Good construction makes routes, machine inputs and safe spaces easy to recognize. Start with circulation and occupied space; add walls and details once the infrastructure is working.
Choose your stage and material
| Stage | What it adds to your project |
|---|---|
| D1 | Limestone Walls, Refined Wood Walls and Refined Wood Doors |
| R2 | Copper and iron stairs, ramps, platforms, structures and blocks; statues |
| L1 | Wood and limestone stairs, ramps, platforms and structures, plus Roads |
| R3 | Copper Framed Window and Coal Lantern |
L1 follows R2. Building materials and logistics share this progression; a visible recipe can still require its associated workbench or technology.
Build outward from your routes
- Identify the route from the Steam Core to the colony boundary. Preserve it through every perimeter change.
- Place machines before closing the roof. Check the preview footprint and reserve additional space in front of ports and panels.
- Connect height changes with correctly oriented ramps or stairs. Test each robot’s complete journey between work, storage and refueling.
- Select a piece on the hotbar, press Q to rotate, and check the preview before placement. Large machine footprints rotate with their orientation.
- Add walls, windows and lighting without occupying maintenance access. Platforms and structures can separate walkways from fluid networks.
Doors follow different rules
The Refined Wood Door needs a 1 × 2 × 1-block opening, in width × height × depth. Right-click to open or close it. When open, players can pass through; robots and monsters still treat it as a barrier. Monsters can destroy it. Keep essential worker routes clear of these doors.
The Metal Gate occupies 2 × 3 × 1. Consult its entry for operating modes and preserve space on both sides.
Add character while keeping information visible
You might use wood for walkways, copper for industry and limestone for the perimeter. This is a visual organization suggestion, with no implied production bonus.
The Coal Lantern needs firm support. It lights the area for three days on the colony clock; afterward, hold Coal and right-click to relight it. Leave access for that maintenance.
Source notes
Assets/SteamPunkColony/Scripts/Gameplay/TechTree.cs:457— active materials and unlocks.Assets/SteamPunkColony/Scripts/Gameplay/AdvancedStructureUtility.cs:54— door and gate footprints.Assets/SteamPunkColony/Scripts/Gameplay/BlockHelpCatalog.cs:239— lantern lifetime and refueling;:277— door behavior.Assets/SteamPunkColony/Scripts/Gameplay/SteamInputBindings.cs:57— default rotation binding.