I'm thinking of investing in getting it finally. What is the best way to go about this? And how much production could I expect from it?

The best way is to INVADE a crappy planet, before you dyson it, put an assimilation locus on it. Try to keep it to icy or volcanic for the double bonuses on heat seekers and permafrost networks. Once you've done that dyson it and with maxed out modules you can get easily 2-3k production points out of it.

Epic, he said a DYSON, not an exotic. Which means that the best he can do for special bonuses is an assimilation locus. Whereas I still contest that the latest CT Lab creation makes that option less interesting because it doesn't double if the planet has been invaded in the past 9 months.

Yes I know the dyson bit but you have to use it on a metallic? Was that my mistake?

A bit of a long shot, but if you can find a metallic with rings/large moons, invade that. The bonus from assimilation locus is nice, but analyzed things are great and this way you get both (if you ever see one)

Exotic = used on any planet of any type and resource ratings
Dyson = used only on a metallic of any resource ratings

Jawwa, why exactly would you have to use it on a metallic? I don't understand. If it ends up Colossal x28 no matter what, why does that matter?

Must have some kind of scientific connection I wouldn't wonder or maybe just something to do with the mission.

Turns any Metallic planet into a Dyson Sphere. Requires 50 energy to use.

All Resources will permanently increase to 28x Mega Rich, the planet will increase to Colossal size, and it will gain 10,000 Passive Attack, Defense, and Cloak. Gains passive "Invincible" rule, no enemy players may look at the planet (all availability, colony, buildings and effects are hidden

I don't know if you know what a dyson is, but it's a hollow sphere surrounding a sun where the people live on the interior and benefit from a constant supply of energy and growing periods. This means it's MAHUSSIVE and relatively thin. Metal can be spread thing. Stone, Ice, plasma, etc. do not operate in that fashion. Essentially you use the dyson transformer to blow a metallic planet up into a honking big balloon and stick a sun inside.

dammit, so pretty much the only thing I could stick on it before turning it would be an assimilation locus

That thing about it being hidden must be old and hasn't been changed cause Nirces's is fine.

Yup. You can only get an extra benefit from an Assim Locus. Which I personally contest is no longer worth it because of the Concord Stations.

Use it on your smallest and worse resource metallic.

Given not everyone will have access to concord stations, i'd say the 4 mining for 2 space is still great value.

True, but why saddle yourself with problems because they eventually will. Just like they might want to put an isolation bureau on it. That means if you conquered a metallic to turn dyson, you'd have to flux your dyson to get the full benefits from an isolation bureau. Does everyone have an isolation bureau? I know my legion doesn't. But am I going walkabout soon so I can make some? You better believe it.

I know we both have legs to stand on, but I personally prefer the freedom of using a planet of mine that hasn't been scanned. And saving my green badges for maxed toxics and atmospheric decimators.

I lol'd so hard at the mental image that created for me.

Mining 28x Mega Rich 381.15 units/hr
Artifact 28x Mega Rich 1827 units/hr
Research 28x Mega Rich 485.1 units/hr

Sorry, I didn't notice the portion of your question asking about how much it would produce.

Here's mine:
Mining 28x Mega Rich 525 units/hr
Artifact 28x Mega Rich 982.8 units/hr
Research 28x Mega Rich 877.8 units/hr

Not quite as much as tree is getting, but I'm also just about to get my arti 12's researched (two days away). So in two days I should be closer in line with Tree's dyson though probably still a bit weaker.

Space Elevator Artifact: 1, Population: 50
Hypergate Mining: 2, Research: 2, Artifact: 2
Intraphasic Hoveroid Bonus Production: 5%
Hyperforge Fabricator(100% Upgrade) Artifact: 24
Hyperforge Fabricator(100% Upgrade) Artifact: 24
Hyperforge Fabricator(100% Upgrade) Artifact: 24
Hyperforge Fabricator Artifact: 12



Mining 28x Mega Rich 42 units/hr
Artifact 28x Mega Rich 2192.4 units/hr
Research 28x Mega Rich 42 units/hr


Advanced Civilization Ruins : Artifact +20%
Intraphasic Hoveroid Effect : Production +5%

personally, this is my opinion of the best setup... with only the last +12 needing to be upgraded.. I know theres a slew of multi production artis out there that would give a more even distribution, but I honestly dont need them, i WANT artis.

size 1, T.O. Manufacturing Core - Mining: 2, Artifact: 2
size 1,* Auric Lepus Drone - Artifact: 2(NPC Drop)
size 1, Trellith Comm Relay - Research 2, Artifact: 2
size 2,* Scruuge Hoarding Vault - Artifact: 3 (Gp)
size 2,* Scruuge Hoarding Vault - Artifact: 3 (Gp)
size 2, Isolation Bureau - Mining: 2, Artifact: 2, Research: 2
size 1, Adaptive Spire - Mining: 1, Research: 1, Artifact: 1
size 1, Adaptive Spire - Mining: 1, Research: 1, Artifact: 1
size 2, Bane Generator - Mining: 3, Artifact: 2 (GP)
size 2, HyperSensor Satellite - Research: 2, Artifact: 2
size 1, Adumbrate Station - Research: 1, Artifact: 1
size 1, Adumbrate Station - Research: 1, Artifact: 1
size 1, Zolazin Analyzer - Research: 1, Artifact: 1

size 1, Zolazin Analyzer - Research: 1, Artifact: 1
size 1, Antimatter Drill - Mining: 1, Artifact: 1
size 3, Sillixx Starport - Artifact:2, Mining:2
size 5, Omnibase - Min: 3, Res: 3, Arti: 3
size 2, Captured T.O. Harvester - Mining: 2, Artifact: 1(NPC Drop)

Anyone of those would be better than a god forsaken space elevator
In fact, a combination of all except last 5 items would be:
total 18 space 23 artifact, 9 mining, 11 research.

rly? is 1 artifact so valueable such that it's better than 9 mining 11 research? I don't think so.(with the multipliers factored in, 189 mining, 231 research for 21 artifact)
Just what kind of "best build" are you thinking?

A full list of artifacts that's better than +24 structure for "rainbow" build can be found here:
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=22400