Idea Tree

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 three sections to the Idea Tree in Frostpunk 2: Survival, Economy, and Society. 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 fee. This starts at 50 Heatstamps, though more complex technologies can increase that to 100 Heatstamps or more, and sometimes it is completely free, particularly when the outcome is a Council law. Research takes a variable amount of time and can be sped up by constructing additional Research Institutes and Teaching Hospitals or passing certain laws, such as Mandatory Schools.

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.

Survival

The Survival tab concerns itself primarily with amassing resources and exploration of the Frostland. 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.

• Goods Factories
  • Advanced Goods Factories
• Sawmills
  • Charcoal Plants
  • Ironworks
    • Steel Foundries
  • Woodworks
• Coal Mines
  • Geothermal Plants
  • Advanced Coal Mines
    • Worker Obsolescence
    • Pyrochemical Oil Extractors
• Worker Shifts
  • Waste Heat Conversion
    • New Work Model
• Filtration Towers
  • Waste Management Facilities
• Hothouses
  • Advanced Hothouses
• Logistics Bays
  • Harvester Hangars
  • Scout Training
    • Scouts Headquarters
  • Railways
    • Outpost Organisation
    • Freight Docks
• Generator Upgrade
  • Autonomous Heater

Economy

The Economy tab concerns itself primarily with addressing economic issues such as Shelter/housing, wages and Heatstamps, 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.

• Housing Block
  • Housing Distribution
  • Workers' Housing
  • Housing Insulation
• Work Compensation
  • Leisure
  • Labour Organisation
    • Workplace Control
    • Povetry Eradication
  • Alcohol
    • Drugs Manufactory
• Famine Prevention
• Maintenance Duty
  • Maintenance Hub
  • Rail Hub

Society

The Society tab concerns itself primarily with the tending to social issues such as Crime, Disease, 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.

• Hospitals
  • Treatment
    • Decadence
    • Pharmaceuticals
• Weapons
• Watchtowers
  • Prisons
    • Criminal Reparations
    • Crime Elimination
    • Guard Immunity
• Youth
  • Parenthood
    • Relationships
    • Procreation

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