more modular research / construction mechanics

[moriarty]

I'm almost sure I requested something like this before... but I can't find it, so I can't bump it. I was reminded of this while discussing orphaned strings in the language files and pondering the apparently once-intended additional mechanics that just didn't make it into the game.

What I mean by more modular research / construction mechanics is this:
I think it would be nice if it was possible to define a "construction" that produces more than one thing and also a thing that is defined internally instead of by the name of the construction project.

The main reason for this would be the possibility to define for example a construction project "UFO Power Source Deconstruction" that uses a UFO Power Source as a raw material and yields a few units of Elerium and a few units of Alien Alloys. Or a construction project "Extract Elerium-115 from Plasma Rifle Clip" which uses a Plasma Rifle Clip as a raw material and yields a unit of Elerium.

Another example? Maybe it would be possible to construct PSI-Amps from Elerium for a lot of money, taking a lot of time - or from less Elerium and a Mind Probe for a lot less money and faster - surely the Mind Probe circuitry can be re-used for the PSI-Amp



As for research, similar modularity would be nice:
if there were switches not only for enabling research, but also for disabling it (negative requirements, so to say), we could implement stuff like research bonuses (something like "as soon as you research ufo power source, all plasma weapon research becomes a lot easier").

or a mod that uses the research system to do magic spell research, you could implement mutually exclusive spell realms (for example: if you research life spells, you don't get to research death spells and vice versa)

it would also make sense to have certain research projects give you items upon completion of the research: if your eggheads research how to build a weapon, maybe they do that by constructing a working prototype? so it would be nice to have the option that research projects can give you other stuff, too. could even be money.

[Warboy1982]

i can already see the code for how to achieve this floating around my head, but the one problem i foresee is the lack of available screen real-estate to list the requirements as well as the results

[moriarty]

True. I didn't really think about that... although I think this would fit in the usual "start construction" screen for simple projects. And once the code is there, it should be easily adaptable for something like the "foundry" and that's going to need a whole new screen anyway

[Align]

Yeah, in the "Start project" subwindow it could just display the list of produced things under the list of required things, and if they're too long, a scroll bar would suffice. The manufacturing overview screen already doesn't display required things, so it shouldn't be out of place if it doesn't display the produced things.

[Fenyő]

I've just implemented the manufacture part of this feature-request:  GitHub-PullRequest (Merged)

I've attached a sample ruleset file to this post. (which uses that new attribute)
With this file you can extract elerium from clips and alien grenade.
You just have to append the filename to the "rulesets:" part of the options.cfg.

Cheers.

[Angelus_EV]

Great idea to add

[Mr. Quiet]

I've just implemented the manufacture part of this feature-request:  GitHub-PullRequest (Merged)

I've attached a sample ruleset file to this post. (which uses that new attribute)
With this file you can extract elerium from clips and alien grenade.
You just have to append the filename to the "rulesets:" part of the options.cfg.

Cheers.

So this will work right off the bat? Thanks Fenyo, I've always wanted this kind of Feature!

[Angelus_EV]

Modular, slow acces to research is a good thing to be an on/of advanced option, coz after the first couple of missions you have almost all the research able items and if you are like me and research all compulsively and let the alien terror and crashes even ufos away... and loose