Can't build any of the Mega Labs

[rustyj]

I have completed the research for all the Mega Labs tech but can't build any. The icons aren't appearing. Not just my current game but previous games. In some games some mega labs tech icons show up and can be built, but not all. I previously assumed the game glitched and built them automatically. But I just searched facilities in current game and they are not listed.

Am I doing something wrong? Has anyone else had this problem? I get a bit twitchy (I think I'm doing something wrong or there is game corruption - I have verified the files) when no one else mentions an issue which for me has been going on for several months.

In the current game I completed the enhanced, advanced and superior research before doing the mega labs tech, and I wonder if this has upset the game mechanics. I don't see why it should.

[fruitgnome]

Has another empire already built the mega labs? They can only be built once in galaxy. If no, upload the save game and I will watch. Now I have all dlcs.

[rustyj]

I've just face-palmed. I had no idea that only one could be built per galaxy. I glanced over the text and thought 'just one per empire'. Yes it's possible they have been built by another faction. That would explain my issues in previous games, being able to build some and not all. Is there a way to check which faction has built them?

[fruitgnome]

In diplomacy screen look at the capitals of other empires.
The concept of build only once in galaxy annoys me since release. It makes it uneccesarry hard for smaller empires to get bigger. It should be changed to once in empire. The XL mod in steam workshop changed this. It's a great mod and the ai knows how to use the mod (only tested one time till now). I wrote the change in the mod forum. But it would be great if it would be changed in core game.

[rustyj]

I found them by doing a planet search of another faction because they weren't on the capital. If they aren't on the capital planet finding them can be problematic. There should be an easier way to check. I wasted time and resources researching them. We should be able to tell at a glance which ones have been built and which haven't.

[fruitgnome]

Sign it should be written at the research project in research screen. But changing the concept to once per empire would be better.

But the research is not useless:
You can attack the planet by bombarding or invasion, you do not have to conquer the colony because buildings get destroyed by attack and if the mega lab is destroyed built the facility by your own.
Or use the game editor and remove the facility on the other colony. And maybe add it in game editor on your colony.

How did you this planet search? By military screen -> targets -> empire colonies?

[rustyj]

I went in the usual way to capital via diplomacy screen and it showed only the first tier facilities. Since I knew which faction it was likely to be I did a quick planet by planet search, sticking to the largest population planets (by size of ring). This is not something we should have to do. Minimal address of problem should be notification on research screen as you say. But there should also be a listing screen of galactic facilities. It may be possible to beat other faction to some research, even if it is to 1or 2 of the Labs.

Not being aware of the one per galaxy rule, I didn't pay attention to the notifications, but in the heat of battle or otherwise I may not have seen them anyway.

I don't know why there isn't any listing or research tree notification since, as you say, gaining this research may be critical to winning, especially at the higher levels. I don't see that there would be any technical difficulties in doing so.

I am ambivalent as to whether Labs should be galaxy only or empire only, but I think the devs really need to fix up the notification and listing.

As you point out, you can attack the planet/s with those facilities, however you still need to know which planets they are on, and they might not even reside within a single faction. I might add that if the facilities are spread throughout the faction empire, attacking multiple sites might become problematic, especially since the faction is likely to be very strong.

[fruitgnome]

Now I know a fast way for searching for example mega labs:
Save the game.
Game editor play as the empire (you think who can have build this wonder) -> colonies -> planetary facilities filtered by wonders.
Load the game.