Research
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Research is the primary method through which players can enhance and expand the abilities of their colony. Certain buildings require research in order to be built.
Once a player constructs a research bench, and selects a project from the list of available research topics, a researcher will work at the bench to generate research points. The rate at which points are generated depends on the researcher's skill level. Multiple research benches worked by researchers will further increase the speed at which points are generated.
Only one research project can be actively researched at a given time, regardless of the number of research facilities available. However, you can freely switch between research projects, even if another is already underway. The progress towards finishing the research project is retained.
Research difficulty is related to your faction’s tech level. Researching techs above your level is harder. So if you’re a tribe, researching electricity will be difficult, while industrial colonies will find mastering spaceflight harder.
Research is presented in a tech tree form, with earlier research placed to the left and later research more dependent on the earlier ones placed on the right. Mods can add their own research projects; they can be manually placed, or automatically placed if not specified. Projects will be moved apart if they overlap.
Besides the main research tab, modders can add separate research tabs for their research projects, so any new research projects appear there instead.
Research Projects
Neolithic and Medieval Research Projects
Name | Description | Tech level | Base cost | Industrial start cost | Tribal start cost | Required Research | Required Research Bench & Addon |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Psychoid brewing | With preparation, psychoid leaves can be boiled in water, producing a mildly euphoric and addictive tea. | Neolithic | 500 | 500 | 500 | None | Simple |
Tree sowing | Sow the local biome's natural tress in your feels. | Neolithic | 1000 | 1000 | 1000 | None | Simple |
Beer brewing | Allows you to build a brewery to transform hops into tasty, tasty beer. | Neolithic | 400 | 400 | 400 | None | Simple |
Complex Furniture | Build complex furniture like beds, end tables, dining chairs, armchairs, dressers, tool cabinets, billard tables, and poker tables, vents, sarcophagi, and more. | Medieval | 400 | 400 | 400 | None | Simple |
Passive cooler | Make passive coolers, a way to cool indoor spaces without using electricity. | Neolithic | 400 | 400 | 400 | None | Simple |
Stonecutting | Cut rock chunks into stone blocks for use in construction. Build beautiful stone tile floors or ugly concrete walkways. | Medieval | 300 | 300 | 300 | None | Simple |
Complex clothing | Tailor complicated garments like pants, dusters, and cowboy hats. (Research needed only for tribal starts) | Medieval | 600 | 600 | 600 | None | Simple |
Cocoa | Sow cocoa trees to create your own delicious chocolate. Eating chocolate fulfills the need for recreation, and it's valuable on the market too. | Neolithic | 1000 | 1000 | 1000 | Tree-sowing | Simple |
Devilstrand | Plant devilstrand, a slow-growing mushroom that yields an exceptionally tough, hear resistant plant fiber. | Neolithic | 800 | 800 | 800 | None | Simple |
Carpet making | Weave beautiful carpets from cloth. | Medieval | 800 | 800 | 800 | None | Simple |
Pemmican | Make pemmican, a preserved mixture of meat and plant matter that doesn't go bad for a long time. Great for traveling. (Research needed only for non-tribal starts) | Neolithic | 500 | 500 | 500 | None | Simple |
Smithing | Build smithies for crafting metal weapons and tools. Allows you to craft simple weapons like knives, gladii, and maces. | Medieval | 700 | 700 | 1400 | None | Simple |
Recurve bows | Build the recurve bow, an effective and inexpensive ranged weapon. | Neolithic | 400 | 400 | 400 | None | Simple |
Long blades | Craft longswords and spears. | Medieval | 400 | 400 | 800 | Smithing | Simple |
Plate armors | Smith suits of plate armor from metal or wood. This heavy armor noticeably slows movement, but protects very effectively. | Medieval | 600 | 600 | 1200 | Smithing | Simple |
Greatbow | Craft greatbows for killing enemies at great range. | Medieval | 600 | 600 | 1200 | Recurve bow Smithing |
Simple |
Industrial Research Projects
Name | Description | Tech level | Base cost | Industrial start cost | Tribal start cost | Required Research | Required Research Bench & Addon |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Drug production | Build a drug lab for basic drug synthesis. Further research is required to make specific drugs. | Industrial | 500 | 500 | 1500 | None | Simple |
Psychite refining | Refine psychoid leaves into flake and yayo, different forms of the euphoric drug psychite. | Industrial | 400 | 400 | 1200 | Drug production | Simple |
Wake-up production | Synthesize wake-up, a work performance-enhancing drug which replaces the need for sleep. | Industrial | 600 | 600 | 1800 | Drug production | Simple |
Go-juice production | Produce go-juice, a synthetic combat-performance-enhancing drug which improves shooting, melee, and movement ability, and dulls pain. | Industrial | 1000 | 1000 | 3000 | Drug production | Simple |
Penoxycyline production | Produce Penoxycyline a disease prevention drug which blocks plague, malaria, and more before they start. | Industrial | 500 | 500 | 1500 | Drug production | Simple |
Electricity | Harness the power of electricity for a hundred different tasks. | Industrial | 1600 | 1600 | 3600 | None | Simple |
Hydroponics | Build hydroponics basins to rapidly grow crops indoors regardless of the terrain or weather outside. | Industrial | 700 | 700 | 2100 | Electricity | Simple |
Battery | Build Battery for storing electricity. | Industrial | 400 | 400 | 1200 | Electricity | Simple |
Autodoor | Build autodoors which automatically open when someone approaches without slowing anyone down. | Industrial | 600 | 600 | 1200 | Electricity | Simple |
Air conditioning | Build coolers to make people comfortable in hot weather or to construct freezers for storing perishable goods. | Industrial | 500 | 500 | 1500 | Electricity | Simple |
IEDs | Build improvised traps from any kind of mortar shell. | Industrial | 500 | 500 | ? | Electricity | Simple |
Watermill generator | Build watermill generators on rivers to generate a steady supply of power. | Industrial | 700 | 700 | ? | Electricity | Simple |
Solar panel | Build solar panels for electrical generation. (Needed for tribal starts only) | Industrial | 600 | 600 | 1800 | Electricity | Simple |
Biofuel refining | Build Biofuel refining to make chemfuel from biological matter like wood or foodstuffs. | Industrial | 700 | 700 | ? | Electricity | Simple |
Nutrient paste | Build nutrient paste dispensers which efficiently produce edible meals from raw nutritive feedstocks. | Industrial | 400 | 400 | 800 | Electricity | Simple |
Firefoam | Construct firefoam poppers, automatic fire-safety devices which spread fire-retardant foam in response to encroaching flames. | Industrial | 600 | 600 | 1200 | Electricity | Hi-tech |
Geothermal power | Build geothermal power plants on top of steam geysers, for uninterrupted power. | Industrial | 3200 | 3200 | ? | Electricity | Hi-tech |
Packaged survival meal | Produce packaged survival meals, which never go bad. Great for travelling. | Industrial | 500 | 500 | ? | Nutrient paste | Simple |
Tube television | Produce tube televisions for recreational watching. | Industrial | 1000 | 1000 | 2000 | Electricity | Simple |
Sterile material | Construct sterile tiles to make cleanrooms for safer and more effective medical treatment, research, and cooking. | Industrial | 600 | 600 | ? | Electricity | Simple |
Microelectronics | Work with complex microelectronics. This unlocks the Hi-tech research bench and comms console. | Industrial | 3000 | 3000 | ? | Electricity | Simple |
Gunsmithing | Craft simple manually operated guns like revolvers, pump shotguns, bolt-action rifles, and incendiary launchers. | Industrial | 500 | 500 | 1500 | Machining | Simple |
Flak armor | Craft clothing with metal armor sewn in to resist bullets and explosions. This weighty armor slows movement slightly. | Industrial | 1200 | 1200 | ? | Machining | Simple |
Smokepop belts | Build smokepop belts which generate an automatic defensive smokescreen when the user is shot. | Industrial | 300 | 300 | 900 | Machining | Simple |
Blowback operation | Craft low-power blowback-operated guns like autopistols, machine pistols, and heavy SMGs. | Industrial | 500 | 500 | 1500 | Gunsmithing | Simple |
Mortars | Build mortars which can lob mortar shells long distances - even over walls. | Industrial | 2000 | 2000 | 6000 | Gunsmithing | Simple |
Prosthetics | Build inexpensive Prosthetics body pars to replace lost limbs. Requires a skilled doctor to attach. | Industrial | 600 | 600 | 1800 | Machining | Simple |
Gun turrets | Produce simple automated gun turrets. | Industrial | 500 | 500 | 1500 | Blowback operation | Simple |
Gas operation | Craft high-power guns like chain shotguns,LMGs, and heavy SMGs. | Industrial | 1000 | 1000 | 3000 | Blowback operation | Simple |
Medicine production | Produce standard industrial-tech medicine by combining herbal medicine, neutroamine, and cloth. | Industrial | 1500 | 1500 | 4500 | Drug production Microelectronics |
Hi-tech |
Colored lights | Construct colored lights for decorative purposes. Cosmetic only. | Industrial | 300 | 300 | 900 | Microelectronics | Hi-tech |
Flatscreen television | Produce high-resolution flatscreen television for greater enjoyment. | Industrial | 2000 | 2000 | 6000 | Microelectronics Tube television |
Hi-tech |
Transport pod | Construct launchable transport pods that you can use to sendpeople and supplies long distances across the planet's surface. Can be used for reading, travel, sending gifts, and more. | Industrial | 1000 | 1000 | 3000 | Microelectronics | Hi-tech |
Long-range mineral scanner | Construct long-range mineral scanners your researchers can use to detect precious minerals across the planet. Can be turned to find a specific mineral. Requires advanced components to construct. | Industrial | 2000 | 2000 | ? | Microelectronics | Hi-tech |
Hospital bed | Construct hospital beds which improve medical outcomes. | Industrial | 1200 | 1200 | 1200 | Microelectronics | Hi-tech |
Moisture pump | Construct moisture pumps, which very slowly normalize the moisture in the ground around them. They can turn wet ground dry and convert soft sand into normal sand. | Industrial | 1200 | 1200 | 3600 | Microelectronics | Hi-tech |
Shield belt | Build shield belts, which use momentun-repulsion technology to block ranged attacks coming in or going out. | Industrial | 1000 | 2000 | 3000 | Microelectronics | Hi-tech |
Autocannon turret | Produce the heavy, long-ranged autocannon turret. | Industrial | 1600 | ? | ? | Microelectronics Gun turrets Gas operation |
Hi-tech |
Precision rifling | Craft precisely-machined guns like assault rifles and sniper rifles. | Industrial | 1400 | 1400 | 4200 | Microelectronics Gas operation |
Simple |
Multibarrel weapons | Assemble miniguns. | Industrial | 2600 | 2600 | 7200 | Microelectronics Gas operation |
Hi-tech |
Multi-analyzer | Build multi-analyzers which increase research speed, and allow higher level research projects. | Industrial | 4000 | 4000 | ? | Microelectronics | Hi-tech |
Vitals monitor | Builds vitals monitors which improve medical outcomes when placed next to medical beds. | Industrial | 2500 | 2500 | 7500 | Multi-analyzer Hospital bed |
Hi-tech (Multi-analyzer) |
Deep drilling | Build deep drills for extracting resources from deep underground. You'll need a ground-penetrating scanner to find the resources. | Industrial | 4000 | 4000 | 12000 | Multi-analyzer | Hi-tech (Multi-analyzer) |
Fabrication | Build fabrication benches, capable of high-tech projects ranging from component assembly to power armor construction. | Industrial | 4000 | 4000 | 8000 | Multi-analyzer | Hi-tech (Multi-analyzer) |
Uranium slug turret | Produce the armor-penetrating uranium slug turret. It fires uranium slugs which tear though plasteel like paper, but it's less effective at close range. | Industrial | 3000 | 3000 | 6000 | Multi-analyzer Autocannon turret Precision rifling |
Hi-tech (Multi-analyzer) |
Ground-penetrating scanner | Build ground-penetrating scanners that can detect drillable resources deep under the surface. Requires advanced components to construct. | Industrial | 1000 | 1000 | 2000 | Deep drilling | Hi-tech (Multi-analyzer) |
Advanced fabrication | Fabricate advanced components from standard components and other materials. | Industrial | 4000 | 4000 | 8000 | Multi-analyzer | Hi-tech (Multi-analyzer) |
Spacer Research Projects
Name | Description | Tech level | Base cost | Industrial start cost | Tribal start cost | Required Research | Required Research Bench & Addon |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cryptosleep caskets | Construct cryptosleep caskets, which can put living beings in a state of suspended animation. | Spacer | 2000 | 4000 | 6000 | Multi-analyzer | Hi-tech (Multi-analyzer) |
Powered armor | Build the power armor and power armor helmets. Note that these also require advanced components. | Spacer | 6000 | 12000 | 18000 | Fabrication | Hi-tech (Multi-analyzer) |
Pulse charged munitions | Build weapons which fire pulse-charged munitions for extra damage. Note that these also require advanced components. | Spacer | 3000 | 6000 | 9000 | Fabrication Precision rifling |
Hi-tech (Multi-analyzer) |
Bionics | Build high.tech bionic body parts to replace lost limbs and eyes. Requires a skilled doctor to attach. | Spacer | 3000 | 6000 | 9000 | Fabrication Prosthetics |
Hi-tech (Multi-analyzer) |
Starflight basics | Construct the structural and supportive elements of a starship. This is the first step in building a ship to leave this star system. | Spacer | 4000 | 4000 | 8000 | Advanced fabrication | Hi-tech (Multi-analyzer) |
Starflight sensors | Construct long-range sensors for a starship. These sensors are essential for navigation, communication, and threat avoidance. | Spacer | 4000 | 4000 | 8000 | Starflight basics Long-range mineral scanner |
Hi-tech (Multi-analyzer) |
AI persuasion | Build a reward-signal system to persuade an existing AI persona into serving as a ship's AI captain. Since people sleep during interstellar travel, an AI core is necessary to handle the complex decisions of a years-long starflight. | Spacer | 3000 | 3000 | 6000 | Starflight basics | Hi-tech (Multi-analyzer) |
Vacuum cryptosleep caskets | Construct hardened ship cryptosleep caskets tough enough to be exposed to vacuum, for transporting people on the years-long journey between the stars. | Spacer | 2800 | 2800 | 5600 | Starflight basics Cryptosleep casket |
Hi-tech (Multi-analyzer) |
Ship reactor | Build a long-duration nuclear reactor to power a starship. Note that reactors have a long startup process that will attract raiders. | Spacer | 6000 | 6000 | 12000 | Starflight basics | Hi-tech (Multi-analyzer) |
Johnson-Tanaka drive | Construct a Johnson-Tanaka drive for a ship. The JT drive can push you to other stars by leveraging quantum scale effects to beam momentum to distant stars. Of course, as with all starships, it still takes many years to get anywhere. | Spacer | 6000 | 6000 | 12000 | Starflight basics | Hi-tech (Multi-analyzer) |