Research Strategy

[BioFringe]

I was considering posting this in several other forums before deciding to just do it here since I'm hoping to get some inside from the developer on his perspective in regards to this question.

In games like this, including ONI and Rimworld for example, do you like to research constantly until it's all done or do you prefer to only research that which you'll actually use soon?

I always end up struggling in colony / city builders with this question. On one hand I like to get all the research done right away but on the other hand it feels like research quickly gets too far ahead of what you can realistically accomplish soon. This can make progress feel disjointed at times. So when the survey asked about progression pace I had a hard time answering because it kinda feels right but then it kinda doesn't.

I'm currently playing ONI again and this is highly present to the point that I'm going to start over and take research slower. Only research what I need at the moment then have my scientist do something else until I need to unlock something again. The trick will be to try and stay one step ahead so that I'm never waiting on research in order to do something but I think personally controlling the research according to at-the-moment ability might help me feel more connected to the progress of my colony.

Thoughts?

[Boogey]

I think the research tree in MF is such, that you will always instantly benefit (excluding the food items) from researching the next thing. There aren't really limited or more advanced resources or complex manufacturing that it wold hold you back, only things affecting the pace is amount of miners and research. Because of this, if you can only afford from mining, having a researcher researching is a good idea.