Research Prerequisite Chain
The tech you want sits deep in the tree; light up the path to it first.
- Prototype complexity
- Who plays
- Solo decisions
- Design focus
- Planning · Progression · Economy
No.100Factorio01The core loop
Action → feedback → next choice- 01Pick a target tech
- 02Queue its prerequisites
- 03Feed resources to research
- 04Unlocks open new needs
↻Feedback changes the situation — the next round starts from there.
Walk through one round
A simplified design example. Situations and numbers illustrate the mechanic, not exact rules from a reference game.
- T1
Turn 1 · The situation
Oil processing needs Fluid handling, which needs Automation 2. You make 10 science packs a minute.
- T2
Turn 2 · The player chooses
Double science output to 20/min first, then queue the three techs in order.
- T3
Turn 3 · The feedback
Expansion took 8 minutes but cut total research time roughly in half.
- T4
Turn 4 · The next decision
Oil unlocks, but the next science pack needs plastic, so the factory changes again.
How it plays
Techs form a dependency graph; each requires its prerequisites plus research points, materials or time. Completion unlocks buildings or recipes that often produce the inputs for higher research.
What the player weighs
- Beeline vs breadth: rushing one line can leave you missing basics.
- Research vs expansion: resources fed to labs can't build more factories.
02Start small
Scope is an editorial estimate for the minimum prototype, not the reference game or a production schedule.
03One mechanic, different implementations
Factorio
Research runs in labs that consume colored science packs, each requiring a more complex production line, tightly coupling the tree to factory growth.
RimWorld
Colonists spend work time at research benches, and some advanced projects require a hi-tech bench or extra equipment.
The difference worth noticing
Factorio pays for research in manufactured goods; RimWorld pays mainly in colonist labor time.
Case notes are Yoroll editorial summaries; rules may change between versions.
04What could you combine?
Timed contracts require an unresearched tech, so players judge whether they can clear the prerequisite chain before the deadline.
Prototype this combo in Yoroll→Follow the next idea
Paid Respec
You can undo your build, but every undo has a price.
- Prototype complexity
- Who plays
- Solo decisions
- 01Spend points on a plan
- 02Test it in play
- 03Pay to refund points
- 04Reassign and try again
Stacking Challenge Tiers
After winning, you add handicaps; each extra layer earns more recognition.
- Prototype complexity
- Who plays
- Solo decisions
- 01Clear current tier
- 02Unlock or stack a modifier
- 03Adapt strategy and retry
- 04Earn reward or badge
Death Drains Skills
Hard-earned skill drains away on death, so every risk gets weighed.
- Prototype complexity
- Who plays
- Solo decisions
- 01Raise skills through use
- 02Take risks with them
- 03Death strips some levels
- 04Retrain or play safer