Technologies levels

[Veldriss]

In MedioEvo Universalis there are 24 technologies and the next image show their representation:


The five different colours you can see represent five differents braches.

Up to three ranks per branch with greater costs but also greater benefits

8 first level technologies

11 second level technologies

5 third level technologies.

In the first version you had to buy all the first rank technologies in order to become able to buy a second rank technology, and that you had to buy all the second rank technologies in order to become able to buy a third rank technology.

This system worked well but had a problem: it was monotonous, in the end all the players was buying the same technologies, most often in the same order, reducing the strategy choises, in conclusion we started to look for a different way, but there was a problem: we used the technologies ranks to also as player rank.

Player rank is what say if you are using level 1,2 or 3 horses, ships and so on; with the old system in order to become a rank 2 player you have to buy all the first rank technologies, in order to become a rank 3 player you have to buy all the second rank technologies.

Actually i don'r remember who of us got the idea for the new system but it worked great (and it still works great even with a few changes):

If you have less then 11 technologies you are a rank one player.

If you have more then 10 technologies (which means at least 11) but less then 19 you are a rank two player.

If you have more then 18 technologies but less then 24 you are a rank three player.

If you have 24 technologies (wich means if you get them all) you get the rank four. (rank four was up until 2005 when we decided to have only 3 ranks for everything).

There was a long list of reasons for wich we chose those specific numbers of tecnologies in order to set the player rank, i'll save you from all of them quoting only the most importants:

Buying 11 technologies require the player to trade for making enought money (he could buy all the technologies even if he don't trade at all but in that case he will spend all his money for buying technologies and he will not have enought to use the technologies he bought), but at the same time is not too long.

The second most important reason was that you didn't have to buy all the first rank technologies first (in order to buy a technology of the second rank you still have to buy the first rank of the same brach of course) there were a lot more strategy in the ways players bought technologies.

In order to relieve the game veldriss decided to put down the fourth rank turning it in an Honor Point as a reward for reaching the highest technological level.

Moreover having three levels we divided the technological evolution in a more homogenous way making each rank made of 8 technologies becoming a second rank when buying the ninth card and a third rank when buying the seventeenth, with the Honor Point as reward for buying the twentyfourth.

In this way players can now easy trade at the beginning of the game keeping enought money to become a rank two player already in the second turn of the game, let's say we busted 3/4 rounds of monotonus expansion.

In the game of the 16/04/2010 we finally introduced the new technological system dreamed for long time, not yet ultimate but we are quite there.

We still have to decide some bonus/malus to apply at the IMPERO or CALAMITA' cards, the system it's always the same, it changes only some aspects:

-you can buy only 3 technologies per turn (there was not a limit before)

-we have 32 technologies now (not 24 as before), Veldriss would like to bring the number to 34 but he's still working on it

-there are 5 different branches, with 4 different ranks (before was 3)

- you can't acquire more then 24 technologies, and between those only 3 can be rank 4 technologies.



I'll post a translated scheme as soon as i have it.

Important new with this system is that all lands start with the same capacity of population, in this way first time players don't has to find out where can put 10 units, where only 5 and so on, all lands are the same, but the cities of course.

You can still improve the capacity of population with technologies as AGRICOLTURA (AGRICOLTURE), ROTAZIONE DELLE COLTURE (CROP ROTATION), ALLEVAMENTO (BREEDING) and CACCIA(HUNTING).

There is a particular rule for the branch that start with CONIO (COINAGE): this branch is divided in two branches itself but you can chose only one.

Veldriss is still working on the final technology scheme... lets say that we are near to have 30 technologies well difined and tested, still evaluating the last 6/8.

As you can see from the image below the scheme something is changed than before:



- CONIO (COINAGE), ATTIVITA' BANCARIA (BANKING) and GILDE (GUILDS) have been moved under MATEMATICA(MATH)

- LEGGE (LAW) is back

- SIGNORIA (LORDSHIP) was removed

- ACCADEMIA MILITARE (MILITARY ACADEMY) and TATTICA(TACTICS) were added under ISTRUZIONE (INSTRUCTION)

- We added the bound between the empire card CERUSICO and CHIRURGIA(SURGERY) and OSPEDALI(HOSPITALS)

[deply]

Here we are back from GiocaTorino 2010 with a new idea about technology:

- Separation of FORGING WEAVING TRAINING HUNTING cards from the branch of agricolture.

- Creating with these cards a couple of other "branches" technology that they go to the second level and in particular:
1° HUNT => 2 ° BREEDING
1° FORGING => 2° WEAVING

Another possibility would come to join the two branches above and then (if you own all 4 cards) to make possible the purchase of FAIR without a card of the third level.

I wrote it very quickly, however this will be discussed in more playtesting Friday night.

[Veldriss]

Yes, we talked a little during the convention and a bit down the street ...

Let's say that in theory is not bad and the idea of Deply and Mozzy to release HUNTING, FARMING, WEAVING and FORGING to obtain FAIRS (the branch would still leave the same as the color), but then I would not want to get FAIRS too "easy" to buy.

Also true that it should be able to compete with ROADS, UNIVERSITY, GUILD, HOSPITALS, DEFENDER OF THE FAITH and FEUDALISM so I'd say players will be more interested to buy it.

[Mozzy]

Or you could do in order to add new levels under BREEDING, HUNTING, WEAVING and FORGING. What do you think?
Anyway I was reminded of one other thing! I found it was very convenient to use pencil and mark the tecnology on the printed page that you distributed at the beginning of the game rather than using the cards.
You could try to create branched tree species (just as were those of the printed page) and try to do a layout with the designs you're doing ... then players report the technologies acquired by adding a marker with a magnet or something else (Vel, you will think something better for sure).

ah! here .... you could also make holes in the page next to the technology and then add nails which indicate the technology purchased .... do you remember toys for children who have colored plastic nails and fill holes to make the drawings?
I do not know, for me seemed comfortable.

[Veldriss]

Add other technologies? Surely no, we have seen that average, in 3-4 hours you buy 2 cards technology level 4, so the game has reached a level of "interesting" ... useless to lose the attention of the players on other technologies, 24 purchased on a maximum of 34 does not seem to me a few.

We always have time to develop/modify existing ones, so now I'm gearing up to produce all the cards at home without the help of graphic/printer ... I just bought yesterday A3 laminator and I'm looking on the internet for a cutter always A3 ... I thought this:


So if there are several errors in spelling or printing I do it .

The table with the branches of technology is pending the completion of the angel by Omar ... he has only color it and then I will complete this and the trade table on the opposite side of the page, it will be slightly larger format than A4, maximum A3.
I'm considering whether to create various tables of the Trade, depending by the map (BASE or + EXPANSION) ... 3 tables were not many.

Mozzy, theory with a sheet similar like GiocaTorino 2010 (once arranged the graphics) could play quietly, crossing with pencil the various technologies purchased, but you know that I 'm never happy, so the paper will refer to the various branches of technology and the players will buy the cards (that Omar should definitely finish me PLAY 2011, we hope ).

Holes, magnets, pins... I do not think so, I think that publishers will more scare at most I eliminate Tecnology deck and check the Tecnology with pencil on the sheet.

[Veldriss]

The solution of placing a purchase limit of 3 cards in turn should be the best option ... you could also add other options, for example, the limit of 4 ° level cards that the player can have:
1 4th level card if the player is a 1st level of technology (up to 7 technology cards)
2 4th level cards if the player is 2 ° technology level (up to 15 cards Technology)
3 4th level cards if the player is the 3rd technological level (up to 24 technology cards)
no limit of Level 4 cards if the player owns more than 24 card technology