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 destroying the artifact for points, selling it to cargo, or keeping it around because it's 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 given as a result of identifying a disease.
Equipment
R&D Computer
The R&D computer at the start of the Round with no technologies researched.
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 salvage tools. Materials must first be inserted into the machine and cannot be extracted. 100 steel equates to 1 steel sheet.
Example recipes:
Image
Name
Description
Airlock Painter
A tool used to change the color and/or appearance of airlocks.
Crowbar
A tool that is needed to pry open unpowered doors.
Gas Analyzer
A tool used to find the composition of gasses in the air. Can also detect gasses in pipes.
Global Positioning System
A hand-held device used to see what the GPS coordinates ware 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.
A tool that is needed to open/close panels of devices such as doors. It is also needed when building some items.
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. Materials must first be inserted into the machine but can be extracted with the Material Sheet Printing research. 100 steel equates to 1 steel sheet.
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. Yet higher quality parts require better research and more materials.
Machine boards can be inserted into a Machine Frame whilst electronics can be inserted into computers or other machines built with Construction.
Machine Parts
Every buildable machine requires some amount of machine parts to make. There are currently 3 different parts - Matter bins, Manipulators, and Capacitors. while the base versions of these items provide no benefit to their machines other than their base functions, higher tiers of parts can be researched and made, which give boosts to certain aspects of machines.
Image
Name
Description
Matter bin
Associated with material efficiency.
Manipulator
Associated with machine speed.
Capacitor
Associated with power efficiency and other misc. improvements.
Other items
Image
Name
Description
Required Research
Air Alarm Electronics
A component needed to make an air alarm.
APC Electronics
A component needed to make an APC (power unit).
Electromagnetic theory
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 30u of liquid. Used by a chemist to store chemicals. Can be drunk from. Does not shatter if dropped.
Chemistry technology
Bucket
Can contain 250u of liquid that is spilled if you trip. You can drink out of a bucket using Alt+click and extract liquid into it from other containers 50u at a time. Cannot be inserted into machines like the ChemDispenser. Used by a Botanist or Janitor.
Cleaning technology
Butcher's Cleaver
A tool that a Chef uses to butcher corpses for meat but also a Weapon.
Food and beverage technology
Capacitor
A tier 1 machine part, commonly related to power consumption.
Scientific technology
Cautery
A surgical tool used to cauterize open wounds.
Advanced surgery
Chemical Payload
A component needed to make a modular grenade.
Chemistry technology
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, but also used in certain cargo systems.
Industrial engineering
Cryostasis Beaker
Can contain chemicals in low temperatures and ensure that they do not mix.
Chemistry technology
Drill
A surgical tool used to drill through bone.
Advanced surgery
Drone
A tool-equipped autonomous drone, currently disabled due to trolling.
Robotics
Dropper
A container that holds a tiny amount of liquid.
Chemistry technology
Fire Extinguisher
A device that sprays water to put out fires or used in Space Navigation.
Industrial engineering
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.
Industrial engineering
Flourescent Light Tube
Light tube for lights on the walls of the station.
Electromagnetic theory
Glass
Extract some glass from the machine.
Material sheet printing
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.
Biological technology
Hemostat
A surgical tool used to clamp veins and arteries shut.
Advanced surgery
High-Capacity Power Cell
A battery used to power some tools like a flashlight. Chargeable by a Power Cell Charger. This one has a higher capacity than other cells.
Super powercells
High-Power Micro-Laser
A tier 2 machine part.
Advanced parts
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.
Electromagnetic theory
Incandescent Light Bulb
Light bulb for lights on the walls of the station.
Can hold a little liquid that can be sprayed onto a sentient or floor. Commonly used to hold space cleaner for a Janitor or weed killer for a Security Officer. A Chemist can fill this with the desired liquid. It sprays 5u of liquid at a time. Corrosive chemicals when sprayed on a person can eat through their gear and skin causing Caustic damage
Cleaning technology
Steel
Extract some steel from the machine
Material Sheet Printing
Syringe
A container that can hold up to 15u of liquid and can draw from / inject into people/animals
Chemistry technology
Timer Trigger
A type of trigger for a bomb / grenade. The default timer is 5 seconds.
Electromagnetic theory
Voice Trigger
A type of trigger for a bomb / grenade
Electromagnetic theory
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.
Example recipes:
Name
Required Research
Air Alarm Electronics
Industrial engineering
Autolathe Machine Board
Industrial engineering
APC electronics
Electromagnetic theory
Booze Dispenser Machine Board
Food and beverage technology
Circuit Imprinter Machine Board
Industrial engineering
Door Electronics
Industrial engineering
Fire Alarm Electronics
Industrial engineering
Firelock Electronics
Industrial engineering
Hotplate Machine Board
Chemistry technology
Intercom Electronics
Industrial engineering
Mailing Unit Electronics
Industrial engineering
Microwave Machine Board
Food and beverage technology
Movable Wireless Camera Board
Surveillance technology
Ore Processor Machine Board
Salvage Equipment
Protoloathe Machine Board
Industrial engineering
Reagent Grinder Machine Board
Chemistry technology
Substation Machine Board
Electromagnetic theory
Surveillance Camera Monitor Board
Surveillance technology
Surveillance Camera Router Board
Surveillance technology
Surveillance Camera Wireless Router Board
Surveillance technology
Surveillance Wireless Camera Monitor Board
Surveillance technology
Soda Dispenser Machine Board
Food and beverage technology
Technology Disk Terminal Board
Scientific technology
Television Board
Surveillance technology
Uniform Printer Machine Board
Industrial engineering
Wireless Camera Board
Surveillance technology
Plan of action
Your main priority at the start of the round is to use the RD computer to research medical machinery & 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.
