Research system advice

[Mushboom]

I haven't played this game in a few years, and while I'd like to play again, the research system is hurting my motivation to start. I like to try and make each new colony unique, but the one, very repetitive element is that there's always one person grinding out the research bench their whole life.

Has the research system changed, or is there a recommended mod or something to make it a little more passive? Not sure why, but the research desk really just didn't click with me. Thanks!

[di eshor ribly]

Yeah, it's kind of an issue if you're running a Tribal start, a slow researching ideology, or just have a bunch of mods adding extra research. I use two research mods myself:

Together they let pawns pick the lowest cost research available on their own (saving time that would be spent on you picking something out) and one that basically works out to having a second researcher.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1227757287

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2552092060

[Radiosity]

Hasn't changed. There are a few mods that change how it works.

- Research Pal (currently known as ResearchPowl... I think, it's gone through a number of different maintainers and renames, but just refine your search to only show 1.5 and you should find it). Lets you queue up multiple research so you don't have to keep selecting something every time one project finishes. Also has a nice tech tree view that is way better than vanilla, plus a search function.

- Steady Research. A good one for low-tech playthroughs where you're starting with nothing, this just automatically selects the lowest level tech available and your researcher will crank it out, then it selects the next one, and the next, progressively working through the whole tree without your input.

- Semi-random Research. My favourite, this one just gives you a selection of a few techs to choose from, and has options for allowing rerolls, how many techs to show each time, and more. Makes each playthrough feel a little different, but can be frustrating if you need something specific and it refuses to give you it ;p

- Research Reinvented. A complete overhaul of how research works that has your researchers go out onto the map and find objects to research. So if you're researching tree growing, they'll go out and study trees, and similar things. Also has options to interrogate prisoners for valuable research information and other options of that nature. If there's nothing to research, then they'll crank it out like in base game, but with a debuff to research speed. Also has a couple of additional addons that further tweak and change how research works.

[Radiosity]

Adding to my previous comment, you can also add some mods that increase research speed. Recommend checking out Rimputers, Even More Linkables, and Brain in a Jar.

edit: oh, and another excellent one to try is Stored Research, which lets your researchers simply work on building up a stock of research points which you can then use to instantly purchase any research you like, as long as you have the points for it. So even if you don't have an active project, your guys can still be gainfully employed until you remember to select a project, but it also means you can store points and instantly unlock something in an emergency.

[Jigain]

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2868392160

[Antearz]

Originally posted by Mushboom:

I haven't played this game in a few years, and while I'd like to play again, the research system is hurting my motivation to start. I like to try and make each new colony unique, but the one, very repetitive element is that there's always one person grinding out the research bench their whole life.

Has the research system changed, or is there a recommended mod or something to make it a little more passive? Not sure why, but the research desk really just didn't click with me. Thanks!

Well. The Others seem to not have realized it as much.
But actually the System has been Changed a bit.

Because Rimworld now has Books.
And these Books can be about Research Topics and therefore Create Research for their Respective Topic.

Which means that You can actually also get Research from your Pawns Reading Books.
Books also come in 2 other types. (3 with Anomaly).
These Types are:
Skill Books. Which if a Pawn Reads them will Train them in a Skill.
And Recreational Books. Which Pawns can Read for Recreation.
(The Third Type is Tomes which contain Anomaly Research but also can cause Bad things to happen)


And because these Research Shematics can be Created by the Game for any Research.
It can actually be used to completely Ignore the Research Bench.

(Pls Note. The Game Disables Books for Research for which You dont meet the Requirements. So You cant get Cataphract Armor Book unless You got the Techprints already. Likewise You cant get Mechanitor Research without the Respective Chips first. Exception being the Wastepack Atomizer which for whatever reason can be gotten as a Book even without a Chip. Which is Funny because You need the Chip anyways to Build One.
It also will Decrease Chances to Generate a Book for Research You already have.
And sometimes it will Generate Books that will Research two Technologies at Once)



And Books are actually Faster than the Research Bench.
Even Lower Quality Books will still give more Research Points per Second than the Research Bench. And high Quality Books give Insane amounts of Research very Quickly.
Pawns will also Actively try to Read Books for which You dont have the Research Yet.


The Drawback of course being. That if You want to use Books instead of the Research Bench. You will have to Actively Search for Books.
For example. Traveling to other Settlements to look for Books.
Or Sending other Settlements Gifts and then Ask them to Send You Trade Caravans.
(Books are Exotic Items so Exotic Traders have the highest Chance for Books I think)



So Maybe that System would be Better Suited to Your Taste.
And since You can use both Systems at Once.
You can always Fall back to the Research Bench if You got no Luck finding a Specific Research Book.

[brian_va]

Originally posted by Antearz:

Originally posted by Mushboom:

I haven't played this game in a few years, and while I'd like to play again, the research system is hurting my motivation to start. I like to try and make each new colony unique, but the one, very repetitive element is that there's always one person grinding out the research bench their whole life.

Has the research system changed, or is there a recommended mod or something to make it a little more passive? Not sure why, but the research desk really just didn't click with me. Thanks!

Well. The Others seem to not have realized it as much.

of course you can do books instead of a bench, but then you are dependent on trading instead of the research bench, plus your options are limited to the books you have available to you. placing a few benches and requiring a bit less work from some pawns in exchange for powering through the research for the specific techs i want seems like a fair trade.

[Antearz]

Originally posted by brian_va:

Originally posted by Antearz:

Well. The Others seem to not have realized it as much.

of course you can do books instead of a bench, but then you are dependent on trading instead of the research bench, plus your options are limited to the books you have available to you. placing a few benches and requiring a bit less work from some pawns in exchange for powering through the research for the specific techs i want seems like a fair trade.

Starting with Crashlanded and having a Bolt Action Rifle as well as some Armor and Electronics Tech from the Start. Is also much more efficient than Starting with Naked Brutality.

But most People Play for Fun. Not to MinMax through the Game.

So if he Dislikes the Research Bench System. And would rather have Research being done Differently. Then using the Books might be an Interesting Alternative.

[XelNigma]

Research reinvented is a great idea. saddly most research still comes down to them just standing at the research bench because you dont have anything to reverse engeer or to study.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2879094186&searchtext=semi+random+reserach

This mod also helps mix up the game play. Adds an almost rogue-like feel to research.

[Wrinkle Raisin]

Scenario Editor => Start with Research

[Bloodcup]

enable dev mode in options, then click complete all research. then turn dev mode back off.
no mod needed.

[Hoki]

making research more passive? the aforementioned semi random research would act as the foundation. that mod would allow the game to randomly keep researching while still allowing you to have some control over the researchtopic.

that wouldnt remove the need of a researctable though. there is no mod that would effectivly would research more any more passive.
what xelnigma posted is only partially true. you can run the game without researchtables via research reinvented by changing how researchproject are set up. it would mean disabling material, fuel and theoretical research entirely so all you are left would be reverseengineering and books which come with their own set of drawbacks.

[Shrub]

Do you mean you've dedicated a pawn to researching and are frustrated by the consequences of this? Do you not like the linearity of how the research bench works? Or is it because the pawns standing still are not interactive or entertaining?

I'm confused because typically any dedicated pawn will be doing things like planting / construction / cooking their whole life unless you're managing hybrid pawns like doctor / researched, constructor / plant cutter etc.

Beyond the lack of clarity, there's tons of awesome tips and solutions in this thread. I hope you figure it out, whatever it is!

[Indoor Bison Rancher]

You can make a custom start with things researched already