shipbuilding Tech Comparison
Assembly Lines vs Modular Design
Comparing the Assembly Lines (Tier 1) and Modular Design (Tier 2), both shipbuilding technologies in Starforge MMO. Use this to decide which to queue first when your research lab can only run one project at a time.
Research Comparison
| Attribute | Assembly Lines | Modular Design |
|---|---|---|
| Tier | T1 | T2 |
| Research time | 3▼ | 8 |
| metal cost | 2,000▼ | 10,000 |
| crystal cost | 1,000▼ | 5,000 |
| Effect | +15% -ship build time | +100% utility slot |
▼ marks the lower resource / time cost. Cheaper isn't always better — weigh it against the effect each tech unlocks.
Assembly Lines
Ship construction time -15%.
Unlocks ships: scout mk1
Modular Design
Unlocks module slot expansion. Ships gain +1 utility slot.
Unlocks buildings: shipyard mk2
Unlocks ships: corvette mk1, miner mk1
Requires: shipbuilding 1
Which Should You Research First?
The Assembly Lines is the lower-tier prerequisite step and typically comes first in the shipbuilding branch, opening the path toward Modular Design.