Research

How research works

You start research in the Research menu. Unlike buildings, research does not belong to a planet but to your account: every finished level takes effect immediately on all your planets and asteroids. You pay with the resources of the planet where you start the research.

You need a Research lab for this. Its level on the research planet determines the research time: the higher it is, the faster you research. That is why you can switch the level tables on the research pages by lab level and universe. With a Synth node you can later even research on asteroids (Colony nodes).

Only one research at a time

Your account can only run one research at a time – no matter how many labs you own. The Engineer assistant (Assistants) gives you an extra waiting slot: the next research starts automatically as soon as the current one is finished. Its costs are paid as soon as you queue it.

What should you research first?

1. Energy technology – gives you more energy right away and is required for Weapons factory, Mining technology and many defenses.
2. Mining technology – more Pig iron, Kryptonite and Spice on all planets. The more mines you run, the more it pays off.
3. Engine research and Rocket engine – needed for your first ships, such as Small transport, Small fighter and Spy probe.
4. Spy technology – for spy probes and useful spy reports.
5. Weapons technology, Shield technology and Defense systems – as soon as you build a fleet, they make every ship and every defense stronger.

Speeding up research

• Upgrade your Research lab – by far the most important lever.
• Use the Super Computer (from research lab level 15).
• Speeding up with Urplasma (see Urplasma): after a short initial phase you can shorten the running research, as long as the research lab on the research planet is at least level 10. The research page shows you in advance how much time you save.
• Daily reductions: the Engineer+ (8 hours per day, Assistants), the Researcher path of the Specialization and the Synth node for research time (Colony nodes).
• In the Sirius universe, the research network caps every research duration: all your research labs together determine the maximum number of days a research can take. Every additional lab level on any planet lowers this cap, down to a minimum. The current cap is shown at the top of the research page.