colonization Tech Comparison
Population Cloning Vats vs Orbital Habitats
Comparing the Population Cloning Vats (Tier 2) and Orbital Habitats (Tier 3), both colonization technologies in Starforge MMO. Use this to decide which to queue first when your research lab can only run one project at a time.
Research Comparison
| Attribute | Population Cloning Vats | Orbital Habitats |
|---|---|---|
| Tier | T2 | T3 |
| Research time | 14▼ | 28 |
| metal cost | 20,000▼ | 60,000 |
| crystal cost | 10,000▼ | 30,000 |
| Effect | +20% population growth | enables orbital colony: true |
▼ marks the lower resource / time cost. Cheaper isn't always better — weigh it against the effect each tech unlocks.
Population Cloning Vats
Accelerate population growth rate by 20% on all colonies.
Unlocks buildings: cloning vat
Requires: colonization 1
Orbital Habitats
Build space stations as habitable colonies independent of planetary surfaces.
Unlocks buildings: orbital habitat
Requires: colonization 2
Which Should You Research First?
The Population Cloning Vats is the lower-tier prerequisite step and typically comes first in the colonization branch, opening the path toward Orbital Habitats.