Factorio Forums

Subject: Independent Research Selection for Labs in Multiplayer (Local vs. Global Mode)

What feature would you like to see?
Add a toggle switch to the Research Lab interface with two modes: Global (default) and Local.
- Global Mode: The lab works normally, consuming science packs to progress the current research selected in the global team menu.
- Local Mode: The lab detaches from the global selection. It will only research a specific technology chosen manually by a player for this lab, or set via the Circuit Network signal.

What problem would it solve?
In multiplayer (especially on public or large servers like Mount Fortress), griefing and conflicts over the research queue are common. Players often build independent factories and craft specific science packs for a technology they need, only to have another player constantly cancel their research. This leads to endless chat arguments, research cycling wars, and unjustified bans/jails by moderators.

How does it improve gameplay?
- Reduces Multiplayer Friction: Players can work on parallel research tracks without interfering with each other.
- Rewards Automation: If a player builds a dedicated infrastructure for a specific tech, their labs will consistently progress it.
- Circuit Network Integration: Allows advanced players to automate research selection using logic signals based on current chest contents or factory needs.

I wonder how this should be displayed in the UI if multiple players have the same research queued? And if it won't be too confusing to plan the research tree?

Perhaps it could be summarized under the tech icon with small and simple progress bar and X% label next to it. And once you click it to read the description there would be list of players that have it in their research queue?

And/or there could be voting system for global tech queue, that prioritizes technologies with more votes. Maybe even weighted one for example active player w=1, afk w=0.5, disconnected w=0.01 (but with cap to 10% votes of all connected players)?

Or maybe just for UI simplicity and more consistency with single player, we should have more than 1 active research and (weighted) voting system? This way in the UI there would be 2 lines at the top, the first line exactly as it is + number of votes at the top of the technology, the line below with your selected technologies; labs would just cycle through their active research queue in the multiplayer (let's say 3 by default, configurable by server-owner(s)). See the attachment, I edited screenshot in GIMP for easier presentation (edited text in English).