Switching techs

[Master Shake]

Is there a penalty for switching research to a different tech?

I ask because if not, it occurs to me if I am able to buy a tech from the AI which I myself have almost completed, then whereas I used to not buy it, I now think I should go switch techs and then buy it. That way I don't waste beakers. That is--*if* there is no penalty for switching.

So is there?

-mS

 

[planetfall]

mS,

As long as you have not spent one turn+ researching, there is no penalty. This usually is at the beginning of the game and a new era or after researching one tech and before you go on to the next turn, then and only
then there is no penalty.

Otherwise, any research accumulated goes down the dead research rat hole and you start research on your new tech from the zero point.

-- PF

 

[robcheng]

Originally posted by Master Shake
Is there a penalty for switching research to a different tech?

I ask because if not, it occurs to me if I am able to buy a tech from the AI which I myself have almost completed,

Also, I believe that it costs less to buy a tech that you have almost finished researching than to buy one you have just started (so in other words, your strategy will not help)

 

[jened]

is it dependent on difficulty level perhaps?