On this page
Key facts in 30 seconds
- Time = max of TimeRaw and MinTime, divided by universe speed
- TimeRaw depends on cost and total science throughput
- MinTime prevents instant research of cheap techs
- Lab and IRN sum into Science (total science capacity)
How research time is calculated
Every research goes through three steps:
- TimeRaw — base time from cost and your science speed
- MinTime — protective minimum so cheap techs are not instant
- Final — take the maximum of the two, divide by universe speed
The game shows the final time in the UI when you click «research». This updates in real time as your bonuses change or new lab finishes.
Variables breakdown
| Variable | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Cost | Стоимость следующего уровня исследования |
| Science | Суммарная скорость науки (лаба + IRN + сенаторы) |
| TechTime | Аккаунт-модификатор скорости (сенаторы, бустеры) |
| tech_speed | Глобальный множитель скорости вселенной (1×, 2×, 5×) |
| pricelist.time | Минимальное время уровня из встроенного прайс-листа |
| MinTime | Гарантированный минимум времени |
Worked example (MinTime wins)
Suppose:
- Research cost: 120000
- Total science speed: 300 (good lab + IRN)
- Senator bonus: +0.2 (20%)
- Universe speed: 3×
- Pricelist level minimum: 1800 sec
Calculation:
- TimeRaw = 1200 sec (fast)
- MinTime = 24000 sec (protective min)
- Final = max(TimeRaw, MinTime) / tech_speed = 8000 sec ≈ 2 h 13 min
See: MinTime beat TimeRaw — typical for expensive techs on a big lab. Without MinTime we'd get 1200/3 = 400 sec (~7 min), unrealistically short for a 120k-cost research.
How do I speed up research?
Raise lab level, build Intergalactic Research Network (joins allied-planet labs), activate science senators. You cannot reduce MinTime — it is a protective minimum.
Can I run many researches at once?
No — only one at a time per planet. The "queue" is display-only, not parallel execution.
Is IRN really worth investing in?
Yes in mid-late game. After level 6, IRN adds nearly as much speed as your main lab. Pays off in 1-2 big researches.
Does planet location matter?
No — formula is planet-independent. Only Cost, Science (lab+IRN), TechTime (senators), and tech_speed (universe) matter.
For min-maxers
Exact engine formulas. Casual TL;DR: «faster lab = faster science, but never faster than the protective minimum».
Final formula:
ResearchTime = ceil( max(TimeRaw, MinTime) / tech_speed )TimeRaw:
TimeRaw = ceil( Cost / (max(1, Science) × (1 + TechTime)) × 3600 )MinTime:
MinTime = max( pricelist.time[level], Cost / 5 )Production engine code has an extra normalizing divisor inside the TimeRaw parenthesis — it scales to a practical range. Exact value depends on universe config. Use in-game UI final time before committing resources.
Quick citation reference
Source: wiki/10_Time_and_Queues.md (Xterium WoA engine). Formula: ResearchTime = ceil( max(TimeRaw, MinTime) / tech_speed ). Wiki worked example: Cost=90000, Science=250, TechTime=0.10, tech_speed=3, pricelist.time=1200 → TimeRaw=1179, MinTime=18000, final 6000 sec. Last verified: 2026-05-22 (wiki/10).
