Research and Engineering

[MrAlex]

I have noticed that increasing the number of engineers and scientists working on same project at a time reduces the efficiency of their work.
Counting from the starting number of 6 Engineers, I got the following results:
1) Increasing the number of Engineers by 6 (6-> 12) reduces their efficiency by 6% (114 hours instead 107,5)
2) Increasing the number of Engineers by 12 (6-> 18) reduces their efficiency by 13% (81 hours instead 71,6)
3) Increasing the number of Engineers by 18 (6-> 24) reduces their efficiency by 20.9% (65 hours instead 53,7)
4) Increasing the number of Engineers by 22 (6-> 28 -maximum of available in the current version V17) reduces their efficiency by 28% (59 hours instead 46)

Counting from the starting number of 6 Scientists, I got the following results:
1) Increasing the number of Scientists by 6 (6-> 12) reduces their efficiency by 6.1% (78 hours instead 73,5)
2) Increasing the number of Scientists by 12 (6-> 18) reduces their efficiency by 14.28% (56 hours instead 49)
3) Increasing the number of Scientists by 18 (6-> 24) reduces their efficiency by 22.44% (45 hours instead 36,7)
4) Increasing the number of Scientists 22 (6-> 28 -maximum of available in the current version V17) reduces their efficiency by 27% (40 hours instead 31,5)

At the moment, in version 17, engineers can be divided into different projects if they are recruited on different bases (although it is not convenient).
Scientists cannot be divided at all, as the research window is common to all bases.

As a result, I find it necessary to allow the division of engineers and scientists between projects by the player, regardless of their base (as in the original x com), or to remove the reduction in their effectiveness.

Edited January 24, 2021 by MrAlex

[MrAlex]

It is also desirable to add the transfer of scientists and engineers between bases, and the time of arrival after hiring (similar to soldiers)

[Chris]

On 1/24/2021 at 3:35 PM, MrAlex said:

I have noticed that increasing the number of engineers and scientists working on same project at a time reduces the efficiency of their work.
Counting from the starting number of 6 Engineers, I got the following results:
1) Increasing the number of Engineers by 6 (6-> 12) reduces their efficiency by 6% (114 hours instead 107,5)
2) Increasing the number of Engineers by 12 (6-> 18) reduces their efficiency by 13% (81 hours instead 71,6)
3) Increasing the number of Engineers by 18 (6-> 24) reduces their efficiency by 20.9% (65 hours instead 53,7)
4) Increasing the number of Engineers by 22 (6-> 28 -maximum of available in the current version V17) reduces their efficiency by 28% (59 hours instead 46)

Counting from the starting number of 6 Scientists, I got the following results:
1) Increasing the number of Scientists by 6 (6-> 12) reduces their efficiency by 6.1% (78 hours instead 73,5)
2) Increasing the number of Scientists by 12 (6-> 18) reduces their efficiency by 14.28% (56 hours instead 49)
3) Increasing the number of Scientists by 18 (6-> 24) reduces their efficiency by 22.44% (45 hours instead 36,7)
4) Increasing the number of Scientists 22 (6-> 28 -maximum of available in the current version V17) reduces their efficiency by 27% (40 hours instead 31,5)

At the moment, in version 17, engineers can be divided into different projects if they are recruited on different bases (although it is not convenient).
Scientists cannot be divided at all, as the research window is common to all bases.

As a result, I find it necessary to allow the division of engineers and scientists between projects by the player, regardless of their base (as in the original x com), or to remove the reduction in their effectiveness.

Yeah, scientists become less effective the more you have of them. I forget the exact formula (it was in one of the recent changelogs) but it caps out at additional scientists and engineers being 50% effective I think above 50. But you always get benefit from adding an extra scientist / engineer, just less benefit than you do when you have fewer of them.

This is just a balancing thing, and rubberbanding of this type is fairly standard in games - you get diminishing returns the more resources you put into a specific thing. I don't want players with lots of scientists to be able to race down the research tree 300% faster than the average player so it's not something the player should be able to get around really.

On 1/24/2021 at 3:44 PM, MrAlex said:

It is also desirable to add the transfer of scientists and engineers between bases, and the time of arrival after hiring (similar to soldiers)

Yeah, that's a good point.

[MrAlex]

16 hours ago, Chris said:

This is just a balancing thing

Then you need to add the ability to divide staff into different projects so that the player can use them effectively.

[MrAlex]

On 1/25/2021 at 6:24 PM, Chris said:

Yeah, that's a good point.

Given that hiring scientists and engineers is now much more expensive, their transfer is now even more necessary.
Because it is very expensive to fire them on one base and re-hire them on another.

BTW/ Why is the maximum number of scientists and engineers 58?
It's very wild. Make at least 60 (3 bases with 2 buildings give 60 R/D places).
Although it seems to me that the players are already limited by the budget, so limiting Scientists and Engineers max amount is not necessary.