[Dev Diary Part 2] Science System and more!
Dear Settlers!
This dev diary will focus on a brand new feature: The Science System.
The Science System is a special skill system that will feature 4 skill trees. This new feature will enable you to specialise/customise your island and your specialists (e.g. geologists). The Science System includes 7 brand new buildings, many new production chains and 9 new resources. It will be implemented gradually. The first part will be released on the 13th June 2013.
You will be able to produce special skill resources (Manuscript, Tome and Codex) that can be invested in the new skill trees. You will need better and more sophisticated books as you advance and progress in skills. You will also be able to select amongst several specialisations/customisations types.
The feature will allow you to customize, for example, your specialists and make them fit better into your preferred game play.
These are the 7 brand new buildings that will be introduced with the Science System. All buildings can be upgraded up to level 5, the look will change accordingly as usual. You can construct each structure as often as you want: You can have as many buildings as you want, except for the bookbinder which is limited to one (building licences and space permitting).
Simple Papermill
It allows you to produce something that is essential for archiving knowledge for future generations: Simple Paper!
Finesmith
Give your Settlers right tools and they shall willingly share their knowledge with others. This building allows you to produce Nibs.
Intermediate Papermill
This building will help you to produce Intermediate Paper. This robust type of paper allows you to work with better technology.
Lettersmith
With this building, the concept of printing stencils is real. This object allows you to produce Printing types.
Advanced Papermill
Using the best materials and all your experience allows you to produce the finest paper. This building produces Advanced Paper.
Ornamentalsmith
Ornaments are needed for the noblest and finest type of documents. The production of ornaments requires much experience and skills. This building can supply your settlement with valuable Book fittings.
- Bookbinder
This building can produce 3 different kind of books (Manuscript, Tome, Codex) by using Science System resources. Books can be ordered manually, like buff production in the Provision house. This building can produce only one book at a time.
To learn/improve a skill, you will need the required resources and to click on the particular skill button. The skill points will be assigned to you once you click the confirmation button below. This way you can juggle around with the skill tree and check in advance how a particular skill will improve.
It is possible to improve each Geologist with up to 31 skill points (in total). You should plan the way you want to develop your specialist, because you have to choose between different skills but remember that each specialist can be skilled individually. The Geologist's skill tree will enrich the game with 20 different skills for geologists.
Step by step activation:
The Geologist's skill tree shows 7 skill lines. You begin at the bottom and can unlock the next "level" of skills by spending at least 5 skill points in the section below.
The first skill tree that will be implemented deals with the Geologist (specialist). You can activate very useful skills for each of your specialist (individually). This means: You can customise each Geologist in a different way. One might be your specialist for finding marble deposits; one might have the skill to find bigger copper deposits, etc. Below you will find a brief summary of all available geologists’ skills.
The Science System will also allow you to name your specialists. This way you can distinguish between your different specialists easily and give them cool names ;)
Please keep in mind that all skill names and effects may be changed in the final version.
Name: Hidden Stone Stash
Effect: Grants a certain chance to find a treasure when searching for a Stone deposit.
Name: Natural Copper Vein
Effect: Grants a possibility to discover bigger Copper deposits.
Name: Two Marble in One
Effect: Grants a certain chance to discover two Marble deposits at once.
Name: Quality Copper Shafts
Effect: Grants a certain chance to find Copper deposits that can be mined faster.
Name: Natural Stone Vein
Effect: Grants a possibility to discover bigger Stone deposits.
Name: Natural Marble Vein
Effect: Grants a possibility to discover bigger Marble deposits.
Name: Copper Mining Surplus
Effect: Grants a certain chance to find Copper Ore when searching for a Copper deposit.
Name: Two Iron in One
Effect: Grants a certain chance to discover two Iron deposits at once.
Name: Quality Coal Shafts
Effect: Grants a certain chance to find Coal deposits that can be mined faster.
Name: Tendentious Geologist
Effect: Shortens the search time for Minerals (i.e. stone, marble, coal).
Name: Gold Mining Surplus
Effect: Grants a certain chance to find Gold Ore when searching for a Gold deposit.
Name: Hidden Coal Stash
Effect: Grants a certain chance to find a treasure when searching for a Coal deposit.
Name: Iron Mining Surplus
Effect: Grants a certain chance to find Iron Ore when searching for an Iron deposit.
Name: Natural Gold Vein
Effect: Grants a possibility to discover bigger Gold deposits.
Name: Two Coal in One
Effect: Grants a certain chance to discover two Coal deposits at once.
Name: Quality Gold Shafts
Effect: Grants a certain chance to find Gold deposits that can be mined faster.
Name: Ore Collector
Effect: Shortens the search time for Ores (i.e. copper, iron, gold).
Name: Lucky Find
Effect: Grants a certain chance to discover one more Iron or Marble deposit than the maximum.
Name: Natural Born Digger
Effect: Grants a possibility to discover bigger deposits of all types.
Name: Nature's Gift
Effect: Grants a certain chance to refill a random active deposit when geologist comes back.
A new NPC will also be added to the game. He will task you with several Science System related quests 
(levels: 14, 24, 39), so you get a proper introduction to the Science System features.
New Help windows will explain the functionality of new buildings. These windows will be opened upon encountering
them for the first time.
RELEASE PLAN
The Science System will be released in a couple of batches. The first release will bring full production chains,
tutorial quests and help windows. Depending on your test feedback on our official test server, the first release
might also include the Geologist’s Skill Tree. More skill trees (explorer, home island, military) will be implemented
later.
An official test will take place very soon, maybe this Friday. Next week at the latest.
Please check the test server's website on Friday.
More information will be presented in the future.
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