[DEVBLOG#297] Gravtech and Progression (Patreon)

Hello everyone!

Today I want to show you one of the biggest changes we’re bringing to Vanilla Gravships Expanded: a complete overhaul of how gravship research works - and with that, progression. Until now, research has always followed the same pattern: build a research bench, assign a pawn, and grind out research points. While that’s perfectly fine for standard RimWorld progression, gravships deserve something more unique.

We’ve reimagined the entire process so that researching gravtech isn’t done behind a desk - it’s done out in the void.

Instead of filling up a bar with standard research points, gravtech research will now only progress through travelling on the world map with your gravship. Every launch, every journey, every experiment feeds directly into your understanding of gravship technology.

When your ship launches, a ritual is performed - pilots and researchers take part, systems are pushed to their limits, and valuable gravdata is generated. This gravdata is the lifeblood of gravship research. The amount you gain depends on:

Quality of the launch ritual

GravshipResearch stat of the pilot (for gravjumper launch ritual) or gravtech researcher (other launch rituals).

GravdataYieldMultiplier coming from various structures throughout the gravship

Distance travelled

The formula to calculate the amount of gravdata acquired during launch can be calculated as follows:

GravdataYield = ((DistanceTravelledInTiles x GravshipResearchStat) x LaunchRitualQuality) x GravdataYieldMultiplier)

Example 1: A gravship launches and travels 112 tiles. The Quality of the launch ritual was 38%. The GravdataYieldMultiplier is 1.25, and the GravshipResearch stat of the gravtech researcher is 160%. This launch has generated a total of 85.12 gravdata which the game will round up to 86. 

Example 2: A gravship launches and travels 76 tiles. The Quality of the launch ritual was 62%. The GravdataYieldMultiplier is 2.5, and the GravshipResearch stat of the gravtech researcher is 115%. This launch has generated a total of 135.47 gravdata, which the game will round up to 136. 

Gravdata always rounds up to the nearest full number.

Note: When launching a gravjumper (which only uses a pilot and co-pilot), the pilot's gravship research stat is used instead of a dedicated scientist.

Gravdata, Not Research Points

Gravdata replaces standard research points for all gravship projects. If you don’t currently have a gravtech project selected, gravdata is lost (unless you’ve found the rare black box upgrade, which lets you save it). This means choosing what to research next really matters.

The Gravtech Console

To handle all this gravdata efficiently, you’ll need to construct a Gravtech Console: a massive interface that taps directly into the grav engine. Only one can exist on a ship, and it plays a central role in turning gravdata into meaningful progress. It increases the amount of gravdata you collect with each flight by a multiple of 5!

It’s not cheap, but it massively boosts the yield of gravdata during launches. Think of it as the “research bench” of gravships, except you have to earn every point by actually flying.

Additionally, you may also find a Flight computer as one of the quest rewards. This uncraftable upgrade will add +1 to the multiplier of the gravdata you obtain. Only 2 of those can exist on a gravship.

Progression Path

The research tree itself has been rebuilt into a brand new Gravtech research tab. Each project represents another step in the evolution of your gravship, from the early prototype engines to full-scale gravhulks. Here’s a snapshot of the progression:

Basic Gravtech – Your first engines, hull, fuel systems. The first step into the stars.

Gravship Power / Oxygen Network / Orbital Tech / Gravship Living – Parallel paths that give you life support, energy systems, vac barriers, and proper living conditions for long voyages.

Standard Gravtech – The first real leap forward: control terminals, larger engines, life support systems, and of course the Gravtech Console itself.

Weaponry / Workspaces / Refining / Heat Dissipation – Specialized upgrades: orbital artillery, compact workbenches, fuel synthesizers, and heat management.

Advanced Gravtech – The endgame: gravhulks, giant thrusters, gravlite panels, and colony-sized ships that feel more like spaceborne cities than vessels.

Every project adds meaningful, tangible upgrades to your gravship, creating a clear sense of momentum and purpose.

In the future, more research projects will be added, taking your gravship even further - allowing you to convert a gravship into an orbital station, or push your gravship deeper into the deep orbit.

Why This Change Matters

We wanted gravships to feel like more than just a research unlock. They’re the pinnacle of technological achievement in RimWorld’s world, so the way you acquire and improve them should reflect that. By tying research to travel, experimentation, and rituals, we create a feedback loop where:

You push your gravship further out.

Those journeys generate gravdata.

That gravdata unlocks new systems.

Those systems let you push your ship even further.

It’s a natural progression loop that mirrors the story of your colony turning into a true spacefaring civilization.

I heard your requests to keep travel as a vital point of the DLC. That's why I decided against craftable upgrades to your gravship, that's why I decided to add more uncraftable, quest reward upgrades, and that's why I decided that all of the progression will be done through travel. And it makes sense when you think about it: travel represents testing the gravship.