Technologies

There are six technologies in Master of Orion, each with a given level starting at one.

• Computer technology is used to develop battle computers, ECM jammers, deep space scanners, improved robotic controls, and the technology nullifier. Furthermore, your computer tech level improves your chances for success in espionage missions and sabotage operations.
• Construction technology not only reduces the base cost of building starships, missile bases, and factories, but it is also used to develop technology that will create improved materials for armor, reductions in the amount of waste produced by each factory, and automated repair units. Do not underestimate the value of construction technology. Without it, you will not be able to produce ships quickly and efficiently.
• Force Field technology is used to develop deflector shields, planetary defense shields, repulsor beams, stasis fields, lightning shields, and the cloaking device. One of the most effective ways of achieving military superiority is to develop force fields that are stronger than your rival’s weapon technology.
• Planetology focuses on technology related to the environmental improvements. Planetology develops advanced ecological restoration, terraforming to expand the size of a planet, controlled environmental units to land on hostile planets, biological weapons, advanced cloning techniques, and soil enrichment to increase population growth rates. Improved Planetology also makes your populations happier and more productive.
• Propulsion technology develops faster starship engines, increased ship ranges, inertial stabilizers, warp dissipators, subspace teleporters, pulsars, and high energy focus units. Propulsion technology is probably most important at the beginning of the game because without increased range you may not be able to reach any other planets to colonize.
• Weapons technology is used to develop advanced weaponry for your ships, missile bases, and ground troops.

The empire progresses in all six fields simultaneously; however the player can adjust how the research effort is spread. Some technology levels give a new device; for example Planetology 15 allows landing on toxic planets, while Weapons 41 gives access to zeon missiles, while others do not. However, all technology levels allow miniaturizing the devices provided by their technology, reducing the space they require in starships as well as their construction cost. This means that progressing past level 50 in a technology remains useful, even though no new devices are going to be found.