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R&D Fundamentals

R&D in FTA3 is very different from FTA2, in the sense there are significantly fewer technologies, especially those that gradually introduce incremental improvements. R&D in FTA3 revolves around developing your military’s doctrine trees, reverse-engineering OPF relics and autofactories, and similar.

All R&D projects require the expenditure of an R&D token to undertake, and normally have some other cost associated with it-be it DI, cash, a posting requirement, whatever.

Technology Levels

TL6 - High Federation technology. Smoother, sleeker, more capable.
TL5 - Standard tech; "ubiquitous OPF”. The general state of the art on the Grid today, what polity navies are constructed to as a standard.
TL4 - Partially adopted OPF; Advanced gear too difficult to operate has been replaced by simpler, more rugged, less capable parts. This is the Common tech level one finds PMCs, Rumpus states, and many corporations operating at. TL4 Escorts, Cruisers, and army units bought off Common Market sources automatically have the Deniable trait. For every two TL4 units of the same design you build, you get a 3rd for ‘free’*.
TL3 - Antimatter power era. Rarely encountered these days as civilizations who develop to this point rapidly gain access to the basic package of OPF technology. TL3 units may be built with the Deniable trait. For every TL3 unit you build after the game starts, get another of the same design for ‘free’*.
TL2 - "Mature FTL”; early reactionless drives, crude energy-deflective shields, Alcubierre Drives.
TL1 - "Early FTL"; Fusion propulsion, crude warp drives, simple lasers and railguns.
TL0 - Chemical propulsion. 21st century stuff. Pre-FTL.

Differing Technology Levels and Combat

As a conversational shorthand, a given Technology Level is twice as capable as the level below it. This is cumulative, so a TL6 warship engaging a TL4 warship is four times as effective. This represents a holistic combination of all factors; a TL5 megaparticle cannon isn't necessarily simply twice as powerful in raw output as one from TL4 but instead has superior targeting, a variable shield-piercing mode, etc etc - the effect is a combat modifier. This shouldn’t be considered ironclad by any means, but serves as a good guideline to follow, and explains how Polity escort divisions are able to routinely punk pirate frigates and light cruisers.

Unlocking a Relic

Unlocking an OPF relic costs 1 R&D Token and $1000, completing in one year. The Old Federation deliberately designed its technology to be understandable to a broad range of sophonts and generally didn’t make things too difficult to figure out. Relics have a huge variety of possible effects, and the moderation team will spell out what your Relic does when you unlock it (remember to post in your YiR) Once you’ve salvaged one of a type of relic, your people recognize further examples and you don’t have to pay to restore a second or further examples of the relic. Fold Drives are “free” salvage in this regard as everyone knows what they are.

Repairing an OPF Landmark

Getting an OPF facility or structure on-line, as a rule, costs 1 R&D token, $4000, and 15 DI, finishing in one year. This represents your military-industrial complex training up the crews needed to oversee the care and feeding of your new autofac, assembling the engineering knowledge to herd servitor-cats, or making sure your idols are all up to spec on their cultural warfare metrics. The Landmark must also be located in a system where you possess a Supply Point in OR a Forward Operating Base. Transsophants/Advancers who treat Landmarks as FOB's can begin repairs immediately.

New Ship Design

Designing a new ship for production costs 1 R&D token, $100, and 10 DI, representing the design, prototyping, and testing process required to undertake a new ship design. This R&D process is ‘instant’ in the sense you don’t have to complete it before you build ships of this class-it’s just an extra prototype fee, more or less. All your initial ship designs are assumed to have prototyping paid for already. Also, be sure to check the Ship Quirks section of the military rules, as new standard vessel designs will receive a roll on the quirk table after the initial production run completes.

Notes: To be clear this is the 'my ship has +2 guns, +2 goes fast, and is painted in adaptive camouflage paint' 'design' and not 'super corvette'- that's below.

New Specialty Hull

Developing the technical ability to produce a specialty hull, which require a fair bit more technical know-how than normal designs, requires 1 R&D token and $500. Like with a new design, this R&D process is “instant”.

@@ Line 7: / Line 7: @@
 #[[FTA3 Research & Development]]
 Continue to Table of Contents:
+=R&D Fundamentals=
+R&D in FTA3 is very different from FTA2, in the sense there are significantly fewer technologies, especially those that gradually introduce incremental improvements.  R&D in FTA3 revolves around developing your military’s doctrine trees, reverse-engineering OPF relics and autofactories, and similar.
+All R&D projects require the expenditure of an R&D token to undertake, and normally have some other cost associated with it-be it DI, cash, a posting requirement, whatever.
+=Technology Levels=
+* TL6 - High Federation technology. Smoother, sleeker, more capable.
+* TL5 - Standard tech; "ubiquitous OPF”. The general state of the art on the Grid today, what polity navies are constructed to as a standard.
+* TL4 - Partially adopted OPF; Advanced gear too difficult to operate has been replaced by simpler, more rugged, less capable parts.  This is the Common tech level one finds PMCs, Rumpus states, and many corporations operating at. TL4 Escorts, Cruisers, and army units bought off Common Market sources automatically have the Deniable trait. For every two TL4 units of the same design you build, you get a 3rd for ‘free’*.
+* TL3 - Antimatter power era. Rarely encountered these days as civilizations who develop to this point rapidly gain access to the basic package of OPF technology. TL3 units may be built with the Deniable trait. For every TL3 unit you build after the game starts, get another of the same design for ‘free’*.
+* TL2 - "Mature FTL”; early reactionless drives, crude energy-deflective shields, Alcubierre Drives.
+* TL1 - "Early FTL"; Fusion propulsion, crude warp drives, simple lasers and railguns.
+* TL0 - Chemical propulsion. 21st century stuff. Pre-FTL.
+==Differing  Technology Levels and Combat==
+As a conversational shorthand, a given Technology Level is twice as capable as the level below it. This is cumulative, so a TL6 warship engaging a TL4  warship is four times as effective. This represents a holistic combination of all factors; a TL5 megaparticle cannon isn't necessarily simply twice as powerful in raw output as one from TL4 but instead has superior targeting, a variable shield-piercing mode, etc etc - the effect is a combat modifier.  This shouldn’t be considered ironclad by any means, but serves as a good guideline to follow, and explains how Polity escort divisions are able to routinely punk pirate frigates and light cruisers.
+=Unlocking a Relic=
+Unlocking an OPF relic costs 1 R&D Token and $1000, completing in one year.  The Old Federation deliberately designed its technology to be understandable to a broad range of sophonts and generally didn’t make things too difficult to figure out.  Relics have a huge variety of possible effects, and the moderation team will spell out what your Relic does when you unlock it (remember to post in your YiR)  Once you’ve salvaged one of a type of relic, your people recognize further examples and you don’t have to pay to restore a second or further examples of the relic.  Fold Drives are “free” salvage in this regard as everyone knows what they are.
+=Repairing an OPF Landmark=
+Getting an OPF facility or structure on-line, as a rule, costs 1 R&D token, $4000, and 15 DI, finishing in one year. This represents your military-industrial complex training up the crews needed to oversee the care and feeding of your new autofac, assembling the engineering knowledge to herd servitor-cats, or making sure your idols are all up to spec on their cultural warfare metrics.  The Landmark must also be located in a system where you possess a Supply Point in OR a Forward Operating Base. Transsophants/Advancers who treat Landmarks as FOB's can begin repairs immediately.
+=New Ship Design=
+Designing a new ship for production costs 1 R&D token, $100, and 10 DI, representing the design, prototyping, and testing process required to undertake a new ship design.  This R&D process is ‘instant’ in the sense you don’t have to complete it before you build ships of this class-it’s just an extra prototype fee, more or less.  All your initial ship designs are assumed to have prototyping paid for already.  Also, be sure to check the Ship Quirks section of the military rules, as new standard vessel designs will receive a roll on the quirk table after the initial production run completes.
+Notes: To be clear this is the 'my ship has +2 guns, +2 goes fast, and is painted in adaptive camouflage paint' 'design' and not 'super corvette'- that's below.
+=New Specialty Hull=
+Developing the technical ability to produce a specialty hull, which require a fair bit more technical know-how than normal designs, requires 1 R&D token and $500.  Like with a new design, this R&D process is “instant”.
 [[Category: From the Ashes 3]]

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