I've been thinking about the possibility of scripting a new tech system using the upcoming institutions feature, and have been mulling over a possible "tech tree" for the period. Obviously without seeing the gritty details of system, it's difficult to tell what exactly how far it can be taken, but I'm curious how this initial list of "techs" sounds to people who are dissatisfied with tech in EU4:
Basic techs (most likely won't be able to emerge independently, but maybe an allowance will be made for players in americas/sub-saharan africa)
- Ironworking
- Written Language
- Domesticated animals (only conspicuous by its absence in americas, could be replaced)
Mathematical techs (can only initially emerge from or spread to provinces with universities, prerequisites for many other practical techs)
- Numeral system
- Geometry/trig? (maybe redundant)
- Algebra
- Calculus
Trade techs
- Metal currency
- Guilds?
- Banking/credit
- Finance
Production techs
- Mixed agriculture (trade access to both old and new world crops)
- Guilds?
- Mechanical weaving
- Decent Steel
- Coke/industry?
Naval techs
- Shipbuilding
- Multi-mast sailing
- Navigation
Weapon techs (could be billions of things here, but I want to keep it simple and handle more specific modifiers elsewhere)
- Cavalry
- Gunpowder
- Firearms
- Artillery
Administration/government (loads could go here, not sure on order)
- Law codification
- Taxation
- Primogeniture (includes local level [extra administrators/officers from younger landed sons, etc], not just national succession)
- Bureaucracy
- Census
- Courts/appeals
- Parliament (not necessarily democratic)
- Religious tolerance?
Army techs
- Hierarchical command
- Professional officers
- Professional soldiers
- Standing army (redundant?)
- National conscription (late game, super OP)
Cultural techs
- Organized religion?
- Artistic patronage, architecture
- Literature
- Nationalism (late game, starts fucking everything up but also militarily powerful)
This is already 30-40 (god only knows how the performance will be), but I think this would be fairly comprehensive of the period for actually simulating the differences between the americas, china, the muslim world, western europe, etc. They'd mostly spread through trade and proximity, with the player probably being able to choose a "focus" through decisions for their ruler to make progress faster, and build/fund universities and other buildings that more quickly adopt and originate techs.
This should be the last piece of removing monarch points from the game altogether. Ideas will be a bit of a pickle, but right now I'm thinking that they'll be free, only provide a single bonus, and have a static 5-10 available at a given time throughout the game.