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Research and Development (commonly called R&D or RnD) is the job of the Scientists. The department typically lies behind purple and grey doors. In the department typically exists a set of Lathe and R&D machines. Often you will see lockers with lab equipment in them.
R&D gameplay largely revolves around the acquisition and use of research points to gain new technologies for the station.
Point Generation
Research points can be acquired through a few different sources.
The most profitable form of point generation is Xenoarcheology, which is the process of analyzing and activating different randomly generated artifacts that can be found via events, salvage debris, and by ordering them from cargo. Most artifacts have more than one "Stimulus-Reaction" combination (known scientifically as Nodes), so make sure to scan and activate as many of them as you can before selling it to cargo, or keeping it around because its effects are cool enough to warrant keeping.
Another highly valuable source of research points is Anomalous Research. Most R&D departments come equipped with an Anomaly Generator, Anomalous Particle Emitters (A.P.E.) and Anomaly Vessels, which are used to spawn, interact with, and generate points from anomalies respectively. Anomalies can come in different forms, ranging from raging balls of pink-hot matter, to electrically-discharging motes of light, to radioactive gravity wells, so make sure to wear some protective gear while studying them.
Points can also be acquired through research disks, which can be found in maintenance, salvaged from space, or found on expeditions.
R&D System
The user interface of the R&D Console
In the R&D computer new technologies can be unlocked via points. To research a technology, click on it if it's in the Unlockable technologies column. Technologies in the Future technologies are locked behind others, requiring you to research a previous technology (in the Unlockable technologies column). Technologies in the Unlocked technologies section have already been researched.
Alternative Research
There is another method to research a technology, and that is using the Technology Disk Terminal. If there is no such console available within the station, it can be created after researching the Tier 1 Experimental Technology, "Alternative Research".
By spending 1000 research points, a technology disk would be dispensed, containing the recipe of a single random item (of any tier) for the lathes to fabricate. The random item ranges from a HAMTR Harness within the "Critter Mechs" technology, a redundant item you've already researched, to the highly-sought-after (and expensive) satchel of holding.
When used early into the round, it may reward the research department with end-tier items immediately at the cost of the primary research progress. This is essentially gambling with research points, so ensure that your department agrees with this plan. When used late into the round, it may grant the research department recipes of technologies that have been locked out of the direct research method of unlocking the technology.
The Protolathe is a machine capable of printing most of what you've researched. It can make things such from large beakers to microreactor batteries. Protolathes are mainly found at science but can (sometimes) be found in engineering or on salvage expeditions.
The Exosuit Fabricator is a machine that is capable of crafting a large variety of Cyborg and Mech parts. The Exosuit Fabricator is a material hungry machine and can use gold, silver, steel, plastic, glass, and plasma. The Exosuit Fabricator is a vital part of Cyborg creation and many of the advanced pieces are stuck behind research.
Industrial
Item
Crafting Cost
Research
Tier
Research Cost
Ripley harness
15 steel+12 glass
Ripley APLU
1
7,500
Ripley left arm
10 steel+7.5 glass
Ripley right arm
Ripley left leg
Ripley right leg
Hydraulic clamp
5 steel+2 plastic
Mining cyborg module
5 steel+5 glass+2.5 plastic+0.5 gold
Salvage Equipment
1
7,500
Grappling gun cyborg module
2.5 steel+2.5 glass+2.5 plastic
GPS cyborg module
2.5 steel+2.5 glass+2.5 plastic
Space Scanning
2
7,500
Advanced tool cyborg module
5 steel+5 glass+2.5 plastic+0.5 gold
Advanced Tools
2
10,000
RCD cyborg moduleRCD cyborg module
Arsenal (None)
Experimental
Item
Crafting Cost
Research
Tier
Research Cost
Anomaly cyborg module
2.5 steel+2.5 glass+2.5 plastic
Basic Anomalous Research
1
5,000
Artifact cyborg module
2.5 steel+2.5 glass+2.5 plastic
Basic XenoArcheology
1
5,000
Proximity sensor
2.5 steel+3 glass
Basic Robotics
1
5,000
Civilian Services
Item
Crafting Cost
Research
Tier
Research Cost
Gardening cyborg module
2.5 steel+2.5 glass+2.5 plastic
Basic Hydroponics
1
5,000
Harvesting cyborg module
Light replacer cyborg module
2.5 steel+2.5 glass+2.5 plastic
Robotic Cleanliness
1
5,000
Advanced cleaning cyborg module
2.5 steel+2.5 glass+2.5 plastic+0.5 gold
Advanced Entertainment
1
7,500
Musique cyborg module
2.5 steel+2.5 glass+2.5 plastic
Clowning cyborg module
Advanced treatment cyborg module
2.5 steel+2.5 glass+2.5 plastic+0.5 gold
Mechanized Treatment
2
5,000
Defibrillator cyborg module
5 steel+5 glass+2.5 plastic+0.5 gold
H.O.N.K. harness
30 steel+12 glass+3.33 bananium
H.O.N.K. Mech
2
7,500
H.O.N.K. left arm
H.O.N.K. right arm
H.O.N.K. right armX
H.O.N.K. right leg
Mech horn
5 steel+1.33 bananium
Hyper Convection Machines
Hyper convection machine are a highly valuable upgrade that is obtained from the Industrial Engineering research node. Hyper convection machines will craft items at a 50% discount from the original cost. The trade-off when it comes to these powerful machines is that they produce an immense amount of heat. The heat that is produced from these machines can quickly become lethal if sufficient preparations are not made. One of the ways to make a safe enclosure for hyper convection machines is:
Un-wrench the machines and move the protolathe, autolathe, and circuit imprinter to the back wall. If there is a R&D computer, move it out of the way.
Build a 2x3 box of directional reinforced windows. At the middle-right side of the box create a windoor.
Create an air alarm and a air sensor. Place the air sensor within the box at the center right, and the air alarm nearby for convenience.
Create one (required) or two (optional) space heater(s) at the top-right and bottom-right of the box.4a. Set the space heaters to have High energy consumption and make sure that they are On.
Either hack the air alarm or ask an engineer to help you with networking. To hack the air alarm we must first use a screwdriver on it to open the panel. When the panel is open use a wirecutter tool on the air alarm itself. The lights above refer to the wires below. The wire that we are looking to cut is the ACC wire. The ACC wire is what controls who is authorized to network and control the Air Alarm.5a. Cut the wires from left to right (by clicking on them with a wirecutter in hand) until you get the ACC light to turn off. You may get unlucky like I did and hit a power wire before the ACC wire, you will get shocked because of this. Skip the power wire and continue until you reach the ACC wire. Once you have found the ACC wire repair all other wires (by clicking on them with a wirecutter in hand) and leave the ACC wire cut. Close the panel on the air alarm with the screwdriver.
Use a multitool or a network configurator and click on the air sensor first, followed by the air alarm.6a. Click Add on the air alarm GUI and then close the GUI.
In a similar process, use a multitool or a network configurator and click on the windoor first, followed by the air alarm. 7a. Click the Danger button and then click Close. Click on the Warning button and click Close. Finally, click the Normal button and then click Open. Then click the Done button.
Create the hyper convection circuit imprinter machine board at the Circuit Imprinter. Create or gather 1 matter bin and 1 igniter. Use a screwdriver to open the panel on the Circuit Imprinter.8a. Use a crowbar to deconstruct the imprinter into a machine frame.8b. Use a crowbar again to remove the parts from the machine frame.8c. Remove the Circuit Imprinter machine board from the stack of items. Click on the machine frame while holding the hyper convection Circuit Imprinter machine board. Shift click the machine frame and fill it with the rest of the materials that it requires. (You should have all the materials if the previous steps were followed).8d. Screwdriver the machine frame to finish the construction. (If this does not work you are missing materials).
Repeat step 8 through 8d with the Protolathe and Autolathe machines.
Congratulations! You have built a hyper convection machines and a safe setup! Good work fellow scientist!
Troubleshooting
"I can't get any points/I can't print anything"
The likely cause is that the Lathe/Imprinter/Computer isn't synced up with the RD server.
To fix this in the Lathe/Imprinter/Computer click Server list, click on ID x || RDSERVER and then exit the window.
High-capacity power cell
3 steel+
4 glass+
2 plastic+
0.5 gold bar
Mining drill
Grappling gun
Welding gas mask
Experimental welding tool
2 plasma
Power drill
Jaws of life
10 steel+
Ore bag of holding
20 steel+
7.5 silver bar+
15 plasma+
1.5 uranium
Diamond tipped mining drill
1 refined diamond
Handheld mass scanner
Holofan projector
Bag of holding
Satchel of holding
Duffelbag of holding
Microreactor power cell
Advanced remote signaller
Signal trigger
Voice trigger
Timer trigger
Flash payload
Chemical payload
Proto-kinetic accelerator
Svalinn laser pistol
Node scanner
G.O.R.I.L.L.A. gauntlet
Anomaly locator
Wide-spectrum anomaly locator
Magboots
Moon boots
Portable particle decelerator
Force field projector
C.H.I.M.P. handcannon
Quantum spin inverter
Tether gun
Force gun
Synthesizer
Advanced mop
Mega spray bottle
Spray nozzle
Backpack water tank
10 glass
Astro-grass
Astro-ice
Astro-snow
Cryostasis beaker
Cryostasis syringe
Speed boots
10 plastic+
Bluespace beaker
Bluespace syringe
Ripley central control module
Ripley peripherals control module
P.A.C.M.A.N.-type portable generator machine board
Power monitoring computer board
Solar tracker electronics
Hyper convection circuit imprinter machine board
Industrial ore processor machine board
Turbo recharger machine board
Shuttle console board
Analysis computer board
News manager console board
0.67 bananium
Stasis bed machine board
gold, 
silver, 
plastic, 
glass, and 
plasma. The Exosuit Fabricator is a vital part of Cyborg creation and many of the advanced pieces are stuck behind research.
Ripley harness
Ripley left arm
Ripley right arm
Ripley left leg
Ripley right leg
Hydraulic clamp
Mining cyborg module
Grappling gun cyborg module
GPS cyborg module
Advanced tool cyborg module
RCD cyborg moduleRCD cyborg module
Anomaly cyborg module
Artifact cyborg module
Proximity sensor
Gardening cyborg module
Harvesting cyborg module
Light replacer cyborg module
Advanced cleaning cyborg module
Musique cyborg module
Clowning cyborg module
Advanced treatment cyborg module
Defibrillator cyborg module
Mech horn
protolathe, 
autolathe, and 
circuit imprinter to the back wall. If there is a 
R&D computer, move it out of the way.
directional reinforced windows. At the middle-right side of the box create a 
windoor.
air alarm and a 
air sensor. Place the air sensor within the box at the center right, and the air alarm nearby for convenience.
space heater(s) at the top-right and bottom-right of the box.
screwdriver on it to open the panel. When the panel is open use a 
wirecutter tool on the air alarm itself. The lights above refer to the wires below. The wire that we are looking to cut is the ACC wire. The ACC wire is what controls who is authorized to network and control the Air Alarm.
multitool or a 
network configurator and click on the air sensor first, followed by the air alarm.
hyper convection circuit imprinter machine board at the Circuit Imprinter. Create or gather 1 matter bin and 1 igniter. Use a screwdriver to open the panel on the Circuit Imprinter.
