Megastructures

Version

This article has been verified for the current PC version (3.10) of the game.

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.

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 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

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 can 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 is also reactivated along with it.

Once the  **Gateway Activation** technology is researched, the  **Gateway Construction** technology can 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, which places them semi-randomly within the system. In systems with wormholes or existing gateways, it is recommended to instead 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.

## Habitats

Habitats are colonizable megastructures that can be built above stars and planets and are finished in a single stage. Each system can only have one habitat and they cannot be built in systems with a ringworld. Building a Habitat Central Complex costs  200 Influence and  1500 Alloys and takes 60 months to construct. The habitat still requires colonization but the colony develops twice as fast as on planets.

Once the Habitat Central Complex has been constructed, orbitals can be constructed in the system. Orbitals are stations that increase the  building slots and/or max districts of the Habitat Central Complex. When orbitals are reduced to 5%  Hull Points, they are disabled and the Habitat Central Complex gains  **10** Devastation and a blocker.

* Minor Orbitals cost  50 alloys and take 6 months to construct. They can only be constructed in the orbit of moons and asteroids. If disabled, the Habitat Central Complex gains a File:D ruined system.png *Ruined Minor Orbital* blocker.
* Major Orbitals cost  200 alloys and take 24 months to construct. They can only be constructed in the orbit of stars and planets. If disabled, the Habitat Central Complex gains a File:D ruined system.png *Ruined Major Orbital* blocker. Major Orbitals increase the district capacity of the Habitat Central Complex in addition to their other effects.
* Demesne Orbitals cost  200 alloys, take 24 months to construct and can only be constructed by empires with the  Knights of the Toxic God origin that have the  Maw of the Toxic Entity relic. They can only be constructed in the orbit of stars and planets. If disabled, the Habitat Central Complex gains a File:D ruined system.png *Ruined Major Orbital* blocker. Demesne Orbitals increase the district capacity of the Habitat Central Complex and give it an additional  Knight job.

Habitats have a unique set of districts distinct from normal planetary ones.  Habitation districts and  industrial districts are only limited by  district cap but other districts require either the Habitat Central Complex or its orbitals to be built over a resource deposit. An orbital built around a body with no deposit provides +0.5 building slots.

If either the Habitat Central Complex or an orbital is built above a celestial body with an advanced or strategic resource, the habitat gains a planetary feature that exploits the resource. If the celestial body already had a mining or research station, the habitat or orbital replaces it.

Only  Gestalt Consciousness empires,  Void Dwellers, or empires with the  Voidborne ascension perk can construct housing buildings on Habitats.

Habitats have a planet size of 6. They are shown in one of three tiers shown in the outliner, depending on the level of the capital building.

Habitats can be obtained the following way:

* If the  Utopia DLC is enabled, any empire can research the technologies to construct and upgrade habitats.
* Empires with the  Void Dwellers origin start with a habitat and the technology to build more. They can research the technology to upgrade them from the start.
* Empires with the  Knights of the Toxic God origin start with a habitat. They can research the technology to build more from the start but cannot research the technology to upgrade them without the  Utopia DLC.
* Empires with the  Payback origin can gain a unique size 10 habitat called Recovered Asset as one of their two choices following the conclusion of the *The Aftermath of Battle* archaeological site. Choosing the habitat unlocks the technology to build more.
* If the  Apocalypse DLC is enabled, empires created by the Horde breaking up start with the technology to construct habitats. These habitats can be captured by other empires.
* If the  First Contact DLC is enabled, the Ithome cluster has a 25% chance to spawn. The Ithome's Gate system contains 3 habitats. The system cannot support orbitals but each habitat has a unique modifier granting it max  Habitability and  Building Slots.
* A system called Federation's End can randomly spawn and contains 2 mammalian habitats. The system does not require any DLC to spawn but is too empty to support orbitals.

Habitat Central Complexes can be ruined by a Colossus or crises. If ruined, all orbitals are destroyed.

## 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. They do not require a construction site and are finished in a single stage by the construction ship. Orbital rings also have  **+100%** fire rate.

### Modules

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.

### Buildings

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.

#### Planetary building replacements

The following orbital ring buildings fulfill the same function as certain planet buildings. They have the same requirements to construct and cannot be built if the matching building has been constructed on the planet.

## 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 brings 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 a star. There must not be an anomaly present on the planet or star, but an anomaly on another planet or star in the system does not block construction.

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 and Quantum Catapult, 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 and ruined ones that were found in the galaxy and repaired 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.

### Galactic Wonders

Galactic wonders are very powerful megastructures that require the  Galactic Wonders ascension perk to gain the technology to construct them.

#### 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 is only revealed if the Contingency sterilizes 20% of the galaxy. A short time after the Contingency is defeated, the Cybrex 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 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 1-3 segments depending on the Guaranteed Habitable Worlds game rule. By default, only one empire with the origin can be generated, but force-spawning ignores that limit.

### Ruined megastructures

Ruined versions 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.

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 appears 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. Empires that reached the final crisis level and lost their Aetherophasic Engine but conquer another one have the option to take control of the new megastructure.

Visually, it resembles the Dyson Sphere generating unique system-wide visual effects the more it is upgraded.

## References

1. ↑ Setting abandoned gateways to 0 blocks the use of gateway technology as an empire must discover at least one gateway to unlock the research. The Galactic Doorstep origin still spawns a pair of abandoned gateways if the setting is otherwise 0. Awakened Empires always build Gateways regardless of settings.

**Game concepts**