HQ question: Purpose of Robotics Lab Upgrades/Caravan Expeditions

[kabuki-nobbu]

Title. By the way, after ignoring all the issue concerning CPD, I managed to finish the Chapter 2!
(The wiki should say that to increase the HQ power rate, you need to gather 100 engineering energy, e.g. total 100 Perception, really.)

After completing the chapter, I have 2 questions I want to ask people in this forum.

1. Robotics Lab Upgrades:
While wokring on the HQ, I made several upgrades to the Robotics Lab in the HQ. They added several parts around the GNN Robot Workbench but...aside from that, they do nothing but added "Robotsmith point" or something.
So the question is, what does it do? Maybe I could not see its effect because I had already conquered the entire Automatron quest line first...

2. Caravan Expeditions
So the Caravan Expeditions of Logistics Department says "connect between worldspaces".
Does this mean it can connect with Nuka World Red Rocket and Longfellow's cabin, etc.? I heard that is impossible a while ago...

I am looking forward to hear answers to my questions. Thanks in advance!

 

[yaugie]

1. Those upgrades are effectively making that Lab at HQ "count as" having the Crafting Perk in question (listed in the description when you queue the construction of it), so when you use the craft bench in that lab, you can craft as if you had those perks whether or not you the player actually do. All of the Labs (except for the one that researches diseases which the quests make you build) have a chain of those upgrades.

2. Yes, that's what that means. Normally the Caravans won't connect between worldspaces, but that upgrade means now they can.

 

[kabuki-nobbu]

1. Those upgrades are effectively making that Lab at HQ "count as" having the Crafting Perk in question (listed in the description when you queue the construction of it), so when you use the craft bench in that lab, you can craft as if you had those perks whether or not you the player actually do. All of the Labs (except for the one that researches diseases which the quests make you build) have a chain of those upgrades.

2. Yes, that's what that means. Normally the Caravans won't connect between worldspaces, but that upgrade means now they can.

Thank you for your quick response!

I am glad that it is now possible to connect the Commonwealth with Far harbor. It was not possible without an add-on, as you know. Another development opportunity!

As for Workbench Upgrade...well, not sure when it comes handy. I mean, if you can take and upgrade the HQ, you usually are at the endgame. Or...is it possible to do so in rather early stage of the game? I may need to try...

 

[yaugie]

As for Workbench Upgrade...well, not sure when it comes handy. I mean, if you can take and upgrade the HQ, you usually are at the endgame. Or...is it possible to do so in rather early stage of the game? I may need to try...

I believe the lowest level it'd be feasible to get up to HQ is something like 16 or 17, if you did NOTHING but SS2's questline. The 4th rank of most of those crafting perks usually has a level requirement more like 40 not to mention the SPECIAL stat requirements, and apparently some people never take them at all.

 

[Antoine Soverie]

I am glad that it is now possible to connect the Commonwealth with Far harbor. It was not possible without an add-on, as you know.

You could do it with provisioners, but for virtual resources, yeah.

I mean, if you can take and upgrade the HQ, you usually are at the endgame. Or...is it possible to do so in rather early stage of the game? I may need to try...

I always felt like it's meant to be endgame stuff but that's just me. And we haven't seen chapter 3 yet, that will be the new "high-level content" when it's out Taking on GNN alone is 100% endgame, with an army probably not so much. Anyway I'd normally get there at least around level 30. Whiile ignoring most of the main quest.