[Puke]

regarding randomized research, i must point to an example from another empire building game. Imerialism II, if you have ever played it, had a very nice research modle.

prerequisites were randomized, within a pool. for example, road building required maybe 2 out of a possible 5 base technologies. saw mills, required 2 out of another pool of 5, with maybe some overlap - but each would not require the same tech.

i dont know if this makes sense to you. let me try again.

tech A, B, C, D, & E are base technologies, low on the research tree.

tech 1 requires two techs from the group ABCD and tech 2 requires two techs from the group BCDE, but their prerequisites may not overlap. so 1 may need A+B, and 2 may need D+E, but they must not both need tech B. or they must not both need the same tech..

and the whole tech tree went like this. and most of the pre-requisites made some sort of sense, even given their random nature.

but sure, random technology costs would be the sissy way of doing it.

and while im on a drunken rant, let me tell you that Imperialism and Imperialism 2 were MAN's empire games! politics mattered! strategy was important! 1 was more political manuvering and turmoil, 2 was more resource raping conquest. they were both great games, and still worthy to play today. Trade Empires was written by the same company, and is possibly the greatest economic / merchantile sim of all time. In short, Frog City is probably one of the most ingenious development houses on the face of the planet, bar none. if you have not played their games, you should go pick them up on the discount shelf, or order them Online. you have not played a real empire building game unless you have played these. SE4 and its brethren are alot of fun, but it cant compare.

of course, you cant blow up suns in the Frog City games, and as far as i can figure, its not so easy to make mods. so you are all cursed with my presence.