Getting Started
The first hours: pick a start, finish onboarding, automate the iron chain, get the MAM going, and build toward Smart Plating for Phase 1.
At a glance
| The goal | Finish Tier 0, build the Space Elevator, and deliver 50 Smart Plating for Phase 1. |
| The habit | Automate everything once unlocked. Build on foundations. Keep power ahead of demand. |
| The mindset | This is engineering, not survival. No hunger, no thirst, no day-night upkeep. |
| First gate | Tier 3 only opens after the Space Elevator is built and Phase 1 is delivered. |
Pick a start
Choose your area at world creation. Two are friendly to first-time pioneers.
| Start area | Best for | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Rocky Desert | First-timers | Balanced resources, very close to the sea for easy water, fairly flat. |
| Grass Fields | First-timers | Open and flat, but often impure nodes, so transport lines may need to be larger. |
| Northern Forest | Experienced | Rich resources and excellent diversity, but hilly. |
| Dune Desert | Advanced | Very high resource volume but scarce water and foliage, so early power is harder. |
Do this in order
- Complete Tier 0 onboarding. The six HUB upgrades come in sequence and hand you the Smelter, Constructor, Conveyor Belt, Miner Mk.1, Storage Container, Biomass Burner, and the Space Elevator.
- Build on foundations from the start so machines and belts snap to a grid.
- Set up the starter iron chain: ingots to plates and rods, rods to screws, plates plus screws to Reinforced Iron Plates.
- Add Rotors and assemble Smart Plating. Deliver 50 to the Space Elevator for Phase 1.
- In Tier 1, build the MAM and start Field Research. Research Radio Signal Scanning so the Object Scanner finds Crash Sites.
- With Tiers 3 and 4 open, add Coal Power and a steel line, then keep climbing.
Power early
| Generator | Stage | Fuel |
|---|---|---|
| Biomass Burner | Tier 0 | Biomass, leaves, wood, organic fuel. Scales to demand. 30 MW at full clock. |
| Coal Generator | Tier 3 | Coal, runs continuously, 75 MW each, 45 m3 water per minute. |
The Biomass Burner needs feeding by hand until you reach Coal Power. The whole grid trips if demand exceeds supply, so keep headroom.
Watch out for
- Hand-crafting parts you could automate. The game rewards letting machines do the work.
- Building cramped. Leave room to expand or you will rebuild later.
- Ignoring the power buffer until the grid trips. Build Power Storage as a cushion.
- Stockpiling Space Elevator parts. Steady supply lines beat one-time piles.
- Forgetting the new 1.2 single-player pause menu, which stops creatures ambushing you while you step away.
Related: Tiers and Space Elevator Phases for the full spine, Factory Ratios for the starter chain numbers, and Power for the grid in detail.