Research

[ThymineC]

Out of curiosity, how is research implemented (or planned to be implemented) in Galaxial? For instance:

• What sort of things are available to be researched?
• Will research be necessary to acquire or use particular modules or ships?
• Will certain research confer bonuses (e.g. 5% increase in rate of fire for a particular weapon class)?
• If research does confer bonuses, will these bonuses be immediately applied to all eligible units, or will it only be applied to newly-created eligible units?
• Will certain research act as prerequisites to other research, or can you choose to research anything?
• Will there be different 'grades' of a particular area of research?
• Will any module or facility be required to perform research?
• Will any consumable resource be required to perform research, or does it just take time? Is there a way to alter the amount of time it takes to research something?
• Is research 'global'? If you research X at some location Y, are the benefits of that research immediately available everywhere else for you?
• Is research persistent? Is there any way to lose research, or will the sum of things you research always monotonically increase within a game?
• Is it possible to 'steal' research from other factions? If so, what are the mechanics behind this?

[StuartMorgan]

Research is being worked on, so a lot of this may still change or be added.

What sort of things are available to be researched?
Will research be necessary to acquire or use particular modules or ships?

All ships and modules will require research before you can build that particular type.

Will certain research confer bonuses (e.g. 5% increase in rate of fire for a particular weapon class)?

Yes. The list below is most of the current bonus modifiers that can be added to ships, modules, colonies or the whole empire.
The values are just as an example.

Code: Select all

+10% Beam Laser Accuracy
+10% Beam Laser Damage
-10% Beam Laser Energy Cost
+10% Beam Laser Fire Rate
-10% Beam Laser Power Requirement
+10% Beam Laser Range

+10% Cargo Capacity

+10% Commerce
-10% Facility Construction Time
+10% Farming Output
+10% Population Happiness
+10% Hydroponics Output
+10% Population Growth Rate
+10% Maximum Population
+10% Refinery Capacity
+10% Refinery Speed
+10% Research Bonus
+10% Natural Resources
-10% Ship Construction Time
+10% Colony Upkeep

+100 Crew Reserves
+10% Maximum Crew Reserves
+10% Crew Recruitment
-10% Crew Maintenance Cost

100 Damage
+10% Damage

-50% Maximum Speed and Turn Rate
+10% Decelerator Resistance
+100 Maximum Energy
+10% Maximum Energy
+10.0 Energy Recharge Per Second
+10% Energy Recharge
Restores 10 Energy
100 Energy Leech
+10% Energy Leech
10% Energy Leech Resistance

+100 Garrison Size
+10% Garrison Size
+10% Garrison Reinforcement Speed
+10 Garrison Defence Strength
+10% Garrision Defence Strength

+100 Maximum Hull
+10% Maximum Hull
+10.0 Hull Regeneration Per Second
+10% Hull Regeneration
Restores 10 Hull
10% Hull Damage Resistance

10% Bonus to Frigate Damage
10% Bonus to Cruiser Damage
+10% Troop Attack Strength

-10% Mining Laser Cooldown
-10% Mining Laser Energy Cost
-10% Mining Laser Power Requirement
+10% Mining Laser Range
+10% Mining Laser Yield

+10% Missile Acceleration
+10% Missile Accuracy
+10% Missile Damage
+10% Missile Launcher Fire Rate
+10% Missile Flight Time
-10% Missile Launcher Power Requirement
+10% Missile Maximum Speed
+10% Missile Maximum Turn Rate

+100 Power
+10% Power

-10% Ship Profile

+10% Railgun Accuracy
+10% Railgun Damage					
-10% Railgun Energy Cost
+10% Railgun Fire Rate
-10% Railgun Power Requirement
+10% Railgun Range

+10% Salvaging Efficiency

+100 Maximum Shield
+10% Maximum Shield
+10.0 Shield Recharge per Second
+10% Shield Recharge
Restores 10 Shield
10% Shield Damage Resistance

+10% Maximum Speed

+100 Troop Reserves
+10% Maximum Troop Reserves
+10% Troop Recruitment
+10% Troop Reinforcement Speed
-10% Troop Maintenance Cost
+10.0 Troop Attack Strength
+10% Troop Attack Strength

+10% Maximum Turn Rate

If research does confer bonuses, will these bonuses be immediately applied to all eligible units, or will it only be applied to newly-created eligible units?

Is research 'global'? If you research X at some location Y, are the benefits of that research immediately available everywhere else for you?

They will apply to all eligible ships, modules and colonies as soon as its researched. This is to reduce micromanagement and having to upgrade everything.

Will certain research act as prerequisites to other research, or can you choose to research anything?
Will there be different 'grades' of a particular area of research?

You are free to research whatever you want for most projects. Some are limited to specific factions.

There are prerequisites for modules to reach the next 'grade'. Limited > Standard > Enhanced > Advanced > Prototype
Each module grade still stays useful in some way (less power requirement, longer range etc.), they shouldn't become completely obsolete.

Is research persistent? Is there any way to lose research, or will the sum of things you research always monotonically increase within a game?

Research projects that give empire wide bonuses (+10% Farming Output for example) will also have 5 levels. Once you have reached the end of a line, the temporary project will become available. These will be something like:

+25% Farming Output
Duration: 1 hour
Cooldown: 2 hours
Repeatable

You wont be able to keep temporary projects active all the time, but you can choose when to activate once it is ready.

Will any module or facility be required to perform research?
Will any consumable resource be required to perform research, or does it just take time? Is there a way to alter the amount of time it takes to research something?

Research facilities need to be built at colonies to generate research data. Each research project has a 'research data' and 'credits' cost as well as the time to complete it.

The research time and number of project slots available will most likely be fixed and the same for everyone. This is to prevent large empires having too much of an advantage and out-researching others.

Is it possible to 'steal' research from other factions? If so, what are the mechanics behind this?

There is no research sharing or stealing at the moment, but may be added later.

Credit goes to Gazz for some research balancing ideas

[TanC]

Credit goes to Gazz for some research balancing ideas

I see Gazz already had his hands in this...

[Camo5]

So when you say the lower grades will still be useful, does that mean we can choose between the grades at will depending on the situation?

[StuartMorgan]

So when you say the lower grades will still be useful, does that mean we can choose between the grades at will depending on the situation?

Yes. As you research new ship modules, the older ones can still be used in ship designs and be useful in some way. For example they might be quick and cheap to build or provide some other advantage that the newest research might not have. Better range but much less damage... that kind of thing.

[BrianCal]

I have to say, that's such a good game design. I hate it what the next thing completely makes the last one obsolete in every way.