This idea for the research tree/web isn't about organisation, it is just the in-game visualisation and could be used alongside any sort of organisational method we use.

So, the idea is we present the research tree in-game in a sphere, rather than a flat web/tree. This sphere can be rotated by clicking and dragging or with the directional arrows. The researches themselves are presented in some some of bubble, or shard, and can be read from any direction, unless they are behind another bubble/shard.

When you first gain sentience, and the initial researches are available to you, they are all you can see of the sphere, and as you research the techs, more possible researches appear on the outside of the sphere, which build up to form a bigger and bigger sphere until everything is researched. Things that aren't researched, but are available to be, appear greyed out, and glow when hovered over. Clicking these will begin research. The only way you can see researches beyond the available ones are 'ghost' images of the outer sphere, sort of darker tints on the screen, giving you an idea of how many more researches are possible, without obstructing your view or revealing exactly what is to come.

As you research new things, and get more advanced, new 'layers' of the sphere emerge. These signify the current 'age' you are in, like industrial or information ages, and can also be used for navigation within the sphere. Each age has an appropriate style of bubble/shard. A key at the edge shows the name of each age (so far) and a styled bubble next to it. Clicking on an age in the key will remove every layer above that age from the sphere, allowing you to view past researches. Greyed out researches (that are available to be researched) are also removed if they are beyond the selected age. If there is a possible research in the age beyond the current one, the next age appears on the key, allowing you to view that research and research it, but the name and bubble/shard are greyed out until the age is achieved.

So, any comments, questions, or ideas? And, as with all my polls, vote changing is allowed.

Sort of like this? (Warning: 60 seconds Paint concept. Lots of imagination required!)

Spoiler:

I like the idea of a 3D visualization. However, i wouldn't confine it to a sphere, just a 3d ball and stick tree. (like Keen's but in 3d)

I'm all for a 3d sphere if it allows for quick interaction, but I fear it would slow down moving through the tree. Still, this will not show until we have actual prototypes to test on. The idea is well worth a shot.

This seems to be a rather decent idea, but the main problem would of course be navigation inside the sphere/tree. Google SketchUp, Max and other programs didn't solve it in a decent manner, I'll tell you. If you overcome navigation and make colorful layers, I'll be rooting for you (yay for rainbow =3 )

I like the idea. I think I have an idea of what it should look like. The scroll wheel seems like it would be a good idea for navigation. One thing that might make it less cluttered would be to not have all researches from fusion back to fire showing all at once. How about if you scroll in, outer researches would fade away and lower research bubbles would become bigger.

Or we could just use a circle. So much cleaner than a sphere, and no scrolling issues.

I like this idea in principle, and we're probably going to need something way more sophisticated than a tree to handle all the researches based on the level of detail on even the incomplete research tree we have. However, this could easily get visually confusing if implemented wrong.

One question: On the outer layers, wouldn't researches have to be spread apart further and therefore harder to locate individually?

Also: perhaps there should be an option in the game to switch between this and other, less innovative methods of displaying it (like a simple tree or web.)

It could look like a 3D holographic molecule-like structure, with all the writing on or inside the balls.