A research question

[General Hawkwing]

Does anyone know how the "repeat research projects" button works? Does it work with only 1 area selected? Do unused research points roll forward? EX: If level 1 costs 5000, level 2 costs 10,000 and I have 17,000 points will I research both levels 1 & 2 in one turn and spend the remaining points on level 3.
I'll try to test this tonight but was wondering if anyone already knew.

[dmm]

Yes, it works exactly like that. And you can repeat several projects if you like, either sequentially or simultaneously.

[Psitticine]

Speaking of rollover, if you let your research queue run dry and then assign a new project after getting the notice, are the extra points from Last turn lost?

I'd assume so - and it seems a reasonable penalty for "bureaucratic" disorganization - but I was curious if anybody knew for sure.

[Seawolf]

Psi,

Yes if not used the research points are lost. There is no "storage" for research points.

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Seawolf on the prowl

[General Hawkwing]

Ran some tests Last night and found that it would only advance 1 tech level per turn. This was on demo 0.56. I did not get the message saying that all projects were complete. My research screen showed level 2 research with no part completed.
My tests had around 22,000 points and I was researching level 1 5,000 point, level 2 10,000 point items.
This makes no sense from a mathematical view and little sense from a realistic research point of view.

[Instar]

THere are two ways of researching thinggs
You can split all the points, or finsih the projects in order
Splitting points can waste points
Doing it in order does one or two at a time
Repeat projects just makes it do the same research over and over

[General Hawkwing]

Internet connection glitch here I'm sorry if this appears twice.

Instar, yes that is correct. However, it is folly to split points evenly if 1 project will coomplete on the next turn. All points over those needed to complete the project are lost.
The question is why don't points roll forward to the next level. In other games the do. In fact, they did in SE3! Others have said it before and I'll say it again, the research point allocation method is MUCH better in SE3 than in SE4. I don't know if it is possible to leap 2 or more levels in a turn in SE3 since I never focused my research that much. In fact, the even splitting of points has made me change my approach to research.

[Seawolf]

General,

But whenyou get more and more reseach points you can have 2-4 projects done in a turn. The lack of carryover may be changed later, but think about this you need to know the tech before you can research more and the game may need a turn to realize you have the tech, also there may be other tech tress that get triggered. Just a thought or 2


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Seawolf on the prowl

[General Hawkwing]

Seawolf,
I usually research more than 1 tech area at a time. I just wanted to know what would happen. Say you run across a race with advanced missles and your pt def is level 1. Would be nice to jump up a couple levels quickly.
My concern is having to waste research points on technology that I may consider currently unimportant because if I don't spend them I lose them. Then I have to reorder the tech projects to keep the unimportant tech at the tail end of research points.
In SE3 I could set research to 0% (archieve the files) and not lose already spent points. Has anyone tried to turn off a research project in SE4? Are the points lost or is the project partially finished?

[This message has been edited by General Hawkwing (edited 16 October 2000).]

[Seawolf]

NO idea I will check and get back to you

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Seawolf on the prowl