Science & Industry

So before I really researched things, I thought I'd be smart and research my BPO's as I trained the skills to invent them.

Then I found out that no matter what your BPO mat is at, you get the same result from your T2 after invention.

I thought I'd read that it's best to copy at max runs.

I just did my first go at T2 invention and got a BPC that only has 10 runs....the copy I made it from had 1500.

At what point am I wasting my time doing anything to my BPO to prep for T2 invention/production?

Sholud I just make minimal run copies at the base research levels??

Yep, max run T1 BPC (eg 1500 for drones etc) will result in 10 run T2 BPC before decryptors are factored. Because a 1500 run T2 BPC would be a little god like for the cost of a handful of datacores.

A one run T1 BPC will result in a 1 run T2 BPC, again before decryptors.

This is why in many, *but by no means all*, instances a *rough* rule of thumb is to use max run for drones/ammo/mods and one run for ships.


And yep, the ME/PE values of the T1 BPC have no bearing whatsoever on resultant T2 BPC, but as mentioned above it *may* be beneficial to have a researched T1 BPO around to produce the component for the T2 item (but often wise to just buy off market).

One thing it took me a few weeks to figure out--

When it comes to building, the only thing you care about is ISK per line per hour. Figure out which step makes the most money and do that. For example, you're probably better off buying t1 mods off the market rather than building them yourself, even if it saves ISK, because the time spent building them would make more ISK spent building T2. The same goes for moon goo. (The only exception being if you have an alt around who can build T1, but can't build T2)

Tekota's right about everything-- always invent off max run BPCs.

Just a couple quick notes from my years at it...

1) Always make max-run BPCs for your invention jobs. With the exception of ships (for the most part), max run prints will always yield the most runs on a successful job.
2) It's all about minimizing your costs versus profit, whether you're selling prints or building the product. Some items I have zero out-of-pocket costs on building in terms of the base T1 component for the job: for example, lots of launchers, turrets, etc that drop as loot in missioning can be used on the builds. I haven't manufactured T1 launchers for the purpose of building T2 launchers in a couple years.
3) As with anything profitable in this game, research (market research, not ME/PE research in this example) matters. Find out what sells, what your costs are, etc. If you can even capitalize on market items (such as T1 launchers selling below mineral value), by all means buy them and reprocess. Note here: minimize your costs (reprocessing skills)
4) For myself, I only use decryptors on ship invention jobs that MAY yield a blueprint with good market resale value (3-run Nighthawk print, for example). I never use decryptors on anything but ships. Decryptors have VALUE (not necessarily out-of-pocket costs) that you should take into account on your sales.

Read all of the available materials (the factual stuff, not the "opinion" pieces here), listen to the advice of folks like Tau Cabalander, and by all means optimize your skills as relates to the tasks you will undertake. Reprocessing, Science skills, etc. Take advantage of sites like BPO Calc (http://zofu.no-ip.de/bpo), Invention chance (http://games.chruker.dk/eve_online/invention_chance.php), and others linked here in the Sci & Industry Resources thread.


Edit: speeling

Someone mentioned isk per hour per line. Something else to think about is your total time investment

I mainly focus on T2 ships so my advice will be slanted in that direction


Generally speaking for ships a max run BPC with an appropriate decryptor will give the best return on investment

For ME level on ship BPOs it matters somewhat more than say cargo expanders. If you are making drones then the BPO ME matters a bit less.

Ignore what i said on drones, i was probably wrong.


On the other side we have Hulks for example

A 1 run BPC with all skills at 5 and no decryptor will give a t2 BPC with -4 ME and 1 run at 15M a run

A 10 run BPC with all skills at 5 and no decryptor will give a t2 BPC with -4 ME and 1 run at 31M a run

A 1 run BPC with all skills at 5 and an engagement plan will give a t2 BPC with -3 ME and 2 runs at 37M a run

A 10 run BPC with all skills at 5 and an engagement plan will give a t2 BPC with -3 ME and 4 runs at 25M a run

In the second case with a decryptor for the resulting BPC it comes out to 12M a run cheaper using a 10 run BPC (Max for covetors)

A -4ME hulk costs ~169M+ invention cost + covetor to build. 169+15 = 184+covetor
A -3ME hulk costs ~158M + invention cost + covetor to build. 158+25 = 185 + covetor

So over all when making a t2 BPC for hulks by using a max run (10) BPC and decryptor we get a slightly cheaper build cost and 3 runs with a pe of 0 instead of 1 run with a pe of -4. The 3 runs means less babysitting and the slightly lower material count means making the components is slightly faster


So.... it depends haha

Something else to keep in mind is the market is really screwed up atm. Mineral prices are nuts, some decryptors are nuts, datacores have been going crazy. What i'm saying is people still have stock made with 'old prices'. Until their stock clears out some stuff won't seem profitable now. In a month or so it might be again.

Then um, my program is off. My math for hulks was right anyhow.

Ignore what i said for drones i guess.

Not quite. With an Engagement Plan and a 10-run Covetor BPC you get a 3-run Hulk BPC. A 4-run BPC would be nice

blah i give up for today