Research

Research is a fundamental part of The Last Starship. This gives players the ability to craft objects with blueprints being researched. It also may give buffs to certain objects.

Points

There are two types of points, Research Points (RP) and Computation Points (CP). Research Points are accumulated through the Science Station whereas Computation Points are generated by Super Computers.

Branches

Andromeda Project

• Andromeda Project Part 1 (1 RP) Unlocks research necessary for Stargate Phase 1 and Phase 2 and Stargate Frame blueprint.
• Andromeda Project Part 2 (2 RP + 1 CP) Unlocks Stargate Phase 3 and blueprints for Stargate Actuator and Stargate Resin
• Andromeda Project Part 3 (4 RP + 3 CP)

Neubidium

• Neubidium Processing (1 RP + 2 CP)
• Neubidium Fabrication (2 RP + 3 CP)

Zeleon

• Zeleon Gas (1 RP + 2 CP)
• Zeleon Energy Containment (2 RP + 3 CP)

Drones

• Drone Speed 1 (1 RP + 2 CP) Increases Logistics Drone speed by 50% above base.
• Drone Speed 2 (2 RP + 3 CP) Increases drone speed to 100% above base.
• Drone Speed (2 RP + 2 CP + Research Credit) Increases drone speed +5% per research. (E.g. three repetitions would increase drone speed by 15% total.)
• Drone Assembly (4 RP + 4 CP) Unlocks blueprints for Logistics Drones
• Drone Intelligence (2 RP + 3 CP) Unlocks batch collection by drones. (Enables drones to collect up to three items per trip.)

Science

• Science (1 RP) Unlocks advancements in all areas of advanced physics. (Reactor Efficiency +10%, Smelter Efficiency +25%)
• Deflector Beams (3 RP + 3 CP) Unlocks Deflector blueprint.
• Sector Surveying (3 RP + 3 CP) Unlocks surveying the current sector for new systems nearby. (Unlocks Hyperspace Sensor LR and Sector Surveying.)

Mining

• Mining Laser Precision (3 RP + 3 CP) Mining lasers now extract twice as many minerals per shot.
• Mining Laser Precision 2 (4 RP + 4 CP) Mining lasers now extract three times as many minerals per shot.

Energy

• Reactor Efficiency (2 RP + 2 CP + Research Credit)

Metallurgy

• Metallurgy Level 1 (2 RP + 1 CP) Smelter efficiency +50%
• Metallurgy Level 2 (3 RP + 2 CP) Smelter efficiency +100%
• Metallurgy (2 RP + 2 CP + Research Credit)

Automation

• Automation (1 RP + 1 CP) Unlocks schematics for Tracks and Robotic Arms

Track

• Track Speed 1 (2 RP + 2 CP) Track speed +100%
• Track Speed 2 (4 RP + 4 CP) Track speed +200%
• Advanced Tracks (2 RP + 2 CP) Unlocks Splitter Tracks

Robot Arm

• Compact Robot Arm (2 RP + 2 CP) Unlocks Short Robot Arm blueprint.
• Smart Robot Arm (2 RP + 2 CP) Unlocks Smart Robot Arm blueprint.
• Robot Arm Speed 1 (2 RP + 2 CP) Robot arm speed +100%
• Robot Arm Speed (2 RP + 2 CP + Research Credit)

Logistics

• Logistics (1 RP) Unlocks Smart Drone Bay, Interstellar Logistics, and blueprints for Small Tank, Small Storage Crate, and Loader
• Logistics Level 2 (2 RP) Unlocks Medium Tank and Storage Crate blueprints.
• Logistics Level 3 (3 RP) Unlocks Huge Tank blueprint.

Habitation

• Habitation (1 RP) Increases efficiency of Waste, Water, and Air Recycling +10% each.

Recycling

• Recycling Efficiency 1 (2 RP + 1 CP) Increases all life support recycling efficiency to 90%
• Recycling Efficiency 2 (4 RP + 3 CP) Increases all life support recycling efficiency to 100%

Hydroponics

• Hydroponics 1 (2 RP + 2 CP) +25% more crop yield per cycle.
• Hydroponics 2 (3 RP + 3 CP) +50% more crop yield per cycle above base level.
• Hydroponics (2 RP + 2 CP + Research Credit)

Research Credit

Research Credit is a special resource used to unlock certain advanced or incremental research projects. These credits are primarily obtained by salvaging Derelict Ships discovered during Sector Scans.

Research Credits as well as 2 RP and 2 CP are required for the following research projects:

• Robot Arm Speed – an incremental improvement of the robot arm speed.
• Hydroponics – enhances previously researched hydroponics systems with marginal gains.
• Drone Speed – increases the speed of drones slightly above the baseline performance unlocked in earlier research.
• Metallurgy – improves smelter efficiency as an extension of the core metallurgy research branch.
• Reactor Efficiency – provides a small boost to reactor efficiency beyond the foundational reactor research.

These projects generally serve as small, incremental upgrades to existing technologies, allowing players to optimize performance without introducing entirely new systems. Research Credits are consumed upon initiating these projects and cannot be recovered.

History

• Alpha 5: Introduced.
• Alpha 17: Research Credit introduced.