Typically you’re able to install up to 3 tech modules; exceeding that limit will result in a “tech overload” which renders all mods inoperable until you uninstall the excess mods.

Simple enough, right?

But for some reason, NMS has truly confusing naming conventions for some of these modules, and has resulted in some really odd inconsistencies regarding this limit.

For example, I have 4 Launch Thruster Upgrades installed and they run without issue. This violates the 3-limit rule, but as far as I’m able to tell, this is thanks to how some of the mods are named.

2 of the mods are labeled as “Starship LAUNCH THRUSTER Upgrades”, and the other 2 are “Starship LAUNCH SYSTEM Upgrades”. One of the latter 2 is the Auto-Charger which allows passive charging of your thrusters, which is different from the usual Launch Cost/Boost improvements, so I’d be willing to let that slide since it’s almost like a totally separate thing. But the other “Launch System” mod affects Launch Cost, same as the other “Launch Thruster” mods. It does the same thing as the others, and yet it’s given a different name. What gives?

Another example is my Pulse Engine. 4 mods, and yet all are working fine with no overload. 2 are labeled as “Pulse Engine UPGRADE and the others are “Pulse Engine AUGMENTATIONS” What on earth is the difference between an Upgrade and an Augmentation, and how does this impact the module limit?

These naming conventions are just bizarre. Or maybe there’s something I’m not understanding, which is probably the case. Any help would be most appreciated.

Cheers!