Frostpunk 2 Wiki and Guides
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Idea Tree

From Frostpunk 2 Wiki and Guides
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Survival tab of the Idea Tree

We need new ideas to move forward.
~ Ingame description

The Idea Tree is the primary research mechanic of Frostpunk 2. Once a player has established a Research Institute building by expanding a Housing District and constructing the Research Institute, they will gain access to the Idea Tree.

There are six sections to the Idea Tree in Frostpunk 2: Heating, Resources, Frostland, City, Society and the Hubs. These sections each form part of the city's Zeitgeist system. In turn, each section is broken down into concepts or societal issues (colloquially "technologies"). These can produce buildings or council laws as results.

Each Faction tends to have different ideas about how to proceed with a concept: almost every concept has two or more options for research and supporting one faction's proposal will shift the Zeitgeist towards their ideology. All options can eventually be researched, and each option corresponds to an existing Faction currently within the city. However, there are some exceptions where technologies only have one option; or may only be available to one specific Faction, providing a unique bonus for supporting that group. Conversely, it is common for a Faction to request a specific technology be researched to fulfill a promise.

To begin researching something, the player must generally pay a Heatstamps.pngHeatstamps fee. This starts at 50 Heatstamps.pngHeatstamps, though more complex technologies can increase that to 100 Heatstamps.pngHeatstamps or more, and sometimes it is completely free, particularly when the outcome is a Council law.

When a technology is finished researching, the Zeitgeist will shift towards that aspect, impacting community relations, and buildings becomes immediately available for use. Laws will be automatically proposed for a vote at the next Council session, by the faction aligned to that Zeitgeist ideology. And the tree expands its branches (like a tree) to more advanced research options related to the topic.

Research Time[edit | edit source]

Based on the difficulty set in the game base research time for the ideas will differ drastically.

Research takes a variable amount of time and can be sped up by constructing additional Research Institute.pngResearch Institutes and Teaching Hospital.pngTeaching Hospitals or passing certain laws, such as Mandatory Schools. Basic research time depends on the game difficulty. For example tier 1 research takes up 8/12/13/17 weeks for Citizen/Officer/Steward/Captain Difficulty with one Research Institute.

Base research time for each difficulty
Research Tier Heatstamps Citizen Officer Steward Captain
1 50 10 12 13 17
2 100 18
3 200 27

Heating[edit | edit source]

Heating Research focus on unlocking Heat.pngHeat related Ideas. They will help to lower the Heat consumption, increase Heat production or improve your Generator.


Resources[edit | edit source]

Resources Research are focused on production of various Resources in the City.

Frostland[edit | edit source]

Resources Research are all about Frostland.pngFrostland exploration and improving its effectiveness. Additional buildings for the Logistics District.pngLogistics District, Trails and Laws that will allow expeditions to be more effective.

City[edit | edit source]

City Research focuses on City maintenance and Housing District.pngHousing District effectiveness.

Society[edit | edit source]

Society Research focuses on Population wellbeing and growth, healthcare and crime prevention.

  • Wathctowers
  • Youth
    • Parenthood
  • Hospitals

Hubs[edit | edit source]

Hubs Research tree provides access to the variety of additional support hub buildings.

  • Rail Hub
  • Communication Hub
  • Surveillance Hub
  • Emergency Medical Hub
  • Air Transport Hub
  • Maintenance Hub
  • Fighting Hub


Beta Research Trees[edit | edit source]

During the beta there were only 3 research trees and they were completely repurporsed for the game release.

Survival[edit | edit source]

The Survival tab concerns itself primarily with amassing resources and exploration of the Frostland.pngFrostland. The two opposing Zeitgeist ideologies in this section are Adaptation and Progress.

Buildings unlocked here tend to enhance their district's capacity to produce resources such as coal, goods, materials, and food. It also contains the Logistics Bay for upgrading scouting (note that this is a building, and only upgrades the Logistics District). Heat is a third topic, covering the Heat Recycling idea and a Generator topic that cannot be researched in the Beta.

Economy[edit | edit source]

The Economy tab concerns itself primarily with addressing economic issues such as Shelter.pngShelter/housing, wages and Heatstamps.pngHeatstamps, and infrastructure maintenance. The two opposing Zeitgeist ideologies in this section are Equality and Merit.

Only the Housing Block is available in this tab from the start. Once researched, and once Factions have begun proposing their own solutions to a number of economic problems, the fog will clear and reveal many more options to research that involve boosting productivity, Heatstamp production, and addressing worker issues.

Society[edit | edit source]

The Society tab concerns itself primarily with the tending to social issues such as Crime.pngCrime, Disease.pngDisease, order, and family. The two opposing Zeitgeist ideologies in this section are Reason and Tradition.

Hospitals and Watchtowers are immediately unlocked to address problems in the city. Youth is visible but cannot be researched by any starting community, only by the Technocrats and the Icebloods.

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