Technologies
Discover how research unlocks new district modes, logistics, expansion, military production, and empire-wide upgrades.
Technologies
Technology is one of the central long-term progression systems in Gravity Game.
Through research, your empire gradually unlocks new district modes, more advanced logistics, military options, and strategic synergies. At the beginning of the game, planets operate with a relatively limited toolkit. As new technologies are researched, the empire gains access to more specialized and more efficient forms of development.
Research is therefore not only a bonus system — it is one of the main ways your empire becomes more capable over time.
How research works
Research is produced by Urban Centers.
When a planet uses an Urban Center in research mode, it converts Biomass into Research, which is then added to the empire-wide research pool.
Important properties of Research:
- it is global across the empire
- it has no storage limit
- it has no upkeep cost
- it is spent to unlock new technologies
This means research is a long-term investment: even if a planet is not strong in direct production or combat, it can still be valuable as a research world.
Why technology matters
Technology determines what your empire is actually capable of doing.
Without research, your planets remain limited to basic production and development. With research, the game gradually opens up into a much richer system of:
- extraction choices
- industrial conversion chains
- logistics
- expansion
- military preparation
- efficiency bonuses
- empire-wide scaling
In practical terms, technology is what transforms your empire from a small colony into a true interplanetary civilization.
Early technologies
The early part of the tech tree expands the core economy and district functionality.
These technologies unlock the basic tools needed for a more developed empire, such as:
Organic Sediments
Allows Prospectors to switch into Organic Sediment extraction mode. This is important because Organic Sediments are used not only in production, but also in transport and industrial conversion.
Rocket Materials
Allows Industrials to produce Rocket Materials. This is a major progression step because Rocket Materials are required for both expansion and military preparation.
Influence
Allows Urban Centers to produce Influence instead of only Research. Influence becomes important later for warship maintenance and broader strategic support.
Expansion and logistics technologies
Once the empire becomes more advanced, the tech tree opens systems that allow planets to work together instead of remaining isolated.
Expedition Platform
Unlocks the Expedition Platform district. This is one of the most important technologies in the game, because it enables:
- interplanetary transport
- production of Warship Materials
- production of Expeditions
Transport
Allows resources to be moved between planets through Expedition Platforms. This is where the game begins shifting from local planetary optimization toward a true multi-planet economy.
Trade
Unlocks the ability to trade resources. Tradepower, generated from unused Influence, can reduce taxes on these transactions.
Together, these technologies form the logistical backbone of a larger empire.
Military technologies
As your empire develops, research also opens the path toward warship production and military power.
Cruiser
Unlocks the ability to build the Cruiser class.
Destroyer
Unlocks the Destroyer class.
Ghost
Unlocks the Ghost class.
Warper
Unlocks the Warper class.
These technologies connect the empire layer with the battle layer. Research therefore does not only improve economy — it also determines which tactical options are available in combat.
Efficiency and synergy technologies
The tech tree also contains technologies that do not simply unlock new mechanics, but improve how existing districts work together.
These upgrades suggest that the game is designed around interaction between systems, not just isolated production numbers.
Prospector Synergy
Improves Prospector performance based on neighboring Wilderness.
Industrial Synergy
Improves Industrial output based on neighboring Prospectors.
Expedition Platform Synergy
Improves Expedition and Warship Materials output based on neighboring Industrials.
Urban Center Synergy
Improves Research and Influence production based on neighboring Wilderness.
Diversity
Improves district production depending on the number of different district types on the planet. Capitol is excluded from this count.
These technologies make planetary layout and specialization more meaningful over time.
Repeatable empire upgrades
The technology tree also contains several repeatable or empire-wide improvement paths.
These appear to be designed as long-term scaling systems that strengthen the empire beyond simple district unlocks.
Examples include:
Cybernetics
A repeatable empire-wide upgrade path.
Terraform
A repeatable empire-wide upgrade path.
Gravity Manipulation
A repeatable empire-wide upgrade path.
While the rules document does not yet fully explain the exact long-term impact of each one in player-facing detail, they clearly indicate that research is intended to remain relevant even in later stages of the game.
Strategic role of research
A strong empire is not only built by extracting more resources, but by unlocking better ways to use them.
Research affects your empire in at least four major ways:
- it unlocks new production options
- it enables interplanetary logistics
- it allows military preparation and warship creation
- it improves long-term efficiency through synergies and scaling upgrades
Because of this, research is one of the clearest ways to shape the identity of your empire.
Some empires may prioritize early expansion and logistics. Others may focus on military readiness, while others may specialize in efficient long-term growth.
Technology as progression
The technology system also helps define the pacing of the game.
At first, your empire operates with a limited set of simple decisions. Over time, more and more systems become available. This means the game does not begin with its full complexity exposed all at once. Instead, complexity grows together with the player’s empire.
That progression is important: it allows the empire layer of Gravity Game to feel like a real technological civilization evolving over time, rather than a static optimization puzzle.