Talk to us about the gameplay situation where this specific [research] mechanic would work.
TL;DRCalix dislikes niche gameplay with no consequences elsewhere, so the research mechanic would link to exploration through samples or artifacts in distant regions that could decay from damage or time limits.
So the idea is generally that I don't like when niche gameplay is constrained to being niche gameplay, if that makes any sense. I don't like it when the thing that you're doing has no consequence outside of the thing that you're doing. Trade and mining is really great because it alters the economy. It alters where value is for pirates and people who are protecting things and protecting you from pirates and also for the price of things in various areas. The way that those things build on each other makes it compelling to me. So having this able to link into having artifacts, or samples that could exist in distant regions of space, that leads to exploration gameplay. The fact that those things could decay based on if they take damage or maybe they are on a time limit, maybe they need to be cold or something and they just decay naturally.