System · research tree
Research
Research is the backbone of progression: about 150 projects across 16 branches, each paid in ores and alloys, that unlock and multiply your systems (managers, telescopes, smelting, colonies…). Here is the map of the branches and the advanced projects that cap them.
The 16 branches
Each branch is a game system that research advances. A branch’s projects unlock in a cascade.
Managers Recruit, level and specialise the managers that automate and multiply every planet's output; elect Leaders for galaxy-wide bonuses.
Telescope Extend telescope range to reveal farther planets and detect the surges that temporarily supercharge production.
Ore Targetting Direct mining toward the most valuable ore on a planet instead of splitting effort across all of them.
Rovers Deploy and upgrade rovers that gather resources on the surface in parallel with your ship.
Market Improve sell prices and market mechanics so every shipment of ore and alloy is worth more.
Asteroids Unlock and exploit asteroids for extra resources and bonuses outside the planet loop.
Colonize Establish and grow colonies that give each planet permanent, stacking production bonuses.
Spread mining and hauling load more efficiently across your fleet and planets.
Smelting Turn raw ore into alloys worth far more than their inputs; add and overdrive extra furnaces.
Crafting Combine alloys and resources into crafted goods for the highest-value output tier.
Surge Class Enhancement 
Beacon Power the Beacon, a late-game system that grants powerful galaxy-wide multipliers.
Colonization Scouting Scout planets to colonise them; scouting research lets whole telescope ranges skip the scouting limits.
Colonization Scouting Enhancement 
Alternate Smelting Recipe Unlock alternate smelting recipes that trade different ores for the same alloy.
Alternate Crafting Recipe Unlock alternate crafting recipes for more flexible high-tier production.
Advanced research
The named high-tier projects, with their exact in-game effect.
Managers
- Superior Leader All leader bonuses x4
- Superior Specialist University All managers second benefit x1.05
- Senior Leader Ability to elect a second Leader among 5+ stars Managers
- Specialist University All managers second benefit x1.05
- Advanced Specialist University All managers second benefit x1.05
Telescope
- Surge Mapping Detected surges on planets within Telescopes 0 to 3 are now class 2. Higher classes amplify surge effects.
- Advanced Surge Mapping Detected surges on planets within Telescopes 0 to 3 are now class 3. Higher classes amplify surge effects.
- Superior Surge Mapping Detected surges on planets within Telescopes 0 to 3 are now class 4. Higher classes amplify surge effects.
- Echo Filtering Detected surges on planets within Telescopes 4 to 7 are now class 2. Higher classes amplify surge effects.
- Advanced Echo Filtering Detected surges on planets within Telescopes 4 to 7 are now class 3. Higher classes amplify surge effects.
- Superior Echo Filtering Detected surges on planets within Telescopes 4 to 7 are now class 4. Higher classes amplify surge effects.
- Harmonic Calibration Detected surges on planets within Telescopes 8 to 11 are now class 2. Higher classes amplify surge effects.
- Advanced Harmonic Calibration Detected surges on planets within Telescopes 8 to 11 are now class 3. Higher classes amplify surge effects.
- Superior Harmonic Calibration Detected surges on planets within Telescopes 8 to 11 are now class 4. Higher classes amplify surge effects.
- Reactive Sweep Detected surges on planets within Telescopes 12 to 15 are now class 2. Higher Classes amplify surge effects.
- Advanced Reactive Sweep Detected surges on planets within Telescopes 12 to 15 are now class 3. Higher Classes amplify surge effects.
- Superior Reactive Sweep Detected surges on planets within Telescopes 12 to 15 are now class 4. Higher Classes amplify surge effects.
- Anomaly Resolution Detected surges on planets within Telescopes 16 to 19 are now class 2. Higher Classes amplify surge effects.
- Advanced Anomaly Resolution Detected surges on planets within Telescopes 16 to 19 are now class 3. Higher Classes amplify surge effects.
- Superior Anomaly Resolution Detected surges on planets within Telescopes 16 to 19 are now class 4. Higher Classes amplify surge effects.
- Signal Stratification Detected surges on planets within Telescopes 20 to 23 are now class 2. Higher Classes amplify surge effects.
- Advanced Signal Stratification Detected surges on planets within Telescopes 20 to 23 are now class 3. Higher Classes amplify surge effects.
- Superior Signal Stratification Detected surges on planets within Telescopes 20 to 23 are now class 4. Higher Classes amplify surge effects
- Coherence Tracking
- Advanced Coherence Tracking
- Superior Coherence Tracking
Smelting
- Furnace Overdrive 2 Ability to put a second furnace into overdrive
- Furnace Overdrive 3 Ability to put a third furnace into overdrive
Colonization Scouting
- Scouting 1 Planets in telescope 0 to 3 ignore colonization scouting and its tasks limitation. They can be colonized as soon as their requirements are met.
- Scouting 2 Planets in telescope 4 to 7 ignore colonization scouting and its tasks limitation. They can be colonized as soon as their requirements are met.
- Scouting 3 Planets in telescope 8 to 11 ignore colonization scouting and its tasks limitation. They can be colonized as soon as their requirements are met.
- Scouting 4 Planets in telescope 12 to 15 ignore colonization scouting and its tasks limitation. They can be colonized as soon as their requirements are met.
- Scouting 5 Planets in telescope 16 to 19 ignore colonization scouting and its tasks limitation. They can be colonized as soon as their requirements are met.
- Scouting 6 Planets in telescope 20 to 23 ignore colonization scouting and its tasks limitation. They can be colonized as soon as their requirements are met.
Research priority: the Managers and Smelting branches multiply your income right away; Telescope opens the far planets and surges; Colonies make gains permanent. Spend first where the multiplier hits your whole output.
Method: the number of projects per branch and the number of resource types per project are extracted from the binary. The exact cost amounts and the precise prerequisite order are computed at runtime (not constants) — not shown until confirmed.