Frostpunk 2 Research Institute: How to unlock and best Ideas to research first

Frostpunk 2 challenges its Steward to not only keep a near-frostbitten community alive, but also to lead it to prosperity through research and ideas.

After establishing your first few districts and securing a couple of coal deposits, the game prompts you to build a Research Institute. This marks a shift in focus from pure survival to a Civilization-like progression, unlocking an Idea Tree.

Balancing this mechanic while maintaining a steady supply of Heatstamps, Prefabs, and Cores is nearly impossible, though your now-deceased Captain likely would’ve managed just fine – or so the New Londoners would say.

How to unlock the Research Institute

You can build a Research Institute pretty early into Chapter 1 of Frostpunk 2. Unlike with Districts, you need to select the second circle on the lower right corner of the screen, the one that’s for constructing Buildings. Alternatively, you can press N.

Constructing a Research Institute costs 400 Workforce, 100 Heatstamps, and 50 Prefabs, so make sure you’ve got those resources. Then, you’ll need 400 Workforce and 20 Heat to keep it running.

Once you’ve selected the Research Institute building, place it in the Central District of a city.

With the Research Institute, you can research Ideas from the Idea Tree that grant passive buffs, like more Coal for less Workforce, and essential buildings, like Hospitals to reduce Disease. You can actually build more Research Institutes to increase the speed at which Ideas are researched.

To research an idea, look for a big circle in the lower right corner or press R. This opens the Idea Tree panel, which lets you invest your resources into new Ideas.

Best Heating ideas to research

Heat is arguably the most important area, especially if you want to keep your population alive through the freezing cold winter. Here are the Heating ideas that I researched and helped me the most in the early stages of the game:

Coal Mines

Though there are a few coal deposits nearby, it won’t be long before they run out. This should be the first solution you research. Let’s explore the alternatives:

Dust Coal Mine	Blasting Coal Mine
Dust Coal Mine nets you 150 Coal output, but this requires 400 Workforce, increases Disease slightly, and raises the Materials demand by 20.	Blasting Coal Mine nets you 180 Coal output for 300 Workforce, but increases Squalor (not slightly) and raises the Materials demand by 60.

Both options increase the Coal output, which is the goal of researching this idea. The better option depends on the settlement you’re determined to create. You can counteract Squalor and cure Disease with Hospitals. I chose the Dust Coal Mine because, in the early game, I didn’t have access to many Materials Extraction Sites, so a 60 Materials demand sounded intimidating.

When you get the chance to unlock Advanced Coal Mines, make sure you do so. You’ll need as much as you can get your hands on.

Housing Insulation and Heat Dispatcher

It’s not all about providing Heat, it’s also about conserving it and distributing it more effectively. With House Insulation, the base demand for Heat from housing districts is decreased. Heat Dispatcher, on the other hand, controls heat dispatching. For the latter, there are two options:

Heat Dispatcher	Actuated Heat Dispatcher
Engineering teams monitor and optimize district heating. This grants 20 Heat Demand, but requires 400 Workforce.	Automated actuators monitor and optimize district heating. This grants 40 Heat Demand and requires 200 Workforce, but increases Squalor.

While 20 Heat Demand helps, 400 Workforce is a lot for a Heat Dispatcher. Here, I chose to research the Actuated Heat Dispatcher, although this required me to build Hospitals to keep Disease in check.

Generator Upgrade 1 and Melting Deep Deposits

After you Transfer Oil to New London, the Generator needs an upgrade to actually process this new type of fuel: that’s what the first Generator Upgrade is for. Researching this idea unlocks the Melt Deep Deposits idea, which is arguably the best Idea in Frostpunk 2.

All that coal you mined needs to serve a purpose, even if your Generator only processes oil now. Regardless of which alternative you pick, this Idea grants you vast deposits with endless resources, so there’s no need to worry about scarcity or running out of supplies.

Best Resources ideas to research

Worker Shifts: Weather-Adjusted Shifts/Machine-Centric Shifts

To be completely transparent, I think Machine-Centric Shifts is the most efficient and productive choice here. However, in the early game, you are in desperate need of extra Heat and can’t afford to lose Workforce to Disease.

With Weather-Adjusted Worker Shifts, you solve both of those issues with one Idea. That said, since you can actually research both, make a point of unlocking Machine-Centric Shifts later on to decrease Workforce requirement.

Sawmills – Mechanised Sawmills

If you’ve got a low Materials supply and you know it, clap your hands. Either the Mechanised Sawmill or the Untreated Sawmill boosts the number of Materials you can get from wood. However, the way I see it, the Untreated Sawmill demands too much Workforce for too low output, and people are out there getting sick too. The Mechanised Sawmill requires a reduced Workforce and gives you higher output. As long as you’re prepared to counteract Squalor and provide enough Heat, Mechanised is the better choice.

Filtration Towers – Moss Filtration Tower

All that Squalor you’ve been generating with the Generator and your machines? Yeah, it’s going to take over your entire population unless you do something about it. With the Moss Filtration Tower, you decrease Squalor significantly, and even gives you the skill to rapidly decrease Squalor, at the cost of easy-to-treat injuries. All this requires is 400 Workforce, as opposed to 300 from the Ventilation Tower, and 20 heat.

Best Frostland ideas to research

Don’t worry about this tree until you unlock exploration. Once you’re on the way to find your first supply of Oil, you might want to consider investing in the following Ideas in Frostpunk 2:

Scout’s Headquarters – Survivalist Headquarters

With this Idea, you decrease the time required to explore to other areas in the game. When the clock is ticking for you to find a new fuel supply before your current Coal deposits run out, this Idea is a life-changer.

Survivalist Headquarters is the option that fully decreases the time in exchange for 400 Workforce. Scout’s, on the other hand, only slightly decreases it for the same amount. You won’t get on the Colonist’s good side with this choice, but survival is a priority.

Harvester Hangar – Gleaning Harvester Hangar

By researching this Idea, you gain the ability to get more Food from the Frostland. This means your supply of food won’t rely solely on the Food Districts you set up in New London. I went with the Gleaning Harvester Hangar to get 20% the Harvesting Energy, as opposed to 10% from the regular one.

Best City ideas to research

Housing Block – Housing Block

The population only grows in Frostpunk 2 – unless they’re all dying of Cold or Disease. You won’t be able to build as many suitable Housing Districts to accommodate every person who decides to turn up in New London. A great way to slightly increase housing is the Housing Block. This building grants 10 extra Shelter (for each Housing Block), and you can put them in pretty much every district, not only Housing Ones. Because I didn’t want to lose Heatstamps or have another cause for Disease, I didn’t pick the Dense Housing Block or the Subsidized Housing Block.

Work Compensation – Both choices

Work Compensation is just a boost for whichever factor needs a pick-me-up in your playthrough. If you’re low on Trust, pick Equal Pay. If you’d rather get more efficiency, pick Efficiency Bonuses.

Best Society ideas to research

Hospitals – Recovery Hospital

With a Hospital, you’ll be able to reduce Disease, which keeps all your population active and working. The Hospital that reduces Disease the most is the Recovery Hospital, but you’ll need to be ready to provide 40 Heat Demand. That said, this upgrade also increases Population, which can be a good thing if you’re prepared. More people means more Workforce, as long as you’re willing to give them Shelter.

Watchtower – Patrol Watchtower

Though Watchtowers are efficient, Patrol Watchtowers have more Guards patrolling the city. The Random Searches ability is great for decreasing Crime, but it may cause Tensions to rise, so be prepared.

Best Hub ideas to research

When it comes to hubs, there are a few that can help you improve the quality of life in New London:

• Emergency Medical Hub: In exchange for 20 Heat and 25 Materials, you reduce Disease near this building.
• Maintenance Hub: In exchange for 100 Workforce and 20 Heat, the Materials demand nearby decreases.
• Surveillance Hub: In exchange for 20 Heat and 25 Materials, you reduce Crime near this building.
• Rail Hub: For 100 Workforce, 40 Heat, and 50 Materials, increase Efficiency in the neighboring Extraction, Industrial, or Food Districts. This works only if you’ve built them close to each other.

That’s all you need to know about the Research Institute and the Idea Tree in Frostpunk 2. Don’t forget that Factions may not always see eye-to-eye with your unlocks, so it’s good to know your friends and foes.