Technology System Overview
Pre-release data - Quicksilver

4.   Technology System: Under the Hood

Theoretical Tree-Climbing

Some theoretical techs are obviously much more abstruse than others, and should not be researchable until certain other theoretical techs have reached some given level. The game will employ specific precursor requirements for a given Field in the same way as for an Application (i.e. specific levels plus broad base) for these tech areas.

Example 1:

Macro-Economic Theory cannot be researched until a nation has:

5 levels of Currency theory
2 levels of Monetary Policy theory

Example 2:

Temporal Physics Theory cannot be researched until a nation has:

7 levels of Engineering theory
5 levels of Pure Mathematics theory
30 levels of Mathematics/Computers
30 levels of Macrosciences

Note that the exact numbers of levels required for certain Precursors may differ from game to game or even from player to player. The range will be narrow (say, +/- 10%), but large enough to have a meaningful gameplay effect. The Primary Field requirement will always stay the same, in order to ensure some degree of consistency and avoid randomly generated "chicken and egg" situations, but all secondary and general field precursor requirements are subject to variation.