Research Portal

Research Portal is a Science Building used to perform space scans and advance research. It must have a view of the sky to function at all, so it is typically built high above the colony or in an open shaft leading to space. As a research tool, it is most useful early in the game, when it helps unlock the first tiers of the tech tree and can be worked continuously by a suitably skilled Duplicant.

Its scan rate depends on visibility rather than full exposure. Only tiles at the level of the parabolic roof and above affect the visibility calculation, and the visible area is wider than the building itself, extending 5 tiles to the left and 2 tiles to the right. Any reduction in light from tiles, gas, or liquids lowers visibility by 9% per affected reduction, including Window Tiles. Opened airlocks, Airflow Tiles, and Mesh Tiles do not block visibility. Even at about one third visibility, the portal still scans quickly enough for practical use, so perfect efficiency is usually unnecessary.

A Research Portal that has no view of the sky is completely disabled and will not accept oxygen or Duplicants. It also requires oxygen for a Duplicant to begin working, consuming 100 g/s while in use. If the stored oxygen runs out, the current job is not interrupted, and the worker does not suffer breathing issues while operating it.

• Research Portals receive a +10% efficiency bonus when built inside a Laboratory.
• Since the scan area extends beyond the building, it can be protected with an immovable ceiling while still operating at reduced speed.
• It is often better to build it above the surface level than under it, since even small light reductions hurt visibility.
• The Light Overlay is useful for diagnosing unexpected visibility loss.
• For maximum research throughput, use Duplicants with high Science. A higher research skill Duplicant will automatically replace a lower skill worker at the station.
• Multiple Research Portals can work on the same Research Task at once, but doing this early can cause your colony to become research-locked if you do not also have enough workers delivering Dirt.