:·
77:·
50:.
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
