Science pack

2025-12-22T01:34:58Z

Philou231: /* Base game */ Modified the Military science pack to have 7 Iron Plate instead of 5. I believe the 2 plates from the Firearm Magazine were forgotten

{{Languages}}
'''Science packs''' are items which are required by [[lab]]s to perform [[research]]. Researching [[technologies]] requires a certain number of different types of science packs, which is then multiplied by a certain value to get the tech cost.

For example, [[Physical projectile damage (research)|Physical projectile damage 3'']] requires one automation science pack and one logistic science pack and one military science pack to begin researching, but it needs this to be input into labs a total of 300 times, raising the research cost to 300 science packs each.

== Types of science packs ==
=== Base game ===
{| class="wikitable"
! Type !! Recipe !! Total raw
|-
| {{imagelink|Automation science pack}} || {{icon|Time|5}} + {{icon|copper plate|1}} + {{icon|iron gear wheel|1}} → {{icon|Automation science pack|1}} || {{icon|Time|5.5}} {{icon|iron plate|2}} {{icon|copper plate|1}}
|-
| {{imagelink|Logistic science pack}} || {{icon|Time|6}} + {{icon|Transport belt|1}} + {{icon|Inserter|1}} → {{icon|Logistic science pack|1}} || {{icon|Time|8.75}} {{icon|iron plate|5.5}} {{icon|copper plate|1.5}}
|-
| {{imagelink|Military science pack}} || {{icon|Time|10}} + {{icon|Piercing rounds magazine|1}} + {{icon|Grenade|1}} + {{Icon|Wall|2}} → {{icon|Military science pack|2}} || {{icon|Time|23}} {{icon|Iron plate|7}} {{icon|Copper plate|1}} {{icon|Steel plate|0.5}} {{icon|Coal|10}} {{icon|Stone brick|10}}
|-
| {{imagelink|Chemical science pack}} || {{icon|Time|24}} + {{icon|Sulfur|1}} + {{icon|Advanced circuit|3}} + {{icon|Engine unit|2}} → {{icon|Chemical science pack|2}} || {{icon|Time|52.5}} {{icon|Iron plate|6}} {{icon|Copper plate|15}} {{icon|Engine unit|2}} {{icon|Plastic bar|6}} {{icon|Sulfur|1}}
|-
| {{imagelink|Production science pack}} || {{icon|Time|21}} + {{icon|Rail|30}} + {{icon|Electric furnace|1}} + {{icon|Productivity module|1}} → {{icon|Production science pack|3}} || {{icon|Time|153.5}} {{icon|Iron plate|32.5}} {{icon|Copper plate|57.5}} {{icon|Steel plate|25}} {{icon|Plastic bar|20}} {{icon|Stone|15}} {{icon|Stone brick|10}}
|-
| {{imagelink|Utility science pack}} || {{icon|Time|21}} + {{icon|Processing unit|2}} + {{icon|Flying robot frame|1}} + {{icon|Low density structure|3}} → {{icon|Utility science pack|3}} || {{icon|Time|104.75}} {{icon|Iron plate|3}} {{icon|Copper plate|64.5}} {{icon|Steel plate|7}} {{icon|Plastic bar|15}} {{icon|Battery|2}} {{icon|Processing unit|2}} {{icon|Electric engine unit|1}}
|-
| {{imagelink|Space science pack}} || {{icon|Space science pack|1000}} per launched {{icon|Satellite}} || {{icon|Time|300}} {{icon|Iron plate|43.7}} {{icon|Copper plate|101.8}} {{icon|Steel plate|2.7}} {{icon|Plastic bar|19.9}} {{icon|Solid fuel|10.5}} {{icon|Sulfuric acid|15.5}}
|}


Or, broken down into the most basic components:
{| class="wikitable"
! Per 1 !! colspan="5" | Total raw
|-
| {{imagelink|Automation science pack}} || {{icon|iron plate|2}} || {{icon|copper plate|1}}
|-
| {{imagelink|Logistic science pack}} || {{icon|iron plate|5.5}} || {{icon|copper plate|1.5}}
|-
| {{imagelink|Military science pack}} || {{icon|iron plate|3.75}} || {{icon|copper plate|0.5}} || {{icon|coal|5}} || || {{icon|stone|10}}
|-
| {{imagelink|Chemical science pack}} || {{icon|iron plate|12}} || {{icon|copper plate|7.5}} || {{icon|coal|1.5}} || {{icon|crude oil|38.46}}
|-
| {{imagelink|Production science pack}} || {{icon|iron plate|52.5}} || {{icon|copper plate|19.17}} || {{icon|coal|3.33}} || {{icon|crude oil|68.38}} || {{icon|stone|11.67}}
|-
| {{imagelink|Utility science pack}} || {{icon|iron plate|33.33}} || {{icon|copper plate|49.83}} || {{icon|coal|3.83}} || {{icon|crude oil|106.84}}
|-
| {{imagelink|Space science pack}} || {{icon|iron plate|57.54}}    || {{icon|copper plate|101.79}} || {{icon|coal|9.95}}    || {{icon|crude oil|306.92}}
|}

=== ''Space Age'' ===
The ''[[Space Age]]''{{SA}} expansion adds five new types of science packs, and changes the recipe for [[space science pack]]. Each is only able to be crafted on a specific [[planets|planet]] or a [[space platform]]{{SA}}.

{| class="wikitable"
! Type !! Crafted on !! Made in !! Recipe !! Total raw
|-
| {{imagelink|Space science pack}} || {{icon|Space platform hub}} || {{icon|assembling machine}} {{icon|assembling machine 2}} {{icon|assembling machine 3}} || {{icon|Time|15}} + {{icon|carbon|1}} + {{icon|ice|1}} + {{icon|iron plate|2}} → {{icon|Space science pack|5}} || {{icon|Time|15}} + {{icon|carbon|1}} + {{icon|ice|1}} + {{icon|iron plate|2}}
|-
| {{imagelink|Metallurgic science pack|space-age=yes}} || {{icon|Vulcanus}} || {{icon|Foundry}} || {{icon|Time|10}} + {{icon|molten copper|200}} + {{icon|tungsten carbide|3}} + {{icon|tungsten plate|2}} → {{icon|Metallurgic science pack|1}} || {{icon|Time|10}} + {{icon|molten copper|200}} + {{icon|tungsten carbide|3}} + {{icon|tungsten plate|2}}
|-
| {{imagelink|Electromagnetic science pack|space-age=yes}} || {{icon|Fulgora}} || {{icon|Electromagnetic plant}} || {{icon|Time|10}} + {{icon|Accumulator|1}} + {{icon|Electrolyte|25}} + {{icon|Holmium solution|25}} + {{icon|Supercapacitor|1}} → {{icon|Electromagnetic science pack|1}} || {{icon|Time|10}} + {{icon|Accumulator|1}} + {{icon|Electrolyte|25}} + {{icon|Holmium solution|25}} + {{icon|Supercapacitor|1}}
|-
| {{imagelink|Agricultural science pack|space-age=yes}} || {{icon|Gleba}} || {{icon|Biochamber}} || {{icon|Time|4}} + {{icon|Bioflux|1}} + {{icon|Pentapod egg|1}} → {{icon|Agricultural science pack|1}} || {{icon|Time|4}} + {{icon|Bioflux|1}} + {{icon|Pentapod egg|1}}
|-
| {{imagelink|Cryogenic science pack|space-age=yes}} || {{icon|Aquilo}} || {{icon|Cryogenic plant}} || {{icon|Time|20}} + {{icon|Fluoroketone (cold)|6}} + {{icon|Ice|3}} + {{icon|Lithium plate|1}} → {{icon|Cryogenic science pack|1}} + {{icon|Fluoroketone (hot)|3}} || {{icon|Time|20}} + {{icon|Fluoroketone (cold)|6}} + {{icon|Ice|3}} + {{icon|Lithium plate|1}}
|-
| {{imagelink|Promethium science pack|space-age=yes}} || {{icon|Space platform hub}} || {{icon|Cryogenic plant}} || {{icon|Time|5}} + {{icon|Biter egg|10}} + {{icon|Promethium asteroid chunk|25}} + {{icon|Quantum processor|1}} → {{icon|promethium science pack|10}} || {{icon|Time|5}} + {{icon|Biter egg|10}} + {{icon|Promethium asteroid chunk|25}} + {{icon|Quantum processor|1}}
|}

Note that Agricultural science packs are subject to [[Spoilage mechanics|spoilage]]. Their freshness also reduces their science value.

== Creating science packs ==
The science packs and [[research]] are meant to guide players through the game by gradually increasing in complexity. At first the player has to create [[automation science pack]]s by hand to research automation. Then the next goal is to create automation and [[logistic science pack]]s automatically and to automatically feed the science packs into [[lab]]s. These science packs allow research of most of the basic [[technologies]].

If needed due to [[enemies]], the next step is to create [[military science pack]]s to allow unlock higher tier combat-oriented products. Unlike previous science packs, military science produces two packs per crafting cycle versus just one per cycle from automation/logistic.

Following military science, [[chemical science pack]]s should be created. This science pack incorporates a new 'raw' intermediary - [[plastic bar]]s necessitate the need to harvest and process [[crude oil]].

After chemical science, [[production science pack]]s are next. Production science packs are a fair jump in complexity, as the required products have quite a few different intermediaries. Production packs yield three packs per crafting cycle.

The final stage of automated research pack creation is [[utility science pack]]. Utility sciences packs are the most complex packs to make, requiring a large chain of intermediate products. Utility science packs, like previous production science packs, yield three packs per crafting cycle.

[[Space science pack]]s are yielded from launching [[satellite]]s via [[rocket silo|rocket]], and thus are difficult to automate effectively without massive resource-hungry bases. Unlike other science packs, space science packs are exclusively used to research repeating/infinite technologies - such as [[mining productivity (research)|mining productivity]] or [[physical projectile damage (research)|gun turret damage]].

The ratio needed to keep science production in sync is 5:6:5:12:7:7, or:
* 5 Automation science pack assemblers
* 6 Logistic science pack assemblers
* 5 Military science pack assemblers
* 12 Chemical science pack assemblers
* 7 Production science pack assemblers
* 7 Utility science pack assemblers

The list above assumes that all science packs are being produced by the same tier of assembling machine. For example, if using plain [[assembling machine 3]] then packs will be produced at 75 items per minute.

== Productivity module vs. quality module ==
[[Quality]]{{SA}} science pack decreases science pack drain, while production science outputs additional science packs from the same amount of input. Assuming that you are only using common ingredients and a single 1 tier module, and that all quality levels have been researched.

;[[Quality module]]{{SA}}
* '''0.9%''' chance to create at least 1 uncommon science pack, which lasts '''100%''' longer than normal (equivalent of 2 science packs).
* '''0.09%''' chance to create 1 rare science pack, which lasts '''200%''' longer than normal (equivalent of 3 science packs).
* '''0.009%''' chance to create 1 epic science pack, which lasts '''300%''' longer than normal (equivalent of 4 science packs).
* '''0.001%''' chance to create 1 legendary science pack, which lasts '''500%''' longer than normal (equivalent of 6 science packs).

Overall, this represents approximately '''1.1112%''' extra science for the same number of inputs.

;[[Module#Productivity module|Productivity module]]
* '''1''' extra product every '''25''' normal products.

This provides approximately '''4%''' extra science for the same number of inputs.

==== Comparison ====
* Productivity is more resource efficient, as it provides more science progress for the same amount of resources.
* Quality is more space/rocket efficient, as higher quality packs take up the same amount of space.
* Quality has a special effect on [[agricultural science pack]]s, as quality increases their spoil time. This means that a higher quality pack will not only have more science value, it will lose less of that value over the same time period as a lower one.
* In situations where the [[foundry]] isn't being used for casting copper or iron, inserting quality modules in mining drills and utilizing quality ores for making ingredients for science packs can be more resource-efficient if the bonus from mining productivity research exceeds +300%. This is much slower than using [[speed module]]s (which are antagonistic to quality), and requires designing a base around handling multiple quality levels.
** Casting metals with foundries is not compatible with this strategy, as ores are turned into molten metal which, as a fluid, doesn't retain quality. With productivity modules, foundries are more resource-efficient and faster for processing metals for science packs than furnaces smelting quality ores, but this requires importing [[calcite]], as neither [[Nauvis]] or [[Gleba]] (the two planets that commonly produce ores) have this as a local resource.

Do note that quality modules cannot be combined with [[speed module]]s or speed [[beacon]]s for smaller builds, while productivity modules can.

== Achievements ==
Creating science packs is directly connected to the following achievements:
{{Achievement|research-with-automation}}
{{Achievement|research-with-logistics}}
{{Achievement|research-with-chemicals}}
{{Achievement|research-with-military}}
{{Achievement|research-with-production}}
{{Achievement|research-with-utility}}
{{Achievement|research-with-space}}
{{Achievement|research-with-metallurgics}}
{{Achievement|research-with-electromagnetics}}
{{Achievement|research-with-agriculture}}
{{Achievement|research-with-cryogenics}}
{{Achievement|research-with-promethium}}
{{Achievement|rush-to-space}}

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{{C|Intermediate products{{!}}#Science pack}}
{{C|Science packs{{!}}#Science pack}}

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