research question

[lemurs2]

Engineering projects? What is this good for? It seems to give me 1 extra research slot but if I use it I am just splitting my research points. Am I missing things?
Thanks if someone can help with this.

[corisai]

Originally posted by lemurs2:

Engineering projects? What is this good for? It seems to give me 1 extra research slot but if I use it I am just splitting my research points. Am I missing things?

Yes. Global research are in 99% cases only UNLOCKING a new projects to you (and everyone else on Earth).

Projects are science goes practical - and they're provide some kind of benefit to you.

So you want them both :) As being on top in science race not only allow you to pick-up next tech to research but also increase speed of discovering projects from completed tech.

[ulzgoroth]

It sounds like you're actually asking why you would want more engineering project slots, rather than just using one and focusing down one project at a time.

The answer to that is that you get a bonus based on the number or projects you're actively contributing to, both public and private. Watch your total research score as you switch a project on and off to get a simple proof of this!

This isn't necessarily obvious. But it is a motivation to have six slots (when tech permits) all active.

(Also, additional 'engineering' resource grants a 5% per unit bonus to your projects, so once you've got the slots unlocked it is attractive to pile on more sources of engineering.)

[lemurs2]

Ah, okay, thanks. Still seems a bit weak. I have sometimes turned one off to focus something important.

[ulzgoroth]

Originally posted by lemurs2:

Ah, okay, thanks. Still seems a bit weak. I have sometimes turned one off to focus something important.

Oh, sure. There's times where full focus is probably the right choice.

But with six slots working it's actually a pretty big bonus, so if you have six techs worth developing (and that's pretty much always true) it is an attractive option.

Silly that AFAIK the game doesn't explain why it's an attractive option though.

[ExavierMacbeth]

Originally posted by lemurs2:

Ah, okay, thanks. Still seems a bit weak. I have sometimes turned one off to focus something important.

What your missing is the stacking bonuses... If you have 10 Engineering Projects (Say 3 skunkworks modules & 7 Councilor Orgs with Gears) you are getting not just the extra project slot but also +50% (5% each) to ALL Project research. It can go up to +100% before you start getting diminishing returns...

This stacks with the +50% (before diminishing) you can get from the normal Science Modules and Org Bonuses (like +% Military Science, etc).

Which means late game you can invest 1 pip into each Faction Project slot and often end up making more progress on EACH than you are on the 1-2 Global Projects you might have set to 3 pip investment.

[Damedius]

Once you get far enough you can usually pull away with research. This allows you to run three pips on all your projects and run two on one or two global researches.

[lemurs2]

Oh, okay, the bonuses apply twice, thats cool.