Blueprint

A blueprint is a set of instructions on how to manufacture an item.

Overview

Blueprints can be bought from the market or through contracts, also they could be found as reward e.g. as loot from a faction pirate ship or reward of a complex or a storyline mission like the COSMOS missions. Their prices range from almost nothing to billions of ISK.

There are two different versions of blueprints, originals and copies of originals.

Original Blueprints

Original Blueprints, commonly shortened as BPO, can be researched to improve their attributes. These include efficiency at production time, cost, and speed of production. They can be reused an unlimited number of times for production and always maintain any researched improvements. One of their more common uses is the production of blueprint copies BPC.

Original blueprints for most tech 1 items are sold by NPC's at a fixed price.

Tech 2 Blueprints are only available through other players already in possession of one. tech 2 original blueprints were originally distributed through a lottery system which is no longer in effect. No additional T2 original blueprints are planned for distribution.

Blueprint Copies

These are commonly shortened as BPC. Blueprint copies are mirrors of the original they have been created with, the only exception is that they are limited in thier number of uses. After the specified number of runs (uses) reachs zero the copy is gone.

Through the invention process, a tech 1 BPC is "researched" to create a tech 2 BPC.

BPC's could be traded only through contracts, where usually a great supply of cheap copies from very expensive or well researched blueprints could be found.

BPCs of various faction items do exist and can often be purchased from the LP-Store or very rarely found on rats; the associated BPOs do not exist in-game.

Attributes

Another distinguishing mark between a BPO and a BPC is that a BPO's can be researched to increase their attributes.

Material level

Reflects how effectively the blueprint itself instructs to use materials. The higher the number, the fewer resources are needed; it can be improved through performing material research.

Wastage factor

How many extra materials are required as a result of the material level. Note that other factors, such as the players level of production efficiency, also affect the wastage but their effects are not taken in to account at this point, they could be seen in the bill of materials tab.

Productivity level

This determines how fast an item can be manufactured. This can be improved by time efficiency research.

Licensed production runs remaining

Shows how many times a blueprint could be used before it's gone. BPOs have an infinite number of runs, while BPCs have a number for how many runs they have left.

Production limit

The maximum number of runs that can be held by a single BPC if created from this BPO and also the maximum number of runs which could be put into a single production queue.

Researching

Below these attributes is a list on how much time is needed when doing research or manufacturing jobs with that blueprint.

Bill of materials

Here you find a complete list of all needed minerals, components and skills to produce the specified item or install a research job. In this list your skills are included.