The Research Laboratory is a Crafting feature in Starfield. By interacting with a Research Station, players are able to start Research Projects that serve to enhance and improve any items or modifications that they can craft. This includes developments that they can have Outposts undergo. Crafting is a feature in the game that allows you create various objects that will help you in battles and in explorations, such as Aid Items, and modifications for Weapons and Armor. One of the ways that you can find and unlock recipes for Crafting is by advancing and completing Research Projects through the Research Laboratory.
What is the Research Laboratory in Starfield
The Research Laboratory expands the main character's Crafting capabilities, which in turn expands the player's capabilities, in terms of healing, Equipment, and managing their Outposts. Completing Research Projects will allow the player to unlock new creations to craft using various different crafting devices. Afterward, players will be able to attach these new creations to their Equipment, or use/consume them at will in the case of Aid Items and Food. Research Projects are divided into the following categories:
- Pharmacology
- Food & Drink
- Outpost Development
- Equipment
- Weaponry
Pharmacology research will result in being able to craft new Aid Items, as well as improve on them to craft stronger Aid Items with more healing capabilities, by using the Pharmaceutical Lab. Food & Drink research will result in new recipes for the player to cook with, each with different benefits for the character, by using the Cooking Station. Equipment research will result in different mods that players can craft and then attach to their Armor, which includes Helmets, Packs, and Spacesuits, by using the Spacesuit Workbench. Finally, Weaponry research will result in a variety of attachments and mods that players can craft and then equip to various Weapons, by using the Weapon Workbench. Outpost Development research will allow players to be able to build industrial devices and machinery to develop their Outposts, by using the Industrial Workbench.
How to Unlock Research Laboratory in Starfield
Players will actually have access to the Research Station the earliest that they step foot in the Frontier, the default ship in the game. However, they will unlikely have any materials to start any Research Projects at all. Nevertheless, the Research Station in the ship will be there to stay, so players will be able to visit it anytime and progress on Research Projects accordingly as they gather the materials for them. Players will have an initial batch of Research Projects to work on under each category. They will then be able to unlock more Research Projects as listed in the Research Tree of the projects that they're able to complete.
Where to find Research Stations in Starfield
As mentioned above, players will get to use a pretty accessible Research Station in their ship any time they need to use one. Additionally, The Lodge will also have a Research Station ready for use at any time as well. Walter Stroud will actually tell you all about the different devices that he makes sure to be available in The Lodge when you talk to him, which starts the objective to complete a Research Project for the Activities Mission. Finally, players will also be able to build a Research Station on their Outposts to complete Research Projects wherever they'd like to set up shop.
How the Research Laboratory Works in Starfield
To start on any Research Projects, players simply need to interact with a Research Station. Afterward, players will be able to see an overview of all the Research Projects they have available. On this screen, players will be able to see how many available projects there are that they can initiate or progress research on under each category, as well as how progress is looking for any project they've already started.
After choosing a category, players will be able to see the Research Projects themselves, what skills and materials they'll require to finish the project, and what other projects they can unlock should they successfully complete the project under the Research Tree. Should the player already have any of the materials handy, the material will be highlighted and will flash a sign that the player has some of it available. Choosing a project will show the player what items will become ready to craft for them after completing the Research Project. They can then go through the materials and see how many of each they have in their inventory.
Next, players can select a material they have and then select it to confirm that they'll be using up that material to progress the Research Project. Sometimes there will be a Sudden Development where inputting the amount of a material needed will result in an overflow of the research progress, which means that the overflow will count toward the number needed to input for a different material, effectively reducing the number you'll have to consume for this other material.
In the example above, the inputted Aluminum material had a Sudden Development causing an overflow, resulting in additional input for the Antimicrobial material, which essentially means the player in this case will only need to provide one more Antimicrobial material for the Research Project. Inputting the amount of each material needed will cross off the material in the list with the word "COMPLETED," and will go toward progressing the project to 100% completion. Completing the Research Project will give players the results indicated in the Description tab, which unlocks Crafting new corresponding items with the right devices. If any is indicated, the completed project will also unlock the possibility of starting and completing the next Research Project in the Research Tree.
All Research Projects in Starfield
You can search by Research Project, Required Materials, Required Skills, or Required Research. Just type into the search box what you are looking for.
Quick Search of All Pharmacology Research Projects
| Research Project | Required Materials | Required Skills | Crafting Unlocked | Required Research |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Treatment 1 |
|
None | None | |
| Medical Treatment 2 |
|
Chemistry Rank 1 | Medical Treatment 1 | |
| Medical Treatment 3 |
|
Chemistry Rank 2 |
|
Medical Treatment 2 |
| Medical Treatment 4 |
|
Chemistry Rank 3 | Medical Treatment 3 | |
| Innovative Synthesis 1 |
|
|
||
| Innovative Synthesis 2 |
|
|
Innovative Synthesis 1 | |
| Innovative Synthesis 3 |
|
|
Innovative Synthesis 2 | |
| Performance Enhancement 1 |
|
None | None | |
| Performance Enhancement 2 |
|
Chemistry Rank 1 |
|
Performance Enhancement 1 |
| Performance Enhancement 3 |
|
Chemistry Rank 2 | Performance Enhancement 2 | |
| Performance Enhancement 4 | Chemistry Rank 3 | Performance Enhancement 3 | ||
You can search by Research Project, Required Materials, Required Skills, or Required Research. Just type into the search box what you are looking for.
Quick Search of All Food & Drink Research Projects
| Research Project | Required Materials | Required Skills | Crafting Unlocked | Required Research |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beverage Development 1 | None | None | ||
| Beverage Development 2 |
|
Gastronomy Rank 1 |
|
Beverage Development 1 |
| Beverage Development 3 | Gastronomy Rank 2 |
|
Beverage Development 2 | |
| Beverage Development 4 |
|
Gastronomy Rank 3 |
|
Beverage Development 3 |
| Mixology 1 | None | None | ||
| Mixology 2 | Gastronomy Rank 1 |
|
Mixology 1 | |
| Mixology 3 |
|
Gastronomy Rank 2 |
|
Mixology 2 |
| Mixology 4 | Gastronomy Rank 3 |
|
Mixology 3 | |
| Old Earth Cuisine 1 |
|
None | None | |
| Old Earth Cuisine 2 | Gastronomy Rank 1 | Old Earth Cuisine 1 | ||
| Old Earth Cuisine 3 | Gastronomy Rank 2 |
|
Old Earth Cuisine 2 | |
| Old Earth Cuisine 4 | Gastronomy Rank 3 |
|
Old Earth Cuisine 3 | |
| Exotic Recipes 1 | Gastronomy Rank 4 |
|
Old Earth Cuisine 4 | |
| Exotic Recipes 2 | Gastronomy Rank 4 |
|
Exotic Recipes 1 | |
| Exotic Recipes 3 | Gastronomy Rank 4 |
|
Exotic Recipes 2 | |
| Exotic Recipes 4 | Gastronomy Rank 4 |
|
Exotic Recipes 3 | |
You can search by Research Project, Required Materials, Required Skills, or Required Research. Just type into the search box what you are looking for.
Quick Search of All Outpost Development Research Projects
| Research Project | Required Materials | Required Skills | Crafting Unlocked | Required Research |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decoration 1 |
|
None | Additional Furniture and Decorations | None |
| Decoration 2 |
|
Outpost Engineering Rank 1 | Additional Furniture and Decorations | Decoration 1 |
| Decoration 3 |
|
|
Additional Furniture and Decorations | Decoration 2 |
| Domestication 1 |
|
|
Commercial Animal Husbandry | None |
| Domestication 2 |
|
|
Domestication 1 | |
| Horticulture 1 |
|
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Commercial Greenhouse | None |
| Horticulture 2 |
|
|
Horticulture 1 | |
| Manufacturing 1 |
|
None |
|
None |
| Manufacturing 2 |
|
Outpost Engineering Rank 1 |
|
Manufacturing 1 |
| Manufacturing 3 |
|
Outpost Engineering Rank 2 | Manufacturing 2 | |
| Power Generation 1 |
|
Outpost Engineering Rank 1 | Advanced Wind Turbines | None |
| Power Generation 2 |
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Outpost Engineering Rank 2 | Power Generation 2 | |
| Power Generation 3 |
|
Outpost Engineering Rank 3 | ||
| Power Generation 4 |
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Power Generation 3 | |
| Resource Extraction 1 |
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Outpost Engineering Rank 1 | Commercial Extractors | None |
| Resource Extraction 2 |
|
Outpost Engineering Rank 2 | Industrial Extractors | Resource Extraction 1 |
| Robots 1 | None |
|
None | |
| Robots 2 |
|
Outpost Engineering Rank 1 |
|
Robots 1 |
| Robots 3 |
|
|||
| Outpost Defense 1 | Outpost Engineering Rank 2 |
|
None | |
| Outpost Defense 2 |
|
Outpost Engineering Rank 3 |
|
|
You can search by Research Project, Required Materials, Required Skills, or Required Research. Just type into the search box what you are looking for.
Quick Search of All Equipment Research Projects
You can search by Research Project, Required Materials, Required Skills, or Required Research. Just type into the search box what you are looking for.
Quick Search of All Weaponry Research Projects
| Research Project | Required Materials | Required Skills | Crafting Unlocked | Required Research |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barrel Mods 1 | None | Barrel Mods | None | |
| Barrel Mods 2 | Weapon Engineering Rank 1 | Improved Barrel Mods | Barrel Mods 1 | |
| Grip and Stock Mods 1 | None | Grip and Stock Mods | None | |
| Grip and Stock Mods 2 | Weapon Engineering Rank 1 | Improved Grip and Stock Mods | Grip and Stock Mods 1 | |
| Grip and Stock Mods 3 | Weapon Engineering Rank 2 | Improved Grip and Stock Mods | Grip and Stock Mods 2 | |
| Internal Mods 1 | Weapon Engineering Rank 2 | Superior Internal Mods | None | |
| Internal Mods 2 |
|
Weapon Engineering Rank 3 | Superior Internal Mods | Internal Mods 1 |
| Internal Mods 3 |
|
Weapon Engineering Rank 4 | Superior Internal Mods | Internal Mods 2 |
| Magazine and Battery Mods 1 | Weapon Engineering Rank 2 | Superior Magazine and Battery Mods | None | |
| Magazine and Battery Mods 2 |
|
Weapon Engineering Rank 3 | Superior Magazine and Battery Mods | Magazine and Battery Mods 1 |
| Magazine and Battery Mods 3 |
|
|
Superior Magazine and Battery Mods | Magazine and Battery Mods 2 |
| Muzzle Mods 1 | Weapon Engineering Rank 1 | Improved Muzzle Mods | None | |
| Muzzle Mods 2 | Weapon Engineering Rank 1 | Improved Muzzle Mods | Muzzle Mods 1 | |
| Muzzle Mods 3 |
|
|
Improved Muzzle Mods | Muzzle Mods 2 |
| Optic and Laser Mods 1 |
|
None | None | |
| Optic and Laser Mods 2 |
|
Weapon Engineering Rank 1 | Optic and Laser Mods 1 | |
| Optic and Laser Mods 3 | Weapon Engineering Rank 2 | Optic and Laser Mods 2 | ||
| Receiver Mods 1 |
|
Weapon Engineering Rank 1 | Cutting-edge Receiver Mods | None |
| Receiver Mods 2 |
|
Weapon Engineering Rank 2 | Cutting-edge Receiver Mods | Receiver Mods 1 |
Optic and Laser Mods 3 - Require Weapon Engineering Rank 2
Zero Wire x 8
Vanadium x 16
Iridium x 16
Adhesive x 16
2
+10
-1