Tech Tree visualization

[db48x (OP)]

In fact I was misunderstanding the schema. skoormit was able to supply the insight I needed to make this much nicer graph:



It turns out that the database classifies techs into Categories, Fields, and Types, all at the same time. I suspect that this has evolved over Aurora's lifetime; the result is a bit confusing.

I think the next step will be to filter out the unreachable techs used by the spoilers, as well as the secret techs. Then the layout could be better, probably in a lot of ways. All of that can wait for another day, but if anyone has any more ideas please keep posting them.

[Mr.Nap]

In fact I was misunderstanding the schema. skoormit was able to supply the insight I needed to make this much nicer graph:



It turns out that the database classifies techs into Categories, Fields, and Types, all at the same time. I suspect that this has evolved over Aurora's lifetime; the result is a bit confusing.

I think the next step will be to filter out the unreachable techs used by the spoilers, as well as the secret techs. Then the layout could be better, probably in a lot of ways. All of that can wait for another day, but if anyone has any more ideas please keep posting them.

Classifying techs by color gives a dimension of another level.
Good work.

[JuergenSchT]

Pretty nice work.  But would it be possible to filter out all of the technologies that are automatically awarded at game start (conventional or TN), like beam fire control technologies or reduced missile launcher size?

[Father Tim]

Pretty nice work.  But would it be possible to filter out all of the technologies that are automatically awarded at game start (conventional or TN), like beam fire control technologies or reduced missile launcher size?

None of those are awarded at (a conventional) game start.

[db48x (OP)]

Pretty nice work.  But would it be possible to filter out all of the technologies that are automatically awarded at game start (conventional or TN), like beam fire control technologies or reduced missile launcher size?

When writing software, all things are possible (leaving aside all discussion of Gödel for the moment). Sometimes things which are possible are too expensive or laborious to actually implement, other times it's just not a good idea. In this case I think it would make the graph much too simple if I did that; there would be no giant bottleneck at the Trans-Newtonian tech.

[db48x (OP)]

Well, I think this is as good as it will get without manually moving nodes around. I would prefer if the key were at the top-left corner, and if the nodes dependent on Trans-Newtonian tech were sorted vertically by field, so that all the techs are near techs that are related.

[Migi]

Well, I think this is as good as it will get without manually moving nodes around. I would prefer if the key were at the top-left corner, and if the nodes dependent on Trans-Newtonian tech were sorted vertically by field, so that all the techs are near techs that are related.

This is very nice but it's quite big, is there any chance of having 1 tech area per graph?

[db48x (OP)]

This is very nice but it's quite big, is there any chance of having 1 tech area per graph?

I don't think that would improve it any. The tech tree is much too simple to really need a reference like this anyway; the only tech with "complicated" dependencies are the engines, and that's just because each engine tech needs a reactor tech as well.