Guide to Research and Development
 |
The Extraterrestrial Exploratory Project Supervisor says: "I may not know what my job title means, how to fly a ship, or how to small talk, but by golly do I know how to research!" |
Research, at least when this article was written, is an important part of Shiptest progression. Currently, the most straightforward way of researching is printing a "survey handheld" from an autolathe, and using it in-hand whenever you're on a new planet. This will slowly generate research paperwork which you can use on a RND computer terminal. Unlike other /tg/-like servers, research is NOT automatically generated by servers.
NOTE: The research system as it stands is due to be replaced. Methods of generation may come and go, or the research system entirely may be rewritten from the ground up. It's hard to say for sure.
Research generation
All current methods of research generation, in no particular order:
- Survey Handhelds (the more advanced, the more you get)
- Radiation collectors in "research" mode
- Tesla coil (must be linked to a research server first!)
- Tachyon-doppler explosives scanning array (must also be linked to a research server)
- Discovering with the E.X.P.E.R.I.M.E.N.T.O.R
- Surgical dissections
Required Equipment
- A research server, which you can link to machinery using a multitool
- An R&D computer console
Linkable Equipment
- Protolathes
- Circuit imprinters
- Destructive analyzers (mostly useless)
- Medbots (for improved surgeries)
- Operating consoles (ditto)
- DNA consoles (for storing mutations)
- Nanite machinery (currently disabled in-game)
Tech Disks & Design Disks
Tech disks and design disks are two similar items, both printable from an autolathe or protolathe (in the "Electronics" category), that help you use your hard-researched tech to the fullest. You generally use them by clicking on the machine you want to transfer to or from while the disk is in your hand.
Tech Disks
Useful only for trading or gifting tech, merely create a tech disk, insert it into an R&D console, use the menu to download all of your techs, and eject it. The recipient does the same thing in reverse to get the techs.
Compatible machinery:
- R&D consoles (download/upload)
- Space ninja suit (good luck getting this one)
Design Disks
The job of the design disk is to get specific designs you research onto your simpler machines, such as autolathes and biogenerators. Simply download designs from your R&D computer terminal similar to how you use tech disks, and then insert them into the machine to use the design(s).
Compatible machinery:
- Autolathes
- Biogenerators
- Ore redemption machines
