Notes on construction

Any building constructed on a planet is made from a complex molecular alloy of silicon and iron. These are the main elements needed for construction. Some complex structures, such as defensive installations, contain very rare materials. Most buildings need energy, but they only consume energy after construction. The amount of energy depends on the number and level of Power stations on the planet. Each structure performs only its function, but many rooms use empty space for material storage.

If there are no buildings on a planet, you can unload 500 units onto it. Unlike orbit, you cannot use material from ship cargo holds on the surface.

When a structure is demolished, half the resources spent on construction and upgrades return to the warehouse. Only one building can be placed at each surface point, which limits settlers on small planets.

Development stages
First you must mine Iron and Silicon; these components allow steady development of the entire planet. The next necessary material is Copper. Always watch remaining energy; buildings begin consuming energy when construction finishes. Any process started on a planet will not stop if energy runs out, but you cannot start a new process.

Any civilian building lacks reinforced structures and can be easily destroyed in a planet attack. Use a planetary shield to protect the planet. This device surrounds the entire planet with an impenetrable barrier. During a planet attack this is the only means of planetary protection.

To repel enemy attacks you should also build active defensive structures such as Laser protection, Plasma protection, and Quantum generator. Any building improves its characteristics with level upgrades. Some characteristics are similar when duplicated; for example two level-5 Quarries mine as much material as one level-10 Quarry, but two Quarries take half the time, while one level-10 Quarry costs more to develop.

Any first-level upgrade requires 1/4 of the resources needed for construction. The second level costs 1/2, the third 3/4, the fourth requires exactly as many resources as a new building. However, remember that some characteristics can only be obtained by upgrading buildings; for example a level-10 Nanodispenser processes ore at 99% efficiency, meaning material mass is practically not lost during processing. 99% is the maximum possible efficiency.