Science station changeup

[Chasm]

2 per lab is good, BUT then the production cost should be locked at a set value. As it sits currently a 2 point lab in a scout ship is 20 wrenches, a 2 point lab in a battleship is 80 wrenches, and that same 2 point lab in a space station is 160 or 80 dependent on slot placement. Any way to make it a uniform value ? Especially since you can mount multiple labs in the same hull.

[Arioch]

Good point.

[bjg]

Maybe mount multiple labs in big hardpoints.

[Chasm]

It was set as a multiple per hardpoint prior to this update. Now the hard value is 2 across the board, but the cost in wrenches is still variable according to size.

[bjg]

It was set as a multiple per hardpoint prior to this update. Now the hard value is 2 across the board, but the cost in wrenches is still variable according to size.

It's my understanding that there was 1 station per hardpoint, but stations had different sizes (and output). If all stations are small now you can fit multiple into a big slot.

[Arioch]

Science stations were intended to be something that you put on an exploration vessel to gather science from exploring, Star Trek style. With the current mechanics (flat +science) you can put them on orbital stations, but that's not what they're intended for, and so there's no reason to incentivize the player to do so.

[sven]

2 per lab is good, BUT then the production cost should be locked at a set value. As it sits currently a 2 point lab in a scout ship is 20 wrenches, a 2 point lab in a battleship is 80 wrenches, and that same 2 point lab in a space station is 160 or 80 dependent on slot placement. Any way to make it a uniform value ? Especially since you can mount multiple labs in the same hull.

This seems like a sensible change. As of r17323, Science Stations should always cost 20 wrenches, 5 power, and 0 metal, regardless of the hull/mount they're placed in.

[bjg]

Can you upgrade Science Stations during the game (perhaps together with labs)? 2 science means something at the beginning, but almost nothing closer to the end.

[Arioch]

Can you upgrade Science Stations during the game (perhaps together with labs)? 2 science means something at the beginning, but almost nothing closer to the end.

Given what Science Stations were supposed to be used for (science bonus for early game exploration activities), I don't really think they should be buffed in the late game as passive science generators. Hopefully at some point we can implement some kind of active science gathering function that will reward appropriate science bonuses for the game state.

You can always replace them with something more useful in the late game if you feel they are no longer cost-effective.