Player wiki
Research
73 technologies over 8 tiers, costing 5.67B research points in total. 6 of them are forks: taking one side closes the other for the whole run.
How research is paid for
Research points come from two places: the LAB lane of your dial, at 25 energy per point, and a steady 0.2 point per second for staying in the PERFECT zone. The costs printed below are the final costs — the tier multiplier is already applied, so this is exactly what you pay.
The forks — read these before you spend
6 pairs are mutually exclusive. Both sides sit at the same tier and cost the same, so the choice is never about price: it is about what your run becomes.
| fork | A | B |
|---|---|---|
| tier 3 · 2250 RP | FORCED CADENCE Harder overdrive, hotter | GOVERNOR A floor under bad turns, cooler |
| tier 4 · 24000 RP | JUST IN TIME Machines get cheaper to repeat | BUFFER STOCK +25% from machines you own |
| tier 5 · 450000 RP | CARTEL +40% on what you made | VERTICAL Materials cost 25% less |
| tier 7 · 90000000 RP | WORLD FACTORY +60% from machines | MASTER'S HAND +120% from every turn |
| tier 1 · 800 RP | SISTER PLANTS +40% per site | REGIONAL DEALS +30% region price |
| tier 1 · 800 RP | SWARMING +25% swarm | SYMBIOSIS -25% intake, +20% output |
What each technology opens
Most technologies change a multiplier. These ones open something new — a machine you could not buy, or a good you could not trade.
| technology | unlocks |
|---|---|
| DYNAMO | AUTO-CRANK II |
| CONVEYOR | BELT DYNAMO |
| ASSEMBLY LINE | INDUSTRIAL CRANK |
| MASS PRODUCTION | STEEL FOUNDRY, STEEL |
| INDUSTRIAL REACTOR | REACTOR LOOP |
| MINING DRILL | COPPER MINE, IRON MINE |
| ROBOT ARM | ROBOTIC CRANK |
| AUTONOMOUS FACTORY | AUTO FACTORY |
| TITANIUM | TITANIUM MILL, TITANIUM |
| CARBON FIBER | CARBON KILN, CARBON |
| GRAPHENE | GRAPHENE PRESS, GRAPHENE |
| DEEP MINING | SILICON QUARRY |
| INDUSTRIAL AI | AI CORE |
| MATTER COMPILER | QUANTUM LATTICE, QUANTUM |
| QUANTUM PROCESSOR | QUANTUM SPINNER |
| DYSON NETWORK | DYSON TAP |
The whole tree
| technology | effect | cost (RP) | after | effects | materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BASIC GEARS | +10% crank power | 10 | — | crank power +0.1 | — |
| LUBRICATION | -20% heat | 15 | BASIC GEARS | heat produced -0.2 | — |
| REINFORCED SHAFT | +20% overdrive, -10% heat | 25 | BASIC GEARS | heat produced -0.1 · overdrive bonus +0.2 | — |
| FLYWHEEL | Crank keeps spinning | 30 | BASIC GEARS | flywheel: the crank coasts +1 | — |
| MECH EFFICIENCY | +10% all output | 40 | LUBRICATION | everything +0.1 | — |
| CONVOYS | +25% shipped | 4 | — | site output +0.25 | — |
| HIGH VOLTAGE | -15% energy eaten | 12 | CONVOYS | site energy drain -0.15 | — |
| TWIN PLANTS | +60% plant output | 35 | HIGH VOLTAGE | extra starting machines +0.6 | — |
| LOAD BALANCING | -35% saturation | 100 | TWIN PLANTS | demand saturation -0.35 | — |
| SURVEYS | -30% region cost | 280 | LOAD BALANCING | region cost -0.3 | — |
| SISTER PLANTS | +40% per site | 800 | SURVEYS | extra sites +0.4 | — |
| REGIONAL DEALS | +30% region price | 800 | SURVEYS | unit price +0.3 | — |
| LEAN METABOLISM | -20% intake | 4 | — | swarm intake -0.2 | — |
| SHORT CHAIN | +30% output | 12 | LEAN METABOLISM | swarm output +0.3 | — |
| EARTHWORKS | +50% ground | 35 | SHORT CHAIN | new ground +0.5 | — |
| DAMPERS | -40% strain | 100 | EARTHWORKS | swarm strain -0.4 | — |
| MOBILE WORKSHOP | lab share x2 | 280 | DAMPERS | swarm lab share +1 | — |
| SWARMING | +25% swarm | 800 | MOBILE WORKSHOP | swarm size +0.25 | — |
| SYMBIOSIS | -25% intake, +20% output | 800 | MOBILE WORKSHOP | swarm intake -0.25 · swarm output +0.2 | — |
| TIMING | +20% band | 4 | — | — | — |
| BEARINGS | +25% intake | 12 | TIMING | — | — |
| TOOTHING | +5% per turn | 35 | BEARINGS | — | — |
| ISOCHRONISM | +30% band | 100 | TOOTHING | — | — |
| TRANSMISSION | +35% intake | 280 | ISOCHRONISM | — | — |
| GREAT SPRING | +10% per turn, +20% band | 800 | TRANSMISSION | — | — |
| technology | effect | cost (RP) | after | effects | materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DYNAMO | Unlocks AUTO-CRANK II | 120 | BASIC GEARS | — | — |
| BATTERY | +4h offline cap | 180 | DYNAMO | offline cap (h) +4 | — |
| CAPACITOR BANK | +25% overdrive | 225 | DYNAMO | overdrive bonus +0.25 | — |
| TRANSFORMER | +15% sale price | 225 | DYNAMO | sale premium +0.15 | — |
| EFFICIENT MOTOR | +15% machines | 300 | DYNAMO | machine output +0.15 | — |
| ORDER BOOK | Limit orders, 2 slots | 150 | TRANSFORMER | limit-order slots +2 · unlocks limit orders +1 | — |
| technology | effect | cost (RP) | after | effects | materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CONVEYOR | +10% machines, new machine | 1.00K | EFFICIENT MOTOR | machine output +0.1 | — |
| COOLING SYSTEM | +30% cooling | 1.50K | TRANSFORMER | cooling +0.3 | — |
| ASSEMBLY LINE | Unlocks INDUSTRIAL CRANK | 2.00K | CONVEYOR | — | — |
| MASS PRODUCTION | Cheaper machine scaling | 2.50K | ASSEMBLY LINE | machine cost growth -0.01 | — |
| INDUSTRIAL REACTOR | Unlocks REACTOR LOOP | 3.00K | ASSEMBLY LINE | — | STEEL ×20 |
| MARKET DESK | Unlocks the price dial | 1.25K | ORDER BOOK | unlocks the price dial +1 | — |
| MINING DRILL | Unlocks copper & iron mines | 1.75K | CONVEYOR | — | — |
| FORCED CADENCE | Harder overdrive, hotter | 2.25K | COOLING SYSTEM | heat produced +0.15 · overdrive bonus +0.5 | — |
| GOVERNOR | A floor under bad turns, cooler | 2.25K | COOLING SYSTEM | cooling +0.2 · quality floor +0.5 | — |
| technology | effect | cost (RP) | after | effects | materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROBOT ARM | Unlocks ROBOTIC CRANK | 15.0K | INDUSTRIAL REACTOR | — | SILICON ×30 |
| FACTORY CONTROLLER | +20% machines | 21.0K | ROBOT ARM | machine output +0.2 | — |
| LOGISTICS AI | +20% sales, better lab | 30.0K | FACTORY CONTROLLER | lab efficiency +0.1 · sale premium +0.2 | — |
| AUTONOMOUS FACTORY | Unlocks AUTO FACTORY | 48.0K | FACTORY CONTROLLER | — | TITANIUM ×15 |
| TRADING FLOOR | +1 order, price alerts | 18.0K | MARKET DESK | alert lines +2 · limit-order slots +1 · price alerts +1 | — |
| JUST IN TIME | Machines get cheaper to repeat | 24.0K | FACTORY CONTROLLER | machine cost growth -0.02 | — |
| BUFFER STOCK | +25% from machines you own | 24.0K | FACTORY CONTROLLER | machine output +0.25 | — |
| technology | effect | cost (RP) | after | effects | materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TITANIUM | +10% all, new material | 225K | MASS PRODUCTION | everything +0.1 | — |
| CARBON FIBER | +20% machines, new material | 330K | TITANIUM | machine output +0.2 | — |
| GRAPHENE | +40% cooling, new material | 450K | CARBON FIBER | cooling +0.4 | — |
| SMART MATERIALS | Wider perfect zone | 600K | GRAPHENE | perfect zone width (rpm) +60 | — |
| FLASH SALES | Cheap ask drains the battery | 375K | TRADING FLOOR | FLASH SALES +1 | — |
| DEEP MINING | Unlocks the silicon quarry | 270K | MINING DRILL | — | — |
| FREIGHT CONTRACTS | Unlocks delivery contracts | 300K | TRADING FLOOR | contracts +1 | — |
| CARTEL | +40% on what you made | 450K | FLASH SALES | sale premium +0.4 | — |
| VERTICAL | Materials cost 25% less | 450K | FLASH SALES | material discount +0.25 | — |
| technology | effect | cost (RP) | after | effects | materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRICING AI | Sell price tracks the market | 6.00M | NEURAL CONTROLLER | prices itself +1 | — |
| NEURAL CONTROLLER | Rhythm quality floor 40% | 3.20M | LOGISTICS AI | quality floor +0.4 | — |
| PREDICTIVE MAINT. | Overheats recover 2x faster | 4.80M | NEURAL CONTROLLER | overheat duration +0.5 | — |
| AUTONOMOUS ECONOMY | +30% sale price | 6.40M | NEURAL CONTROLLER | sale premium +0.3 | — |
| INDUSTRIAL AI | +15% all, unlocks AI CORE | 8.00M | PREDICTIVE MAINT. | everything +0.15 | GRAPHENE ×15 |
| MARKET MAKER | Deeper books, half the impact | 4.00M | FREIGHT CONTRACTS | deep seam output +1 | — |
| technology | effect | cost (RP) | after | effects | materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| QUANTUM BATTERY | +40h offline cap | 40.0M | INDUSTRIAL AI | offline cap (h) +40 · offline efficiency +0.25 | — |
| MATTER COMPILER | -30% material costs | 60.0M | QUANTUM BATTERY | material discount +0.3 | — |
| PROBABILITY ENGINE | Luckier events | 80.0M | MATTER COMPILER | luck with events +0.5 | — |
| QUANTUM PROCESSOR | +100% research | 100M | MATTER COMPILER | research +1 | QUANTUM ×10 |
| STANDING ORDERS | Orders never expire, +2 | 50.0M | PRICING AI | alert lines +1 · contract slots +1 · limit orders never expire +1 · limit-order slots +2 | — |
| WORLD FACTORY | +60% from machines | 90.0M | QUANTUM PROCESSOR | machine output +0.6 | — |
| MASTER'S HAND | +120% from every turn | 90.0M | QUANTUM PROCESSOR | crank power +1.2 | — |
| technology | effect | cost (RP) | after | effects | materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ORBITAL INDUSTRY | +50% machines | 625M | QUANTUM PROCESSOR | machine output +0.5 | — |
| SOLAR COLLECTOR | +100% crank power | 1.00B | ORBITAL INDUSTRY | crank power +1 | — |
| DYSON NETWORK | Unlocks DYSON TAP | 1.50B | SOLAR COLLECTOR | — | QUANTUM ×80 |
| STELLAR ENGINE | +100% all output | 2.00B | DYSON NETWORK | everything +1 | — |
The patent office
Patents are the second currency, and they buy something cores cannot. Cores pay in size — more energy, more machines, more of the same run. Patents pay in shape: the run starts differently, or the game gains a rule it did not have. You earn them by playing differently, never by playing longer: first tree finished under each directive, first ascension with each kit, challenges, reforge stars, distinct directive pairs, factory commissions, and one a day at most from the daily. There are 139 patents to win against a tree that costs 99 — and 124 of them without ever opening the game on a particular day. The tree does not ask for a calendar.
| node | effect | patents |
|---|---|---|
| WORKSHOP PLANS | Starting kits are better stocked | 1 |
| INHERITED TOOLING | Begin with two techs already done | 2 |
| NIGHT SHIFT | +20% of what the factory makes offline | 3 |
| FOREMAN | +20% machine output | 3 |
| SUPERVISED REDLINE | Overdrive pushes the machines harder | 5 |
| HEAVY EXTRACTION | Mines dig half again as fast | 5 |
| GREAT HALL | One more commission on the desk | 6 |
| DOUBLE DIRECTIVE | Carry two directives in one run | 8 |
| node | effect | patents |
|---|---|---|
| THE REGISTER | Price alerts, and one more line | 1 |
| THE GUILD | Haggling swings half again as far | 2 |
| BROKERAGE | Two more limit orders | 3 |
| CRISIS PREMIUM | +15% on everything you made | 3 |
| INTEGRATION | Materials cost 15% less | 5 |
| DAY COUNTER | Reroll the order of the day | 5 |
| UNDERWRITING | Orders survive the ascension | 6 |
| TRADE CHARTER | Start with the desk already open | 8 |
| node | effect | patents |
|---|---|---|
| THE REEL | The crank keeps turning on its own | 1 |
| BELLOWS | Vents clear heat half again as fast | 2 |
| METRONOME | A floor under sloppy cranking | 3 |
| GOVERNOR | -10% heat everywhere | 3 |
| STEEL ARM | +30% from every turn | 5 |
| WIDE ZONE | The perfect zone is easier to hold | 5 |
| SECOND VALVE | Overheating lets go sooner | 6 |
| MASTER'S HAND | The perfect zone pays research | 8 |
The node f8 is the pivot: it allows two directives in one run, and it sits deep on purpose. It is the point where the game re-explodes combinatorially instead of adding another multiplier.
| commission | asks for | shows up after | patents |
|---|---|---|---|
| A THOUSAND TONS | iron_sold ≥ 1.00K | after 3 ascensions | 2 |
| ELECTRIFICATION | energy_sold ≥ 5.00M | after 3 ascensions | 2 |
| THREE SHIFTS | big_crew ≥ 3 | after 3 ascensions | 2 |
| NOT ONE INCIDENT | clean_run ≥ 1 | after 3 ascensions | 2 |
| CADENCE HELD | perfect_time ≥ 1.80K | after 3 ascensions | 2 |
| JUST IN TIME | orders_filled ≥ 10 | after 3 ascensions | 2 |
| ALL NIGHT LONG | best_offline ≥ 21.6K | after 3 ascensions | 2 |
| A GOOD DEAL | haggle_won ≥ 50.0K | after 3 ascensions | 2 |
| STEELWORKS | steel_sold ≥ 5.00K | after 6 commissions | 3 |
| TITANIUM ORDER | titanium_sold ≥ 800 | after 6 commissions | 3 |
| GRAPHENE BATCH | graphene_sold ≥ 300 | after 6 commissions | 3 |
| QUANTUM BATCH | quantum_sold ≥ 100 | after 6 commissions | 3 |
| CRISIS PROFITS | event_money ≥ 1.00M | after 6 commissions | 3 |
| FIVE TAPS | dyson_five ≥ 1 | after 6 commissions | 3 |
| THE WHOLE TREE | directed_tree ≥ 1 | after 6 commissions | 3 |
| THREE PAIRINGS | dir_pairs ≥ 3 | after 6 commissions | 3 |
| THE HAULIER | contracts_kept ≥ 25 | after 6 commissions | 3 |
| SIXTY DELIVERIES | contracts_kept ≥ 60 | after 6 commissions | 3 |
| THE GREAT WORK I | deep_run ≥ 1 | after 14 commissions | 2 |
| THE GREAT WORK II | full_shelf ≥ 1 | after 14 commissions | 3 |
| THE GREAT WORK III | deeper_run ≥ 1 | after 14 commissions | 5 |