Confused about Research process

[ravenpanther]

OK So I bought and played yesterday for about 8 hours. I made the red potions I was suppose to make in order to learn some research.... Well, I played for almost 4 hours out of the 8, and the timer had not moved, so if I had the potions, and gave it enough time to learn something, why did nothing happen?? Am I missing something that the game was not showing me? Am I not making something, or make enough of something that I was suppose to have made!? I made EVERYTHING at least 100 of each item, but still to no avail of learning research. What do I need to do now? 225 red potions sitting there doing nothing when all I needed was 10 for the first tier of new stuff to continue making my factory. =( Please explain what I am doing wrong. The first thing I did was clear tons of trees to get to all the different kinds of stones there was, then built the belts to move them to the main area where I was going to set up most of my work, then on the way TO the main area, I had things being made, instead of them being raw materials, they were made into the next step before getting to the main area. So by the time everything reached my main point, it was already done. So now if everything (like raw copper was made into the copper plates), was already done, I should have been able to just make everything needed in order to get research started, meaning I had all the materials needed to make the actual items needed to make other new buildings. I have over 500 of EACH item like the sheets, and plates, potions, arms, walkways etc. etc. So why am I having a tough time with research?? Thanks for any responses....

[Loewchen]

Put science packs into labs to progress research.

[Serenity]

You need to put the science bottles into labs:
https://wiki.factorio.com/Lab

Generally you handcraft 10 red science to get Automation 1:
https://wiki.factorio.com/Automation_(research)

That gets you the assembly machine. From there on you can automate science production. At the very beginning a single lab is fine, but eventually you'll want more.

To power the labs you also need a small steam power plant:
https://wiki.factorio.com/Steam_engine

then built the belts to move them to the main area where I was going to set up most of my work, then on the way TO the main area

You don't necessarily need belts right away. At the beginning you can directly insert from burner miners into furnaces. Then you just need to run around and put coal into them now and then. And pick up the metal plates that are done (mostly iron at that stage). Then you can manually put them plates into wooden boxes to feed machines.

Sure, you soon want proper furnace columns that output entire belts, but while you build the materials for that you can get other stuff done.

[valneq]

Have you jumped directly into Freeplay or have you tried the Introduction (0.17) or the Tutorial (0.18) first? Those (at least try to) explain how the research process works.

[ravenpanther]

I am actually in free play. And I believe I have more than enough of those red potions, 125, 10 (time icon) x 10 (#of potions needed). Also, I do NOT see the LAB ICON anywhere where I can either make something, or build a new building. So this is where I am stuck I guess.....

[ravenpanther]

Have you jumped directly into Freeplay or have you tried the Introduction (0.17) or the Tutorial (0.18) first? Those (at least try to) explain how the research process works.

I have done a couple of the tutorials, but it does not progress any further for me, and I am not sure why. I did the first one that showed me how to put entire stacks in or out of boxes, and machines working for me, and single moves, how to make certain item, like the panels, but nothing more. When I pull up the tutorial part, it only shows me them two parts, nothing else YET.

[valneq]

Have you jumped directly into Freeplay or have you tried the Introduction (0.17) or the Tutorial (0.18) first? Those (at least try to) explain how the research process works.

I have done a couple of the tutorials, but it does not progress any further for me, and I am not sure why. I did the first one that showed me how to put entire stacks in or out of boxes, and machines working for me, and single moves, how to make certain item, like the panels, but nothing more. When I pull up the tutorial part, it only shows me them two parts, nothing else YET.

I did not mean the mini-tutorials you can access from a running session. I meant the actual introduction for new players. Those are small scenarios that teach you the basics of the game. Starting from manual smelting, and ending (roughly) at researching technologies with labs. Or with Trains. Depends which version.

When you start the game it is under
(version 0.18) Single Player → New Game → Tutorial
or
(version 0.17) Single Player → New Game → Introduction

Although it's been a while that I played 0.17. The main menu structure was changed at some point … don't remember when. So maybe it is just
New Game → Introduction

But coming back to your actual confusion: Did you manage to put science packs into labs and get some technologies researched?
Remember: You need to have an active research goal selected and you need to supply labs with science packs.

[edit]
Labs are buildings that you can craft. They are under Crafting → Production and look like triangulated domes. They are accessible right at the start of a Freeplay session, as you can see here:

lab.jpg (303.4 KiB) Viewed 3436 times

[Serenity]

Also, click on the magnifying glass in the top right to search for items

[frustin]

When you start the game it is under
(version 0.18) Single Player → New Game → Tutorial
or
(version 0.17) Single Player → New Game → Introduction

I bought this on steam yesterday (which is version 0.17.79). Can i still play (total newbie) the 0.18 game? should i play that and not the 0.17?

[Serenity]

You can play 0.18. There aren't and radical changes. Mostly it's just about the UI, sounds and optimization

It might actually be better to learn the game with all the new stuff now. Rather than get used to some things in 0.17

[Ranger_Aurelien]

I bought this on steam yesterday (which is version 0.17.79). Can i still play (total newbie) the 0.18 game? should i play that and not the 0.17?

Yes, to get to 0.18, open your Steam Library, right-click Factorio, Choose Properties, BETAS tab, select dropdown "Latest 0.18 Experimental".

[frustin]

I bought this on steam yesterday (which is version 0.17.79). Can i still play (total newbie) the 0.18 game? should i play that and not the 0.17?

Yes, to get to 0.18, open your Steam Library, right-click Factorio, Choose Properties, BETAS tab, select dropdown "Latest 0.18 Experimental".

Thanks very much!