Adding a research station to your ship in Starfield is essential for unlocking the game’s crafting systems, upgrading your gear, and pushing the boundaries of exploration. This guide will delve into the intricacies of establishing your onboard laboratory, covering everything from the initial setup to maximizing its potential.
Setting Up Your First Research Station
Before you can embark on groundbreaking research, you’ll need to integrate a research station into your ship’s layout. This process can be initiated by accessing the ship customization menu at major landing locations like New Atlantis and Akila City. Once inside the menu, navigate to the “add modules” section and browse through the available options until you find a suitable research lab that fits your budget and ship size. Remember, bigger labs offer more functionality but come at a higher cost and require more ship capacity.
Equipping Your Research Station
Equipping the Research Lab
With the research station successfully installed, it’s time to outfit it with the necessary equipment. Essential items include:
- Research Terminal: This is your primary interface for conducting research projects.
- Pharmacology Station: Used for researching and crafting various medical supplies and consumables.
- Industrial Workbench: This station allows you to research and craft weapon modifications and ship parts.
Additional specialized stations focusing on areas like cooking or spacesuit upgrades can also be purchased and added to your research lab, expanding your crafting and research capabilities even further.
How to Get Research Lab on Ship Starfield
While acquiring a basic research station in Starfield is relatively straightforward, securing more advanced labs might require a bit more effort. Here are a few avenues to explore:
- Progressing the Main Story: Certain story missions reward you with access to larger, more advanced ships, which often come equipped with pre-installed research labs or have the capacity to accommodate larger modules.
- Joining Factions: Joining factions like the United Colonies Vanguard or the Freestar Collective can unlock faction-specific ships and equipment, potentially including high-level research labs.
- Exploration: Discovering abandoned space stations or derelict ships during your travels might yield valuable loot, including rare research lab modules.
Understanding Starfield Research
Research Projects Menu
The research process in Starfield revolves around completing projects within various categories such as Pharmacology, Food and Drink, and Engineering. Each project requires specific resources, which can be found by surveying planets, looting containers, or purchasing them from vendors. Successfully completing research projects unlocks new crafting recipes, allowing you to create more potent consumables, modify your weapons, or upgrade your ship’s systems.
Tips for Maximizing Research Efficiency
- Prioritize Surveying: Regularly scan and survey planets to amass a diverse collection of resources, ensuring you have the materials needed for various research projects.
- Invest in the “Research” Skill: This skill grants you access to more advanced research projects and reduces the resource cost of conducting research.
- Utilize Outposts: Setting up outposts on resource-rich planets provides a steady supply of materials and allows you to remotely access your stored resources for crafting and research purposes.
Adding a research station to your ship is a crucial step in your Starfield journey. It empowers you to unlock the full potential of crafting, upgrade your equipment, and delve deeper into the mysteries of the vast galaxy that awaits.