Machines, modules and stability¶
Refiners process item recipes; resource extractors provide a separate machine progression. The Reality Extractor is another device entirely: it collects dimensional core samples and has its own guide.
Three module types¶
Machines with module support have three shared upgrade slots. Each slot takes one module. Identical modules can occupy different slots and their power adds together, up to the normal coverage cap. The items remain non-stackable; you can also mix module types and tiers.
| Family | Effect at full coverage |
|---|---|
| Stability | 75% less stability loss |
| Speed | Up to 4× work rate |
| Energy | 75% less FE/t |
Coverage is the total power of that family divided by the machine's tier demand, capped at 100%. Tier power and demand are Basic 1, Void 2, Stellar 2, Darklight 4, Nova 8, Zenith 16, Chaotic 32. For example, a Basic Energy Module on a Darklight machine supplies 25% coverage, reducing its base energy cost by 18.75%.
The slots are shared: filling all three with speed upgrades leaves no slot for energy or stability. Choose a balance your power and maintenance systems can sustain.
Maintain stability¶
The Flux Crystal maintenance slot is separate from upgrade slots. Recovery from one crystal becomes smaller at higher tiers:
| Machine tier | Recovery per Flux Crystal | Passive recovery, empty to full |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | 25 percentage points | 5 minutes |
| Void | 15 | 10 minutes |
| Stellar | 10 | 20 minutes |
| Darklight | 5 | 35 minutes |
| Nova | 2 | 60 minutes |
| Zenith | 1 | 90 minutes |
| Chaotic | 0.5 | 120 minutes |
Passive timings assume loaded machines and normal 20 TPS. Pausing supported machines does not stop their passive recovery.
Stability at zero
If stability reaches zero, the machine explodes.
Next: configure a Stability rule and improve calibration to reduce operating penalties.