Research progress = Research Upkeep

[Ulthar]

I am baffled by the new beta patch.

It says "Most research improvements have a corresponding cost in research upkeep"

From a game balance perspective, I guess that makes sense.

But if I research faster, because I am smarter, I pay the same amount for researchers.

But basically, the game is doing this:

If 150 research points = 150 energy, and you get a +25% because you have some bonus then you now get 200 research points but pay 200 energy.

Same as if you just hired more researchers

To me, that defeats the point of being good at research. Everyone is good at research now, it just comes down to money.

[CrUsHeR]

Research Speed doesn't affect the researcher output.

There already is another mechanic doing that, Academic Privileges living standards.
You pay twice the Consumer Goods upkeep for specialists, and in return you get +10% output and +10% extra happiness for specialists and rulers. Additionally +0.17 trade value per specialist and effective +20% political power for rulers (which translates into more unity from factions).

Expensive, but no problem for a Megacorp for example. Thanks to the Consumer Benefits trade policy generating consumer goods from trade value.



The actual Research Speed is a final multiplicator for your monthly progress, which is why this has always been much stronger than similar amounts of research job or -station output.

Not sure how much exactly you're paying in the beta, but if you add up all the other, entirely negative changes, it is a catastrophy - not just for research-heavy builds.

[Elitewrecker PT]

You're still researching quicker with the same amount of researchers. Paying more might be easier than just getting more researchers, especially later on with the increasing pop growth time.

[Cellar_Cat]

Originally posted by Ulthar:

Same as if you just hired more researchers

To me, that defeats the point of being good at research. Everyone is good at research now, it just comes down to money.

They are still more efficient in building slots (or districts) and pops, no? If you wanted to churn out a bunch more researchers without that tech you'd have to breed/build/"borrow" those pops, and the extra pops, colonies, and districts would likely expand your empire size more than just teching up and producing extra resources does by itself.

I mean, it's entirely possible they have gone too far with it, they've even said they don't know if these changes will ever go live. But I wouldn't say it's the same as just building more stuff.

[Carog the Fat]

empire size is critical here as more people to do the research means the cost goes up for the research, but each researcher producing more and costing more doesn't affect the over cost of the tech being researched.

This is the point of the test to see if making it cost more will slow down research due to the need to support them. the real problem is the current beta tech curve is terrible at the top end 20 years for mega engineering at 2360

[Sea Base]

Basically, economy of scale go BRRRRRRRR. Upping the resource conversion relative to the size of your empire is a good thing.

[ReoHays]

It needs help!