The tree as a timeline
The research tree (F5) arranges 167 technologies in 12 branches on a timeline: one lane per branch, the past on the left, the future on the right. Every technology has a year; 56 of them are speculative – their years are design decisions, not predictions. The baseline before the start has 34 nodes.
Research points
Research pointsResearchMechanicResearch points come from the research budget and from research buildings such as universities. One research runs at a time; the queue starts the next one automatically. come from the research budget and from buildings such as the UniversityUniversityPublicCost$1.6bnBuild time720 daysWorkforce8,000Provides research points per level; somewhat fewer in poorer economies.. One research runs at a time; the queue starts the next one automatically as soon as its prerequisites are met.
Ahead and behind
Researching a technology before its year costs a surcharge that grows faster with every year (Ahead and behind the timesAhead and behind the timesMechanicEvery technology has a year. Researching ahead of time costs steeply rising surcharges; falling behind makes research cheaper, and technologies other states already have get cheaper too.). Falling behind makes research cheaper, and what many states already have gets cheaper too. Poorer states catch up this way, and a large lead stays expensive.
What technologies do
Technologies unlock production methods, buildings and units or act as modifiers, for example on output, research speed, tax efficiency or stability. The tooltip in the tree and the Kodex page of every technology show cost, prerequisites and effects.