Research and Development

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Research and Development
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Research and Development

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
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.

Equipment

There are many different recipes that can be locked behind research. The Protolathe, Circuit Imprinter, Security Techfab, Medical Tecfab, and the Exosuit Fabricator are currently the only machines that directly benefit by gaining new recipes when you achieve certain research. The following section will only cover what recipes are unlocked through research, for a full list on what each machine can craft please check out the Protolathe, Circuit Imprinter, Security Techfab, Medical Tecfab, and Exosuit Fabricator pages.

Protolathe

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.

Industrial

Item Crafting Cost Research Tier Research Cost
high-capacity power cell 3 steel+4 glass+2 plastic+0.5 gold bar Advanced Powercells 1 7,500
mining drill 5 steel+1 plastic Salvage Equipment 1 7,500
grappling gun 5 steel+5 glass+1 gold bar
welding gas mask 6 steel+2 glass
experimental welding tool 8 steel+2 plasma Advanced Tools 2 10,000
power drill 6 steel+2 plastic
jaws of life 10 steel+5 glass+3 plasma+0.5 gold bar
ore bag of holding 20 steel+7.5 silver bar+15 plasma+1.5 uranium Mass Excavation 2 12,500
diamond tipped mining drill 6 steel+2 plastic+2 silver bar+1 refined diamond
handheld mass scanner 8 steel+3 glass Space Scanning 2 7,500
holofan projector 3 steel+0.5 glass+0.5 plastic Advanced Atmospherics 2 7,500
bag of holding 20 steel+7.5 silver bar+15 plasma+1.5 uranium Bluespace Storage 3 15,000
satchel of holding
duffelbag of holding
microreactor power cell 5 steel+4 glass+2 uranium+1 gold bar Portable Fission 3 10,000

Arsenal

Item Crafting Cost Research Tier Research Cost
Advanced remote signaller 1 steel+2 plastic+1 plasma Explosive Technology 1 10,000
Signal trigger 3 steel+2 plastic
Voice trigger
Timer trigger
Flash payload 0.5 steel+1 plastic+0.5 glass
Chemical payload 2 steel+3 plastic
Proto-kinetic accelerator 10 steel+5 glass+1 silver Salvage Weapons 1 5,000
Svalinn laser pistol 20 steel+5 gold Experimental Battery Ammo 3 15,000


Experimental

Item Crafting Cost Research Tier Research Cost
Node scanner 1 steel+0.5 plastic Basic XenoArcheology 1 5,000
G.O.R.I.L.L.A. gauntlet 15 steel+3 plastic+5 glass+5 plasma+2.5 silver Anomaly Core Harnessing 1 10,000
Anomaly locator 4 steel+1 glass Basic Anomalous Research 1 5,000
Wide-spectrum anomaly locator
Magboots 10 steel+5 plastic Local Magnetism 1 7,500
Moon boots 6 steel
Portable particle decelerator 7.5 steel+1.5 plasma+1.5 uranium Deterrence Technologies 2 7,500
Force field projector 5 steel+3 plasma+1 glass
C.H.I.M.P. handcannon 5 steel+4 glass Advanced Anomaly Research 2 10,000
Quantum spin inverter 7 steel+1 glass+1 uranium Quantum Leaping 3 10,000
Force gun 5 steel+4 glass+1 silver Gravity Manipulation 3 10,000
Tether gun


Civilian Services

Item Crafting Cost Research Tier Research Cost
Synthesizer 3 steel+3 plastic+1 glass Advanced Entertainment 1 7,500
Advanced mop 4 plastic+1 steel+1 glass Advanced Cleaning 2 10,000
Mega spray bottle 2.5 plastic
Spray nozzle 15 steel+5 glass Advanced Spray 2 10,000
Backpack water tank 2.5 steel+10 glass
Astro-grass 1 plastic Faux Astro-Tiles 2 5,000
Mowed astro-grass
Jungle astro-grass
Astro-ice
Astro-snow
Cryostasis beaker 2.5 steel+0.5 plastic Biochemical Stasis 2 7,500
Cryostasis syringe 2 steel+0.5 plastic
Speed boots 15 steel+10 plastic+5 silver Quantum Fiber Weaving 3 10,000
Bluespace beaker 5 steel+5 plastic+1.5 plasma+0.5 silver Bluespace Chemistry 3 10,000
Bluespace syringe 1 steel+1.5 plastic+2.5 glass+1 plasma+0.5 silver


Circuit Imprinter

The Circuit Imprinter is a machine capable of printing machine boards used for creating machines and computers. They require steel, glass and sometimes gold.

Machine boards can be inserted into a Machine Frame whilst electronics can be inserted into computers or other machines built with Construction.

Industrial

Item Crafting Cost Research Tier Research Cost
Ripley central control module 1 steel+5 glass+1 gold Ripley APLU 1 7,500
Ripley peripherals control module
P.A.C.M.A.N-type portable generator machine board 0.5 steel+3.5 glass Power Generation 1 7,500
S.U.P.E.R.P.A.C.M.A.N-type portable generator machine board
J.R.P.A.C.M.A.N-type portable generator machine board
Power monitoring computer board 1 steel+5 glass
Solar control computer board
Emitter machine board
Solar tracker electronics 1.5 steel+6 glass
Hyper convection circuit imprinter machine board 1 steel+9 glass+1 gold Industrial Engineering 1 10,000
Hyper convection autolathe machine board 1 steel+5 glass+1 gold
Hyper convection protolathe machine board
Sheet-meister 2000 machine board 1 steel+5 glass
Flatpacker 1001 machine board 1 steel+5 glass+1 gold Mechanical Compression 1 10,000
Industrial ore processor machine board 1 steel+5 glass+1 gold Salvage Equipment 1 7,500
Freezer thermomachine machine board 1.5 steel+5 glass+0.5 gold Atmospherics 1 7,500
Gas recycler board 1 steel+5 glass
Turbo recharger machine board 5 steel+5 glass+1 gold Advanced Power Cells 1 7,500
Shuttle console board 1 steel+5 glass+1 gold Shuttlecraft 2 10,000
Mini gravity generator machine board
Thruster machine board 1 steel+5 glass
Gyroscope machine board
Radar console computer board 1 steel+5 glass Space Scanning 2 7,500
Hellfire freezer machine board 1.5 steel+5 glass+0.5 gold Advanced Atmospherics 2 7,500
Portable scrubber machine board


Arsenal ( None)

Experimental

Item Crafting Cost Research Tier Research Cost
Analysis computer board 1 steel+5 glass+1 gold Basic XenoArcheology 1 5,000
Artifact analyzer machine board
A.P.E. machine board 1 steel+5 glass Basic Anomalous Research 1 5,000
Anomaly vessel machine board
Exosuit fabricator machine board 1 steel+5 glass Basic Robotics 1 5,000
Tech disk terminal board 1 steel+5 glass+1 gold Alternative Research 1 5,000
Artifact crusher machine board 1 steel+5 glass+1 gold Artifact Recycling 2 5,000
Anomaly synchronizer machine board 1 steel+7 glass+1 silver Advanced Anomaly Research 2 10,000
Experimental anomaly vessel machine board 1 steel+5 glass+1 gold


Civilian Services

Item Research Tier
Seed extractor machine board Basic Hydroponics 1
Hydroponics tray machine board 1
Industrial reagent grinder machine board 1
Lipid extractor machine board Meat Manipulation 1
Biocube fabricator machine board 1
Biomass reclaimer machine board 1
HAMTR central control module Critter Mechs 1
HAMTR peripherals control module 1
Television board Advanced Entertainment 1
Digital audio workstation machine board 1
News manager console board 1
Jukebox machine board 1
Surveillance camera router board A/V Communication 1
Surveillance camera wireless router board 1
Movable wireless camera board 1
Wireless camera board 1
Surveillance camera monitor board 1
Surveillance wireless camera monitor board 1
Telecommunication server machine board 1
H.O.N.K. central control module H.O.N.K. Mech 2
H.O.N.K. peripherals control module 2
H.O.N.K. weapon control and targeting module 2
Cargo telepad machine board Bluespace Cargo Transport 2
Stasis bed machine board Biochemical Stasis 2
Cryo pod machine board 2


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.