Very strange, I have played then several times (most not full games, just swimming around ) But i have not seen that problem.  I think i recall seeing the -50 on the planet description but when i looked at its rw production it was OK (i.e. no -50).  I'll try a new quick start and check it out when i get home.   BTW are you ruining the latest opt in -1.61.2?

This was from a game prior to the opt-in. The 1.61 opt-in didn't fix the problem but maybe I needed to launch a new game (just as I needed to have the fix for Eager working).

My current game doesn't seem to have Torians and I see no Aqua planets so I won't be able to test myself. I don't want to restart another game since this is my first attempt playing Godlike and I have a decent start.

To avoid any misunderstandings. I was playing my custom race and conquered Aquatic Torian planets and when I researched the tech, I still had -50% RP.

Hmm...when did 1.61.2 come out?

Well i started my game late Friday night so it should be the latest.... didn't realize there was a 1.61 2

Ok to "try" and make up for my dear dummy (wrong) previous responce, i took a quick look at planet trait defs xml

 <Techs>
          <Option>ColonizationFocus1</Option>    **Aq woeld
        </Techs>
        <RaceTrait>                                            *  
          <Option>AmphibiousAbility</Option>    **  This race trait section appears to be what broke it
        </RaceTrait>                                          *

Well here you go, New game Mods off (unlock just to get there quicker)

http://content.screencast.com/users/a0152570/folders/Jing/media/63e9bc0c-eab3-46af-88ba-20cbd223ae5f/2016-02-29_1726.png

http://content.screencast.com/users/a0152570/folders/Jing/media/4af8b95a-f982-490c-bc58-ab5a8c939fa8/2016-02-29_1727.png

You can see it have the teck but the planet still is -50% raw production

if i delete

<RaceTrait>  

     <Option>AmphibiousAbility</Option>    **  This race trait section appears to be what broke it
</RaceTrait>

 it works

need to add back in as an OR function

<Prerequ>
        <Techs>
          <Option>ColonizationFocus1</Option>
        </Techs>

Ticket ID #JPU-166-97659

Strange.  It's working for me:

Are you sure you started this game under the latest version of 1.6.1?  

I would check PlanetTraitDefs.XML in your GalCiv 3 Game directory and make sure it says this in the section for AquaticWorld:

<ExtremeTypeModifier>
<Prerequ>
<Techs>
<Option>ColonizationFocus1</Option>
</Techs>
<RaceTrait>
<Option>AmphibiousAbility</Option>
</RaceTrait>
<OverrideOr>true</OverrideOr>
</Prerequ>
<Modifier>
<EffectType>ProductionPoints</EffectType>
<Target>
<TargetType>Colony</TargetType>
</Target>
<BonusType>Multiplier</BonusType>
<Value>0</Value>
</Modifier>
<Modifier>
<EffectType>GoodsAndServices</EffectType>
<Target>
<TargetType>Colony</TargetType>
</Target>
<BonusType>Multiplier</BonusType>
<Value>0.25</Value>
</Modifier>
<Modifier>
<EffectType>Tourism</EffectType>
<Target>
<TargetType>Colony</TargetType>
</Target>
<BonusType>Multiplier</BonusType>
<Value>0.25</Value>
</Modifier>
</ExtremeTypeModifier>

With the bolded bit being the line added late in the 1.6.1 opt-in (just before it was released to everyone).

Yeah, I know which mod you're talking about.  I use it all the time, myself  Just go ahead and dump PlanetDefs.xml from the mod, as all the "extra" planet traits are in a separate xml called  Planets_PlanetTraitDefs.xml.  What PlanetDefs.xml in that mod is doing is changing some of the traits of the worlds already found in the base game.

If you want to keep the changes to the base worlds that the mod makes though, you do have to keep the file PlanetDefs.xml in the mod folder and update it like you mentioned in the post.  Renaming it to something else will cause duplication errors.

Also it would be very helpful for some mods to be independent from game's files.

For example I want to alter an improvement I cannot create a simple xml file with that altered improvement only but the entire code with all improvements.
This is a common problem for modders because the updates and expansions make changes in code like the Aquatic planet mentioned here.

It would be very helpful if the game could recognize the code and I type "PlanetImprovement" in my mod and this one overrides the other "PlanetImprovement" in game's files.

Also something else, the developers could create a check in code. There is already something in the game when something is wrong you get a window reports an error on a certain xml. But it could expand to check the mods compatibility with current game version.

If someone has created his own PlanetTraitsDefs.xml game should check that the code is valid not just errors but issues like the aquatic planet.