Tech Tree

[Riddly]

In RCT3 research was pretty bland. There were slider bars to allocate your money toward different areas of research but you didn't really know what was going to come from that research next.

How about multiple tech trees where players can spend their money on specific research projects their park currently needs?

Here's a generic example: Three main tech trees 1) Rides and Improvements 2) Food and Vendors 3) Beautification.
(Keeping it simple for the example)

Under rides and improvements you have sub-branches such as roller coasters, flat rides, water rides etc. So say your guests are looking for a bigger thrill than your current wooden coaster offers; you can open up the Ride tech tree -> Roller Coasters -> Steel Coasters and under Steel Coasters you have a selection of Steel coasters to choose from instead of the old RCT model where you spend money toward coasters but have no clue which coaster you'll get.

Same goes for the other categories. Under food you can research different food types (Pizza, Burgers etc), building types (Quick Service Stalls, Restaurants, Cafes, Food Courts). Similar categories for merchandise vendors and shops.

For every item available to research, you should be able to see the cost and research time associated with it.

 

[RandyChimp]

Within career mode, I like this idea. What if instead of specific rides being researched, mechanisms became available over time, allowing more advanced rides?

 

[VACkillers]

Within career mode, I like this idea. What if instead of specific rides being researched, mechanisms became available over time, allowing more advanced rides?

Yeah I'd be done for that... I think it would work in a singleplayer space quite well, it gives you something to strive to, to work towards... Nothing beats the excitement of unlocking stuffs!!!

 

[RandyChimp]

Yeah I'd be done for that... I think it would work in a singleplayer space quite well, it gives you something to strive to, to work towards... Nothing beats the excitement of unlocking stuffs!!!

It would also mean you feel like your research spending is less random, but covers a wider range of unlockable content as opposed to one item.

 

[Diabo44]

Within career mode, I like this idea.

I like it too [up] +1

 

[TRG86]

Within career mode, I like this idea. What if instead of specific rides being researched, mechanisms became available over time, allowing more advanced rides?

I like that as well. +1 for sure! [up]

 

[Angelis1]

I like this idea.

 

[KnoxVegas]

I would love to see the tech tree style in this game in order to upgrade rides and stalls, maybe even types of foods, prizes for game stands, and other things as well related to the coasters, and maybe other types of technology?

 

[Kerrash]

I suppose you could consider even individual ride pieces on the research tree.
Now do I go for a chain lift or rush straight to a steam launch...

[squeeeeee]​

 

[etapley0687]

I like these ideas. In terms of scenery, I'd like the option to have a group of scenery available. For example instead of making one wall from a african village theme available, make the whole african village set available... if that makes sense.

I don't know if there was a feature in place to help with this but when I was creating a scenario I had to click on each item/attraction and move it over to the available in game column. Hopefully there'll be an option to select a group of items/attractions so you may move them to the next column instead of doing it one by one.

 

[RandyChimp]

I suppose you could consider even individual ride pieces on the research tree.
Now do I go for a chain lift or rush straight to a steam launch...

[squeeeeee]​

Well, that could work as the first options on the tech tree, and unlocking the chain lift gives access to all coasters that use a chain lift, so you have to wait until you can unlock LIM coasters and stuff.

 

[KnoxVegas]

Well, that could work as the first options on the tech tree, and unlocking the chain lift gives access to all coasters that use a chain lift, so you have to wait until you can unlock LIM coasters and stuff.

Love the idea, I could see a bunch of people not wanting this but I think if its in a career mode this would be amazing for sure.

 

[RandyChimp]

Love the idea, I could see a bunch of people not wanting this but I think if its in a career mode this would be amazing for sure.

Oh yeah, of course, this wouldn't work in sandbox or scenario creator or whatever, but in career mode it would be perfect. If career mode was just "Build a bunch of parks", then everything you unlock would stay unlocked on that profile, so future parks would automatically have anything you've researched from the start. If career mode is Scenario based, every scenario could have different unlockables.

 

[Palaber1984]

Oh great idea. There came a few games to my mind which uses tech trees.

But instead of building one research building and researching for hours. A better way for example:

Steakhouse= 5 middle food stalls build + 10 small food stalls + min. 5000 guests

Something like this

 

[widlan]

Like this idea also, in career mode, it will give a purpose. And after we found something, maybe be able to use it in our other parks.

 

[AnimalMother]

You could do the Kerbal Space Program's version of the tech tree, whereby you had to achieve milestones and goals to gain research points, then it was up to you to decide what part of the tech tree you opened up.

I remember that at first it was frustrating that the one technology you were after was just out of reach, so it forced you to think out-the-box in order to gain access to those crucial points. But crucially when you were quarter of the way through the tech tree, things started to become prohibitively expensive, that you had to strategies what goals you wanted to achieve in the long-run, and keep your focus.

 

[Kaj Taotsu]

Could easily see this being built into a campaign's objectives; Unlock a number of research items, Research and implement a track piece on a coaster in your park, etc

 

[BoozleBox]

You could also make it a bit little civilisation were you only start of with the equivilent of Stone Age rides using old tech and then depending on your investment into different ride systems, like lift hills and such, you could progress through the history of theme parks. Would be a challenge to see if your park survived till the 21st century Actualy if they don't add this I'm totally going to learn code just to add this in as a mod for career mode. You could even add real world events or Planet Coasters own versions of them that effect you parks

 

[SymphonyX]

Interesting discussion here. I have some alternate ideas on the topic of research that I have been thinking about for a while. What if the rides and stalls became available based on the number, skill, and training of your staff? So for example, if you wanted to build a more technical roller coaster, you would first need to train your operators, mechanics, and engineers to a high enough level that they can successfully operate that type of coaster. As you train more staff, you increase the options that you are allowed to build. For example, if you want a LIM launched coaster, you would need to train the required number of staff to the level needed to operate a coaster with the those features. The same would be true for chefs and servers when upgrading food stalls from normal to premium stalls.

 

[Saskro]

I like the idea of a somehow historical timeline for campaign mode. Reminds me of the game The Movies were you built a movie
studio up from the silent movie era to modern cinema. This gave you a feeling of a realistic progress of
your studio - or in our case, theme park.

You could start with a small fairground and work your way up to developing wooden coasters. From there more and more modern
technology would become available until you create your own Planet Coaster franchise and theme park empire!! [big grin]