Calculating research points

[Zeebie]

I'm trying to figure out how research points (ie, the points that go toward tech projects) are calculated. It looks to me like it must be something along these lines:

research = (total population) x (fraction in the workforce) x (fraction who are scientists) x (multiplier from buildings)

Even if that's not exact, it seem like those must be the proportions, right?

However, I just had a planet increase from 17% scientists to 35% scientists with much less than double increase in research points (from ~15k to ~20k). What am I missing?

[Bansheedragon]

Are all numbers total for your entire empire or for a single planet?

If the increase in number of scientists are on a single planet vs the total research points(RP) then that is the explanation.
You have to look at total vs total or single vs single, single vs total does not work.

If the increase in number of scientists and RP are both the total or on a single planet, then the reason is likely that the increase in RP is not directly proportional to the number of scientists.

So instead of your equation:
research = (total population) x (fraction in the workforce) x (fraction who are scientists) x (multiplier from buildings)

You would see an equation like this
research = (total population) x (fraction in the workforce) x (fraction who are scientists) x (multiplier from buildings) / X or X%

Of course this is just a theory, but it could explain what you are missing.

[Zeebie]

Those numbers are for a single planet. I think you're right that there is another factor involved - but what might it be? And is it linear? It's hard to plan out a colony without having some sense of how the system works.

[Bansheedragon]

Unfortunately I have the answers your questions here, I can only theorize or guess.

I do agree though that it does make it difficult to plan

[Zaimat]

The formula in simplified form is : Research production per scientist (lots of factors go into this) x Scientists * BuildingFactor * Government Factor

So it is very much linear. There are other conditions which can impact it, such as building condition, population being exterminated etc but otherwise I'm not sure why you didn't get the expected results.

Ideally we'd be able to show the breakdown in a tooltip, it is on the wishlist.