logistics Tech Comparison
Dark Matter Freight Lanes vs Interstellar Exchange
Comparing the Dark Matter Freight Lanes (Tier 4) and Interstellar Exchange (Tier 3), both logistics 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 | Dark Matter Freight Lanes | Interstellar Exchange |
|---|---|---|
| Tier | T4 | T3 |
| Research time | 80 | 20▼ |
| metal cost | 130,000 | 30,000▼ |
| crystal cost | 65,000 | 15,000▼ |
| dark matter cost | 3,000▼ | — |
| credits cost | 250,000 | 50,000▼ |
| Effect | +5 freight speed multiplier | unlocks neutral market: true |
▼ marks the lower resource / time cost. Cheaper isn't always better — weigh it against the effect each tech unlocks.
Dark Matter Freight Lanes
Dark-matter-threaded freight corridors allow bulk resource transfers at 5× normal speed empire-wide.
Unlocks buildings: dark matter freight hub
Requires: logistics 10, energy 3
Interstellar Exchange
Opens cross-faction neutral market. Trade any resource with neutral NPC merchants.
Unlocks buildings: interstellar exchange
Requires: logistics 2, logistics 3
Which Should You Research First?
The Interstellar Exchange is the lower-tier prerequisite step and typically comes first in the logistics branch, opening the path toward Dark Matter Freight Lanes.