Research Codes

[CreeperDaReeper]

This is an idea I had based on Sander Buruma's suggestion here.

Worth 1k words right

--Anyway, using Follower Robot Count 19 as an example, I will explain.
Each item to research still has a required amount of research, but instead of the multiples of ten we have now, each could be a unique number. Currently up to 4 numbers with just vanilla science.

R - Red Science Packs are worth 1 research point.
G - Green Science Packs are worth 100 points.
B - Blue Packs are 10,000 points.
P - Purple are 1,000,000.

Science Packs can't be split, so no using one purple pack to research something that costs less than 1million points, etc, etc.

Using the above example, the following combinations of science packs would be enough. (Assumes one lab per pack type.)
-2 Purple
-5 Blue
-8 Green
-7 Red
==240 seconds / 4 minutes.

-2 Purple
-508 Green
-7 Red
==15,240 seconds / 254 minutes / 4.233~ hours.

-2,050,807 Red
==61,524,210 seconds / 1,025,403.5 minutes / 17,090.05 hours / 712.08 days / 101.72 weeks / 25.43 months / 2.11 years.

-205 Blue
-807 Red
==24,210 seconds / 403.5 minutes / 6.72 hours.

As I'm writing this out I'm finding it very hard to explain simply. But anyway, with this, we could research more advanced technologies with lesser materials, but it would take much longer. It might also cost more to do so, but I didn't do the math that far.

Another example would be say Research Code 00000100. You could use 100 Red Packs or 1 Green Pack. Code 00030001 = 3 Blue, 1 Red = 300 Green, 1 Red = 30001 Red.

Thoughts?

[hoho]

Main problem I can see with this is that it would allow people to completely skip collecting artifacts to get their high-end stuff.

It would also make automating labs rather complicated if not impossible. How would labs know what science packs to prefer to use first? In case that there is a shortage of blue or purple ones should they just keep eating all the red and green ones they have been given? It would also mean the moment players get to make higher-end packs they should drastically cut back their lower-end science pack production as it would be a massive waste of resources to use those for anything.


I also hope you don't intend to replace the vanilla-recipe requiring 2400 of each different science packs with just requiring less than 10 of each

[CreeperDaReeper]

Main problem I can see with this is that it would allow people to completely skip collecting artifacts to get their high-end stuff.
It would also make automating labs rather complicated if not impossible. How would labs know what science packs to prefer to use first? In case that there is a shortage of blue or purple ones should they just keep eating all the red and green ones they have been given? It would also mean the moment players get to make higher-end packs they should drastically cut back their lower-end science pack production as it would be a massive waste of resources to use those for anything.
I also hope you don't intend to replace the vanilla-recipe requiring 2400 of each different science packs with just requiring less than 10 of each

The labs would use the most valuable packs first, and then if they ran out would use the next most valuable. As for being able to skip getting artifacts, yes, that would be possible. However, it would cost more time and resources to do so. Much much more. As for cutting back on lower-end science pack production, that would depend on whether they have the ability to make enough of the higher end packs, or wanted to take the long route and use more lower end ones.

One thing to note though, the number of research points needed for each research would need to be altered from what they are now for balance purposes, to discourage using lots of lower end packs since it would take 10 times longer.

[Balthazar]

Nope, hate this. You can completely ignore oil/artifacts this way; less complex production lines and less resources being sunk.

[CreeperDaReeper]

- Nope, hate this. -

Fair enough, but could ya sound a bit nicer about it?

- You can completely ignore oil/artifacts this way; less complex production lines -

That was kinda the point, HOWEVER, see next point.

- and less resources being sunk. -

Substituting a higher level science pack with a lower level one would consume 10 times as much resources and time. I'm however going to alter my idea a bit to account for this, cause I think thats not enough to discourage it, while still allowing it to happen.

It would also make automating labs rather complicated if not impossible. How would labs know what science packs to prefer to use first? In case that there is a shortage of blue or purple ones should they just keep eating all the red and green ones they have been given? It would also mean the moment players get to make higher-end packs they should drastically cut back their lower-end science pack production as it would be a massive waste of resources to use those for anything.

My thought with this is, labs could have a filter set so that they only take certain kinds of science packs, maybe only one kind each. Otherwise you would only supply each lab with a single kind of science pack.