Liquid Research and a Lock out button

[Omnirizon]

this would be one of those nice to have things.

for research it would be great if the pool was liquid, so points could be assigned exactly (as is, it seems that each researcher has to be totally on one path or the other)

also, it would be great to have a 'lock out' feature on the research settings so that the amount of research in one path could be locked, and wouldn't change while the other paths were adjusted. If you want to fiddle with more than two paths, it is nigh impossible to get them all set where you actually want them.

of those two things, i'd rather see a lock out feature.
of course, some one's probably going to post and show me how there already is one.

[thejeff]

If I'm right about what you're talking about, the pool is liquid. To test, start with an awake rainbow and split his research between 2 paths.

As the numbers get bigger, the interface makes it hard to split it exactly where you want, but with a few hundred rp being off by a couple is usually not an issue.

I would like the lock out feature, though it's rare I want to work on three paths.

What I think I'd really like, inspired by your post, would be an entirely different system for assigning research. An interface that would let you specify what levels of which paths you'd like to research in order. Rather than "18 more points to get to Constr 4, then the rest into Conj. Next turn I'll finish Conj 3, then work on Evocation", you'd say, "Research to Constr 4, then Conj 3, then Evoc 4" and your research would be allocated as needed.
This would also eliminate my most frustrating thing with research: Carefully adjust research levels to finish the current target and start the next, then remember I wanted to forge or cast something. Next turn, 4 points from finishing the level.

[MaxWilson]

To fiddle with research levels, use "+" and "-" keys instead of clicking.

-Max

[thejeff]

Eventually even "+" and "-" give you more than 1 point.

[Micah]

It's granular to a single percentage point, so once you break 100 RP you start losing a little bit of control, but really, it's less than 1% of your research for one turn, not something I'd want the devs to spend time addressing.

[Omnirizon]

Originally Posted by Micah

It's granular to a single percentage point, so once you break 100 RP you start losing a little bit of control, but really, it's less than 1% of your research for one turn, not something I'd want the devs to spend time addressing.

ok.

but i'd still like a lock out feature.

i like that automated contingency research idea from thejeff. it would cut down on micromanagement, and would prevent those "D'ohs" from when you forget to assign research for your next turn, or when you set your research but then assign different orders to mages who were researching.

[Aezeal]

seriously this is just not needed.. you usually should just want to research in 2 paths.. the one you are busy in and maybe the one you want after that if you'll be there with part of the points for next turn. There is no advantage in researching 2 at a time since then it'll just take you the same amount of turns but not getting some advantage in between.

In the rare case you need 3 paths you can usually get what you need even now with like 2 tries.

Maybe not needed is a bit harsh but there are about a zillion things they might do befor this IMHO

[Snoddasmannen]

The ideal way to implement this dialog IMHO is simply to (somehow) let the user specify the order in which he wants to research the different schools. Voila, no twiddling about with awkward sliders or trying to remember how many points the next level costs etc, it would simply work.

Stretching my imagination, I can think of at least one reason why I would want to deviate from the straight approach of researching stuff sequentially, but it's pretty obscure

[Sombre]

It's adequate as it is.

[Gandalf Parker]

I wouldnt mind a way to specify what is next. Such as when Im only 20 points from getting 2nd lvl evocation. So that as soon as it level in evocation switch to conjuration without me having to nitpick the amount of points in each then remember to drop the points in evocation next turn.