[Trajan]

Baron,

Using diminishing returns seems the most appropriate form. Decreasing marginal gains accompanied with increasing costs as you explore closer to your research possibilities frontier would be a formidable research design.

Keep in mind though, that as new incremental improvements in applied technology are discovered, I think that there have to some kind of tangential creative bursts that lead to new areas of research -- whether applied or theoretical.

Theoretical research paths should likely be very expensive to begin, and have a steep curve for continued research in the particular area.

Finally, I like the idea of a race surpassing their research possibility frontier through long-term research. Their passing of this mark (the "theoretical" limit to their research capabilities) might let them explore new and Extremely radical theories that are outside the boundries for their race. However, these research paths have to be considered within the argument of balance between the designed races.

Cheers!
Trajan

[ July 12, 2002, 17:48: Message edited by: Trajan ]