Queueing research orders

[Emdek]

Currently we can order trucks to build another structure after finishing one, order commanders to attack next targets and of course order factories to build different units in queue...
So why not allow for assigning next research topic for research centers?
For example press Ctrl and then select next topic from the list? Maybe there could be also kind of shortcut to activate kind of auto assign of topics when current is researched?

[Rman Virgil]

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Good idea. Lessen some of the Research Micro-management which I personally find not much fun and distracting from combat. For me anything that facilitates "Switch-Tasking" is a step in the right direction (Btw, "multi-tasking" is a myth neurologically speaking that is also a great source of "productive effectiveness degradation"....)

If your looking for precedent for this form of Research Queuing you need look no further than the classic DOS "Syndicate" series of strategy games designed by Peter Molineux in the early '90s which also preceded WZ in Unit Customization Design and Strategy by Design by a number of years. In the case of these "Syndicate" series of games the units were Cyborgs and the mechanics & GUI for design customization are beautifully elegant.

- RV

[Olrox]

Hmm, just bumping this since it's been some time after the last post and no dev shared a thought - is it possible/already planned?

It is a good idea, BTW. Probably that would benefit greatly of a "available tech after completion of current ones" viewing, which is a bit complicated to do I imagine - techs available only after a research is concluded are shown with gray backgrounds or something like that, and are only displayed when the facility that will provide that tech is selected.

Just a thought

~Olrox

[XboxJosh]

This is a good idea, I've wanted this for some time.

[Roux Le Corps]

that would be great! getting the next machine gun research in line so i dont get distracted mid battle would be great!

[macuser]

And for newbies, being able to plan and look up the research tree would help (I remember when I was just starting playing )

[Saberuneko]

Being able to queue the researches would give the user more time to focus on what's really important: Units. ^^

[BunkerBlaster]

Not a good idea. This is the heart of Warzone. This is one of the things that makes Warzone unique is having to know the research tree and researching the right thing at the right time. If you que it up or make scripts for this then the game will no longer be interesting. There is a lot of strategy in Warzone, the research tree is foremost.

[Emdek]

BunkerBlaster, but this shouldn't clash with initial idea, to queue only currently available topics (in case of campaign there is usually not very many of them at time) and make mk upgrades researched automatically when for example double clicking topic.

[Dalton]

Don't like the idea, people's research will overlap and even if you make something to prevent this is takes away to much from the game.

[Emdek]

Don't like the idea, people's research will overlap and even if you make something to prevent this is takes away to much from the game.

You mean in multi player games?
Everything can be solved, but first it needs to be decided if changes are wanted or not.

[Dalton]

I mean mainly MP, yes. Also seeing how no actual developers (excluding Olrox since artist) have said anything don't think they are very interested in this idea.

[Zarel]

I didn't want to say anything for undisclosed reasons.

But yes, we are planning on implementing this. Eventually. I think it's in the FPI list, but I'm not sure.

[BunkerBlaster]

I didn't want to say anything for undisclosed reasons.

But yes, we are planning on implementing this. Eventually. I think it's in the FPI list, but I'm not sure.

The next suggestion would be to make it conditional when a branch in the tree becomes available. Good way to kill a great game.

[Olrox]

I think it's in the FPI list, but I'm not sure.

Not yet, I've checked that - could be added, since I recall hearing similar things to that a couple of times, even though it was quite some time ago. What's already on the FPI is the in-game tech tree. This one would be something like "Research queueing" and "Display future research items after the prereqs started being researched", maybe?

About the overlapping due to shared researching, it is indeed a major problem. There could be a more visible flashing icon when an ally's researching something in the same time as you (perhaps research icon flashing red, and a repeating text message. Those warnings should be displayed only for the player that started the research -after- another one, so that the player that has been researching it before doesn't get confused and cancel the research because he thinks his mate was already researching it. If you know what I mean

~Olrox