So for example, you can set a building that requires 2000 'research points' and 1 'gemstone' to get 'Build Production'. By making other skills require items that can only be produced when other skills have been acquired you can build up a technology chain that provides a progression thru the game.
Another new bit kindof in relation to this is a selection of 8 generic items that are linked directly to 8 generic build skills. When a player has the item they have the skill. Dunno exactly what you could do with that but im sure u can think of somethin

Both these things will be in the 0.1.37 server.