How do you keep momentum in the game

[sirloxley]

In my recent playthroughs (all achievement runs to be more specific) I get the impression that everything goes very fast like the first 60 cycles. By cycle 40 I usually have a SPOM and 3-4 ranches with 10+ critters (and around 10 dupes) and cycle 60 I usually have an (unsustainable) metal refinery for my first batches of steel ... And then not a lot happens the next 100 cycles.

So how do you keep the momentum or a sense of achievement? What are your 'steps' of advancement?

 

Note that I normallly play on flipped asteroid in Spaced Out! And I realize that super sustainable is the major limiting factor ... as it disallows coal generators and alike and takes me a lot time to achieve ... also I have difficulty placing things like a steam box because my experience tell me that these are kind of difficult to move. So I end up digging out a lot of space and vaccuuming it out to place things inside where I want to decent temperature control, but not a lot besides that.

 

Just for reference ... here's a typical base of mine after 40 cycles - it's super challenging in the beginning because algae is short and carnivore/locavore means dupes on mush fries until around cycle 60, which marks the moment the base has become stable. So once that's solved it kind of gets into grind mode - and I seem to be lacking a goal, hence the question.

At cycle 150 it looks like that - main challenge currently is that lava on top which I want to solidify (without losing mass), hence that vacuum where I am preparing. And I am still 80kJ away from super sustainable

 

[degr]

self-sustainable allow to use steam turbines

Here is pictures of base 50 cycle and 111 (normal game, volcano asteroid):

Spoiler

 

 

Unfortunately I have no idea, when I build steam turbines, but it was definitely before 150 cycle (on screenshot from 111 cycle I have 4 turbines, on screenshot at 50 I have no, most probaby it was around 60). So, if you are going to supersustainable, build turbines as fast as you can.

[Zarquan]

On 7/16/2022 at 6:37 AM, degr said:

self-sustainable allow to use steam turbines

True, but steam turbines require plastic, which you might not have access to.  If you have access to plastic, it is certainly a good option.

I think the best way to get supersustainable is to use SPOMs to power the base.  Get off of algae as soon as possible and run solely on electrolyzers, running hydrogen to your various circuits.

My goal in the game is usually centered around sustainability and getting more dupes.  I try to build bigger and better colonies.  I take on projects that produce more resources so that I can have more and more dupes. 

[Fradow]

On 7/16/2022 at 10:44 AM, sirloxley said:

In my recent playthroughs (all achievement runs to be more specific) I get the impression that everything goes very fast like the first 60 cycles. By cycle 40 I usually have a SPOM and 3-4 ranches with 10+ critters (and around 10 dupes) and cycle 60 I usually have an (unsustainable) metal refinery for my first batches of steel ... And then not a lot happens the next 100 cycles.

"Not a lot happens" is a bit vague.

• Do you not know what to do next? If so, you need to plan ahead
• Are your Dupes too slow to get things done? You might not have enough Dupes, in which case you can get more, which will also provide a challenge to keep them fed, oxygenated and happy. Or your Dupes might be doing useless things, which means you should eliminate/automate some errands. Or your Dupes might be doing things inefficiently, in which case you should watch what they do and improve priorities / schedules.

On 7/16/2022 at 10:44 AM, sirloxley said:

So how do you keep the momentum or a sense of achievement? What are your 'steps' of advancement?

Having some clear goals of what you want to do help a lot. Since it's a sandbox game, you have to set your own goals. A few pointers:

• the pod imperatives are a good starting place, and what looks most like quests
• on Spaced Out, trying to have an autonomous livable colony on every asteroid is a nice challenge
• completing all achievements will keep you busy for a while too
• trying to automate everything possible so your Dupes don't have anything to do

 

[YOLO KNIGHT]

If you want to keep momentum, ignore Super Sustainable. It is an awful grind to achieve. I've done it once and it was NOT worth it. Not even vaguely.

 

Also if you're playing SO! and not doing space you may as well switch to the base game. SO! is kind of dull on just one rock.

[SirPhoboseus]

My current strategy is digging the entire asteroid so that pips can plant everywhere and work with minimal dupes.

I have 6 dupes and a lot of wild mealwood as well as 'no sweat' because there's minimal oxygen as the main producer is polluted water and oxyferns =)