Trading unique racial "starter" tech?

from GalCiv2 Forums
I started a new TA beta 3 game tonight, playing as Iconians. I was tempted to try the new Krynn, but I'm still trying to figure out the Iconian strategies so I have the Krynn as opponents to see how their influence goes.

Anyway, a few turns into the early game, the first minor race I encountered wanted to give me 100 bc for "Precursor Legacy - "A history of the Iconian civilization", marked with an asterisk as a unique tech on the trade window.

I REALLY like that asterisk showing unique racial techs. But why is this showing up in the trade window at all? And why would anyone pay for it? As far as I can tell, it offers no immediate benefits and doesn't hook into any later techs. All it does for the Iconians is unlock the Dream Conclave and Precursor Archive as starter buildings.

So what's going on here? Is this for sale in case someone later conquers an Iconian planet, and needs to tech up that line to get the conquered buildings or something? On an intuitive level, it really doesn't make sense that I should be able to "sell" this racial characteristic. It destroys the whole idea of unique racial techs, unless I'm missing something...


3,917 views 7 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
One more thing -- I just noticed that "Advanced Robotics", another Iconian tech that sits isolated at the left side of the tech tree, doesn't show up in the trade window. So... why does Precursor Legacy show up for trade, and not Advanced Robotics, since both are isolated starter techs that don't link to anything else, and only enable race-specific building improvements?

The logic of tech trading, when it comes to supposedly "unique" racial techs, is eluding me here. Not just this example, but in general. Maybe it would help if the devs would post something about their overall vision for how this is supposed to work. Right now, I'm totally lost about what's "unique" and can't be traded, what's "unique" but can be traded freely, and what isn't unique and is shared by everyone.

I know this will all come together with the final game version, but right now it seems a bit chaotic. :NOTSURE:
Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Perhaps the one not shown is already owned by the 'other'?
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Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Perhaps the one not shown is already owned by the 'other'?
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That's a thought, but I don't think so. This was just a few turns into a new game, and it was the first minor race I contacted for trade. The first race I had contacted at all, actually. How would they already have one of my "unique" techs?

Achhh... it's all very confusing. :p



Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I know this will all come together with the final game version, but right now it seems a bit chaotic.
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That's the point of the beta.  To get these issues ironed out.

early game, the first minor race I encountered wanted to give me 100 bc for "Precursor Legacy - "A history of the Iconian civilization"
End of quote


You're right, this is intended to be a unique tech to the Iconians.  The tech simply had not been flagged as "Not Trade-able" before we put the beta out.  This has been fixed internally, and will be in the following Beta build release.

Reply #5 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Last night my Drengins got the Terrans to pay a few hundred credits for Slave Pits...

That seemed a bit anachronistic.
Reply #6 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Thats a good point Wydmer... perhaps some techs should have ethical alignment associated with them... so as a terran, if I buy or acquire an "evil" technology and use it, it will decrease my alignment a bit.
Reply #7 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Currently, if you trade for the Legacy it unlocks the buildings for you as well