An add-on mod trying to add a bit more player interaction.
The Mod
I wanted to make a lightweight mod that mainly uses Rimworlds own mechanics and still makes the research a bit more interesting other than just standing still behind the research bench 24/7.
The mod makes use of Rimworlds own mechanics, making simple research require Research Papers, high-tech research requires Research Data, etc.
I tried to balance it to fit vanilla game as much at possible.
You start out by collecting samples from whatever resources you have laying around, at the new Research Sample Bench. Creating Samples that are used to examine, write Research Papers, and Assemble Data for research.
Needing research papers and data to do your research will make pawns need to do other things than just standing still at the research bench, as they need to collect and write.
And as Collecting Samples require two different skills, you need to have either one good pawn with general knowledge in multiple skills or have multiple pawns work together on collecting samples within each of their skilled areas.
Making research a job where you now need resources and multiple skills or pawns to work effectively and keep an eye on your use of papers and data.
Collecting resources, making samples, papers and data, etc take time and make researching take longer. But it is possible to get multiple research bonuses from the new Sample Bench that link to research benches, Schematics that work as drugs, and a hard-to-get Archotech Analyzer. Making actually research speed faster than normal.
Overview
Settings
The game has menu settings for recipe costs and data consumption for all paper/data types and buildings using them.
Compatibility
Research Reinvented: Fully compatible.
Huge thanks to PeteTimesSix for that.
Select modded research benches in the settings.
LWM's Fuel Filter (Continued): Fully compatible.
Should be compatible with most other mods.
Research mods: Added Paper/Data use
Gloomy Furniture: Research Bench.
Rim-Effect: Core: Research Bench.
Research Spot (Continued): Research Spot.
More Linkables: Advanced Multi-Analyzer
Primitive Workbenches: Research Bench and Spot.
Let me know if I need to add other mods to the list.
Language Support
English: Native.
ChineseSimplified (简体中文) by: chitoseender.
Traditional Chinese by: Jingo柏利斯.
Russian (ÉÒß߬¿®) by: Osetrokarasek.
Known issues
None, but let me know.
Updates
08-04-2026
Major Update.
Added a settings system to automatically find modded research benches so you can add or disable them to use Papers and Data.
Also added a setting system that finds resources for all the samples, so you can select or disable what they can be made from.
And did some small fixes to the XML files.
If you find any bugs, let me know.
06-02-2026
Made a long-awaited and asked-for update to the setting menu, you can now choose if the sample crafting bench uses Crafting (Default) or the Research work job.
No restart required on setting change.
26-09-2025
Just did a new update.
If you are still getting the ".dds" errors in the log, you may need to unsubscribe from the mod, make sure manually that all the files from the mod in the Steam workshop content folder are gone, and then resubscribe to the mod again to get the new files.
And do the same for the add-on mod if you are using it.
14-08-2025
Tried to fix a wired bug with IngredientCount and Subcore Scanner.
Its a test so let me know if it happens again.
My other mods
