Your first objective is to keep the Steam Core alive and turn nearby resources into a working colony. Before expanding the perimeter, get a small, accessible steam chain running.
Prepare the ground
- Locate nearby water, trees and deposits. Clear space for industry and a return path; avoid squeezing everything onto a steep slope.
- Place the Core with clear access. Its base occupies 3 × 3 blocks, with steam connections on its outer faces. Keep a route open between the Core and the territory boundary.
- Right-click the Core to open its panel. Gathered resources enter your backpack: use Inventory → STORE to move them into central reserves. Check crafting and technologies before spending resources on decoration.
- Use the available robots and task menu to organize gathering. Assign workers to areas they can reach and watch their energy supply.
Get steam flowing
The first technologies complement each other: E1 unlocks steam infrastructure; R1 unlocks the Workshop and worker manufacturing.
Build the Water Pump beside water. Connect its liquid output to a liquid input on the Boiler using Pipes. Position the Furnace so its heat output meets the Boiler’s heat input, then supply fuel.
The Water Pump accepts Leaves to start before steam is available: open its panel and use Insert leaves. Each 3-second cycle consumes 3 Leaves or 1 Steam and produces 2 Water. Once the Boiler is working, connect its gas output to the Pump’s steam input and to the Core. Check each port’s type and height; machines looking close together does not guarantee a connection.
Before darkness
- Research D1 after E1 and R1. It unlocks walls and new Defense Robots at the Workshop.
- Prepare a defensible corridor with room to move, repair and refuel. The Steam Turret belongs to D2, beyond the initial D1 defense stage.
- Recall exposed workers with panic mode and monitor any that remain out of power or unable to return. The command does not teleport them.
- Use the character’s headlamp and watch approaching threats. At dawn, restore fuel, routes and assignments before expanding.
When progress stalls
Pump idle: check water intake, Leaves or steam, and a destination for liquid. Boiler idle: inspect water and the heat connection. L1 locked: it requires R2; you need that stage before building basic logistics.
Continue with ports and fluids and work areas and panic.
Source notes
Assets/SteamPunkColony/Scripts/Gameplay/TechTree.cs:434— active E1, R1, D1, R2 and L1 progression.Assets/SteamPunkColony/Scripts/Gameplay/AdvancedStructureUtility.cs:46— Core and early machine dimensions.Assets/SteamPunkColony/Scripts/Gameplay/EconomyRules.cs:60— Pump cycle, inputs and output.Assets/SteamPunkColony/Scripts/Gameplay/MachinePortRuntime.cs:180— typed connections.Assets/SteamPunkColony/Scripts/Gameplay/BlockHelpCatalog.cs:183— Core access and required route.Assets/SteamPunkColony/Scripts/UI/GameLocalization.cs:1026— transfer to Core;:1112— inserting Leaves.