Research becomes possible after building a Lab. There are 10 research levels, each containing a number of technologies which can be researched. The first level of research becomes available when your first Lab is finished; each successive level is unlocked by research within the level below. Additionally there is a set of extraterrestrial technologies which become available after the reconnaissance of respective space anomalies.
All Labs work together, combining their research speed on a single project. The player can choose which technologies should be researched and in what order. Note there is no obligation to complete all technologies on a level before continuing to the next level; except for the unlock of the next level, all technologies can be skipped. If a particular technology is removed from the research queue, its progress is kept and it can later be resumed.
When originally built, the lab has a max level of 18. You must transition to research level 5 (Epsilon) before you can improve the Lab to level 20.
Level 1 (Alpha)[]
SP | Name | Description | |
---|---|---|---|
100 | Muonic Chemistry | +10% to the production of metal, polymers, and radium. | |
8 | Fighter | This technology is required to build a Fighter. | |
10 | Engineering Ship | This technology is required to build engineering spaceships. | |
10 | Unmanned Platform | This technology is required to build an Unmanned Platform. | |
50 | Multilayer Polymer-Iridium Armor | +20% to Unmanned Platforms’ defense. | |
100 | Plasma Welding | +30% to spaceship maintenance speed. | |
200 | Space Navigation. Level 1 | Hyperjump range: +4. | |
200 | Metamaterials | +20% to Resource Cache capacity. | |
200 | Transition to level 2 | Unlocks the next science level. |
Level 2 (Beta)[]
SP | Name | Description | |
---|---|---|---|
600 | High Pressure Plasma | This technology is required to build a Space Processing Plant and allows engineering spaceships to collect debris in enemy star systems. | |
900 | Antiproton Gun | +20% to battleships' attack. | |
900 | Zero Gravity Technology | +30% to spaceship construction speed. | |
500 | Proton Generator | +20% to Unmanned Platforms' attack. | |
600 | Ecology | +20% to the maximum population size. | |
900 | Space Compression | +20% to spaceship carrying capacity. | |
900 | Photon Engine | +20% move speed in hyperspace. | |
700 | Automated Control Systems | +1 to construction queue length. | |
1200 | Transition to level 3 | Unlocks the next science level. |
Level 3 (Gamma)[]
SP | Name | Description | |
---|---|---|---|
2400 | Colonial Spaceship | This technology is required to build a Colonial Spaceship. | |
2900 | Frigate | This technology is required to build a Frigate. | |
2200 | Superscale Energy Flux Transmission | This technology is required to build an Energy Transmitter. | |
2200 | Positron Gun | +20% to Unmanned Platforms’ attack. | |
3100 | Space Navigation Level 2 | Hyperjump range: +6. | |
2500 | Pionic Accelerator | +8% to the production of metal, polymers, and radium. | |
2000 | Module Constructions | +40% to construction speed. | |
2000 | Multidimensional Space | +35% to storehouse capacity | |
3600 | Dimensional Scanners | -30% to enemy Resource Cache capacity. | |
7000 | Transition to level 4 | Unlocks the next science level. |
Level 4 (Delta)[]
SP | Name | Description | |
---|---|---|---|
10800 | Unmanned Platform, Mod. 2 | This technology is required to build the Unmanned Platform Mod. 2. | |
10800 | New Metamaterials | +10% of a storehouse becomes invisible to enemy fleets | |
14000 | Environment Regeneration | +20% to maximum population size. | |
14000 | Orbital Resource Dock | This technology is required to build an Orbital Resource Dock. | |
10800 | Construction Plant | This technology is required to build a Construction Plant. | |
21000 | Hyperengine Upgrades | +20% to flight speed in hyperspace. | |
15000 | Planet Control Center | This technology is required to build a Planet Control Center. | |
21000 | Neutrino Detector | Gives a Frigate a detector with a detection level of 10. | |
9000 | Composite Constructions | +50% to building durability. | |
36000 | Transition to level 5 | Unlocks the next science level. |
Level 5 (Epsilon)[]
SP | Name | Description | |
---|---|---|---|
27000 | Interplanetary Logistics | +40% to commercial spaceship carrying capacity. | |
36000 | Ionic Energy Accumulators | Reduces Frigates' hyperjump preparation time by 70%. | |
45000 | Acceleration Gate | This technology is required to build an Acceleration Gate. | |
54000 | Space Navigation Level 3 | Hyperjump range: +6. | |
60000 | Ionic Booster | +20% to Unmanned Platforms’ attack. | |
54000 | Composite Ceramic Armor | +20% to medium and heavy-class spaceships' defense. | |
40000 | Superstrong Magnetic Fields | This technology is required to build Processing Plants. (These are: Metal Plant, Chemical Plant and Radium Refinement Complex; this is unrelated to the Space Processing Plant!) | |
54000 | Destroyer | This technology is required to build Destroyers. | |
54000 | Vacuum Technologies | +2 levels to mines on resource planets. (This increases the maximum level, not the actual level of the mines) | |
120000 | Transition to level 6 | Unlocks the next science level. |
Level 6 (Zeta)[]
SP | Name | Description | |
---|---|---|---|
160000 | Nanorobots | +30% to spaceship construction speed. | |
200000 | Giant Space Structures | Required to build Large Shipyards and other giant space structures. | |
240000 | Bomber | This technology is required to build a Bomber. | |
160000 | Antimatter Engine | +25% to movement speed in hyper-space. | |
160000 | Gravity Generator | +20% to medium and heavy-class spaceships' attack. | |
80000 | Planetary Shield Generator | This technology is required to build the Planetary Shield Generator. | |
120000 | Proton Shield | +20% to Unmanned Platforms’ defense. | |
140000 | Space Warp | +30% to Undercover Base camouflage. | |
240000 | Space Base | This technology allows engineering spaceships to build space bases. | |
400000 | Transition to level 7 | Unlocks the next science level. |
Level 7 (Eta)[]
SP | Name | Description | |
---|---|---|---|
480000 | Space Navigation Level 4 | Hyperjump range: +3. | |
200000 | Fine Hyperstructure | This technology is required to build a Space Disrupter. | |
600000 | Research and Development Center | This technology is required to build a Research and Development Center. | |
400000 | Trading Corporation | This technology is required to build the Trading Corporation. | |
300000 | Laser Cooling System | +20% to Unmanned Platforms’ attack. | |
400000 | Neutron Generator | +50% to space debris processing efficiency. | |
600000 | Production Optimization | +2 levels to mines on all planets. | |
600000 | Beam Focusing System | +20% to medium and heavy-class spaceships' attack. | |
600000 | Landing Spaceship | This technology is required to build a Landing Spaceship. | |
800000 | Transition to level 8 | Unlocks the next science level. |
Level 8 (Theta)[]
SP | Name | Description | |
---|---|---|---|
1500000 | Photon Engine | +35% move speed in hyperspace. | |
1250000 | Heavy Cruiser | This technology is required to build a Heavy Cruiser. | |
750000 | Multidimensional Space Level 2 | +30% to storehouse capacity. | |
1500000 | Quasi-wave Scanner | +20% detection of hidden bases. | |
1500000 | Ionic Generator | +30% to the energy transmitter power. | |
1500000 | Ionic Shield | +20% to medium and heavy-class spaceships' defense. | |
1500000 | Advanced Titanic Fibers | +50% to the planet invasion speed. | |
1200000 | Planetary Colony II | This technology is required to upgrade to a Planetary Colony II. | |
1200000 | Superstrong Magnetic Fields Level 2 | This technology is required to upgrade Processing Plants to level 6 - 10. (These are: Metal Plant, Chemical Plant and Radium Refinement Complex; this is unrelated to the Space Processing Plant!) | |
3000000 | Transition to level 9 | Unlocks the next science level. |
Level 9 (Iota)[]
SP | Name | Description | |
---|---|---|---|
2700000 | Space Navigation Level 5 | Hyperjump range: +3. | |
2250000 | Vacuum Technologies Level 2 | +2 levels to mines on resource planets. | |
2250000 | Antineutron Gun | +20% to heavy-class spaceships' attack. | |
2250000 | Antimeson Gun | +20% to medium-class spaceships' attack. | |
3000000 | Battleship | This technology is required to build a Battleship. | |
3600000 | Spacecraft Staff Training Center | This technology is required to build a Spacecraft Staff Training Center ("Academy II"). | |
3000000 | Residential Community II | This technology is required to upgrade to a Residential Community II. | |
4800000 | Transition to level 10 | Unlocks the next science level. |
Level 10 (Kappa)[]
SP | Name | Description | |
---|---|---|---|
6000000 | Neutron Shield | +20% to medium and heavy-class spaceships' defense. | |
3600000 | Compact Ionic Shield | +10% to Unmanned Platforms’ defense. | |
4800000 | Heavy Lepton Gun | +10% to Unmanned Platforms’ attack. | |
6000000 | Heavy Anti-Neutron Gun | +10% to heavy-class spaceships' attack. | |
6000000 | Boson Gun | +20% to medium-class spaceships' attack. | |
6000000 | Quark-Gluon Plasma | +10% to resource production. | |
7200000 | Genetic Engineering | +10% to maximum population size. | |
7200000 | Antigravity Engine | +40% to movement speed in hyper-space. |
Technologies of the Ancients[]
SP | Name | Description | |
---|---|---|---|
600 | Subspatial Scanner of the Ancients | This technology is required to lay safe courses to space anomalies. NOTE: This technology probably does not exist now. | |
3200 | Engine Enhancement System | +10% to the spaceship flight speed. | |
6400 | Space Compression | +20% to spaceship carrying capacity. | |
18000 | Hyperfine Hyperspace Structure Scanner | It is required for flights in the systems of the Ancient. | |
64000 | New Energetic Technologies | +10% to attack for all ships | |
1000000 | Large Resource Dock | This technology is required to build a Large Resource Dock (a larger version of Orbital Resource Dock). | |
600000 | Star Gate | This technology is required to build a Star Gate. | |
1800000 | Subspatial Energy Generator | This technology is required to build a Subspatial Energy Generator. (This will allow a Star Gate to connect to the Unknown's home galaxy and "win the game" [1]) |
Research Time Calculation[]
It is possible to calculate the time and SP requirement to conduct any research.
Time Requirement Calculation[]
The time required can be expressed as a relationship between the SP cost and the "Research Speed".
Take Plasma Welding (Alpha) as an example. Suppose our empire can Research 20 per hour (yeah, a very weak empire). Then, the time taken to research the Welding is given by
SP Cost divided by the Research Speed, that is, 100 divided by 20 = 5 hours.
As you can see, the emphasis of Science in your empire can affect the speed of the Research.