Tech tree

One of your long-term objectives is to unlock new technologies from the five branches of the tech tree. In the aftermath, much of mankind’s knowledge was either lost or outright destroyed. Fragments can still be recovered from various locations on the world map to aid the colony. The research locations can be searched for Science points which, unlike other resources, are immediately available for the colony. And the bigger your specialists' research skill is, the faster they can extract all the usable knowledge a particular location has to offer.

Technology branches

Science points can be spent to unlock technological advancements in the tech tree, which is divided into five branches:

• Colony adds to your housing and general colonist potential.
• Food offers both improvements to production speeds and completely new forms of cultivation and animal breeding.
• Exploration improves your efficiency and possibilities on the World Map while also increasing the settlement's security.
• Production increases production capabilities and unlocks new structures.

The further down the tree a particular advancement is, the more it costs, so always keep an eye on museums, old radar stations and observatories while exploring the map. Science is what takes your colony to the next level from just surviving into getting back what was lost.

List of technologies

Colony

	Technology			Type	Unlockables	Prerequisites	Description
	Heavy Tarps	15h	50		+40% Durability to: Emergency Shelter Tent	N/A	It's not much in terms of comfort, but making the tarps in tents more rigid gives them a bit more strength and lessens the feeling your home might fly off at a modest breeze.
	Nurses	18h	100		+1 Work slots to: Medical Tent	N/A	Shared duties and clear communication in life-threatening situations are paramount, so colonists are treated quickly and correctly.
	Weatherproof Seams	15h	25		−3 Repair cost to: Emergency Shelter Tent	Heavy Tarps	Learning to do seams that hold up in the rain, snow or meteor storm means tents and emergency shelters can be repaired with small patches instead of replacing entire sections.
	Medical Training	15h	50		+15% Healing speed to: Medical Tent	Nurses	Without a steady supply of medicine and medical equipment, people have to rely on simple, straightforward methods of healing. Learning about these is key in keeping your population safe.
	Communal Living	18h	100		Shanty Tenement	Either: Heavy Tarps Nurses	Getting people out of tents and into better housing takes some planning. Tenements house several people within the same cramped space. A Shanty gives more space per colonist but is more costly to build. Both of these buildings are safer than Tents and Emergency Shelters, and they offer better protection against radiation.
	Roof Supports	15h	50		+40% Durability to: Shanty Tenement	Communal Living	In general, colonists appreciate their shelters not caving in on them while they sleep. Proper supports prop up the roof and strengthen the structure to a point.
	Interior Walls	18h	100		+20 Happiness to: Tenement	Communal Living	A large open space shared with other residents discourages intimacy. Crude interior walls gives couples some much-needed privacy. Children are more likely to be born in Tenements.
	Sweet Porcelain	15h	75		+20 Happiness to: Shanty	Interior Walls	The smooth touch of porcelain is definitely a luxury in the aftermath. Shanties with an actual indoor toilet are loved by the tenants and envied by their neighbors.
	Centralized Repairs	18h	100		Maintenance Depot	Communal Living	Keeping track of all repairs in a large Colony is a hassle. A Maintenance Depot automatically cleans contamination and fixes damaged buildings within its work area, provided it is staffed and supplied properly.
	Remembrance	18h	100		Memorial	Communal Living	Remembering those who are gone is painful, but it is the only way forward. A Memorial allows people to light a candle for those who did not survive the aftermath.
	Pavement	15h	50		Paved Road	Remembrance	Caesars and pharaohs figured stone-paved roads were the way to bring a bit of civilization to a settlement—and keep their sandals clean. Faster movement on Paved Roads.
	Guardians	1d 3h	150		Guard Post	Either: Centralized Repairs Remembrance	Guards are the backbone of defending the Colony against hostile animals or people. Assign people to Guard Posts so they'll gear up and focus on protecting their fellow Colonists.
	Hazmat Engineering	1d 3h	150		Environmental Station Waste Dump	Either: Centralized Repairs Remembrance	Clearing heavily polluted soil without proper equipment is a death sentence. An Environmental Station provides the means to clear Pollution Deposits and store the waste in a Waste Dump.
	Rubber Scrubbers	18h	100		+20% Production speed to: Environmental Station	Hazmat Engineering	Pollution disposal is dirty and dangerous business. Proper scrubbers handle the removal of hazardous material faster, so colonists need to spend less time in the glowing soil.
	Education	1d 3h	150		School	Either: Guardians Hazmat Engineering	Educating future generations at Schools is more important than it has ever been. Educated children gain a permanent Educated trait if they go to school long enough. Education makes them more efficient members of society once they start working.
	General Storage	1d 3h	150		General Storage	Either: Guardians Hazmat Engineering	Valuable goods deserve a proper place to be stored. A General Storage is a converted and reinforced shipping container able to withstand the elements and thieves alike. Stores items, food and resources.
	Simple Decorations	15h	25		Tiny Pink Flowers Tiny White Flowers Red Flowers White Flower Bush	Education	A modest selection of decorations to cheer up your modest Colony.
	Shelving	15h	50		+2000 Capacity to: General Storage	General Storage	Making use of the limited floor space by building shelves and organizing the contents maximizes how much valuable stuff can be crammed into a container. And people say that those who have the most stuff in the end will be kings.
	Medical Center	1d 11h	200		Field Hospital	Either: Education General Storage	There is no way to keep a large colony healthy with a simple Medical Tent. A properly managed Field Hospital is both more spacious and effective in treating a wide variety of conditions. Requires access to a Water Tower.
	Weapon Crafting	1d 11h	200		Gunsmith	Either: Education General Storage	Fighting post-apocalyptic wildlife and crazed bandits at melee range isn't the smartest thing one could do. A Gunsmith supplies Guards with proper Weapons to defend the Colony. Gunsmiths use Metal and Parts to produce Weapons.
	Prescriptions	1d 3h	150		+25% Healing speed to: Field Hospital	Medical Center	It's rather likely medics will be treating the same people over and over in the aftermath. Knowing and keeping track of patients helps give them the right treatment faster.
	Cleansing	1d 11h	200		Sauna	Either: Medical Center Weapon Crafting	Hygiene in the post-apocalypse seems like a minor thing to worry about. Yet, if completely forgotten, it will lead to diseases that would have been easily prevented with a nice shower and a bit of socializing in a hot Sauna. Saunas require Firewood to function.
	Surge Protectors	1d 11h	200		Lightning Rod	Either: Medical Center Weapon Crafting	Directing massive amounts of Energy harmlessly to the ground requires ample protection. But once that's sorted, Lightning Rods will help the Colony to protect itself from destructive lightning strikes.
	Aggression Release	1d 11h	200		Arena	Cleansing	For some, the way to relax is to get punched in the face or see someone else knocked silly. The Arena allows Colonists to brawl and let off some steam while others enjoy the carnage from the stands. Perhaps not civilized, but it sure is fun!
	Knowledge Preservation	1d 11h	200		Library	Surge Protectors	Preservation of old world texts in a Library is smart for several reasons. That way, you can learn from the past or sometimes just let stories whisk you away from a harsh reality.
	Impressive Decorations	15h	50		Bottle Cactus Log Flowers Brazier Plastic Flowers Plastic Viola	Aggression Release	An impressive selection of decorations to enliven your burgeoning settlement.
	Elegant Decorations	15h	50		Small Green Bush Tall Green Bush Lantern Bottle Tree Paper Windmills	Knowledge Preservation	A reasonably elegant set of decorations to jazz up your growing Colony.
	Comfortable Housing	1d 11h	200		House	Either: Aggression Release Knowledge Preservation	Move your colonists from cramped and leaky quarters into proper houses. A House offers the pinnacle of post-apocalyptic luxury and comfort, if you can afford to build one.
	Electric Decorations	15h	50		Small Street Light Medium Street Light Large Street Light Green Tree	Comfortable Housing	Powered-up decorations to finalize your advanced settlement.
	Supported Walls	18h	100		Two-story House	Comfortable Housing	Building more than one floor is not as straightforward as it sounds. Making them cheap and sturdy at the same time is a real feat of engineering.
	Cabinets	2d 5h	300		Game Arcade	Comfortable Housing	A selection of classic Game Arcade cabinets explain why Colonists willingly spend hours on end inside this dark, noisy space and come out happier than they went in.
	Couch Potato	2d 5h	300		Movie Theater	Comfortable Housing	Look, sometimes you just want to sit down and enjoy a silly movie or watch a documentary about ice lake fishing. The Movie Theater is a good way to do just that.

Exploration

	Technology			Type	Unlockables	Prerequisites	Description
	Bartering	18h	100		Trade Center	N/A	Your Colony is not the only one in the world. Other Societies are still out there and willing to exchange goods once you have built a Trade Center to coordinate these transactions.
	Frontier Outposts	18h	100		Outpost Depot	N/A	Unlocks Outpost Depots used for establishing and maintaining an Outpost on the World Map. Expanding your Colony's influence past its borders is essential for the Colony's survival. Outposts allow Specialists to drop off resources without travelling back to the Colony.
	Motorization	1d 3h	150		Garage	Either: Bartering Frontier Outposts	Unlocks Garages for repairing and storing cars found on the World Map. Found Vehicles must first be brought to a Garage to be repaired by a Specialist.
	Engine Overhaul	15h	75		+1 Action points to: Station-wagon	Motorization	While it is a miracle the big ol' clankers haven't all rusted shut, their engines are surely in need of more than a quick tune-up.
	Blowtorches	15h	75		+20% Production speed to: Garage	Motorization	Cutting or bending metal is an arduous process. With blowtorches, it's still slow, but it makes the work quicker and more bearable. Faster Vehicle repairs.
	Reinforced Gate	1d 3h	150		The Gate	Motorization	Approaching a reinforced Gate makes anyone respect a Society living behind it a bit more. Survivor Groups are questioned in more detail before being allowed to join the Colony. Sometimes, questioning can reveal important information about the group's conditions.
	Disaster Forecast	1d 11h	200		Radar	Reinforced Gate	Catastrophes are bad. Catastrophes you did not know were coming are a lot worse. A radar station tuned to monitor the weather, airwaves and distant broadcasts can save numerous lives as an early warning system. It will not prevent the catastrophe, but it gives you more time to prepare for the next one. Extends the early warning period from one to three days.
	All-terrain Tires	18h	100		+2 Action points to: Hatchback Offroader Sedan Station-wagon Van	Disaster Forecast	Without proper traction, it doesn't really matter how many horses you have under the hood. All-terrain tires help put that power to the ground on any surface.
	Fortress	2d 5h	300		+1 Work slots to: The Gate	Disaster Forecast	A prosperous Colony attracts all sorts of attention. Keep unwanted visitors and Bandits away by building your Gate strong and tall like a fortress.

Food

	Technology			Type	Unlockables	Prerequisites	Description
	Survival Skills	15h	50		+20% Production speed to: Fishing Hut Trapper	N/A	Hunting and fishing are some of the oldest survival skills known to man. The same tricks our ancestors used to fish and hunt in the Stone Age are as valuable now as they were back in the day. Luckily, there are no mammoths or saber-tooth cats to worry about.
	Big Game Hunting	18h	100		+1 Work slots to: Trapper	Survival Skills	Just because humans are (probably) the apex predators of this land doesn't mean you can hunt all animals successfully. Catching big prey needs big-brain thinking, but is well worth the effort.
	Pack Tactics	15h	50		+1 Work slots to: Trapper	Survival Skills	A proper hunter pack can spot, encircle and catch their prey a lot faster than a lone wolf.
	Basic Farming	18h	100		Small Field	Survival Skills	It sounds relatively simple to grow something in the dirt, but this age-old knowledge has been lost when most of the population moved to big cities. If it helped hunter-gatherer tribes grow into great civilizations, it might be worth learning for a post-apocalyptic society.
	Skinning	15h	50		+1 Fiber production to: Trapper	Survival Skills	Using every bit of the animal is not only respectful but also smart. Meat can be eaten and skins turned to Fiber by processing the carcass properly.
	Wider Piers	15h	50		+1 Work slots to: Fishing Hut	Skinning	A bigger Pier means more Fishers, and more Fishers means more Fish for your Colonists.
	Larger Larder	18h	100		+2000 Capacity to: Food storage	Either: Basic Farming Skinning	Consider yourself fortunate to have so much food that storing it becomes a problem. But, as the saying goes, an organized Food Storage is a happy Food Storage—more spacious too.
	Communal Eating	22h	125		Cookhouse Logging Camp	Larger Larder	A more centralized solution to keeping hunger away with warm and nutritious Meals. The Cookhouse creates Meals prepared from raw Food ingredients. A Logging Camp produces Firewood for the Cookhouses to operate.
	Line Cooks	15h	50		+1 Work slots to: Cookhouse	Communal Eating	Flailing around next to pointy and hot things is a recipe for disaster. Line cook training helps several people work efficiently and safely in the kitchen.
	Aquaculture	1d 3h	150		Aqua Farm	Communal Eating	Who says you can't farm fish? A well-functioning Aqua farm can provide the colony with plenty of Fish to complement other, more veggie-based farming.
	Advanced Farming	1d 3h	150		Medium Field Large Field	Communal Eating	Takes farming to the next level as larger fields yield bigger harvests that help in feeding even the largest of colonies. Placing them on Fertile soil grants an extra production bonus.
	Better Scythes	15h	75		+20% Harvest speed to: Small Field Medium Field Large Field Greenhouse	Advanced Farming	Sharper and better balanced scythes reduce the time required to harvest the crops. The Grim Reaper would be proud.
	Animal Husbandry	1d 20h	250		Ranch	Either: Advanced Farming Aquaculture	People have raised animals since the moment they could corral them into pens. Unlock the Ranch and barter animals from Societies to grow them in your Colony for Meat and other benefits.
	Protected Crops	1d 11h	200		Greenhouse	Either: Advanced Farming Aquaculture	Greenhouses shield crops from the elements. They can function even during Catastrophes, providing secure food production during more difficult times.
	Boring Methods	1d 20h	250		Bore Well	Either: Animal Husbandry Protected Crops	Clean Water can be hard to come by, especially in dry climates. Bore Wells are drilled as deep as required to tap into water reserves, which allows placing them on any soil type.
	Salvaged Drums	1d 11h	200		Large Clean Water Storage	Either: Animal Husbandry Protected Crops	When it comes to drinking water, you can never be too prepared. Massive tanks of clean water ensure your colonists can suffer through any drought or heat wave.
	Reinforced Tanks	18h	100		+60% Durability to: Clean Water Storage Large Clean Water Storage	Salvaged Drums	Full tanks of clean water are a blessing, and losing them is a disaster. Reinforcing these life-giving vats helps them endure in the harshest of situations.
	Alternative Proteins	1d 20h	250		Insect Farm	Either: Boring Methods Salvaged Drums	Post-apocalyptic societies must find new and more efficient sources of protein. Edible insects can provide just that. Insect Farms provide a steady Food production and an alternative to Meat. Find new types of insect eggs to bolster yields even further.
	Heated Hives	15h	75		−30% Energy consumption to: Insect Farm	Alternative Proteins	Insects tend to multiply rapidly. Heating their hives instead of the entire building helps them grow fat and crunchy in a controlled environment while saving Energy.
	Bigger Barrels	1d 11h	200		Large Water Tower	Alternative Proteins	Constructing large, structurally sound and waterproof barrels is surprisingly difficult. Many scientists will get wet researching how this can be achieved.
	Delicacies	2d 5h	300		Bakery Mill	Alternative Proteins	There's nothing quite like the smell of freshly baked Bread. A Mill grinds Wheat into Flour, which is then turned into Bread at the Bakery.
	Coated Hoppers	18h	100		+30% Production speed to: Mill	Delicacies	Getting those grains to slide smoothly on a coated surface ensures that you enjoy fresh Bread that much quicker. Isn't it relaxing to just look at those grains go.
	Chef Training	2d 14h	350		Mess Hall	Either: Bigger Barrels Delicacies	Feeding a large number of people requires discipline and organization. Chef Training unlocks the Mess Hall where cooks prepare large amounts of Meals for hungry Colonists.
	Submerged Pumping	2d 14h	350		Water Pump	Either: Bigger Barrels Delicacies	Gathering Water with buckets is cute and all, but a big colony needs bigger solutions to procuring Water in volume. A high-tech Water Pump on the shore provides just that.
	Organized Kitchen	18h	100		+1 Work slots to: Mess Hall	Chef Training	Kitchen's no place for chaos. Proper arrangements and organization means more Meals are produced quicker and with less cursing.
	Axial Flow	18h	100		−30% Energy consumption to: Water Pump	Submerged Pumping	Some clever engineering allows water pumps to circulate the fluids through axial paths, reducing the amount of Energy required to run them..

Production

	Technology			Type	Unlockables	Prerequisites	Description
	Crowbars	15h	50		+20% Production speed to: Recycler Scrapper	N/A	Pulling old Metal or stuck Plastic bits apart with your bare hands is tough. Crowbars allow colonists to scavenge deposits without worrying about hurting themselves.
	Reclaimable Materials	15h	75		+1 Metal production to: Scrapper	Crowbars	Knowing how to process different types of scrap Metal means an item thought to be trash might end up becoming a treasure—relatively speaking.
	Scavenger Teams	15h	50		+1 Work slots to: Recycler Scrapper	Crowbars	Two pairs of eyes spot valuable resources faster than one. A duo of scavengers working in tandem brings construction resources back to the colony more efficiently.
	Inventory	15h	75		+2000 Capacity to: Stockpile	Crowbars	Stockpile inventories keep stuff apart from things and doodads separate from whatchamacallits. It maximizes the use of space and helps Colonists find what they're looking for.
	Logistics	18h	100		+2000 Capacity to: Warehouse	Inventory	A logical and consistent method of packing things together never happens accidentally—it must be created. The way basic logistics get you more capacity within the same space seems almost magical.
	Solar Power I	18h	100		Solar Panel Transformer	Inventory	Getting the power back on is a major step toward rebuilding a civilization. Solar Panels are an efficient way to produce Energy during the day.
	Wind Power I	18h	100		Wind Turbine Transformer	Inventory	Getting the power back on is a major step toward rebuilding a civilization. Wind Turbines provide a reliable and steady Energy source.
	Panel Coating	18h	100		+40% Durability to: Solar Panel	Solar Power I	Solar panels are not the world's sturdiest invention, and flying debris and extreme weather can slowly wither them. Coating the panels with translucent material protects them from the smaller things the apocalypse throws your way.
	Tough Bearings	18h	100		+40% Durability to: Wind Turbine	Wind Power I	There are many moving parts to a wind-based power plant. Its ball bearings are in constant motion and prone to breaking or jamming, so strengthening them helps when things get rough. Looking at rotating things is fun, and this really helps keep them rotating!
	Energy Storage	1d 3h	150		Battery Rack	Either: Solar Power I Wind Power I	Producing Energy without storing it can be a recipe for disaster. Repurposed Battery Racks can hold a decent charge and keep things running even when Energy production has halted.
	Quality Capacitors	15h	50		+40% Durability to: Battery Rack	Energy Storage	Running high-voltage current as efficiently as possible allows packing a bit more juice in the same space.
	Power Saws	1d 3h	150		Sawmill	Energy Storage	Scavenging Planks for construction will inevitably come to an end at some point. A proper Sawmill guarantees a steady supply of that sweet, sweet timber.
	Apprentices	15h	75		+1 Work slots to: Tailor Tool shop	Power Saws	A proper relationship between workers means more products created for Colonists and less thrown at those you're working alongside.
	Craftsmanship	15h	75		+20% Production speed to: Tailor Tool shop	Power Saws	Basic knowledge of Tool and Clothing manufacturing means faster production and less thumbs smacked by hammers or pierced by needles.
	Junk Recycling	1d 11h	200		Mechanic Shop	Power Saws	Scrapper's side product, Junk is useful and even valuable for those able to recycle it. The Mechanic Shop converts it into mechanical Parts, which are required in advanced construction and item creation.
	Biofuel Formula	1d 11h	200		Refinery	Power Saws	Unlocks Refinery for manufacturing Fuel. Refineries are essential in providing a steady source of Fuel for the Colony's exploration needs. Without Fuel, vehicles cannot be repaired. Refineries require Oil made from Sunflowers to function.
	Controlled Burn	15h	75		+30% Production speed to: Refinery	Biofuel Formula	Creating better burning kilns limits how much Oil is wasted in biofuel processing. Doing more with less is the name of the game.
	Battery Stacking	1d 20h	250		Large Battery Rack	Either: Biofuel Formula Junk Recycling	Producing Energy without storing it is just a waste. Tinkering with Battery Racks allows them to be chained together for even greater effect. They will keep things running even when Energy production has halted.
	Circuit Breakers	18h	100		+60% Durability to: Solar Panel Wind Turbine Large Solar Panel Large Wind Turbine	Battery Stacking	Power Plants are some of the most vulnerable Buildings. Circuit breakers help protect these sources of lovely Energy by cutting the connection before permanent damage occurs.
	Durable Components	18h	100		−1 Repair cost to: Solar Panel Wind Turbine Large Solar Panel Large Wind Turbine	Battery Stacking	Reinforcing used Components means less of them implode when things go south.
	Solar Power II	2d 5h	300		Large Solar Panel	Battery Stacking	Large Solar Panels provide cheap, clean Energy in moderate quantities. Solar Panels shut down during the night.
	Wind Power II	2d 5h	300		Large Wind Turbine	Battery Stacking	Large Wind Turbines provide clean Energy in large quantities.
	Industrial Mining	2d 14h	350		Concrete Extractor Metal Extractor Plastic Extractor Magnetic Separator	Either: Solar Power II Wind Power II	Scavenging construction materials by hand will only take you so far. Heavy machinery like Extractors will greatly boost production, but it requires both constant maintenance and large amounts of Energy to extract Metal, Plastic and Concrete.
	Conveyor Belts	18h	100		+20% Production speed to: Concrete Extractor Metal Extractor Plastic Extractor Magnetic Separator	Industrial Mining	An endless smooth stream of materials on a conveyor belt can be mesmerizing to watch and shows a definite sign of progress. Improves production speed for all Extractors.
	Junior Engineers	18h	100		+1 Work slots to: Concrete Extractor Metal Extractor Plastic Extractor	Industrial Mining	The cabin might get a bit crowded at times, but additional workers help keep the valuable Extractors running longer each day.
	Circuit Assembly	2d 22h	400		Electronics Factory	Industrial Mining	Learning how to assemble delicate Components in the post-apocalypse isn't easy. An Electronics Factory is a major step in creating a truly self-sufficient colony.