Research & Tech Tree
Overview
The research system is how your corporation unlocks new capabilities. It's built on a 7-tier tech tree spanning 7 disciplines. Completing research unlocks applications — either blueprints (manufacturing recipes) or modifiers (passive bonuses).
Tech Tree Structure
The tree has three layers:
- Technologies — the research targets you allocate capacity to
- Applications — unlocked when you complete a technology; each is a blueprint or modifier
- Prerequisites — some technologies require others to be completed first
The Seven Disciplines
Every technology belongs to a primary discipline (and sometimes a secondary):
| Code | Discipline | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| B | Biology | Organic extraction, bio-matrices, life support |
| C | Chemistry | Chemical extraction, alloy synthesis, propellant systems |
| E | Energetics | Power generation, energy extraction, capacitors |
| I | Informatics | Sensors, compute, navigation, targeting |
| M | Mechanics | Structural frames, manufacturing, ship hulls, cargo |
| P | Physics | Weapons, shields, propulsion, particle physics |
| S | Sociology | Fleet command, crew management, trade networks |
The Seven Tiers
| Tier | Level | What It Unlocks |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Basic | Foundational technologies, simple extraction modules, starter components |
| 2 | Intermediate | Cargo holds, research modules, mineral extraction, basic weapons/armor |
| 3 | Advanced | Specialized components (weapon/defense components appear), enhanced modules |
| 4 | Expert | High-efficiency systems, dual weapon/defense specialization |
| 5 | Master | Cutting-edge tech, advanced alloys, powerful weapon systems |
| 6 | Elite | Top-tier components and modules, strong modifiers |
| 7 | Pinnacle | Ultimate capabilities, rare blueprints, pinnacle modules |
Research Capacity
Research capacity comes from research modules installed on your ships. The total capacity across all your ships determines how fast you can research.
Rate: 1 research point per capacity per hour. With capacity 1 at 100% allocation, you earn 1 point/hour. A technology costing 25 points takes 25 hours. Higher capacity and ResearchSpeed modifiers reduce this time.
You allocate your capacity as percentages across active research targets. For example, you might put 60% on a weapons technology and 40% on a manufacturing technology.
The golden rule: always keep research capacity 100% allocated. Idle capacity is wasted time. If you complete a technology, immediately reallocate that freed capacity to something new.
Stopping and Resuming Research
You can stop a research allocation at any time to free up capacity. Progress is preserved — if a technology was 70% complete when you stopped it, it'll still be 70% when you resume. This lets you shift priorities without losing work.
Modifiers
Some applications unlock passive modifiers that boost your operations:
- Extraction modifiers — speed bonuses for biological, mineral, chemical, or energetic extraction
- Manufacturing modifiers — speed, efficiency, and quality bonuses
- Research modifiers — speed bonuses for research itself
Modifiers stack across tiers. Researching multiple extraction speed modifiers compounds your bonuses, making early investment in modifiers pay dividends over time.
Component Categories
Technologies unlock component blueprints — intermediate manufactured parts used as inputs for module blueprints:
| Category | Purpose |
|---|---|
| BioMatrices | Organic cultivation systems |
| PowerCells | Energy storage cells |
| StructuralFrames | Load-bearing ship frames |
| PropellantSystems | Propulsion fuel systems |
| Conduits | Power transmission lines |
| Circuits | Processing/logic circuits |
| ThermalManagement | Heat dissipation systems |
| Optics | Sensor and targeting optics |
| WeaponComponents | Weapon subsystems (Tier 3+) |
| DefenseComponents | Defense subsystems (Tier 3+) |
Research Strategy
By Playstyle
- Industrialist — Prioritize Mechanics (M) and Chemistry (C) for manufacturing modules, structural frames, and alloy synthesis
- Explorer/Miner — Prioritize Biology (B) and Energetics (E) for extraction modules and speed modifiers
- Trader — Prioritize Mechanics (M) and Sociology (S) for cargo capacity, fleet command, and manufacturing
- Combat — Prioritize Physics (P) and Informatics (I) for weapons, shields, targeting, and sensors
- Balanced — Start with extraction and manufacturing basics (T1-T2), then specialize from T3 onward
Progression Tips
- T1-T2: Get extraction and manufacturing modules online — you need resources to build everything else
- T3: Weapon and defense components appear — combat builds start to diverge here
- T4+: Modules require multiple component types as inputs — plan your manufacturing chains ahead
- Invest in modifiers early — even small bonuses compound significantly over time
- Use path planning — find the shortest prerequisite chain to the technology or application you want