Megastructures

Version

This article has been verified for the current PC version (3.5) of the game.

Humanoid Empire constructing a Dyson Sphere

Megastructures are colossal constructions. Expensive and time-consuming to build or repair, these remarkable feats of engineering are nonetheless important wonders that provide large bonuses, demonstrating the technological and economic primacy of the builders' empire. They cannot be built in orbit of a celestial body that has an uninvestigated anomaly. All megastructures except Gateways are destroyed if a Star-Eater destroys the system.

Construction

A construction ship is required to build the first stage (construction site) of any megastructure. If it has multiple stages, the following stages do not require a construction ship. All megastructures have a different texture depending on the empire that built or repaired them.

Construction speed bonuses

A few bonuses affect megastructure construction speed. These are highly desirable considering the great time requirements of such projects:

•  Master Builders ascension perk increases the build speed by +50%
• Living Metal Mega-Construction edict increases the build speed by +50%
• Architectural Renaissance unity ambition also increases the build speed by +50%
• The Isolated Contingency Core relic triumph increases the build speed by +300% for 10 years

FTL megastructures

FTL megastructures can only be constructed at the edge of a system and allow fleets to traverse to an identical megastructure, greatly easing travel across the galaxy. They will work together with the FTL megastructures of another empire unless borders are closed or the empires are at war with each other. FTL megastructures can be constructed in any system which doesn't already have that type of megastructure. Unlike other megastructures, they can be constructed in the systems of subjects as well.

Gateways

Real scale of a Gateway

Real scale of a Hyper Relay

While exploring the galaxy, empires may find abandoned gateways that were once part of a massive, galaxy-spanning network. The number of abandoned gateways can be scaled by galaxy settings.

Once an abandoned gateway is discovered, the  Gateway Activation technology will always have a chance to appear, which allows abandoned gateways to be repaired. Repairing an abandoned gateway takes 2 years and costs  6000 energy and  2500 alloys. When a gateway is reactivated for the first time in the galaxy, another random gateway will also reactivate along with it.

Once the  Gateway Activation technology is researched, the  Gateway Construction technology will always have a chance to appear, which allows new gateways to be constructed. The construction site is built in 3 years and costs  75 influence and  2500 alloys. Upgrading it into a fully functional Gateway takes 3 years and costs  6000 energy and  2500 alloys.

Gateways allow travel to any other gateway instantly, so long as the borders are open and the destination is not controlled by an enemy empire. As a bypass, Gateways generally act like a hyperlane connection between systems, such that claims and trade can be extended through them, however sectors don't extend through gateways.

L-Gates are a special type of gateway, which have a separate network from regular gateways. Instead of jumping from any to any, L-Gates all jump to the Terminal Egress system in the L-Cluster, then from there to any other L-Gate so long as its borders are open, or you are at war. L-Gates are opened through a special project, and new L-Gates cannot be constructed.

Hyper Relays

Hyper Relays can be constructed once the  Hyper Relays technology is researched and allow ships to jump to Hyper Relays in adjacent systems instead of using the existing hyperlane connections, thereby avoiding having to traverse systems at sublight speeds. They are constructed directly in a single stage, taking one year and costing  25 influence,  500 alloys, and  100 rare crystals. Hyper Relay links are shown on the galaxy map as a thicker hyperlane. Potential (inactive) links are shown as yellow connections on the galaxy map. A link may be inactive because of closed borders, war, or if the relay is ruined. A ruined Hyper Relay can be restored for  500 energy,  500 alloys, and  100 rare crystals, taking 6 months to complete.

Hyper Relays can grant additional effects based on  edicts and subject specializations. Hyper Relay edicts require the empire's capital system to be part of the network, while the benefits granted by subject specializations require a connection between the overlord's capital and the subject's capital. Subjects do not benefit from their overlord's network effects.

Hyper Relays can be built from the galaxy view, and will be placed semi-randomly within the system. In systems with wormholes or existing gateways, it is recommended to go into the system view to manually place the Hyper Relay near to the wormhole or gateway to better facilitate travel. However, Hyper Relays cannot connect through wormholes or gateways.

Orbital megastructures

Orbital megastructures can only be constructed in orbit of a planet. Unlike other megastructures, orbital ones do not require a construction site and are finished in a single stage by the construction ship. Each planet can only have one orbital megastructure, which can be further upgraded. Their appearance is dependent on the builder empire's ship set.

Habitats

Plantoid size 4 habitat

Artificial planets in all but name, habitats have a 70%  base habitability for all species and can be built above planets. Habitats have a unique set of districts distinct from normal planetary ones. Up to 4 district types are available on all habitats, with a fifth one being available if the habitat is built above a planet with a resource deposit. Building a habitat above such a planet leaves you unable to exploit its resource directly, destroying any mining or research station if one was present; however,  strategic resources are added to the habitat as a special deposit, so they are not lost. Habitats still require colonization, but the colony develops twice as fast on a habitat. Habitats start at  size 4, which means they can hold up to 4 districts. They can be upgraded twice via decisions once all district slots are filled, up to size 8.

Habitats can be researched and built by any empire if the  Utopia DLC is enabled. Otherwise, they are only available to empires with the  Void Dwellers origin, which requires the  Federations DLC.

Size	Cost	Time	Housing buildings	Required technology
4	150 1500	1800 days	Gestalt Consciousness only	Orbital Habitats
6	1000	720 days		Habitat Expansion
8	1500	1440 days		Advanced Space Habitation

The  Voidborne ascension perk adds  +20% habitability to habitats (resulting in 90% habitability without other modifiers) and unlocks  +2 building slots.

Habitats can be destroyed by a Colossus as well as Crisis factions and cannot be rebuilt once destroyed.

If the  Apocalypse DLC is enabled, empires created by the Horde breaking up start with the technology to construct habitats even if neither of the required DLCs is enabled. These habitats can be captured by other empires.

Orbital Rings

Half megastructure and half starbase, Orbital Rings can be built around colonized planets to act as an additional starbase or provide useful bonuses for the planet below.

Tier	Alloys cost	Influence cost	Time	Upkeep	Modules	Buildings	Platforms	Hull	Armor	Weapons range	Weapons	Utilities	Requirements
1	1000	50	720	2	2	0	2	5000	1000	+100%	1 3	2 1	Orbital Rings technology
2	1500	100	900	3	3	1	4	10000	2000	+150%	2 6	4 1	Star Fortress technology Capital tier 2 or Planetary Ascension tier 3
3	2000	150	1080	4	4	2	6	20000	2000	+200%	3 9	6 1	Citadel technology Capital tier 3 or Planetary Ascension tier 5

Orbital Rings use their own set of modules, which are mostly similar to Starbase modules except that they do not interact with trade routes in any way. An Orbital Assembly Complex Holding provides additional bonuses to each module.

	Module	Cost	Time	Upkeep	Effects	Required Technology	Description
	Habitation Module	200 25	360	2	+1 Max districts for orbited planet  +0.5 Building slots with Orbital Assembly Complex on planet	Anti-Gravity Engineering	High-speed space elevators allow the planet to extend its habitation, resource storage and refinement facilities into orbit.
	Orbital Shipyard	50	180	1	+1 Shipyard Capacity +1 Shipyard Capacity with Orbital Assembly Complex on planet		A Shipyard may build one ship at a time, in parallel with other Shipyards.
	Orbital Anchorage	50	180	1	+4 Naval capacity  +2 Naval capacity with Naval Logistics Office  +2 Naval capacity with Orbital Assembly Complex on planet		Fleet anchorages are necessary to support the growth of our navy.
	Planetary Defense Guns	50	180	1	+2 Medium weapon components +20% Starbase armor hit points +20% Starbase hull points +1 Defense platform cap +1 Defense platform cap with Orbital Assembly Complex on planet		Adds two medium-size weapon slots to the Orbital Ring.
	Planetary Defense Batteries	50	180	1	+2 Guided weapon components +20% Starbase armor hit points +20% Starbase hull points +1 Defense platform cap +1 Defense platform cap with Orbital Assembly Complex on planet		Adds two missile weapon slots to the Orbital Ring.
	Planetary Defense Hangars	50	180	1	+1 Hangar weapon components +20% Starbase armor hit points +20% Starbase hull points +1 Defense platform cap +1 Defense platform cap with Orbital Assembly Complex on planet	Carrier Operations	Adds a hangar for Strike Craft to the Orbital Ring.

In addition to most of the regular starbase buildings, Orbital Rings can construct a set of buildings that improve the planet's output. All of them take one year to build.

	Building	Cost	Upkeep	Effects	Required technology	Description
	Climate Optimization Stations	100 100	2 1	+2 Food from  Farmer category jobs	Advanced Food Processing	Detailed monitoring of local conditions means we can influence the planet's climate at a regional level, increasing agricultural yields.
	Low Gravity Mega-Refiners	100 100	2 1	+2 Minerals from  Miner category jobs	Advanced Mineral Purification	Centralizing mineral refining operations on the Orbital Ring allows for novel techniques that increase mining efficiency.
	Stratospheric Ionization Elements	100 100	2 1	+2 Energy Credits from  Technician category jobs	Planetary Power Grid	These devices dramatically reduce power loss during distribution, increasing overall generator output.
	The Giga-Mall	100 100	2 1	+1 Amenities from  Clerks  +5% Trade Value from orbited planet	Interstellar Economics	Moving all shopping and trade facilities to the Orbital Ring means our Clerks can facilitate more business, more effectively than ever before.
	Alloy Processing Facilities	200 300	5 2	+1 Alloys from  Metallurgist category jobs  −2 Minerals from  Metallurgist category jobs If  Catalytic Processing,  −3 Food from  Metallurgist category jobs instead	Nano-Separators	Alloys from the surface are further processed in orbit, creating usable materials from what would otherwise be wasted by-products.
	Orbital Logistics Systems	200 300	5 2	+1 Consumer Goods from  Artisan category jobs  −1 Minerals from  Artisan category jobs	Replicator Kiosks	Transferring logistics operations to automated systems on the Orbital Ring allows planetside Factories to run continuously at full speed.
	Orbital Filing System	200 300	2 1	+1 Unity from Administrator,  Manager,  Priest, and  Telepath category jobs	Effective Bureaucracy	Efficiency and progress can be ours once more, now that our Administrators have near instant access to the paperwork that defines their lives.
	Synaptic Relays	200 300	2 1	+1 Amenities from  Synapse Drones	Clustered Synapses	Portions of the Orbital Ring have been modified to enhance synaptic signals, improving control over drones on the surface.
	Orbital Maintenance Drops	200 300	2 1	+1 Amenities from  Maintenance Drones	Resource Processing Algorithms	Prepackaged pods of maintenance material - and the drones necessary to distribute them - can be dropped from orbit anywhere they are needed, at a moment's notice.

Multi-stage megastructures

Multi-stage megastructures are constructed in multiple stages that require the technology of the same name before they can be constructed. Empires lacking the technology can make use of a multi-stage megastructure which they conquered from another empire, but they cannot upgrade it before they research the technology.

Multi-stage megastructures start with a construction site that provides no benefit. However, each subsequent construction phase will bring increasing bonuses, culminating with the end of the megastructure construction.

Only one multi-stage megastructure may be built in each system. Multi-stage megastructures must be built either over an uninhabitable planet or the central star of the system (with the exception of the Quantum Catapult). There must not be an anomaly present on the planet or star, but an anomaly on another planet or star in the system will not block construction (even for the Ring World).

It is only possible to build, upgrade, or restore one multi-stage megastructure at a time. The limit can be increased by +1 with each of the following:

•  Master Builders ascension perk
• Architectural Renaissance ambition edict
•  Level 5 Research Cooperative president

Apart from the Ring World, each multi-stage megastructure can only be built once per empire, or twice if the empire has the Isolated Contingency Core relic, and cannot be rebuilt if the existing one is lost or destroyed. However, multi-stage megastructures obtained through conquest, as well as ruined ones that were found in the galaxy and then restored, do not count against this limit. A conquered incomplete megastructure can still be upgraded as long as the new owner has the prerequisite technology.

Ring Worlds can have their habitable segments destroyed by a Colossus as well as by Crisis factions and cannot be repaired again. All multi-stage megastructures are permanently ruined if the system is destroyed by a Star Eater.

Megastructure	Stage	Production	Upkeep	Time	Cost	Notes	DLC
Ring World	Site	None	−5	5 years	300 5000	Requires  Galactic Wonders to research prerequisite technology Cannot be built around a black hole, or in systems with multiple stars or without planets or asteroids Cannot be built if there are habitable planets, including habitats, present All habitable segments feature  100% habitability for all species, can build up to 10 unique districts, and have their own unique designations Upon completion of the frame, all planets are removed from the system Multiple segments can be built at the same time if the empire has the capacity to work on more than one megastructure simultaneously
	Stage I (Frame)	None	None	13.3 years	10000
	Stage II (1 Segment)	+1 Habitable Segment	None	10 years	10000
	Stage III (2 Segments)	+2 Habitable Segments	None	10 years	10000
	Stage IV (3 Segments)	+3 Habitable Segments	None	10 years	10000
	Stage V (Completed)	+4 Habitable Segments	None	10 years	10000
Dyson Sphere	Site	None	−5	5 years	1000 5000	Requires  Galactic Wonders to research prerequisite technology Can only be constructed around regular single stars Cannot be built if there are habitable planets or anomalies present Upon completion, all rocky planets and moons in the system turn into frozen or cold barren worlds If the star has a mining station, it is removed when the megastructure is completed If any planet has the  Terraforming Candidate modifier, it is removed
	Stage I (Frame)	None	None	10 years	5000 10000
	Stage II (Partial 25%)	+1000 Energy	None	10 years	5000 10000
	Stage III (Partial 50%)	+2000 Energy	None	10 years	5000 10000
	Stage IV (Partial 75%)	+3000 Energy	None	10 years	5000 10000
	Stage V (Completed)	+4000 Energy	None	10 years	5000 10000
Science Nexus	Site	None	−25	5 years	5000 5000	The final stage of a Science Nexus can be upgraded to produce 50 more  Research through an event that has a 30% chance to trigger a short time after the Megastructure is finished
	Stage I (Hub)	+100 Research  +5% Research Speed	−50	10 years	5000 15000
	Stage II (Research Wings)	+200 Research  +10% Research Speed	−75	10 years	5000 15000
	Stage III (Completed)	+300 Research  +15% Research Speed	−100	10 years	5000 15000
Sentry Array	Site	None	−20	5 years	2500 5000	Until finished, the Sentry Array cannot see through nebulae As no system will have low intel level, a completed Sentry Array will prevent space creatures from respawning
	Stage I (Sentry Hub)	+20 Hyperlane Scanner Range  +10 Base intel level	−40	5 years	2500 10000
	Stage II (Sentry Spire)	+40 Hyperlane Scanner Range  +20 Base intel level	−60	5 years	2500 10000
	Stage III (Sentry Aerials)	+60 Hyperlane Scanner Range  +30 Base intel level	−80	5 years	2500 10000
	Stage IV (Completed)	Entire Galaxy Hyperlane Scanner Range  +40 Base intel level	−100	5 years	2500 10000
Matter Decompressor	Site	None	−5	5 years	2500 5000	Requires  Galactic Wonders to research prerequisite technology Can only be constructed around black holes Cannot be built if there are habitable planets or anomalies present If the black hole has a research station, it is removed when the megastructure is completed
	Stage I (Anchor)	+500 Minerals	−25	10 years	5000 12500
	Stage II (Lensing)	+1000 Minerals	−50	10 years	5000 12500
	Stage III (Boring)	+1500 Minerals	−75	10 years	5000 12500
	Stage IV (Completed)	+2000 Minerals	−100	10 years	5000 12500
Mega Art Installation	Site	None	−5	5 years	2500 5000	The final stage requires the  Ancient Relics DLC A ruined Mega Art Installation will be repaired to stage 3, and can be upgraded to stage 4 as with the constructed version
	Stage I (Nascency)	+100 Unity  +5% Amenities	−10	10 years	2500 15000
	Stage II (Maturity)	+200 Unity  +10% Amenities	−20	10 years	2500 15000
	Stage III (Completed)	+300 Unity  +15% Amenities	−30	10 years	2500 15000
	Stage IV (Perfection)	+400 Unity  +20% Amenities	−30	10 years	2500 100
Strategic Coordination Center	Site	None	−5	5 years	2500 5000
	Stage I (Hull)	+50 Naval capacity  +2 Starbase capacity +4 Defense Platforms  +5% Sublight speed	−25	10 years	2500 15000
	Stage II (Comms)	+100 Naval capacity  +4 Starbase capacity +8 Defense Platforms  +10% Sublight speed	−50	10 years	2500 15000
	Stage III (Completed)	+150 Naval capacity  +6 Starbase capacity +12 Defense Platforms  +15% Sublight speed	−75	10 years	2500 15000
Interstellar Assembly	Site	None	−5	5 years	2500 5000
	Stage I (Locus)	+10% Diplomatic weight  +10 Opinion from all empires	−10	5 years	2500 10000
	Stage II (Consul Ring)	+20% Diplomatic weight  +20 Opinion from all empires  +1 Available envoys	−20	5 years	2500 10000
	Stage III (Forum Modules)	+30% Diplomatic weight  +30 Opinion from all empires  +1 Available envoys	−30	5 years	2500 10000
	Stage IV (Completed)	+40% Diplomatic weight  +50 Opinion from all empires  +2 Available envoys	−40	5 years	2500 10000
Mega Shipyard	Site	None	−5	5 years	2500 3000	All ships start with 100 experience Can only be built around stars, in one-star systems
	Stage I (Framework)	+5 Shipyard Capacity +33% Empire Ship Build Speed	−10	5 years	2500 10000
	Stage II (Core)	+10 Shipyard Capacity +66% Empire Ship Build Speed	−20	5 years	2500 10000
	Stage III (Complete)	+20 Shipyard Capacity +100% Empire Ship Build Speed Titan, Colossus, and Juggernaut construction	−40	5 years	2500 10000
Quantum Catapult	Site	None	−5	5 years	300 5000	Can only be constructed around pulsars and neutron stars (including in binary or trinary systems) The accuracy of the catapult decreases with distance and is increased by upgrading the megastructure  Quantum Catapult technology is required to use it, merely controlling it is not enough
	Stage I (4 lenses)	Can catapult fleets in the system −10% Missing in Action time (requires Hyper Relays)	−10	5 years	10000
	Stage II (8 lenses)	Can catapult fleets in the system −25% Catapult windup time −20% Missing in Action time (requires Hyper Relays)	−20	5 years	10000
	Stage III (Complete)	Can catapult fleets in the system −50% Catapult windup time −30% Missing in Action time (requires Hyper Relays)	−30	5 years	10000
	Restored (8 Lenses)	Can catapult fleets in the system −20% Missing in Action time (requires Hyper Relays)	−20	10 years	2500	Must be restored from the ruined catapult spawned by the  Slingshot to the Stars origin Any  Slingshot to the Stars empire can restore the special catapult without  Mega-Engineering, but requires that technology to improve the catapult; restoring the catapult also unlocks the  Quantum Catapult technology. Other empires can restore the special catapult with  Mega-Engineering
	Improved (Complete)	Can catapult fleets in the system −30% Missing in Action time (requires Hyper Relays)	−40	10 years	15000

Conquerable Ringworlds

Up to 8 ringworlds can spawn naturally in a game in various states. Damaged segments can be repaired with the  Mega-Engineering technology for the same cost as finishing a new segment.

• 1 in the Sanctuary system. All 4 habitable sections are intact and each contains one pre-FTL civilization, none advanced beyond Steam Age. The system was abandoned by an Enigmatic Observer Fallen Empire but contains automated defense platforms totaling over 50k fleet power.
• 1 in the Cybrex Alpha system. It requires completing the Cybrex precursor event chain. The ringworld is completely ruined and requires repairs on each section.
• 1 in the Cybrex Beta system. It will only be revealed if the Contingency sterilizes 20% of the galaxy. A short time after the Contingency is defeated, the Cybrex will leave the galaxy, leaving the ringworld free for the taking.
• 1 in a random empty system if the  Utopia DLC is enabled. It is completely ruined and each section requires repairing. If the  Distant Stars DLC is enabled as well, the system has a 50% chance to contain a unique anomaly.
• 3 in the systems of the Ancient Caretakers if the  Synthetic Dawn DLC is enabled. The ringworld in the home system has 3 intact and one ruined section, while the other two ringworlds are completely ruined and require each section to be repaired separately. If the Contingency appears and the Ancient Caretakers awaken to defend the galaxy, they will also disappear like the Cybrex once the Contingency is defeated, leaving their systems free for the taking.
• Each empire with the  Shattered Ring origin starts in a ringworld system with an intact segment and two damaged ones. By default, only one empire with the origin can be generated, but force-spawning will ignore the limit.

Ruined megastructures

Ruined Dyson Sphere

A ruined version of a multi-stage megastructure can be found while exploring the galaxy, with larger galaxies having a chance to spawn more ruined megastructures. Repairing them only requires the  Mega-Engineering technology. If not yet researched, owning a system with a ruined megastructure also grants a ×20 weight for Mega-Engineering to appear.

While they upgrade from their broken to a fully functional state in one step, they do not count for any achievements. However, they do not count against any build limit for that particular megastructure, either.

Ruined Megastructure	Time	Alloys	System notes
Dyson Sphere	7200	20000
Science Nexus	4800	15000
Sentry Array	4800	15000	Contains a Tomb World
Matter Decompressor	4800	20000
Mega Art Installation	4800	20000	Is always a trinary system
Strategic Coordination Center	4800	15000
Interstellar Assembly	3600	15000	Contains deposits on most celestial bodies
Mega Shipyard	3600	10000
Quantum Catapult	3600	10000	Is always a pulsar system
Quantum Catapult	3600	2500	Is always a pulsar system next to the origin homeworld

Empires with the Slingshot to the Stars origin can repair the special Quantum Catapult without the  Mega-Engineering technology.

Aetherophasic Engine

The Aetherophasic Engine is a megastructure that will appear in the capital system of every empire that reaches the final crisis level. Each stage of the megastructure requires gargantuan amounts of  dark matter as well as 10 years to upgrade. If the system is conquered by another empire, the megastructure is ruined and can be repaired if the original empire reclaims it.

Stage	Energy	Minerals	Naval capacity	Opinion	Dark matter required	Reward if conquered	Effects
I	+100	+250	+100	0	0	200 Influence if not crisis level 5  5000 Alloys if not crisis level 5  10000 Dark matter if crisis level 5	None
II	+200	+500	+150	0	20000	300 Influence if not crisis level 5  7500 Alloys if not crisis level 5  15000 Dark matter if crisis level 5	Entering the Shroud displays a new set of messages
III	+400	+1000	+200	−1000	30000	400 Influence if not crisis level 5  10000 Alloys if not crisis level 5  20000 Dark matter if crisis level 5	Within 1-2 years, 5% of the owned systems will be invaded by shroud avatars
IV	+800	+2000	+250	−1000	40000	600 Influence if not crisis level 5  15000 Alloys if not crisis level 5  30000 Dark matter if crisis level 5	Within 1-2 years, 10% of the owned systems will be invaded by shroud avatars Up to 6 pops with the  psionic trait die Up to 2 leaders with the  psychic trait die
V	-	-	-	-	50000	-	Game victory The galaxy is destroyed

References

Game concepts