Cards
Communications Tree
Networking, economy boosting, diplomacy, and adversary immunity cards.
Communications Tree Overview
The Communications tree focuses on economy, reputation, and diplomacy. It offers the fastest factory process (Signal Generation at 18h), unique defensive options like adversary immunity, and HDD-saving utility cards.
Constructs
Large Language Model
The foundation construct. Required for Signal Generation.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| HDD Cost | 272 |
| Tags | permanent, software |
| Enables | Signal Generation factory |
Notably cheap compared to other tree constructs (Data Lake costs 1,275 HDD). This makes Communications the fastest tree to get started.
Agentic Comms Network
Level 2+ construct for advanced processes like Conversation Routing and Protocol Broadcasting.
Global Interface
Higher-tier construct for Interface Unification.
Factory Processes
Signal Generation (Level 1)
The fastest factory in the game at 18 hours per cycle.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Duration | 18h |
| Auto-Run | Yes |
| HDD Cost | 119 |
| RAM Cost | 74 |
| Money Cost | 220 |
| Requires | Large Language Model (permanents) |
| Output | Random communications card |
Additional factories: Conversation Routing, Protocol Broadcasting, Agent Instantiation, Frontier Model Training, Interface Unification.
Shards
| Shard | Used By |
|---|---|
| Basic Communications Shard | Favor From Above, Shard Marketing |
| Core Communications Shard | Cloud Storage, Favor From Above (x2) |
| Advanced Communications Shard | Shard Marketing, Academic Server Access (x2) |
Key Spells
Open Source Contribution (Level 1)
Produces a Reputation card — needed for diplomatic spells.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Duration | 5h |
| HDD Cost | 50 |
| RAM Cost | 2 |
| Requires | 1 Basic Communications Shard |
| Rewards | 1 Reputation card |
Cloud Storage (Permanent)
Unique utility — actually frees 600 HDD when mounted (negative HDD cost).
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| HDD Cost | -600 (frees space) |
| RAM Cost | 2 |
| Money Cost | 1,500 |
| Link Slots | 1 |
| Requires | 1 Core Communications Shard |
Favor From Above (Level 2)
The most powerful defensive card in the game. Adds your game to an adversary’s whitelist — that adversary will not target you while the whitelist is active. Note: the whitelist is cleared when the adversary is killed or goes to sleep, so you’ll need to re-cast after each cycle.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Duration | 8h |
| HDD Cost | 68 |
| RAM Cost | 3 |
| Money Cost | 1,800 |
| Requires | Adversary contact + 1 Reputation + 2 Core + 1 Basic Communications Shard |
| Effect | Adversary immunity (until adversary kill/sleep resets whitelist) |
Postage Accumulation (Level 1, Auto-Run)
A strong stamp income card — 35 stamps per 36-hour cycle with auto-run.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Duration | 36h |
| Auto-Run | Yes |
| HDD Cost | 30 |
| RAM Cost | 1 |
| Money Cost | 100 |
| Rewards | 35 Stamps |
Significantly better than Bid Stamps (7 stamps/24h). One of the best stamp production cards in the game.
Corporate Gig (Level 1, Auto-Run)
Strong auto-run money generator — 700 money per 48-hour cycle.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Duration | 48h |
| Auto-Run | Yes |
| HDD Cost | 40 |
| RAM Cost | 24 |
| Rewards | 700 Money |
Same money output as Decent Investment but auto-runs and doesn’t consume itself.
Academic Server Access (Level 3, Permanent)
A permanent that frees 96 RAM when mounted — gives you more execution capacity.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| HDD Cost | 40 |
| RAM Effect | -96 (frees RAM) |
| Money Cost | 5,000 |
| Link Slots | 1 |
| Requires | 1 Reputation + 2 Advanced + 1 Core Communications Shard |
Presidential Immunity (Level 3, Permanent)
High-tier permanent. Placeholder for future immunity mechanics.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| HDD Cost | 425 |
| RAM Cost | 48 |
| Money Cost | 10,000 |
| Requires | 2 Reputation + 3 Advanced Communications Shards |
Utility Cards
Public Listings
Produces a Basic Communications Shard.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Duration | 40h |
| HDD Cost | 9 |
| RAM Cost | 4 |
| Rewards | 1 Basic Communications Shard |
Search Job Board (Auto-Run)
Auto-run card that produces random communications cards without needing a construct.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Duration | 36h |
| Auto-Run | Yes |
| HDD Cost | 8 |
| RAM Cost | 4 |
| Output | Random communications card |
Strategy Notes
- Fastest ramp-up — LLM costs only 272 HDD, and Signal Generation runs every 18h (vs 48h for Data)
- Favor From Above is game-changing — plan to whitelist the most dangerous adversaries first
- Cloud Storage is free HDD — mount it to effectively gain 600 HDD capacity
- Reputation is gated — you need Open Source Contribution + shards to get it, plan ahead
- Good second tree — even if you start Data or Security, Communications is a strong complementary investment