Technology

There are six different categories of Technology: Biotech, Engineering, Robotics, Physics, Social and Breakthroughs.

Unlocking new Technologies
The technology tree is partially randomized and most technologies start the game locked. Researching any technology will make a new technology in its field available for research. Another way is to use the Explorer rover to analyze Anomalies.

Some Commander Profiles give you a free technology at the start of the game. While that particular technology is revealed, this does not grant you an additional unlocked technology. The only way to unlock more technologies at the start of the game is to choose the Sponsor Europe.

Technology Positions
While the technology tree is partially randomized, it is also divided into tiers of 5 technologies each. Within these tiers the position of each technology is totally random, but both the technologies belonging to each tier and the order of the tiers is fixed.

Note: there seems to be a bug with the Robotics category. For more information see the talk page.

Technology Base Cost
The base cost for each technology depends on its position in the technology tree. Since the positions are randomized at the start of each game the cost for the same technology can fluctuate wildly between games.

An increase in base cost occurs at every odd position on the tech tree and there are a total of 19 technologies in each regular tree. The data below comes from direct observation for the first 11 positions and then extrapolation from there on.

The first two positions have a base research cost of 1,000, the next two have one of 1,500 , then 2,000 , 3,000 , 4,500 , 7,000 , 10,000 , 15,000 , 20,000 and finally 30,000.