Engineers Do I/should I complete a modification level before generating a next-level mod?

[lesscode]

Forgive me if this is a dumb question but I've been away on an expedition and just got back to find the new engineering scheme...

I completed a level 1 mod with a single roll. After two rolls at level 2 I'm not done yet at that level, but level 3 is already available. Is there any point in completing level 2 before moving on to level 3?

 

[Kamiyoda]

Forgive me if this is a dumb question but I've been away on an expedition and just got back to find the new engineering scheme...

I completed a level 1 mod with a single roll. After two rolls at level 2 I'm not done yet at that level, but level 3 is already available. Is there any point in completing level 2 before moving on to level 3?

No, there isn't if you plan on going to the next level.

 

[Stigbob]

It depends.

The way it works is that you get the set negatives for say level three (the negatives increase with level) and a random amount of the positives each time you roll until the bar is full enough and you can move to the next level or you max it out. The negatives are fixed per level but the positives increase with each roll to the levels maximum.

So if you are planning on upgrading it further than current level move up as soon as you can. However if you are sticking with current level with an upgrade like overcharged power plant (you don't need more power than you can use) going to a higher level will increase the negatives, so don't do it. At the same time you might as well max it out to get maximum positives along with the fixed negatives at the level you are sticking with.

TLDR what Kamiyoda said.

 

[Non Grata]

For blueprints that give multiple positive circles, I've noticed that if you leave a circle short, sometimes (at least) when you go to the next level that circle now has a deficit in comparison to the others. I don't know if that matters or not, but if I've got lots of mats for the first level and not so many for the second, I'll max out (or nearly max out) the first level in the hope that it then requires fewer rolls on the next level. Hopefully somebody has the definitive answer.

 

[space voyager]

For blueprints that give multiple positive circles, I've noticed that if you leave a circle short, sometimes (at least) when you go to the next level that circle now has a deficit in comparison to the others. I don't know if that matters or not, but if I've got lots of mats for the first level and not so many for the second, I'll max out (or nearly max out) the first level in the hope that it then requires fewer rolls on the next level. Hopefully somebody has the definitive answer.

A waste of mats. Each level has a pre-defined start and end bonuses and maluses. Maluses are usually static throughout the level so you don't want to just start the level, better to stop toward the end of previous one and go to a higher one when you can go up to 3/4 of it. If you need it at all.

 

[Dommarraa]

You have correctly identified the definitive answer : It depends

Going earlier costs a tiny amount of higher level rolls.
Going later costs a lower level (or 2)

If it is worth it depends on how you compare the value of lower level to a fraction of a higher roll.

Personally, I only ever even consider doing the extra lower roll on 4/5 when I have very limited 5s available, and a mountain of 4s

 

[Daynen]

If you don't have at least, say, 10 rolls worth of mats, don't bother starting the next level. The RNG could screw you and leave you unable to complete that level, but you IMMEDIATELY get all the penalties. Not worth it if you don't get at least 2/3 of the way through the level or more.