Early factory · v0.4.12 field test
A good first factory is observable and recoverable. This guide combines official Wiki mechanics with a user-authorized v0.4.12 vanilla test: Water and Sand become Wet Sand, the Shaker separates Gold, and a dedicated Residue exit keeps the line moving.
Quick answer
In my v0.4.12 Vanilla save, I rushed Hover Gear first, built the Gold loop, confirmed the 1 Sand + 1 Water to 2 Wet Sand result, then reserved the 500 Gold Kinetic Press target. When Wet Sand mounds or Residue backs up, I stop adding input and clear the downstream route before expanding.
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🚫 100% Text & Diagram Based: This roadmap does not spoil late-game alien artifacts or end-game lore. Follow this proven 3-hour progression sequence without watching long videos.
Early Tech Unlock Priority Order: ① Hover Gear (Crucial 3D mobility above reactive terrain) ➔ ② Drill & Mining Speed (Cuts early terrain excavation time in half) ➔ ③ Logistics Filters (Prevents catastrophic solid/fluid cross-contamination) ➔ ④ Kinetic Press & Burners (Converts 25% waste into high-tier Gold & Seeds).
| Tech / Upgrade | Recommended Rank | Immediate In-Game Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Hover Gear | Priority #1 (Must Rush) | Allows vertical inspection & prevents terrain death |
| Excavator Drill Speed | Priority #2 | Doubles base excavation rate and manual clearing |
| Logistics & Smart Filter | Priority #3 | Separates Gold pixels from slow-moving Residue |
| Kinetic Press (500 Gold) | Priority #4 | Unlocks 25-block gravity compression for Burnt Slag |
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The first factory becomes useful when its route is complete: Sand and Water become Wet Sand, the Shaker separates it, Gold has a catch path, and Residue has somewhere to leave. Build that entire route before adding a second input.
The tutorial milestone and the running factory below are personal captures. They establish what was working in this save, not a universal starter footprint.
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In my v0.4.12 Vanilla test, 1 Sand touching 1 Water produced 2 Wet Sand. I use that as a quick input check: when the mixer looks wrong, I fix the contact point before blaming the Shaker.
User-authorized in-game test · vanilla Early Access build · user save
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The Kinetic Press research panel in this save showed a 500 Gold target. That makes early collection useful, but it is not a reason to starve the Gold loop of clearance space. Keep the line moving first, then reserve the output.
User-authorized in-game test · vanilla Early Access build · user save
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A mound at the Shaker is a downstream symptom. Pause or divert fresh Wet Sand, then inspect the Residue route, Gold catch, and any blocked outlet. Adding more input while the exit is blocked only makes the recovery larger.
The failure and recovery captures show the exact contrast from this save: Residue accumulated at the tail, then the line resumed after a dedicated exit was added.
The useful correction is to clear the exit before increasing feed.
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Once the line can accept input, separate material, and shed its waste without intervention, add capacity one bottleneck at a time. Leave a service gap around the first loop so the next jam can be inspected without rebuilding the whole factory.
Questions answered
Start with a visible Water and Sand mixing area, a Shaker line, a Gold Collector, and a separate Residue exit. This creates a testable early Gold loop before you add more machines.
Check the downstream Residue route first. The official Shaker byproduct moves slowly, and the field test shows an outlet-less pile backing up into the separation bed until intake stops.
The official Shaker page recommends a downward diagonal. The field recording shows that arrangement spreading material more evenly than its flat comparison, but it does not prove one universal angle or speed.
Keep Pipes and solid lines visible, reserve a service corridor, and avoid placing the Residue exit where it can feed back into the Shaker. The exact spacing shown here is a community-tested choice.
Evidence notes
These are useful player examples, not official specifications.
