Why can't I build a Skunkworks?

[robberbaron77]

I'll probably feel dumb when this is answered, but I can't build a Skunkworks in any of my cities. I have unlocked Advanced Subatomic Theory, (and verified I do have the Comm Jammer ability available), but no Skunkworks. Is there a building prerequisite? I couldn't find any mention of such in the Datalinks, and it's been so long since I've played AC that I can't remember.

[Verrucosus]

I can only offer speculations.

Are you playing the Spartans? They do not have to pay extra for prototypes, so it's conceivable that the building is disabled for them. The same applies to the lowest difficulty levels.

[robberbaron77]

Ah...I'm playing on Citizen difficulty. That must be why.

[robberbaron77]

Is there any way to enable them at all difficulties?

[Verrucosus]

None that I am aware of. A number of settings can be changed by editing the alpha.txt file, but I have not seen anything regarding the effects of difficulty levels.

[vyeh]

IIRC, at the Citizen difficulty, there is no prototype cost and no production penalty for changing the current build. Why did you want to build skunkworks?

[robberbaron77]

Um, there is a prototype cost on Citizen, if you disable the ability for your engineers to auto-design new units. I hate that ability; it clogs up my choices with units that I'll never need. When you self-design a unit, you do pay a prototype cost.

[vyeh]

I don't get a prototype cost at Citizen level

I created a Citizen level game in SMAC and chose the Gaians. I disabled auto-design. There happened to be a supply pod just outside my first base. I moved the scout there and got Industrial Base. So I self-designed a synthmetal garrison. Since that was a new armor, it would have required a prototype cost under Transcend level.

I don't see one. I'm posting the game.

Could you post your game?

[Petek]

Perhaps this a just a difference in terminology. Looking at vyeh's synthmetal garrison in the design workshop, it does have a prototype cost. However, this cost is the same as the standard cost.

robberbaron77 -- Do you see different prototype costs and standard costs?

Petek

[vyeh]

I changed the game to automatic design, switched to producing a Former and ran the game until I discovered Applied Physics. At that point, the game automatically designed a 2-2-1 Laser Squad showing "Prototype Complete." Petek, note that even though I never produced a 1-2-1 Synthmetal Garrison, the unit workshop also shows the Synthmetal Garrison as "Prototype Complete." It had been showing "Prototype Cost: 20" up until the point Applied Physics was discovered.

I did notice one very interesting thing. When the Synthmetal Garrison was "Prototype Cost: 20" and I tried to upgrade the scout, I got a message that said that the upgrade cost is 130 since the Synthmetal Garrison had not been prototyped. When the Synthmetal was "Prototype Complete," the message was the upgrade cost is 30!

[vyeh]

I did the same thing for the Spartans at Transcend. Regardless of the automatic design, I continued to get "Prototype Cost: 22" (Spartans have a -1 Industry penalty), which meant that upgrading the scout unit to synthmetal garrison before completing one (even at the same cost as the second synthmetal garrison) costs 130.

[robberbaron77]

Ok, I was wrong about that prototype cost; I was confusing the 50% penalty at Talent and above with the double cost you pay for prototypes at any level.

[vyeh]

To see if skunkworks gave an ability beyond the Spartans, I did the University at Transcend, went into the scenario editor, gave the University Advanced Subatomic Theory and enough energy credits to rush skunkworks. Here the unit workshop says for ECM Garrison, "Prototype Cost: 30," but only lists the cost as 20 in the University Base production screen.

However, it would cost 130 to upgrade the scout unit to either ECM Garrison or Synthmetal Garrison.

[vyeh]

Originally posted by robberbaron77
Ok, I was wrong about that prototype cost; I was confusing the 50% penalty at Talent and above with the double cost you pay for prototypes at any level.

I assume you're talking about the 50% penalty on minerals above 10 that is assessed for changing production on anything except from one secret project to another secret project.

The cost for prototypes is 50% above the regular cost at Talent and above. At Citizen and Specialist, the prototype cost is the same as the cost for the second and subsequent units.

[robberbaron77]

Ok; let me explain. When I would build prototypes in the workshop at Citizen, if the cost of the unit was 30, it would say just below "prototype cost 30". Now, that I do it at Talent difficulty, it does the same thing, only now on the "build" screen, it has in green lettering over top of the picture, "+50% Prototype" or something to that effect. That's what I assume the Skunkworks will discount?