Re: Research Switching Mechanics

[sven]

What about the event where you discover a derelict craft and salvage it for research?
I'm thinking about when you have no reserch selected and your beakers go to Narnia

I've officially been won over by all the arguments in favor of tech-specific research. I changed the switching mechanics in a recent patch. (There are still some outstanding issues with estimated-time-to-complete numbers in some info screens, which aren't taking into account stored beakers associated with non-current techs and/or science-leader % discounts.)

In the case that you salvage a derelict craft when you have no project selected, the beakers will go to Narnia, just as they would if you did research while having no tech selected.

I like the suggested solution, that a research task is selected automatically when you forget to do it. So there is no real loss.

Yes, according to my code comments, this is what *should* currently be happening. But, atm, it's not... So that's a bug. I'll see if I can get a quick fix up while I'm waiting around in the Frankfurt airport

edited by sven: Actually, in my latest tests, your advisor does seem to be reliably choosing a tech for you, if you decline to select one yourself. If you run into a case where this doesn't happen, please let me know, and upload the save. Thanks

[SirDamnALot]

I've officially been won over by all the arguments in favor of tech-specific research. I changed the switching mechanics in a recent patch. (There are still some outstanding issues with estimated-time-to-complete numbers in some info screens, which aren't taking into account stored beakers associated with non-current techs and/or science-leader % discounts.)

So that means, every tech keeps track how far it is been researched? Does that work with an old savegame or better start a fresh round?

Yes, according to my code comments, this is what *should* currently be happening. But, atm, it's not... So that's a bug. I'll see if I can get a quick fix up while I'm waiting around in the Frankfurt airport

edited by sven: Actually, in my latest tests, your advisor does seem to be reliably choosing a tech for you, if you decline to select one yourself. If you run into a case where this doesn't happen, please let me know, and upload the save. Thanks

I'll will be on the lookout for slacking scientists =)

Hope you had a blast here at the gamescom =)

[SirDamnALot]

Quick try with not selecting research. Yes, my advisor automatically selects a new tech.
Planets that are doing research as production get a warning that they will do the old "stockpile":

stockpile.png (467.73 KiB) Viewed 11624 times

A side note: now that every research is it's own thing, overflow from one project is lost.

[Arioch]

A side note: now that every research is it's own thing, overflow from one project is lost.

That doesn't bother me too much, but I know it drives some min-maxers crazy.

[SirDamnALot]

A side note: now that every research is it's own thing, overflow from one project is lost.

That doesn't bother me too much, but I know it drives some min-maxers crazy.

Yes, the net loss is not much. Exception is if you neglect a techtree long enough so that your research output far exceeds the research costs.
But if you are this powerfull, it should not be a problem for your empire.

If you want to go min-max nuts, you could switch your research planets to trade or something until you land on the mark and switch back with a fresh techproject to research

[sven]

So that means, every tech keeps track how far it is been researched? Does that work with an old savegame or better start a fresh round?

Old saves will have 0 research in all uncompleted techs. But, other than that, they should still work

[Chasm]

Simple solution, points are applied to a given tech. If you swap you have to start fresh, BUT those points are waiting for you in that tech as accrued research for some future date. As for excess points waiting on a short tech completion, those should be there. If I completed a project in 1 month, the other 11 months of the turn accrues, waiting for something to be put in ( your advisor would have let you know in month 1 , after all, and in theory you would have set it then)

[bjg]

I repeatedly find myself researching not what I need, but what I can research in one turn - this isn't right. Can you at least roll over the research points within the existing queue (if there is one)? It's plausible (particular research doesn't have to take the whole year), and it encourages planning (creating queues is planning).
The same goes for production. Why can't I build multiple transports (for example) in one year? MoO1 allowed that.

[sven]

I repeatedly find myself researching not what I need, but what I can research in one turn - this isn't right. Can you at least roll over the research points within the existing queue (if there is one)? It's plausible (particular research doesn't have to take the whole year), and it encourages planning (creating queues is planning).
The same goes for production. Why can't I build multiple transports (for example) in one year? MoO1 allowed that.

Both these changes are on my TODO list (rollover production for research and planet projects). I think the arguments in favor of them (as presented by various posters in this thread) are indeed compelling. But I haven't yet found the time to code them up.

[Chasm]

Best is getting 150 research points from a derelict colony, applied to an already 1 turn research project...