Waterpark Simulator Research Tree Overview & Priority Order

Research is the spine of Waterpark Simulator's progression. Nearly everything that matters — new staff, better tools, new attractions — is gated behind the Research Table in your office. This guide explains how research points work, what the tree contains, and the order you should spend in.

Last updated August 8, 2026 (1.0).

How Research Points Work

Research points are the game's second currency (after money). You earn them from:

Source	Notes
--------	-------
Floating science icons	Spawn around your park — collect them as you move through the day
Ticket sales	Grants points passively as guests buy passes
Daily actions	Cleaning, repairs, and completing tasks all drip points

Spending: open the Research Table in your office. The tree is organized into categories — community reports consistently describe Attractions, Park, and Maintenance as the main branches, with exact naming subject to patch changes.

The Research Categories

Attractions Tree — New Rides & Buildings

New slide and pool types, larger build options
Lazy river, splash zones, and eventually the wave pool unlock path
Food stall unlocks (lemonade stand lives here in most reports)
Vending machines

Park Tree — Guest Comfort & Facilities

Showers and hygiene basics
Trash bins and trash-related quality-of-life upgrades
Life ring stands and safety items
Benches (upgraded benches let guests sit and recover energy)
Floor Tool — a major time-saver for laying paths and floors

Maintenance Tree — Tools & Staff

Hiring Level 1-3+ — unlocks staff types and adds staff slots (cashier at Level 1, janitor/vendor at Level 2)
Water gun — cleans much faster than the mop
Water pressure gun — available around 4 stars; replaces the mop and boxing gloves and helps push people off diving boards
Hammer upgrade — faster repairs

⚠️ The exact contents and positions of research nodes are not publicly documented in full, and CayPlay has reshuffled trees between patches. The categories above are the reliable parts from 1.0 reports. Node-by-node positions may shift.

Research Point Farming (Community-Proven)

Early game, points are scarce. Known tricks:

Let vandals spray graffiti — cleaning it gives good early research gains. (Eject them later.)
Throw trash bags at objects so they burst — picking up individual pieces yields more XP than tossing a whole bag.
Water gun caution — water-gun cleaning earns no research points. In the first days, use the mop even though it's slower, then switch to the gun once points flow.
Knock-out tricks were patched at some point — do not build a strategy on them.

Priority Order (1.0)

This is the community-consensus spending order for a normal difficulty run:

Priority	Unlock	Category	Why
:--:	--------	----------	-----
1	Hiring Level 1	Maintenance	Cashier — automates tickets, the #1 time-saver
2	Showers / hygiene	Park	Guest happiness floor; cheap and early
3	Food stalls (lemonade)	Attractions	High-margin profit machine
4	Trash bin upgrades	Park	Faster cleanup loop
5	Water gun	Maintenance	Cleaning speed — after points are flowing
6	Floor Tool	Park	Path/floor laying time-saver
7	Hiring Level 2	Maintenance	Janitor + vendor
8	Life ring stands	Park	Auto safety net for pools
9	Hammer upgrade	Maintenance	Faster nightly repairs
10	New attractions (lazy river, splash zone)	Attractions	Only when cleanliness is under control
11	Hiring Level 3+	Maintenance	Handyman, lifeguard, then security/mascot (1.0)
12	Water pressure gun	Maintenance	~4 stars — endgame quality of life

The Golden Rule

Research capacity, not attractions. An extra slide only matters if your park can keep it clean and staffed. If you spend every point on new rides while your janitor situation is dire, you are building problems, not profit.

Staff Management Guide — the hiring side of the Maintenance tree
Slide & Ride Tier List & Attractions Reference — what the Attractions tree unlocks
Beginner Guide — first-hours research decisions
Endgame Guide — the Museum's separate research bench