Dune Awakening Research is a major point of contention. When you first start the game, you will be prompted to start with Research hidden or unlocked. While the game explains what it does, it doesn't really give much context to its potential impact.
Research in Dune Awakening is a vital part of your Progression in the game. The system allows you to learn new schematics from vehicles, weapons, building materials to much more. Research is a key mechanic in the game.
With research being so key, it makes sense that the game tries to hold off on unlocking the system too early. In this guide, we'll quickly explain what each option does.
Dune Awakening Research - Leave it Unlocked or Unlock as you Quest?
When you start the game, you have two options before you even get into the character creation screen. The game will offer up two options: have research fully unlocked or progress research as you move through the story.
The first option is ideal for those not looking to have their hand held or who played the beta, etc. Locking research off and hiding it behind questioning is the best option for a first character. While it slows down your ability to unlock things, it does direct you much more smoothly through the game's story. While it might seem more freeing to have things unlocked, having it progress with the story also stops you from wasting research points early and then getting "soft locked" as you have to level up to catch up with the story.
If you want to unlock it right away, just be careful. The best way to do it is to keep your research progressing with the story, but skipping the parts where you have to go places to "unlock" sections.
What is Research?
Research can benefit every playstyle, as it provides the chance to unlock schematics that fit specific goals. Whether that's gearing up for survival, enhancing combat skills, or developing trade tools. Players can dive into this process at research stations found in hubs or bases, using schematics gained through exploration, missions, or faction activities. While many research nodes can be unlocked via the in-game UI, some research will require Schematics to unlock them. In this case, we'll need to head to a Tradepost. Each schematic offers a unique crafting opportunity, making research a strategic and enjoyable way to advance and specialise in your journey!
Schematics
These one-time-use items can be used at a Tradepost to learn the highest tier of research items. These schematics can be found in four ways: Exploration, Trading, Faction Rewards, and Quest Rewards. You will acquire many of these as you progress in the game.
To summarise, we suggest new players keep research locked, while for those who played a lot of the beta, you can have research fully unlocked.
