OGame Building Guide 2026

The Building Principle in OGame

OGame is a game of long-term decisions. What you build today shapes your empire for weeks. The crucial difference between a strong and weak player isn't down to luck — but the right prioritisation. This guide takes you through the building phases: from the first minutes to a well-functioning multi-planet empire.

The basic principle: resources come before everything. As long as your mines are weak, you invest more potential in buildings than in ships. A single mine level more brings you more resources over weeks than half a dozen ships built early.

Early Phase: Building the Economy (Level 1–15 Mines)

In the first hours and days: mines first. Build Metal Mine, Crystal Mine and Deuterium Synthesizer alternately. The Solar Plant always follows to keep your energy positive — negative energy proportionally reduces the production of all mines.

Recommended Order for the Start

1. Metal Mine to level 5, Solar Plant to keep up
2. Crystal Mine to level 4
3. Deuterium Synthesizer to level 3
4. Robotics Factory to level 2 (faster build times)
5. Research Lab to level 1, then research Espionage Technology
6. Shipyard to level 1, build first Espionage Probe
7. Continue building mines to ~level 12–15 (Metal), 10–12 (Crystal), 8–10 (Deuterium)

Resist the impulse to build many ships early. A player with Metal Mine level 15 produces more than twice as many resources as a player with level 10 — every day, without further action.

Mid-Phase: Research and First Fleet

Once your mines are producing solidly, the research phase begins. The Research Lab should be brought to level 6–8 to research important technologies. The order of research depends on your chosen class — as a Collector (Miner) you prioritise Plasma Technology and Energy Technology, as a General you focus early on drive and weapon technology.

Generally Important Research

• Computer Technology: Each level gives another fleet slot — research early
• Espionage Technology: Without espionage you're blind
• Astrophysics: Enables further colonies (from level 3 second colony)
• Energy Technology: Prerequisite for Fusion Reactor and many other techs
• Hyperspace Technology: Prerequisite for stronger ships

Parallel to research you build your first small fleet: Small Cargo and Espionage Probes for everyday use, then depending on playstyle first combat ships or more transporters.

Infrastructure: Robotics Factory and Nanite Factory

The Robotics Factory reduces build time for buildings and ships. Each level makes another robot available. It's one of the most important early investments — without it, higher mine levels take days instead of hours.

The Nanite Factory is the most powerful build time acceleration in the game. Prerequisite is Robotics Factory level 10. Each nanite level halves the build time of all buildings and ships on this planet. A Nanite Factory at level 3 or 4 is a long-term investment goal for every serious player.

Building Priorities at a Glance

Multi-Planet Strategy: Building Colonies Properly

From Astrophysics level 3 you can establish a second colony. Each additional colony theoretically doubles your production capacity — but only if you develop it too. A half-hearted planet is a wasted resource.

The ideal strategy: First concentrate on your home planet. When its mines are at a solid level (~level 20 Metal Mine), establish the first colony and build it up using the same scheme. Choose planet position 4–6 for maximum field count — more fields mean more buildings, thus more production.

Experienced players distribute their planets strategically across multiple galaxies: This gives them shorter flight paths to different play areas and makes them harder to attack simultaneously.

Fusion Reactor: The Energy Turbo

At a certain point the Solar Plant is no longer sufficient — the energy demand of high mine levels exceeds what solar power can sensibly deliver. The Fusion Reactor is the solution: it consumes Deuterium but produces enormous amounts of energy and scales well at higher levels.

Prerequisite: Deuterium Synthesizer level 5 and Energy Technology level 3. Plan the Fusion Reactor as a medium-term goal once your Deuterium Synthesizer is running well — it will make your planet energy self-sufficient in the long term.