In this Surviving the Abyss Research Guide, we'll tell you how Research works and what each piece of Technology does in the game.
How Surviving the Abyss Research Works
Surviving the Abyss Research can be accessed at any time with the Technology Tree, regardless of whether or not you've built any Research Buildings. You can collect "Research Data" in various ways and spend it to unlock new Buildings, improve the efficiency of your existing Buildings, improve Cloning, and more.
While you can get Research Data through some Points of Interest or Emergent Events, the main way you'll get Research Data is through an active Basic Research Lab or Standard Research Lab.
Research is split into three "Tiers." Tier I is automatically unlocked at the start of the game. Tier II can be unlocked for 150 Research Data, and Tier III can be unlocked after that for an additional 300 Research Data. Unlocking a Tier opens up new Research for all tabs on the Technology Tree.
Surviving the Abyss Research List
Here is a list of all of the Surviving the Abyss Research available in the pre-release Early Access version of the game.
Quicklinks: Resources Research | Power Research | Life Support Research
Population Research | Exploration Research | Research & Genetics Research
Resources
Tier I
Drill Extractor
- Research Data Cost - 30
- Prerequisites - N/A
- Unlocks - Drill Extractor Building
Coal Extractor
- Research Data Cost - 30
- Prerequisites - N/A
- Unlocks - Coal Extractor Building
Alloy Furnace
- Research Data Cost - 60
- Prerequisites - N/A
- Unlocks - Alloy Furnace Building
Tier II
Blast Extractor
- Research Data Cost - 120
- Prerequisites - N/A
- Unlocks - Blast Extractor Building
Reinforced Drill Bits
- Research Data Cost - 120
- Prerequisites - N/A
- Unlocks - Allows Mining Subs to gather advanced materials like aluminum and copper.
Tier III
Impact Extractor
- Research Data Cost - 270
- Prerequisites - N/A
- Unlocks - Impact Extractor Building
Power
Tier I
Coal Efficiency Upgrade 1
- Research Data Cost - 60
- Prerequisites - N/A
- Unlocks - Coal-powered generators will use 20% less Coal.
Biomass Generator
- Research Data Cost - 90
- Prerequisites - N/A
- Unlocks - Biomass Generator Building
Tier II
Coal Generator Power Upgrade
- Research Data Cost - 120
- Prerequisites - N/A
- Unlocks - Increases the Power output of basic Coal Generators by 20%.
Coal Efficiency Upgrade 2
- Research Data Cost - 170
- Prerequisites - Coal Efficiency Upgrade 1
- Unlocks - Coal-powered generators will use 40% less Coal.
Oil Drill
- Research Data Cost - 170
- Prerequisites - N/A
- Unlocks - Oil Drill Building
Oil Well
- Research Data Cost - 30
- Prerequisites - Oil Drill
- Unlocks - Oil Well Building
Biomass Generator Power Upgrade 1
- Research Data Cost - 170
- Prerequisites - Biomass Generator
- Unlocks - Increases the Power output of Biomass Generators by 20%.
Tier III
Advanced Coal Generator
- Research Data Cost - 270
- Prerequisites - N/A
- Unlocks - Advanced Coal Generator Building
Coal Efficiency Upgrade 3
- Research Data Cost - 320
- Prerequisites - Coal Efficiency Upgrade 2
- Unlocks - Coal-Powered Generators will use 70% less Coal.
Oil Refinery
- Research Data Cost - 30
- Prerequisites - Oil Well
- Unlocks - Oil Refinery Building
Oil Generator
- Research Data Cost - 30
- Prerequisites - Oil Refinery
- Unlocks - Oil Generator Building
Oil Efficiency Upgrade
- Research Data Cost - 400
- Prerequisites - Oil Refinery
- Unlocks - Oil-Powered Generators will use 40% less Oil.
Biomass Generator Power Upgrade 2
- Research Data Cost - 270
- Prerequisites - Biomass Generator Power Upgrade 1
- Unlocks - Increases the output of Biomass Generators by 60%.
Life Support
Tier I
O2 Output Upgrade
- Research Data Cost - 90
- Prerequisites - N/A
- Unlocks - Increases the output of standard Oxygen Generators by 20%.
Basic Air Purifier
- Research Data Cost - 60
- Prerequisites - N/A
- Unlocks - Basic Air Purifier Building
Carbohydrate Farm
- Research Data Cost - 30
- Prerequisites - N/A
- Unlocks - Carbohydrate Farm Building
Protein Harvester
- Research Data Cost - 30
- Prerequisites - N/A
- Unlocks - Protein Harvester Building
Protein Harvester Upgrade 1
- Research Data Cost - 90
- Prerequisites - Protein Harvester
- Unlocks - 20% output increase of Protein Harvester.
Hospital
- Research Data Cost - 30
- Prerequisites - N/A
- Unlocks - Hospital Building
Tier II
Advanced Oxygen Generator
- Research Data Cost - 120
- Prerequisites - N/A
- Unlocks - Advanced Oxygen Generator Building
Advanced O2 Output Upgrade 1
- Research Data Cost - 220
- Prerequisites - Advanced Oxygen Generator
- Unlocks - Increased output of Advanced 02 Generator by 20%.
Nutritional Paste Production
- Research Data Cost - 120
- Prerequisites - N/A
- Unlocks - Nutritional Paste Production Building
Molecular Protein Lab
- Research Data Cost - 170
- Prerequisites - N/A
- Unlocks - Molecular Protein Lab Building
Tier III
Advanced O2 Output Upgrade 2
- Research Data Cost - 400
- Prerequisites - Advanced O2 Output Upgrade 1
- Unlocks - Increased output of Advanced O2 Generator by 40%.
Molecular Protein Lab Upgrade 1
- Research Data Cost - 270
- Prerequisites - Molecular Protein Lab
- Unlocks - 20% output increase of Molecular Protein Lab.
Population
Tier I
Garden Dome
- Research Data Cost - 90
- Prerequisites - N/A
- Unlocks - Garden Dome Building
Mess Hall
- Research Data Cost - 90
- Prerequisites - N/A
- Unlocks - Mess Hall Building
Tier II
Modern Living Quarters
- Research Data Cost - 120
- Prerequisites - N/A
- Unlocks - Modern Living Quarters Building
Physical Maintenance Center
- Research Data Cost - 220
- Prerequisites - N/A
- Unlocks - Physical Maintenance Center Building
Tier III
There are no Tier III Population Technologies in the pre-release version of Surviving the Abyss.
Exploration
Tier I
Docks
- Research Data Cost - 30
- Prerequisites - N/A
- Unlocks - Docks Building
Outpost
- Research Data Cost - 60
- Prerequisites - N/A
- Unlocks - Outpost Building
Sonar Tower
- Research Data Cost - N/A
- Prerequisites - N/A
- Unlocks - Sonar Tower Building
Light Tower
- Research Data Cost - N/A
- Prerequisites - N.A
- Unlocks - Sonar Tower Building
UV-Mode
- Research Data Cost - 60
- Prerequisites - Get attacked by the Anomaly.
- Unlocks - Unlocks the ability to set all lights to UV-Mode. UV-C light can deter dangerous fauna but Power costs increase as a consequence.
UV-Mode Research will be hidden until you're attacked by the Anomaly for the first time.
Tier II
Submarine Command
- Research Data Cost - 120
- Prerequisites - N/A
- Unlocks - Submarine Command Building
Tier III
There are no Tier III Exploration Technologies in the pre-release version of Surviving the Abyss.
Research & Genetics
Tier I
Rate Per Day Attachment Module
- Research Data Cost - 30
- Prerequisites - N/A
- Unlocks - Rate Per Day Attachment Module
Trench Extractor
- Research Data Cost - 90
- Prerequisites - N/A
- Unlocks - Trench Extractor Building
Multiplier Research Attachment
- Research Data Cost - 30
- Prerequisites - N/A
- Unlocks - Multiplier Research Attachment
Slot Unlock 1
- Research Data Cost - 60
- Prerequisites - N/A
- Unlocks - +1 Slot in Cloning
Generalist Potency +3%
- Research Data Cost - 90
- Prerequisites - Slot Unlock 1
- Unlocks - Increases potency for all Generalist genomes by 3%.
Faster Cloning Time
- Research Data Cost - 30
- Prerequisites - N/A
- Unlocks - Accelerates the Cloning process by 10%.
Tier II
Fauna Capture Rate Module
- Research Data Cost - 300
- Prerequisites - N/A
- Unlocks - Fauna Capture Rate Module
Standard Research Lab
- Research Data Cost - 120
- Prerequisites - N/A
- Unlocks - Standard Research Lab
Generalist Mutation -5%
- Research Data Cost - 120
- Prerequisites - Generalist Potency +3%
- Unlocks - Reduces Mutation for all Generalist genomes by 5%.
Scientist Potency +3%
- Research Data Cost - 170
- Prerequisites - Generalist Potency +3%
- Unlocks - Increases potency for all Scientist genomes by 3%.
Scientist Mutation -5%
- Research Data Cost - 220
- Prerequisites - Scientist Potency +3%
- Unlocks - Reduces Mutation for all Scientist genomes by 5%.
Slot Upgrade 2
- Research Data Cost - 120
- Prerequisites - Slot Upgrade 1
- Unlocks - +1 Slot in Cloning
Slot Upgrade 3
- Research Data Cost - 220
- Prerequisites - Slot Upgrade 2
- Unlocks - +1 Slot in Cloning
Advanced Fauna Trap
- Research Data Cost - 170
- Prerequisites - N/A
- Unlocks - Advanced Fauna Trap Building
Lifespan Increase
- Research Data Cost - 170
- Prerequisites - N/A
- Unlocks - When Clones are produced with Mutation, their max lifespan will be increased by 10%.
Tier III
Power Efficiency Module
- Research Data Cost - 500
- Prerequisites - N/A
- Unlocks - Power Efficiency Module
Engineer Potency +3%
- Research Data Cost - 270
- Prerequisites - Scientist Potency +3%
- Unlocks - Increases potency for all Engineer genomes by 3%.
Engineer Mutation -5%
- Research Data Cost - 330
- Prerequisites - Engineer Potency +3%
- Unlocks - Reduces Mutations for all Engineer genomes by 5%.
Slot Upgrade 4
- Research Data Cost - 320
- Prerequisites - Slot Upgrade 3
- Unlocks - +1 Slot in Cloning
Lifespan Increase 2
- Research Data Cost - 320
- Prerequisites - Lifespan Increase 1
- Unlocks - When Clones are produced with Mutation, their max lifespan will be increased by 20%.
Thanks for reading our Surviving the Abyss Research Guide. If you've found it helpful, why not check out our other guides below?
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