That is actually a very nice idea. Keep the current kernel system but introduce another way that is disconnected from any form of combat. Learning to produce(prototype) the next higher item by building the item below (or learning it faster if given a ct of that higher item already) would mean a few people would start building stuff. That would accelerate the mineral market and the resulting modules would practically be sold without profit in large quantities for what today is T1 and T2 modules, seeding the market nicely.

With this method, an already "finished" prototyper could also share his knowledge by letting "new" producers build the advanced stuff.

The only disadvantage i see is that producing and prototyping, two formerly loosely connected professions become entangled. New extensions enhancing the learning process would also be necessary. It would take very long for a producer+prototyper to become competitive on the open market.

Another option i can think of is the possibility to make kernels manufacture-able requiring minerals/plant commodities. This way you could also mine to gather knowledge instead of shoot stuff.

+1, This is a great idea, and obviously the ore/plants required should reflect what the kernel is for.

You quoted me not Zubo, and your reading comprehension skills are somewhere around a 3rd grade level so I can't help you.

I have posted this before...

Eat kernels -> get Kernel Points or Research Points.

These points are stored in a pool just like EP. You get to spend the points like EP on any tier line you want. ** Lose the randomness of research!**

This of course doesn't solve the issue with getting kernels. Maybe they could bump the drop rate up a bit again. It use to be 100% then it got dropped to 50%.

Research is intended for a group effort, increasing the drop rate would make it too easy for corps to obtain all the research as has happened in the past.

Losing the randomness is a good idea, but this just makes it easier to research too, therefore another drop rate nerf should balance it.

I understand it's hard for an individual to complete the research , but by making it faster/easier , the collective approach becomes far too easy. [edited]*.The game makes no distinction between a group effort or individual research, and there lies the problem.

Oh really? If it were INTENDED for group effort then why not make research knowledge attainable by the group (corp)? As all knowledge is contained at the character level you will always have problems sharing the responsibility among the group, especially when that character stops playing or joins another group.

Of course it's faster to team up for kernal farming, but don't tell me it's INTENDED.

man, i remember the times when "research" was just "blueprints" and prerequisite production extensions with same structure as the extensions necessary for using the items. (eg. basic robot production, adv. robot production, basic/advanced magnetic weapon production ... )

it was to much copy of EvE and to much time based. So we got the kernel research. Since then, i was requesting a kind of middle-way for it:

not researching specific random named items, but researching the "technology" things are made of:
- Armor tech
  + unlocks armor plates
- Chemical damage mechanics
  + together with armor tech unlocks chemo hardener
- Electromechanics focused on magnetical forces
  + together with weapon tech unlocks EM weapons,
  + together with chemical damage mechanics unlocks chemo-slugs)

I would have made kernel research part of the reverse engineering facility, where you put in a kernel, and select a priority which tech your going to "research" from that kernel....

but well, as sundial already said - its to late....

edit:
together with the learning by doing mechanics, i described earlier.

I can't think of anything! This thread's OP stated kernels 'suck', but really, there's nothing here to remotely validate that. You can buy T1 off the market, which is your point of entry in general. Industrialists can get prototypes not in their knowledge base, so the means are there. And as far as I know, you can somewhat steer your research by eating a specific type of kernel.

Or is it more fundamental? Maybe a research base without T3 or T4 in it is not a research base at all? Same goes for bots? I'd be interested to know what the consensus on that is.

Yep... pretty much hit a home run there. The devs tried to make production more accessible but really they will never be able to do that until they make tiered production actually viable without giant investments... Sure the people who have ate all those kernels should have the advantage, but they can only cover so much of the game. Enable production for producers everywhere to fill the markets with T1-T4!

From my parents I have heard phrase for a very hard work: "The Passion of Jesus Christ".
This phrase gives the best description for the research knowledge base in Perpetuum.

My first T4 item that I purchased has been T4 Accumulator recharger.

Me and my corporate members have spent more than 1 year killing NPCs, we gathered thousands and thousands of the kernels, and I still can not make the T4 prototype for the Accumulator recharger.

Allow us the choice of direction for research.

The number of researchers i have helped finished there tech is ***, it is a pain yes but not impossible and quite easy when a group effort is put in.