Research - Actual Output vs. Maximum Potential

[tgb]

For the first time since I started playing, my actual output is less than maximum potential. I can't figure out why, or how to fix it, and the Galactopedia has nothing.

Help.

[lordxorn]

I think the maximum is the ceiling limit, meaning once you build enough bases to hit that limit it would be a waste to build more.

[Barthheart]

It means you have more research ability than people to do the research. As your population goes up these numbers will meet... unless you build more research bases etc.

[swatter555]

ORIGINAL: tgb

For the first time since I started playing, my actual output is less than maximum potential. I can't figure out why, or how to fix it, and the Galactopedia has nothing.

Help.

Its hard to actually explain this without a screen to point to, but it is explained in the Galactopedia. Your civilization has a maximum research potential, listed at the top. This number is the total actual output you can achieve if you add up all catagories. This number grows and shrinks depending on your economy and population.

At the bottom, you have max and actual potential for each catagory. The max is based on how many labs you have built. The actual number is how much of your lab potential is being put to use (due to the top number I discussed). You always want to have more lab capacity than you are actually using, so your civ can grow into using them.

If that doesnt help, it is in the Galactopedia.

[HsojVvad]

So if you are not meeting your maximum potential, that is like there is too many researchbases but not enough people to work them? So it's like unenplyment but in reverse then?

[PDiFolco]

Yes that's it, max research is like you only have that many potential scientists , whatever bases you build it doesn 't change.
Note that race/gov research modifiers apply to this Cap and not to the bases output!

[Gertjan]

I like the research concept thusfar.

[Athalian]

Why does my spaceport only produce 25K when it has 5 of each labs?

[Fishman]

Well, it's very, very easy to max out your research potential, since building ONE RESEARCH BASE is enough to forever max out your research, especially since it will soft-cap itself at 1000K anyway: Once you hit 1000K, it barely increases at all, so you will never really have a tech lead, and all the lab technologies and racial research bonii are basically totally worthless because once you cap, that's it. No amount of improvement will help. And don't put labs on spaceports, for that reason. You need far more spaceports than you need labs, and labs on spaceports won't get the research bonus that a (single) strategically deployed research installation would. Because the cap, that's the ONLY research installation you will ever need, unless for some bizarre reason you manage to get it blown up.

[Gertjan]

I think the research as it is now keeps the game exciting since most of the races are quite close to each other tech wise. Perhaps having a larger economy (or more resources devoted to research) should make a difference late game (like 20% or so).

[forsaken1111]

ORIGINAL: Fishman

Well, it's very, very easy to max out your research potential, since building ONE RESEARCH BASE is enough to forever max out your research, especially since it will soft-cap itself at 1000K anyway: Once you hit 1000K, it barely increases at all, so you will never really have a tech lead, and all the lab technologies and racial research bonii are basically totally worthless because once you cap, that's it. No amount of improvement will help. And don't put labs on spaceports, for that reason. You need far more spaceports than you need labs, and labs on spaceports won't get the research bonus that a (single) strategically deployed research installation would. Because the cap, that's the ONLY research installation you will ever need, unless for some bizarre reason you manage to get it blown up.

Suppose this is a bad time to mention that the FIRST thing I tend to target in war or in preparation for war is the research stations my enemy has?

[Fishman]

If the AI were smart enough to do that, I might actually have to build a newer, more heavily armed one.

[forsaken1111]

My new tactic is to starve the AI out. I hit every luxury mining station he has, take down any construction ship I find, and kill every research base I know about. I steal his territory and operations maps through covert action, or get an deep cover agent in if possible, so I can find them all. I will often sit paused for 15 minutes noting down each target I need to take down and figuring out which is the most important.

This is why it would be very nice if I could issue specific orders to the automation 'generals'. "Take out that mining base" and the automation would do that while I attended to other things.

[BigWolfChris]

ORIGINAL: forsaken1111

This is why it would be very nice if I could issue specific orders to the automation 'generals'. "Take out that mining base" and the automation would do that while I attended to other things.

Yes, it would, having either fully auto, or zero auto is a pain in the ...
I would prefer the ability to issue orders without always taking ships off auto (Might need a toggle auto on/off for each ship)
It would simply finish the missions I've set and then carry on its way (Or even queued to do after finishing it's current auto task)

Quite annoying having to "divert" ships to do something, and then having to remember to re-automate them afterwards