Research and Development
Research and Development
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.
Point Generation
Research points can be acquired through a few different sources. Most commonly, points are gained passively from a Research Point Source, which produces a constant low stream of points to the selected server. Points can also be acquired through research disks, which can be found in maintenance, salvaged from space, or given as a result of identifying a disease.
The most profitable form of point generation is Xenoarcheology, which is the process of analyzing and activating different randomly generated artifacts, the process of which makes up a majority of the activities of the science team.
Equipment
R&D Computer
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.
Autolathe
The Autolathe doesn't require any research but only makes engineering and botanical tools as well as low-voltage cables. Requires plastic, steel and glass to use.
Example recipes:
| Airlock Painter | ||
| Crowbar | A tool that is needed to pry open unpowered doors. | |
| Gas Analyzer | ||
| Global Positioning System | A hand-held device used to see what the GPS coordinates are of your position in the map. | |
| LV cable coil | A piece of wire that can be used to connect powerered objects to an APC. Refer to Power | |
| Minihoe | A tool that is used by a Botanist to remove weeds from a Hydroponics Tray | |
| Multitool | A tool that can be used for Hacking | |
| Screwdriver | A tool that is needed to open/close panels of devices such as doors. It is also needed when building some items. | |
| Shovel | A tool that is used by a Botanist to remove plants from a Hydroponics Tray | |
| Spade | A tool that is used by a Botanist to remove plants from a Hydroponics Tray | |
| T-Ray Scanner | A tool that shows underground wires and pipes. | |
| Utility Belt | A belt that stores Engineering tools | |
| Welding Tool | A tool that enables objects to be welded open/closed. Welded items must need a Welding Tool to be unwelded. It is also needed when building some items. | |
| Wirecutter | A tool that enables you to cut wires of powered devices such as doors and vending machines. Refer to Hacking. You may also need to cut wires of some objects as part of their deconstruction process. | |
| Wrench | A tool that enables you to anchor / unanchored objects. Anchored objects cannot be moved until unanchored. Unanchored objects are unpowered. |
Protolathe
The Protolathe is a machine capable of printing most of what you've researched. It can make things such from beakers or ammo. Requires steel, glass and sometimes plastic to use.
Note that for some machines (such as the Cloner), higher quality parts can be used to improve the quality of the machine. For example low quality components for a Cloner results in a 50% chance of failure to clone. A low-capacity power cell has less charge than a high-capacity power cell.
A lot of the parts available in the Protolathe are used to craft something. Use the Craft hotkey to open the Craft dialog. By default this should be 'G'.
Example recipes:
| Image | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Advanced Capacitor | ||
| Advanced Matter Bin | ||
| Advanced Scanning Module | ||
| Air Alarm Electronics | A component needed to make an air alarm | |
| APC Electronics | A component needed to make an APC (power unit) | |
| Appraisal Tool | A tool used by Cargo Technicians to see how much each object can be sold for. | |
| Bottle | A glass bottle container that can hold a small amount of liquid. Used by chemists to store chemicals. Can be drunk from. | |
| Bucket | Can contain liquid that is spilled if you trip. You can drink out of a bucket and extract liquid into it from other containers. Used by Botanists and Janitors. | |
| Butcher's Cleaver | A tool that Chefs use to butcher corpses for meat | |
| Capacitor | ||
| Cautery | ||
| Chemical Payload | A component needed to make a modular grenade | |
| Conveyor Belt | When connected to a lever, it can be used to move objects in a single direction as dictated by the lever. Commonly used in Cargo and the Disposal -> Recycling circuit. | |
| Door Electronics | A component needed to make a door | |
| Drill | ||
| Drone | ||
| Fire Alarm Electronics | A component needed to make a fire alarm. | |
| Fire Extinguisher | ||
| Firelock Electronics | A component needed to make a Firelock door. | |
| Flashlight | Provides a cone of light infront of the holder that is much more illuminating than a PDA. Uses charge from a power cell. Left click to turn on and off. | |
| Flourescent Light Tube | Light tube for lights on the walls of the station. | |
| Glass | ||
| Handheld Crew Monitor | A tool used by the Chief Medical Officer and other medical staff to see the coordinates and vitals of crew staff that have turned on the associated sensors in their jump suits. | |
| Hatchet | A tool used by Botanists used to cut down trees such as apple / banana trees to harvest wood and fruit. | |
| Hemostat | ||
| High-Capacity Power Cell | A battery used to power some tools like a flashlight. Chargeable by a Power Cell Charger | |
| High-Power Micro-Laser | ||
| Holofan Projector | A component needed to make a Holofan | |
| HV Cable Coil | High Voltage wire. Used to connect power generation to power storage by Engineers. | |
| Incandescent Light Bulb | Light bulb for lights on the walls of the station | |
| Kitchen Knife | A knife used by Chefs | |
| Left Borg Arm | Used to create Bots such as the MedBot. | |
| LV Cable Coil | Low Voltage wire. Used to connect APC units to machines such as vending machines, chemistry machines, lights, auto-doors by Engineers. | |
| Mailing Unit Electronics | A component used to create a mailing unit. | |
| Matter Bin | ||
| Medium-Capacity Power Cell | A battery used to power some tools like a flashlight. Chargeable by a Power Cell Charger | |
| Metal Saw | ||
| Micro-Laser | ||
| Micro-Manipulator | ||
| Mop | A tool used by Janitors to mop up liquid spillages from floors. | |
| MV Cable Coil | Medium Voltage wire. Used to connect power storage to APC units by Engineers. | |
| Nano-Manipulator | ||
| Plastic | ||
| RCD Ammo | ||
| Reinforced Glass | ||
| Remote Signaller | ||
| Right Borg Arm | Used to create Bots such as the MedBot. | |
| Scapel | A tool for doctors | |
| Scanning Module | ||
| Scythe | A tool used by Botanists to harvest some types of plants from a Hydroponics tray | |
| Shovel | A tool used by Botanists to clear a Hydroponics tray contents | |
| Signal Trigger | A type of trigger for a bomb / grenade | |
| Small-Capacity Power Cell | A battery used to power some tools like a flashlight. Chargeable by a Power Cell Charger | |
| Spray Bottle | Can hold a little liquid that can be sprayed onto a sentient or floor. Commonly used to hold space cleaner or weed killer. A chemist can fill this with the desired liquid. | |
| Steel | ||
| Timer Trigger | A type of trigger for a bomb / grenade. The default timer is 5 seconds. | |
| Voice Trigger | A type of trigger for a bomb / grenade |
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.
Plan of action
Your main priority at the start of the round is to use the RD computer to research medical machinary & basic parts manufacture , and then everything else. Then it's recommended that you build cloning pods for medbay , chemical dispensers and ChemMasters for chemistry or just hoard them and hand out tricord foam bombs to clowns.
Troubleshooting
"I can't get any points/I can't print anything"
The likely cause is that the RD Computer/Protolathe isn't synced up with the RD server.
To fix this in the RD Computer/Protolathe click Server list, click on ID x || RDSERVER and then exist the window. Now when you click Sync it should (hopefully) work.
