Research Capsules

A Research Capsule holds knowledge of the old world. War Golems that guard the ruins drop them when you defeat them. Redeem a capsule at the Outlander Test Site to unlock one alternative recipe of your choice.

Getting capsules

Every ruin in the world has a War Golem guardian. It sleeps as a pile of rubble and rises when you or your factory come too close. It defends its ruin but never attacks your factory on its own. On the map, a guarded ruin shows as "Ruin guarded by a War Golem"; once the golem is beaten it shows as "Ruin (freed)".

Enemy	Where	Capsules dropped
War Golem	Ruins closer than 800 blocks to spawn	1
Elder War Golem	Ruins farther out	2

War Golems are tough. See Enemies before you go.

Redeeming capsules

1. Bring the capsules to any Outlander Test Site. Press Deliver capsules in its window, or feed them in by belt or grabber like scrolls.
2. For each capsule, the window shows two alternative recipes you have not unlocked yet, above the techtree.
3. Pick one. It is unlocked at once, the other goes back into the pool and may be offered again later.

Capsules you deliver but have not spent yet wait in the test site. Once every alternative recipe is unlocked, the test site takes no more capsules.

Alternative recipes are unlocked for the whole world, for every player and every team.

Alternative recipes

All alternative recipes are made in a Fabricator (from Fabricator T1 on) and take 1 second at speed 1. They give you a cheaper or different path to a common product.

Product	Alternative recipe	Normal recipe
Iron Gear	3 Iron Ore → 2 Iron Gear (cast straight from ore, no furnace)	2 Iron Plate → 1 Iron Gear
Iron Gear	1 Steel Plate → 3 Iron Gear	2 Iron Plate → 1 Iron Gear
Copper Cable	2 Copper Plate + 1 Tallow → 6 Copper Cable	1 Copper Plate → 2 Copper Cable
Cartridge	2 Copper Plate + 1 Coal → 5 Cartridge	2 Iron Plate + 1 Coal → 5 Cartridge
Electronic Circuit	1 Iron Gear + 4 Copper Cable → 2 Electronic Circuit	1 Iron Plate + 3 Copper Cable → 1 Electronic Circuit
Belt T1	2 Stone Brick + 1 Iron Gear → 2 Belt T1	1 Iron Gear + 1 Iron Plate → 2 Belt T1

The fabricator offers an alternative recipe like any other once it is unlocked.

See also

• Enemies
• Outlander Test Site
• Fabricators
• Recipes