Written as V0.4.5 stable is newest.
Here is the my concept for technology:
There are unique technologies and progressive ones.
o) Progressive technologies can be researched infinite times. They are progressively getting more expensive and therefore less cost-effective. Examples: Weapon Systems, Armor, Ship Types (and so on)
Example Armor:
- Titanium Armor I: 6 Structure, 100 Research
(Factor: #2 Structure, +100% Research, Requirement: none)
Titanium Armor II: 8 Structure, 200 Research
Titanium Armor III: 10 Structure, 400 Research
Crystalline Armor I: 6 Structure, 200 Research
(Factor: +4 Structure, +100% Research, Requirement: Titanium Armor 2)
Crystalline Armor I: 10 Structure, 400 Research
And so on...
o) Ships should have a size you can set freely (Size10, Size15 or Kilotons or whatever). Also here: progressively more expansive and less cost-effective with the advantage of rarely being destroyed due to their hitpoints. And then you set a Type (robotic, classic, organic, ...)
-) The Type (Lets call it Testhull) has attributes like 0,2 external slots, 0,1 internal slots, 2 hitpoints (...), and that is multiplied with the size. Example:
Testhull Size 15 has 30 Hitpoints, 3 external slots, 1 internal slots
-) You can upgrade those modifiers by researching the new tiers of hulltypes. So Robotic-II is slightly better than Robotic-I, so you get more out of you ship size and its costs.
Unique technologies are things like being able to build outposts, being able to use kraken nests and so on. Once you enabled that, there is no point in researching it again, obvious that it is unique.
The advantage of this concept is, that it does not let you run out of technologies. And also it allows to be more creative with technology treeing by the player. As a developer you do not have to microdesign every single technology. You just design the first one and its modifier for further levels.
What do you think about that?