im about to start a new research cycle and i was wondering which was better, new energy tech or new buildings. I am at Zero Point energy for the energy research and Quantum Assembly for building research. I mostly NPC farm and do missions, but cant decide which i should start researching. What do you guys think?

It depends on your goals. If you want to be the strongest for your rank, then buildings otherwise energy will let you play more. Also I would recommend that you not research past +4 building until you are ready to push for +8 buildings as you don't get that big of a boost from the +5 and +6 except that it is easier to fill a planet if you have some choices for building size. +8 buildings are only 1 space larger than +6.

man I thought this post was about something else.

In which case I have to take my vote back, research buildings, you'r getting way behind in it.

I agree with Mark W. The jump to the +5 and +6 buildings isn't great, but the +8's make a huge difference, especially if you jump straight there from the +4's. Of course, skipping any building stages will cost you time since a jump - no matter how small it is - is still a jump. So it's your choice: build for efficiency, or wait and save your credits. because you're going to need them. You might think you've got a lot of credits now, but the +8's will break your bank balance several times over if you're not prepared. Start saving your money now and get some mining planets!

If you're looking to get ahead in the game though, Energy really should be your top priority. The faster it recharges, the better. I don't know what level you are, but Zero Point energy is four whole tiers behind where I am (I'm level 188 though), so there's plenty more for you to research yet.

My research cycle typically starts off with energy, then weapons, then defense then hull. I use big jumps in planet research to buy me time to build my ship size up so it can catch up with my research. I also throw in scan and cloak research when I need to buy time to build my ship up too. Don't neglect these. I do big scan tech jumps just before I do big scan blitzes and I do sheild tech jumps right about the time I do planet tech jumps to keep my cloaking on my planets up to where they need to be. In fact I'll let planet tech slide before I let cloaking tech slide. Basically I do gun and energy tech whenever I feel i'm slowing down on the mobs and leveling too much. I might have to do another run in each before I do my next major planet tech run though. When you research energy, research 3 teirs at a time. Thats how far apart your relays are. Do your shields tech in 2's because thats how far apart your defense mods for planets are. The same goes for stealth.

I think it makes sense to research and build planetary structures as much as you can before your maintenence from ship modules makes it hard to afford to ever build them. If you have extra credits it makes sense to invest it something that can get you even more credits, because eventually credits are one of the biggest limiting factors... artifacts and research are nice too... but yeah energy is still more important. Leveling will get you more planets and hence resources and credits. Energy modules pay for themselves in the long run through those means. I think a lot of the time a few months ago reactors and relays were 50-70% of my upkeep and I was making sure to still throw all my extra credits into planet structures. A week before I got wormhole relays and +10 buildings they introduced hyperchannel relays and +12 buildings. If I research more ship mods at this point I will never be able to afford +12 buildings.. but then I am anyways.

ok, thanks guys. im only a lvl 104, so i got a while before im at ur guy's point, but im definitly gonna go after the energy till i get to the dark reactors. then ill try to blitz on the buildings.