Suggestion for science and endgame

[Khuden]

Since right now you hit a hard limit where Science Points lose all usefulness (When you've filled out the entire tech tree), a suggestion on how to continue to make them useful beyond that point :

A new building named the 'Training Center' which allows you to boost the stats of a specialist in exchange for science points (And maybe some silver too, to introduce a silver sink to the game).

It introduces a LOT of options for players. Save up SP to boost your scout to uncover the map quicker? Focus on tech instead? Spread out the boosts or focus on making one super-specialist? Lots of choices here!

 

[Ps2nic]

Hey, this sounds like a good idea!

Not sure how it can be immersed, though. Research centers and whatnot are already scattered on the world map. Like Mike Myers and Jason Voorhees in Mortal Kombat 11, its not (normally) plausible to integrate without ways to provide immersion.

Besides, this sounds late game. When much of the map and therefore most of the resources you need has already been revealed and hopefully collected.

Its a good idea, by a mile. But at this stage in development, I am not certain it will fit.

 

[Khuden]

Well it's not hard, with the new quests, to really pull ahead on science points. One quest in particular, the science fair quest, awards up to 1200 of 'em. In previous updates I've found myself with points to spare but in Update 11 I reach that point sooner than before. Once I've researched all the important things I want, then I finish out the tree with the meaningless stuff I don't care about (IE : More AP on the Station Wagon, or boosting tent durability) because there's literally no other use for the SP at that point.

So the thought should be 'what can you do with SP when technology isn't useful anymore', and at that point if you can't invest in new tech for your colony investing in your specialists seems like the obvious choice. Specialists are your hands in the game. They're your primary starting point for the colony, 100% of your interaction with the world map, and IMO are the biggest diversion that StA makes from other city/colony builders. So wanting to customize or improve your favorite specialists seems natural.

 

[Alias_RM13]

Liking the idea, just one adjustment. Rather then train specialists, use them to train your colonists. Specialists should gain exp from actually doing stuff, scout 3 regions and go up a level in scouting for example.

Maybe some new buildings can be used to spend points?

For example we can have academies. Which for a science point spend can buff the relevant resources perhaps.

-Academy of defence for training soldiers/guards

-Academy of agriculture for boost to food production

-Acadmeny of utilities for boost in water and electricity

-Academy of industry for a boost to all scavenging and manufacturing.

Buff can be a limited 25% increase in yield for example.

 

[Joanna_ifs]

Hey all!

Really good suggestions and discussions on the topic! I'll forward these over to the rest of the team. We definitely do want there to be some sort of better usage for the Science Points eventually, however as we are still in Early Access, we have not yet had the chance to implement everything we have planned!

Keep the discussions going, even if there isn't a reply from someone from the team, we are still reading all of these!

 

[LethalLeigh]

Yeah I too find that I fill out the tech trees and have 1000's of point left over. I personally think there should be less science found on the world map.

 

[Ps2nic]

Nah, that would slow down the research grind. Just find another use for the points.

 

[TLHeart]

There needs to be upgrade uses for the science. Upgrade the cookhouse and mess hall to electric. Upgrade the saunas to electric. Upgrade the tool makers to have machines to make the tools. Upgrade the tailor to use sewing machines, and use leather from the animals to make very durable clothing.

 

[Ps2nic]

Eh. That could work. Too bad building upgrades, such as from cookhouse to mess hall, require entirely new buildings of different sizes, and (usually) require demoing the old building first, for reasons having to do with Colonist pathing. That, and building upgrades, IF there are any, are already on the tech tree. Some are even locked behind ideologies.

Another problem is, for some of your ideas, we would need to build more transformers.

Underlined text for emphasis. Heavily built in mechanics unlikely to be modified.