Editing Guide to Research and Development (section)

== Tech Webs ==

Research points are generated at a static rate by the R&D Network (albeit more research points can be generated by the E.X.P.E.R.I-MENTOR) and can be spent on Technology Nodes at the console.

This is what your console will look like at the start of the round.
[[File:R&dconsolestart.png|600px|none]]

Simply click into any of the technologies to see what it requires and what it unlocks.
The number next to each technology represents its cost.
To unlock a technology, click the cost to spend your research points on it.

The console will update the screen to reflect your new research and send out a notification in chat.

At the start of a round, if you don't have any other research directives you should strongly consider aiming for: 
*Industrial Engineering
*Applied Bluespace Research 
*Mining Technology and Advanced Mining Technology 
*Tier 3 stock part technologies (High Efficiency Parts, Advanced Electromagnetic Theory, Applied Bluespace Research, and Advanced Power Manipulation)

'''Industrial Engineering''' is available as soon as you get your first 7500 research points, unlocks tier 2 stock parts for machine upgrades, and unlocks the RPED. It's also a pre-requisite for ALL of the other research items suggested here, so it's probably a good idea to consider doing it first of all. Possibly the biggest benefit for Science from this technology is that that someone can grab an RPED and go update Cargo's Ore Redemption Machine (ORM) immediately after finishing this topic. If the ORM is upgraded before the miners bring back their first load, then right off the bat ore gathered increases 35% and miners get 35% more points to spend on directly upgrading their mining equipment... which ultimately helps them bring in more ore for Science!

'''Mining Technology''' and, later, '''Advanced Mining Technology''' will give mining the tools needed to bring back much more ore to stock your protolathe. That makes these high-priority topics for most rounds. To research Mining Technology (2500) requires Industrial Engineering (7500) first, then Basic Plasma Research (2500). Advanced Mining Technology requires a bit more work and you will research most of the tier 3 stock parts or their prereqs on your journey to researching it. 

'''Applied Bluespace Research''' allows miners to get Mining Satchels of Holding and also opens up the Bluespace RPED, which makes machine upgrades (your responsibility!) trivial. This technology is available for 5000 research points after unlocking first-tier research topics Industrial Engineering (7500) and Basic Bluespace Theory (2500). This is also a Tier 3 stock part technology.

The Tier 3 stock part technologies are listed above. 
*Applied Bluespace Research (5000) requires Industrial Engineering (7500) and Basic Bluespace Theory (2500). It is also a good topic to research for you and mining, as mentioned above. 
*High Efficiency Parts (7500) requires Industrial Engineering (7500) and the basic research topic Data Theory (2500). 
*Advanced Electromagnetic Theory (3000) ONLY requires Electromagnetic Theory (2500), but you are basically spending 5500 points just for laser parts (which let the ORM generate more mining points for miners.)
*Advanced Power Manipulation (2500) is the only one immediately available after researching Industrial Engineering (7500). 

The diagram below gives a quick overview of the suggested early research priorities above.

[[File:Researchbasics.png]]

Certain round circumstances may call for different research early on, talk to your fellow scientists and '''listen to your Research Director!'''

The progression is not linear and many research options require multiple pre-requisite technologies. 

To assist in understanding: provided below is a diagram. 
[[File:researchTree.png|800px|none]]

Note: Research tree depicted above is VERY out of date.