Instant Research Glitch

[Sines]

So, when you collect enough bodies, you're able to do the autopsy on them immediately. A cool feature, except that like many other things in the game, it's a bit glitchy.

First off, the instant research will only trigger when you complete some other form of research. No getting the requisite number of corpses and then immediately getting the research. Second, the instant research will not trigger if you start researching the item yourself, even if you should have the instant research.

I did a brief experiment. I completed a mission with enough MEC bodies while researching powered armor. I tried starting the MEC research, and it was set to take 4 days as usual. I then set it back to power armor, and let the power armor research complete. No luck. I then reloaded the final turn of my last battle so that I could start over again. This time, I didn't touch the MEC research, and just let the clock run out on Power Armor. At this point I was offered instant MEC research as usual.

I'm not sure what happens if you save an instant research for when you collect enough bodies for some other instant research. I'm guessing the instant research ending is enough to trigger the instant research for the other autopsy, but I can't confirm. I'm in no rush to perform the Shieldbearer Autopsy, so perhaps I'll save that as a test for another instant research autopsy.

This is almost certainly a glitch and not as intended, but is anyone experiencing it acting otherwise? Does it just sometimes not work properly and does the rest of the time? And is there a mod out for this behavior? I put off my BS Rounds and Mk2 Gremlin for a long time, I shouldn't have to wait for another research project to finish to finally get them.

[Rabid Cabbadge]

The point of free research is to balance the long research time of some tech. Depending of your difficulty setting (looking at you legend), it is better to do the autopsy before they get free than wait until it gets free. On commander and bellow, the research time is minimal and you will likely be tempted to go for the important one and neglect autopsy. The choice is different on legendary, where you will likely need to do the mech autopsy asap and won't be able to wait until its free. Hope it help!

[Sines]

I understand how free autopsys work, and their relative risk reward issues. This is about what seems to be a glitch in free autopsys not working when they're supposed to.

[Matg]

4 years later it's still the case. Definitly an issue that should be fixed:
I started an autopsy and then changed my mind right away so it's started but still 0%.
Then after collecting tiwce the required corpses quantity I realised the instant autopsy had never occured.

[Zloth]

Finishing in-progress research would be good but I'm not so eager to see the free research get done while you are already doing other research.