shipbuilding Tech Comparison
Modular Design vs Rapid Fabrication
Comparing the Modular Design (Tier 2) and Rapid Fabrication (Tier 2), both shipbuilding 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 | Modular Design | Rapid Fabrication |
|---|---|---|
| Tier | T2 | T2 |
| Research time | 8▼ | 9 |
| metal cost | 10,000▼ | 12,000 |
| crystal cost | 5,000▼ | 6,000 |
| Effect | +100% utility slot | +20% -ship build time |
▼ marks the lower resource / time cost. Cheaper isn't always better — weigh it against the effect each tech unlocks.
Modular Design
Unlocks module slot expansion. Ships gain +1 utility slot.
Unlocks buildings: shipyard mk2
Unlocks ships: corvette mk1, miner mk1
Requires: shipbuilding 1
Rapid Fabrication
Parallel nanofab bays reduce all ship build times by an additional 20%.
Unlocks buildings: nanofab bay
Requires: shipbuilding 1
Which Should You Research First?
Both sit at the same tier. The Modular Design is the cheaper project, so it's the safer early pick if your economy is tight; otherwise prioritise whichever effect supports your current strategy.