Advanced Research Communications Network
The Advanced Research Communications Network, or ARCNet for short, allows scientists on multiple planets across your empire to work together on new technologies simultaneously. Each level of ARCNet researched allows scientists from one extra Research Lab to join in.
Effect
When researching a new technology, the time required is as follows:
| Time(hours) = |
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Without ARCNet, the level of the Research Lab which initiated the technology is used. With ARCNet, the level of other labs may be added. ARCNet will automatically use the highest available Research Lab Level to help increase times.
Example A player has a Level 10 Research Lab on their Homeworld and a Level 8 Research Lab on a colony. They wish to Research Level 10 Armor Tech (cost of 512,000 Ore) from their homeworld. Without ARCNet the time required would be:
| Time(hours) = |
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T= 46.54 hours.
With ARCNet Level 1 (making the effective Research Lab Level 18 rather than 10) the time required would be:
| Time(hours) = |
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T= 26.95 hours.
Costs
| Level | Ore | Crystal | Hydrogen | Additional Labs |
| 1 | 150,000 | 200,000 | 80,000 | 1 |
| 2 | 300,000 | 400,000 | 160,000 | 2 |
| 1 | 600,000 | 800,000 | 320,000 | 3 |
| 4 | 1,200,000 | 1,600,000 | 640,000 | 4 |
| 5 | 2,400,000 | 3,200,000 | 1,280,000 | 5 |
| 6 | 4,800,000 | 6,400,000 | 2,560,000 | 6 |
| 7 | 9,600,000 | 12,800,000 | 5,120,000 | 7 |
| 8 | 19,200,000 | 25,600,000 | 10,240,000 | 8 |
There is no benefit to researching ARCNet beyond Level 8.
