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.
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
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.
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 | steel+glass+plastic+gold bar | Advanced Powercells | 1 | 7,500 |
| Mining drill | steel+plastic | Salvage Equipment | 1 | 7,500 |
| Grappling gun | steel+glass+gold bar | |||
| Welding gas mask | steel+glass | |||
| Experimental welding tool | steel+plasma | Advanced Tools | 2 | 10,000 |
| Power drill | steel+plastic | |||
| Jaws of life | steel+glass+plasma+gold bar | |||
| Ore bag of holding | steel+silver bar+plasma+uranium | Mass Excavation | 2 | 12,500 |
| Diamond tipped mining drill | steel+plastic+silver bar+refined diamond | |||
| Handheld mass scanner | steel+glass | Space Scanning | 2 | 7,500 |
| Holofan projector | steel+glass+plastic | Advanced Atmospherics | 2 | 7,500 |
| Bag of holding | steel+silver bar+plasma+uranium | Bluespace Storage | 3 | 15,000 |
| Satchel of holding | ||||
| Duffelbag of holding | ||||
| Microreactor power cell | steel+glass+uranium+gold bar | Portable Fission | 3 | 10,000 |
Arsenal
| Item | Crafting Cost | Research | Tier | Research Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Item icon | steel+plastic+plasma | Explosive Technology | 1 | 10,000 |
| Template:Item icon | steel+plastic | |||
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| Template:Item icon | ||||
| Template:Item icon | steel+plastic+glass | |||
| Template:Item icon | steel+plastic | |||
| Template:Item icon | steel+glass+silver bar | Salvage Weapons | 1 | 5,000 |
| Template:Item icon | steel+gold bar | Experimental Battery Ammo | 3 | 15,000 |
Experimental
| Item | Crafting Cost | Research | Tier | Research Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Item icon | steel+plastic | Basic XenoArcheology | 1 | 5,000 |
| Template:Item icon | steel+plastic+glass+plasma+silver bar | Anomaly Core Harnessing | 1 | 10,000 |
| Template:Item icon | steel+glass | Basic Anomalous Research | 1 | 5,000 |
| Template:Item icon | steel+glass | |||
| Template:Item icon | steel+plastic | Local Magnetism | 1 | 7,500 |
| Template:Item icon | steel | |||
| Template:Item icon | steel+plasma+uranium | Deterrence Technologies | 2 | 7,500 |
| Template:Item icon | steel+plasma+glass | |||
| Template:Item icon | steel+glass | Advanced Anomaly Research | 2 | 10,000 |
| Template:Item icon | steel+glass+uranium | Quantum Leaping | 3 | 10,000 |
| Template:Item icon | steel+glass+silver bar | Gravity Manipulation | 3 | 10,000 |
| Template:Item icon |
Civilian Services
| Item | Crafting Cost | Research | Tier | Research Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Item icon | steel+plastic+glass | Advanced Entertainment | 1 | 7,500 |
| Template:Item icon | plastic+steel+glass | Advanced Cleaning | 2 | 10,000 |
| Template:Item icon | plastic | |||
| Template:Item icon | steel+glass | Advanced Spray | 2 | 10,000 |
| Template:Item icon | steel+glass | |||
| Template:Item icon | plastic | Faux Astro-Tiles | 2 | 5,000 |
| Template:Item icon | ||||
| Template:Item icon | ||||
| Template:Item icon | ||||
| Template:Item icon | ||||
| Template:Item icon | steel+plastic | Biochemical Stasis | 2 | 7,500 |
| Template:Item icon | steel+plastic | |||
| Template:Item icon | steel+plastic+silver bar | Quantum Fiber Weaving | 3 | 10,000 |
| Template:Item icon | steel+plastic+plasma+silver bar | Bluespace Chemistry | 3 | 10,000 |
| Template:Item icon | steel+plastic+glass+plasma+silver bar |
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 | Research | Tier |
|---|---|---|
| Template:Item icon | Ripley APLU | 1 |
| Template:Item icon | 1 | |
| Template:Item icon | Power Generation | 1 |
| Template:Item icon | 1 | |
| Template:Item icon | 1 | |
| Template:Item icon | 1 | |
| Template:Item icon | 1 | |
| Template:Item icon | 1 | |
| Template:Item icon | 1 | |
| Template:Item icon | Industrial Engineering | 1 |
| Template:Item icon | 1 | |
| Template:Item icon | 1 | |
| Template:Item icon | 1 | |
| Template:Item icon | Mechanical Compression | 1 |
| Template:Item icon | Salvage Equipment | 1 |
| Template:Item icon | Atmospherics | 1 |
| Template:Item icon | 1 | |
| Template:Item icon | Advanced Power Cells | 1 |
| Template:Item icon | Shuttlecraft | 2 |
| Template:Item icon | 2 | |
| Template:Item icon | 2 | |
| Template:Item icon | 2 | |
| Template:Item icon | Space Scanning | 2 |
| Template:Item icon | Advanced Atmospherics | 2 |
| Template:Item icon | 2 |
Arsenal ( None)
Experimental
| Item | Research | Tier |
|---|---|---|
| Template:Item icon | Basic XenoArcheology | 1 |
| Template:Item icon | 1 | |
| Template:Item icon | Basic Anomalous Research | 1 |
| Template:Item icon | 1 | |
| Template:Item icon | Basic Robotics | 1 |
| Template:Item icon | Alternative Research | 1 |
| Template:Item icon | Artifact Recycling | 2 |
| Template:Item icon | Advanced Anomaly Research | 2 |
| Template:Item icon | 2 |
Civilian Services
| Item | Research | Tier |
|---|---|---|
| Template:Item icon | Basic Hydroponics | 1 |
| Template:Item icon | 1 | |
| Template:Item icon | 1 | |
| Template:Item icon | Meat Manipulation | 1 |
| Template:Item icon | 1 | |
| Template:Item icon | 1 | |
| Template:Item icon | Critter Mechs | 1 |
| Template:Item icon | 1 | |
| Template:Item icon | Advanced Entertainment | 1 |
| Template:Item icon | 1 | |
| Template:Item icon | 1 | |
| Template:Item icon | 1 | |
| Template:Item icon | A/V Communication | 1 |
| Template:Item icon | 1 | |
| Template:Item icon | 1 | |
| Template:Item icon | 1 | |
| Template:Item icon | 1 | |
| Template:Item icon | 1 | |
| Template:Item icon | 1 | |
| Template:Item icon | H.O.N.K. Mech | 2 |
| Template:Item icon | 2 | |
| Template:Item icon | 2 | |
| Template:Item icon | Bluespace Cargo Transport | 2 |
| Template:Item icon | Biochemical Stasis | 2 |
| Template:Item icon | 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.