I can understand why BB would want to deter fast progress within the newly introduced science system BUT:
PROBLEM 1
For people who have several specialists (including premium ones), the current science system drastically hinders their advancement compared to others who don't have as many specialists. Yet with the Home Island science tree this won't be a problem because EVERYONE has ONE Home Island!!
The current science system simply makes anyone think TWICE about the drawbacks before opting to obtain any further specialists in the future (including premium, thats right, your source of income!!).
Why do people opt for premium? Because they want the best now, they want to do things faster, they want game play to be easier and less of a hassle/ inconvenience; believe me this science system does NOT make things EASIER or the SAME as others who do not have multiple (including premium) specialists, this science system is in FACT a LOT MORE time consuming and MORE of a hassle and inconvenience to us, your INVESTORS!!
I have 48 specialists (36 premium) and if the geologist tree is anything the other specialists will go by, then with a Lvl 5 Bookbinder UNBUFFED, I have to wait:
[35.8 x 48 (all specialists) = 1718.4/365.25 + 10% time wastage on collections] - NOT TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE INCREASED BOOKBINDING COSTS
5 YEARS 63 DAYS 23 HOURS 45 MINUTES 36 SECONDS to fully utilize my specialists ONLY... THAT'S RIGHT, OVER 5 YEARS!!! HOW LONG then for the other science trees ?
EDIT - Just allowed for the Cost Stepping Increase into my calculations... 36 YEARS, 9 MONTHS, 26 DAYS, 22 HOURS, 11 MINUTES, 32 SECONDS for all my specialists... I didn't realize choosing to donate would result with a LIFETIME COMMUNITY SERVICE or LIFE ON PAROLE !!
Using 48*11 Codex = 528 Codex; has 18 Cost Increase Stepping requiring a total of 4,914 + 48*10 = 5,394 Tomes, which in turn has 269.7 Cost Increase Stepping to require a total of 730,080 + 48*10 = 730,560 Manuscript
Even with CONSTANT buffs (WHICH ARE NOT EVEN AVAILABLE) some players who "invested in this game" will still need to spend OVER 2.5 YEARS to FULLY utilize the current science system for JUST the specialists.
WHY should ANYONE who has taken their HARD EARNED MONEY & INVESTED in this game, AND with whom the game RELIES ON in part TO SURVIVE, have to SUFFER so much ?
SOLUTION 1
Have ONE Science building research type (The Grand Academy) to pump say 98 books (30 codex, 30 tome, 30 manuscript - approximately 3 months 20 days 21 hours 17 minutes and 59 seconds with L5 Bookbinder and allowance for 10% time wastage on collections) into each science tree (Exploration/ Geology/ Military/ Home Island etc) then in accordance with what you've researched, pay gold to specialize into the talent system.
Example
For each geologist and provided you've researched the skill sets in "The Grand Academy"; to learn the current manuscript skill set, it could be 10coin each (max 100coin used), for the current tome skill set it would be 100coin each (max 1,000coin used), for the codex skill set it would be 500coin each (max 5,500coin used).
This proposal allows for EVERYONE to advance at the SAME TIME (EXACTLY like the HOME ISLAND science tree) and isn't anywhere near as affected by the number of specialists they have in comparison to the current specialist science system.
FAIR ?
PROBLEM 2
The current Science System products have a LIMITED LIFESPAN... meaning once you've used the relevant products to obtain the required talents, there is no future use for them, unless you reset your talents... and a fat chance at that when currently ONLY 50% of the total books used, are recovered unless you spend gems!!
SOLUTION 2 (Special thanks to KiwiNoob for the idea)
To ensure that the products of the new science system buildings ALWAYS remain viable, "The Grand Academy" (from Solution 1) should have a rate of decay (idea from KiwiNoob) which consumes a small number of these products daily to otherwise maintain the condition of the books used in the research.
Example
TIER 1 - 30 Manuscripts used
30 x 250 Simple Paper x 0.1% = 7.5
30 x 200 Nibs x 0.1% = 6.0
TIER 2 - 30 Tomes used
30 x 250 Simple Paper x 0.045% = 3.375
30 x 200 Nibs x 0.045% = 2.7
30 x 250 Intermediate Paper x 0.045% = 3.375
30 x 200 Printing Type x 0.045% = 2.7
TIER 3 - 30 Codex used
30 x 250 Simple Paper x 0.028% = 2.1
30 x 200 Nibs x 0.028% = 1.68
30 x 250 Intermediate Paper x 0.028% = 2.1
30 x 200 Printing Type x 0.028% = 1.68
30 x 250 Advanced Paper x 0.028% = 2.1
30 x 200 Book Fitting x 0.028% = 1.68
Total Consumption
Simple Paper = 12.975 consumed every 12 hours
Nibs = 10.38 consumed every 12 hours
Intermediate Paper = 5.475 consumed every 12 hours
Printing Type = 4.38 consumed every 12 hours
Advanced Paper = 2.1 consumed every 12 hours
Book Fitting = 1.68 consumed every 12 hours
OPTIONAL SUGGESTION
The amount consumed could also increase cumulatively per science tree researched
If you have the Geologist, Exploration and Military science trees fully researched then consumption will be 1+2+3 = 6 times base consumption
If you have Geologist, Exploration, Military and Home Island science trees fully researched then consumption will be 1+2+3+4 = 10 times base consumption
So MAX Consumption would be:
Simple Paper = 129.75 consumed every 12 hours
Nibs = 103.8 consumed every 12 hours
Intermediate Paper = 54.75 consumed every 12 hours
Printing Type = 43.8 consumed every 12 hours
Advanced Paper = 21 consumed every 12 hours
Book Fitting = 16.8 consumed every 12 hours
It becomes more difficult (but not prohibitive) to continue obtaining these basic book binding materials as they will be used up more and more for maintenance of the books used depending on how much research you have performed.
This would allow for the CONSTANT need for these basic materials in order to sustain the hard earned research, although once the other science trees are released, the base consumption amount needed to keep the books maintained can be adjusted.
If you fail to meet the maintenance demand, your research eventually decays and all your talent abilities specific to what research has decayed, are lost at a reasonable rate, 1 by 1 until you have nothing left or until the maintenance demand is met.
How to implement this?
Reset everyone's talents, refunding in full their used books, then implement the science research building type (each level opens a research tier), no one will be negatively affected, save for the coin needed to relearn the skill sets, which if done early enough will be minimal.
PROBLEM 3
Currently having several Generals on your island takes up considerable and valuable space and there is no need for them to be there once you've cleared your island of bandits.
SOLUTION 3
Allow the barracks once upgraded to lvl 5 and you've reached lvl 36, to keep these Generals inside of its walls and otherwise assign units to the Generals similarly to how we currently use explorers and geos from the star menu ONLY.
This Proposal takes away the current DISTASTE of either already having or obtaining several specialists and allows EVERYONE to benefit from the science system at the SAME TIME (just like it should) regardless of how many specialists a player has, while ensuring the constant need for and use of the new science products and providing much needed space to players of all levels and have ANY number of generals.