Question on tech research

[loinburger]

On the other tech-question thread on this page, Stormhound said that we can have up to 30 areas of research open at one time.

First question: if I double the number of resources being put into one particular field of research, will this approximately halve the amount of time between breakthroughs? An alternative is that it might do more than halve the amount of time between breakthroughs (quarter it, for example), based on the reasoning that increasing the number of perspectives (scientists) on a problem will help with brainstorming and catching errors. Another alternative is that it might do less than halve the amount of time between breakthroughs (possibly it wouldn't decrease the time at all, or even increase the time), based on the reasoning that too many scientists will only step on one another's toes (or hooves or tentacles or whatever).

I realize that the amount of time it takes to research is tech is fairly random; my question refers to the average benefit of adding researchers.


Second question: will one research team be able to exert a research benefit on a team working on related research? For example, if one team is working on "Bio-Engineering" and another team is working on "Bio-Informatics," then one team might inadvertently make headway in the wrong field of research ("Well, this program you've written doesn't seem to do us much good, but I'll bet those Bio-Informatics folks could find a use for it"), or the teams could share resources ("The Bio-Informatics team will be done with the specimen next week, then the Bio-Engineering team can have their turn at it").

[Stormhound]

Some good questions...

1) The answer is complex, so bear with me. The first stage of determining speed of research is based upon how much money you put into R&D in general. There is a diminishing-returns formula (no specifics yet, sorry) that determines how many Research Points (RP) you get out the other end. So doubling the money will at best halve the time, but may not do that well.

All research requires RP, and the RP numbers are fairly fixed (though you don't know them). However, there is no diminishing returns formula on assigning RP (though there IS the old MOO1 formula of giving you interest on your RP), so doubling the RP allocation should approximately halve the time required.

2) While we don't have things set up precisely the way your example reads, we do have "unexpected benefits" built into the model. I can't tell you more at this time, sorry.

[Ingeniator]

How quickly will we be able to change things over? I mean, in the real world, you can't just suddenly decide to start doind research on nuclear weapons. There's a delay while you recruit more people, reallocate funds, and stuff like that. I remember reading somewhere there's a difference between "Why haven't those dolts done what I asked yet?" and "Are they still doing that?"

That isn't to say there couldn't be a crash program set up, eg the Manhattan project for the A-bomb in WWII. But otherwise, changing the priorities should be gradual.

[Stormhound]

You'll still be able to swap things around pretty freely from turn to turn, but this is one of those areas where "turns are between 1-2 years" covers us pretty well.

[Dinkeldog]

Stormhound,

Given your point 1) above, does that make it so that your best choice is always to wholly research one area then move on to the next? If you can have 100 RPs to invest, say, and 2 techs that each will cost 300 RPs to get them, then you're better off putting all the points into one for three turns, and then all the points into the other for three turns. That way you get the benefit of one tech, at least, before the six turns it would take you if you split your efforts.

Granted the interest on RPs put in will change that a little bit, but is the interest rate high enough to make that significant?

Thanks.

[Stormhound]

Depends upon whether you consider 10%+ to be significant, and upon just how important it is to you to get that one tech first.

In addition, we need to distinguish here between fundamental and applied research.

With fundamental research, you can push the money around however you like. The interest will save you money in the long run, and we're trying to make money a lot tighter than in MOO2. However, fundamental research doesn't give you techs...it only gives you the ability to conduct specific applied researches, which are how you get the techs.

With applied research, there IS a limit to how quickly you can push through a project, and if you try to exceed the defined "normal" funding you increase the risk of the project incurring additional expenses. So you can't just triple the funding and get one thing each turn; projects require time.

[Zealot]

Stormhound, can both Fundamental and Applied research be stolen by spies?
If so, is one harder/more-expensive than the other to steal?

[Stormhound]

Yes, and I can't say (depends too much on too many variables).

[Zealot]

Originally posted by Stormhound
Yes, and I can't say (depends too much on too many variables).

Why did I get the feeling that if I want to know these details I have to buy the strategy guide?

[Stormhound]

I wouldn't know. I have nothing to do with deciding what goes in the game manual and what doesn't.

What I do know is that we're going to have an "Encyclopedia Galactica" help feature, and I hope that a lot of such details will end up in there. But again, not my decision.

[Zealot]

Originally posted by Stormhound
What I do know is that we're going to have an "Encyclopedia Galactica" help feature

Are we going to have to pay for that as well? (j/k)



When a game starts will a race have a small number (1/2) of techs, like in Civ, or will all start at the same level as in MoO 2? If so, will we be able to define at wich tech level will the galaxy start? (in MoO2 there's pre-warp, average and advanced-really useful in MP games)

[Stormhound]

So far as I know, you'll all start at the same level. I don't know whether any advanced tech start settings will exist or not, as I haven't really had anything much to do with game setup.

[Zealot]

Originally posted by Stormhound
So far as I know, you'll all start at the same level. I don't know whether any advanced tech start settings will exist or not, as I haven't really had anything much to do with game setup.

OT question:
Do you, as an Auxiliary Designer, have the possibility to play the whole game developed so far, or are you restrained in any way, for the 'confidentiality' sake?
Or you just have to apply to be a Beta tester in order to see the whole work?

[Stormhound]

I get to see how things are going whenever they send me a CD, which they do occasionally.

[Zealot]

Originally posted by Stormhound
I get to see how things are going whenever they send me a CD, which they do occasionally.

Well, as the Apolyton's Official MoO 3 mole, don't forget to tell us how things are going, 'k?

I'm getting a little anxious...