Tech tree with prerequisites based on dependencies and grouping buildings
Right now, buildings are unlocked individually, with no regard to what is needed for their construction or where they are in production chains. Buildings needed for the same production step are separate unlocks despite doing nothing by themselves (such as scavenger flag).
Farm comes with all crops unlocked, despite wheat requiring both gristmill and bakery to turn into food, which are also both separate unlocks from each other.
Considering the early access status of the game this is possibly a conscious temporary implementation; however, in case, I would like to suggest adding a tech tree when development allows.
Here's what a possible folktail tech tree would look like as an example, while not including science costs and every building it gives a general idea of buildings being locked behind each other such as buildings which need gears needing gear workshop, or later crops together with their production buildings. Unlocking could still be done via toolbar, or the tech tree.
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Comments: 23
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16 May, '25
Gin Fuyou SystemHighlighted comment
"A more comprehensive/ organized = more upgrade options" (suggested by <Hidden> on 2025-05-13), including upvotes (1) and comments (0), was merged into this suggestion. -
12 Dec, '21
Ryan Mergedmuch like you can't access water plants until you have the water farm, drop off posts should not be researched independently, rather it should be unlocked once you get the distribution post.
Similarly, bakeries should be automatically unlocked once you unlock gristmills -
14 Dec, '21
Gin Fuyou System"Buildings that necessitate one another should have their research combined" (suggested by Ryan on 2021-12-12), including upvotes (1) and comments (0), was merged into this suggestion.
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15 Jan, '22
Gin Fuyou System"tech" (suggested by LokusRaven on 2022-01-15), including upvotes (1) and comments (0), was merged into this suggestion.
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29 Jan, '22
WolfmanWhat about upgrading different buildings with research points? For instance researching a water reservoir with higher capacities, water pumps that can pump water from deeper levels. Or advanced workers: depending on their skill, workers build buildings faster, and harverster can work faster. For folktails: researching deeper ground depots, or for the iron teeth, researching better engines.
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15 Feb, '22
Sampson MergedI would like to suggest a civilization style tech tree. This tech tree could be accessed once you build an inventors hut, and would appear as a button on the HUD. The tech tree would go from bottom to top, and would have various things such as specific buildings, general beaver upgrades, and some sort of repeating tech that lets players use the thousands of science points they have at the end of a game. Players could still unlock most buildings like normal, with a few exceptions (metal stuff, mechanical stuff, ect.) as well as upgrade current buildings like water pumps to go deeper. Factions could have personal tech like the folktails upgrading crop yield and iron teeth increasing manufacturing speed.
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15 Feb, '22
Gin Fuyou System"Civ Style Tech Tree" (suggested by Sampson on 2022-02-15), including upvotes (1) and comments (0), was merged into this suggestion.
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25 Apr, '22
Sean MergedI would like to see a tech tree or web rather than investing the points directly into certain structures as well as hiding the structures that one has not unlocked yet. It doesn't make a lot of sense to do the research first then pick what it was all about. Showing them all at the start takes a lot away from the game imo.
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26 Apr, '22
Gin Fuyou System"Tech tree or web" (suggested by Sean on 2022-04-25), including upvotes (1) and comments (0), was merged into this suggestion.
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29 Apr, '22
Gin Fuyou System"add more to the science tree" (suggested by thomas on 2022-04-27), including upvotes (1) and comments (0), was merged into this suggestion.
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19 Sep, '22
FluffysminionIt could work just by locking technology until you have access to the resources that make it, like being unable to unlock large water storage until you have unlocked making gears.
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24 Nov, '22
Oskar MergedI've had a few instances where I used my science points on a building but I hadn't researched the building to actually produce the needed material. This led to cases where I had to get even more science just to unlock the required building to produce those materials.
My suggestion is to disable buildings that for example needs planks, until the building that can produce planks have already been researched. -
25 Nov, '22
Jcheung System"Prevent researching for building if preconditions are not researched" (suggested by Oskar on 2022-11-24), including upvotes (1) and comments (0), was merged into this suggestion.
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31 Jan, '24
Roboticice MergedI often find myself unlocking new tech by accident without the prerequisites. A tech tree where you cannot unlock stuff like Gravity batteries until you unlock scrap metal and the buildings to refine it would be a great addition.
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06 Feb, '24
Gin Fuyou System"Tech Tree" (suggested by <Hidden> on 2024-01-31), including upvotes (1) and comments (0), was merged into this suggestion.
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25 Feb, '24
VasEven without a tech tree, some things should just be unlocked in bulk too. Why would I need to pay extra science for different variations of a building that are all just slightly different from each other? I should be able to just bulk buy a group without having to do each individual item. Don't have any examples off the top of my head, but a tech tree is much nicer of an idea.
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25 Jul, '24
Jaco3011 Merged1) Certain buildings should come in sets, e.g. metal scavenger flag and smelter or bot-related buildings
2) Certain buildings/technologies should be locked until it's predecessor is researched, e.g. medium storage tank shouldn't be unlockable if gear factory is locked. -
13 Aug, '24
Gin Fuyou System"Technology and technology tree" (suggested by <Hidden> on 2024-07-25), including upvotes (1) and comments (0), was merged into this suggestion.
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16 Aug, '24
crimsonking MergedYou're allowed to build/invent medium tank (that requires gears) even if you haven't built/invented gear workshop yet.
You're allowed to build/invent mechanical water pump (that treated planks) even if you haven't built/invented wood workshop yet.
There are many examples like this.
You should at least get a warning about this kind of issues. People often forget about all these resource dependencies and then notice the build process is stuck when it's too late. It's annoying. -
22 Aug, '24
Gin Fuyou System"Resource dependency" (suggested by <Hidden> on 2024-08-16), including upvotes (1) and comments (0), was merged into this suggestion.
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08 May, '25
StarryGlobe089At the moment, optimal play will skip variants that are not strictly necessary until the late game, such as alternative lodges, different roof shapes, the lower floodgate, short bridge, and tall platforms since tech is hard to get by early game. Instead, the best strategy is to only pick essentials and rush the late-game science building since that one allows you to eliminate all the inventor huts.
Tech tree could also involve dedicating some resources to certain techs, similar to how a game like Factorio gets you to manufacture components before you can research their next step. -
13 May, '25
ImaDoinWat MergedOne thing I would really like it more organized build menu that allows for easier instant recognition of builds and their uses. I had finished making my fifth district by the time I realized that there was an upgraded water pump. I'd also like a warning message whenever I am about to unlock a new advancement that tells me whether or not I've unlocked everything that I would need to to actually build it. It would help new players learn the game better (I spent too long trying to make dynamite without knowing that I needed an additional pump for bad water)
On top of this, I would LOVE more upgrades- an upgraded, more efficient version of plank cutters, smelters, and farming houses. I kinda like the idea of having to tear down 90% of your first district to recreate it -
17 Jun, '25
IWBaboonNot sure if this has been suggested or not but the UI feels very cluttered at the start. while its nice being able to see everything it is a bit overwhelming for new players. In addition to a tech tree I think it would easy the burden for new players to have the tabs that have nothing unlocked in them appear when a new research is unlocked. it would help players like myself better keep track of the things that I need as I progress
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