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Research tech tree feedback

Dr. Smite

Active Member
Like the collapsible ages and notification on how many techs you researched in a certain age. I don't like that on browser, there is scrolling up and down. Still getting used to the beige background, pictures, and pastel colors.
 

Super Catanian

Well-Known Member
Would sure be nice if I could interact with the new tech tree to give feedback...
Yo so I decided to go to the tech tree for the first time in a week. It looks hella awesome! The fact that ages can be collapsed means I can see many ages all at once!
Kinda sad that the highlights of the Modern Era doesn't include Refined Goods, only the two GBs of that era. Oh well...
 

DeletedUser23246

I only play on my mobile phone —- I cannot read the new tech tree. I have to click on each one to make it large enough to read. The shading is not transparent enough, all the text is blurry and impossible to read. The functionality of the tech tree has dropped from good to terrible.

It doesn’t work;needs less decoration more contrast and crispness.
 

The Lady Redneck

Well-Known Member
I find the size issue REALLY annoying. It spoils what is otherwise a very nice easy to follow U/G. I love collapse feature and the color scheme.
 

Captain Christian

Well-Known Member
I like it!

One thing, my account crashed while you were updating it, I got back on, and the new stuff was there! I just want to know why it wasn't scheduled as downtime?
 

mike888

New Member
The text font (size) could have been larger. The pop up windows have the extra room. I like it a lot generally. They sure made it bright!
Why are the goods have and needed text always such small font. (size)
 

Kranyar the Mysterious

Well-Known Member
Absolutely horrendous implementation of a great idea.

I'm really sad to see that nearly every non-bug complaint that I read about in the beta feedback was totally ignored, and just pushed to us anyways.

Too bright (just like the retchid color of the forums, but at least on the forums I can, and do, use a recolor extension).

No way to add fp to research directly from inventory. You still have to add fp manually to your bar, go to research, use, go back to inventory, rinse, repeat. This is a feature that has been requested for a long time, and now is when it logically should have been implemented. The only reason I can think of to have it this way is to trick new players into spending diamonds without realizing that they don't need to.

Costs are not listed directly, but as a XXXXXXX/XXX listing. This is an annoying design decision in my opinion, but is livable.

Too small of text. Hard to read, and is compounded by the oversize issue.

I do like that on PC you can just hover over the tech and the research paths light up, instead of having to click the tech to see them.

EDIT - just got the update on mobile, and the oversized issue isn't there on my phone (don't have my tablet handy to check there), which is good. But even with glasses it is hard to read the details on my phone. The text (other than the main labels) is smaller than it needs to be with terrible contrast.

If the background had gotten some kind of image to break up the solid color, I think it would be more tolerable. Thankfully I don't spend much time on that screen.

As much as I like the collapsing ages and artwork, I wish I could go back. With a few changes this could have been one of the best updates to the game, but as it stands it is not.
 
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RazorbackPirate

Well-Known Member
These are always my favorite threads. Hating change because it's change. The effluent of adjectives, absolute hilarity. Unfortunately, I've was not lucky enough to be part of the test drive to see just how over the top these objections really are. I expect when I do see it, like most every other change rolled out in the last few years, most all of it will be all about nothing.
 

Kranyar the Mysterious

Well-Known Member
I expect when I do see it, like most every other change rolled out in the last few years, most all of it will be all about nothing.
I'm not sure about that. This was rolled out months ago to beta, and still hasn't been implemented to all players there. It has also been one of the less well received changes in the last couple of years. The fact that they are only doing a partial rollout on live indicates to me that they want to see if the feedback they get here is as negative as it has been on beta.
 

RazorbackPirate

Well-Known Member
I'm not sure about that. This was rolled out months ago to beta, and still hasn't been implemented to all players there. It has also been one of the less well received changes in the last couple of years. The fact that they are only doing a partial rollout on live indicates to me that they want to see if the feedback they get here is as negative as it has been on beta.
All this partial roll out indicates to me is that they didn't have a large enough sample size on the beta server to get any actionable data from their A/B testing. Since most players rarely interact with the Tech Tree, they simply need more data from more people.

This is no different than the 3 recalc change in GvG being rolled out only on the EN server. They couldn't A/B test on just the beta server, so they did the A/B test with the US and EN servers. This A/B testing showed that their best action forward (revenue) was to roll back the changes keeping GvG on a single recalc timer.. Nit because of the complaints, because the data lined up with the complaints. Also no different than the 2 vs. 4 hour auctions when the Antiques Dealer first arrived. After they got the A/B testing data they needed, the went forward with 2 hour auctions as the standard.

In this case, I suspect they're testing for reduced interaction with the Tech Tree, which I suspect will reduce data calls/server traffic. If they get that in the areas they've designed for it, then they'll roll it out to everyone.

So far, the complaints both here and on beta have fallen into 3 categories.
  1. "There was nothing wrong with the old way, I don't like the change, I want the old Tech Tree back." The least likely of the scenarios. Way too much invested getting it this far, there is only tweaking toward a full roll out moving forward.
  2. "I don't like the colors, too cartoonish, garish, blah, blah, blah." Falling on deaf ears at Inno. The cost of increased accessibility for the color impaired is brighter more contrasted displays. Deal with it. As long as the data shows decreased transaction times, they don't care what folks have to say about the colors, the artwork, etc. This is a feature upgrade, they only care about the feedback on the features and how that matches with their actual data.
  3. Aspect ratio, image pan issues, etc, all legitimate feature issues/bug, all issues Inno will want to solve.
So most of the feedback will fall on deaf ears, they're interested in feedback on the features, which has been mostly positive both here and on beta. They're interested in reducing clicks to goal, which will ultimately be what rules the day on wide scale roll out.

Anyway, Wider A/B testing is what's happening here. They simply need more data to measure. It's also a great way of minimizing server impact during the transition. UI changes of this magnitude result in increased server impact during the first 6 weeks as players click here, there and everywhere finding the old tools and learning the new features. Eight weeks from now group A will be at the tail end of their learning curve with Inno seeing lowered server load, ready to give it to group B take the last server increase, eight weeks later the entire system running more efficiently, no matter what anyone has to say about color or artwork.
 

Joeyjojojo

Active Member
I like the collapsing, and really like being able to quickly find uncompleted tech.

Upon expanding an age: meh. Haven't looked on browser, but on mobile the sizing seems wrong: text & graphics too small but lots of unused space so no obvious reason to make it hard to read/discern. I don't find the color offensive, but it is bright and I wouldn't mind it being toned down a bit.

Mostly, I think it is insane that Inno went to all the trouble to "fix" the tech tree but didn't do the one thing that would have actually made a meaningful difference: spend FPs from stock.

I guess, fine, whatever, sure, I'll get used to it, but really: 2/10 (for reference: adding spend FPs from stock to the old scheme with no other changes would've been 8/10).
 
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