Idea Tree
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List of Synergy and Conflicting Events
FP2 Guides
Factions list
“We need new ideas to move forward.”
~ Ingame description
The Idea Tree is the interface for carrying out research in Frostpunk 2. It can only be accessed while at least one Research Institute building (constructed in Housing Districts) is active.
There are six sections to the Idea Tree in Frostpunk 2: Heating, Resources, Frostland, City, Society, and Hubs. The first five are tied to opposing pairs of ideologies in the Zeitgeist system, with only Hubs being entirely neutral. In turn, each section is broken down into concepts or societal issues (colloquially "technologies"). These can unlock Buildings or Laws, or directly enhance existing structures or systems.
Each group in The City 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 group's proposal will shift the Zeitgeist towards their ideology. Multiple options for each technology can be researched (except for the Generator Upgrades). Most technologies can be researched by any Community or Faction of the same ideology, but some technologies can only be researched by Factions and will be unavailable as long as no Faction with a matching ideology exists.
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.
When a research project is completed, Relations will increase with the group that conducted the research. Newly-unlocked Buildings can be constructed immediately, and Laws will be automatically proposed for a vote at the next Council session. More advanced research concepts related to the completed topic may also become available on the Idea Tree.
Research Speed[edit | edit source]
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 School. 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.
| 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 related Ideas. They will help to lower Heat consumption, increase Heat production, or improve your Generator.
Generator Upgrade I
- Housing Insulation
- Heat Dispatcher
- Heat Utilisation
- Generator Capacity
Coal Mines
Resources[edit | edit source]
Resources Research are focused on production of various 
Resources in the City, and the use of Workforce.
Frostland[edit | edit source]
Frostland Research is focused on Frostland exploration and improving its effectiveness. It unlocks additional buildings for the Logistics Districts, Trails, and Laws that enhance expeditions.
City[edit | edit source]
City Research focuses on City maintenance and Housing District effectiveness.
Society[edit | edit source]
Society Research focuses on population well-being and growth, healthcare, family structure, and crime prevention.
Hubs[edit | edit source]
Hubs Research provides access to a variety of additional support hub buildings that assist with logistics, security, maintenance, and emergency response across the city.
Rail Hub- Fighting Hub
- Communication Hub
- Surveillance Hub
Maintenance Hub- Emergency Medical Hub
Air Transport Hub
Beta Research Trees[edit | edit source]
During the beta there were only 3 research trees and they were completely repurposed for the game release.
Survival[edit | edit source]
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
Sawmills
- Coal Mines
- Geothermal Plants
- Advanced Coal Mines
- Worker Obsolescence
- Pyrochemical Oil Extractors
- Worker Shifts
Filtration Towers
Hothouses
Logistics Bays
- Generator Upgrade
- Autonomous Heater
Economy[edit | edit source]
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
Work Compensation
- Leisure
- Labour Organisation
- Workplace Control
- Povetry Eradication
Alcohol
- Drugs Manufactory
- Famine Prevention
- Maintenance Duty
- Maintenance Hub
- Rail Hub
Society[edit | edit source]
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
- Treatment
- Weapons
- Watchtowers
- Prisons
- Criminal Reparations
- Crime Elimination
- Guard Immunity
- Prisons
- Youth
- Parenthood
- Relationships
- Procreation
- Parenthood