Currently when we have any changes to our faction slots, we lose all research progress gained from our faction bonus. This was done this way to keep people from just filling a faction slot and then emptying it again to sort of "pass people around". However, there is a better way. This was brought up during beta but the change didn't get in so now it's time to put it through the Senate.
Basically it goes like this:
- Research Project takes X research points.
- Research Facility normally produces Y research points per tick.
- Faction Bonus (Z) increases research points per tick (Y * Z%).
- Loss of Faction Bonus results in research points per tick returning to normal (Y again).
- No loss of progress (research points) after faction changes. The change is in the rate of research point generation from that point forward.
