Research Project Descriptions?

[TwistedTrip]

Hey there everyone,

I'm new to the series, so excuse me if I don't understand all the concepts and key words right away.

Anyway, to the point of the thread creation. The Research Tree, while starting a new game I wanted to understand why the ai had decided on those specific research choices instead of others. The more I looked at what was being decided upon, the less I truly understood about what each technology did specifically and how that affected the empire I wanted to create from the start.

For example.. The technology Energy Collection under the Energy & Construction tab was first selected for me when I began the game. Now curious, I wanted to know specifically how that would affect my empire and if it was the wisest choice for the game start I wanted to create.

So I hoved over the selected tech icon and was present with this information..

Energy Collection

Project Size 120k (3% complete)
Energy Collector

Size 8, Static Energy Used: 0
Potential Energy 24

I mean, I could take an educated guess. But wouldn't it not be more helpful, if every technology specifically outlined exactly what it affected. Instead of having to remember what each and every technology did from trial and error?

Would this tech effect planets? certain ships, bases? Something else? If I had to guess, I would assume it's for ships, but even then I'm not completely sure on the total interaction of the technology and how it would benefit my empire.

I'm certainly not trying to nit pick, some of the tech names are very direct and you can understand what the technology does right away (more or less) and how it would affect your gameplay. For example the tech Shields under the same research tab.

Shields

project Size: 120k
Corvidan Shields

Size 10. Static Energy Used: 0
Strength 100
Recharge Rate 0.3

With shields I can generally assume I gain the ability to have shields on ships, now if I wanted to be silly I could ask if that would include bases as well, but I know it does since I have watched playthroughs. However if I had not I might not know for sure.

I thought this is no problem, I'm sure there must be a wiki and there was.. However it only outlined exactly what each tech already mentioned in the game in a condensed form. I'm sure I will learn as I play the game more how everything interacts, I just found this to be a little unhelpful when viewing the tech tree.

[loki100]

some of it is a bit of trial and error

I wouldn't start with energy collectors but I would research them very early on. Their impact is that any ship/base in a star system will reduce its usage of caslon (early game)/caslon/hydrogen (mid/late game). This saves you a lot of money.

at the start you'll probably have a small space port at your colony, a couple of explorers, couple of construction ships and so on. So the return is not that great till you start to build up.

Shields, less clear cut, but I tend not to bother till I have the first warp technology under research

[AKicebear]

I second that the game could use more tool tips to educate new users - a lot of research areas and components are rather mysterious, unless you are willing to listen to a few dozen hours of Let's Plays until you stumble across one.

[Blackstork]

ORIGINAL: AKicebear

I second that the game could use more tool tips to educate new users

and should make coffee for older players!
j/k
seriously it can be fixed with wiritng more pedia entries, at very least

[Vardis]

The in-game help covers component info.

[AKicebear]

The in-game help covers component info.

That's true, but isn't particularly user friendly/convenient - I need to hit F1, navigate to the components section and find the component for the related Research area. It would be far more convenient for a link or pop-up text box to be built into the research area. I hoped that at least highlighting my research area and then hitting F1 would take me a specific entry for that research or related components - nope, just the basic research entry.

I understand this game aims to appeal to a hardcore gamer (which is fine), but that shouldn't be an excuse for this kind of roundabout presentation of basic game information. Popups are a very simple and widespread concept which need not detract from the "hardcore-ness" of the game. If that is unappealing for whatever reason, at least better contextual use of the F1 command. Perhaps not possible in this edition, but I hope that happens in Distant Worlds 2.

[Vardis]

While I agree that presentation of a lot of the info could be better, is that type of functionality common? I don't recall that sort of thing tied to research screens in other games I've played. Pop-ups, sure, but not a link from that to the help section on shields, if you don't know what shields are, or want more detailed info. Maybe I just haven't noticed, because I'd already gone through the help ahead of time, or something.

[solops]

ORIGINAL: AKicebear

The in-game help covers component info.

That's true, but isn't particularly user friendly/convenient - I need to hit F1, navigate to the components section and find the component for the related Research area. It would be far more convenient for a link or pop-up text box to be built into the research area. I hoped that at least highlighting my research area and then hitting F1 would take me a specific entry for that research or related components - nope, just the basic research entry.

I understand this game aims to appeal to a hardcore gamer (which is fine), but that shouldn't be an excuse for this kind of roundabout presentation of basic game information. Popups are a very simple and widespread concept which need not detract from the "hardcore-ness" of the game. If that is unappealing for whatever reason, at least better contextual use of the F1 command. Perhaps not possible in this edition, but I hope that happens in Distant Worlds 2.

+1