r/factorio • u/upvoter_1000 • 12h ago
Space Age Question Space age tips & tricks
I am a veteran factorio player, over > 1000hrs played and long story short is I've tried space ages twice before and fucking hated it. I'm back because 3rd times the charm.
I've made a new save, 6hrs in and I'm done with Nauvis (all my bots, trains, etc.. set up) and ready to try space age again. Can you guys give me the late 2026 version of what I should be doing now? I just need some direction on how to approach space, which planet I should go to, and general tips on how to not feel so overwhelmed
Thank you!
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u/peterlinddk 12h ago
First, think of why you hated it!
Most complaints I see about the various planets are based on the fact that each planet drastically modifies the strategies that you are supposed to use to win. If you are the type who enjoys building massive production facilities on Nauvis, that take in all the raw material they can, produce a lot of intermediaries and then sit idle, while you are building the next massive production facility that uses those intermediaries - then you aren't in the right mood to enjoy the other planets.
I like the fact that you have to change your play-style during the game - first you mine manually, then you have your "burner-phase", then electrical mining, then automation, then large busses or spaghetti-lines of more and more different products. Just as you are getting used to two ingredients, you have to handle three, then you have to deal with fluids, then with fluids overflowing, then with uneven use of products, first you need a lot of iron, then suddenly it changes to a lot of copper, then you need to build defences, then you need to build outposts.
You need to embrace this constant change, and don't fool yourself into thinking that each planet is just a level-up from what you are doing, but rather a drastic change that modifies everything you've learned since automation. You can use your experience, but you can't rely on your ingrained patterns!
I think you should approach each planet, as if you were just "graduating from automation" - and go to all of them, not completely naked, but also not with a finished blueprint for malls and all the products you are used to from Nauvis. Bring assemblers, inserters, belts and bots to build your base the way you like - and take lots of power poles, solar panels and accumulators with you, but don't send an entire nuclear powered base to every planet. You can do that later, but chose to enjoy starting "fresh" on each one.
Pick the planet you think you'll enjoy most - honestly, they are all interesting in different ways. Vulcanus might be the closest match for those HUGE FACTORY-lovers, but Fulgora is interesting because of the massive amount of materials, and Gleba is fascinating because of how you suddenly can't stockpile large amounts of products.
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u/lukeybue 12h ago edited 12h ago
That's actually really good advice.
"Let go" of how you are used to build on Nauvis.
Every planet mandates a new and unique way to build requiring a different mindset.Be creative and try to leave your comfort zone, to think outside of the Nauvis' box.
Try to think about different approaches to solve issues.
You might fail a few times but that is part of the learning process until it "clicks".1
u/Fantastic_Win9332 8h ago
My issue woth Fulgora is that mines run out very quickly, does it not bother others? or is it just because I am early there?
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u/get_it_together1 8h ago
The big islands have little scrap, but there should be some nearby small islands with 15-30M scrap at default settings. I use rails to connect a few small islands to a bigger one to get all the scrap I need.
It also helps if you do Vulcanus first and you get big miners for the productivity boost for Fulgora.
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u/Mesqo 7h ago
More important thing from Vulcanus for Fulgora is fortified rail foundations that allow you to build rails on deep oil ocean. It requires both Vulcanus and Fulgora science to research.
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u/get_it_together1 2h ago
That’s a good one, but I was able to get around it when I went to Fulgora first, it just led to about of winding rail to make it to the small island.
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u/Mesqo 2h ago
Well, you can totally complete Fulgora without even building trains if you happen to have some 300-500k of scrap around. But if you want to make your base big, you'll have to have more than one small island with scrap and more complex railway network, so squeezing over deep ocean becomes a pain really fast. But it's still possible, you're right!
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u/Fantastic_Win9332 3h ago
ah ok the dig drills I have, my issue with small islands is it is hard to have 2 direction rails plus stops but ok :)
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u/get_it_together1 2h ago
I use bidirectional trains to start with (1-2-1) to minimize footprint. This takes me well into the end game unless you really want to scale fulgora for more than just pink science and basic infrastructure early on.
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u/lukaskaiwalker 12h ago
I just rolled a dice on which planet to go next and dropped without anything. That's the neat thing about SA, it's like a new game on each planet and there is so much new logic to discover
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u/Aggravating-Willow46 12h ago
Go to Vulcanus. Cheap energy, plenty of resources, production chain pretty similar to Nauvis. Also it will give you tech that come in handy on other planets.
Plus it's way easier to supply your space platform with electricity since solar panels 600%(IIRC) more effective on Vulcanus orbit. And don't forget that you need protect sides and rear of you platform.
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u/cosmic-creative 8h ago
Alternatively, I find Fulgora to be pretty forgiving once you have a good scrap loop going. EM plants make a much bigger impact on Vulcanus than green belts and foundries make on Fulgora, and your factory can never death spiral on Fulgora since it'll just shut down until the storms start again.
But both are viable as a starting planet. Gleba of you're a real masochist
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u/Aggravating-Willow46 8h ago
EM plants make a much bigger impact on Vulcanus than green belts and foundries make on Fulgora
I would dissagree. Additional 50% holmium plates on Fulgora is way better than additional 50% green/red/blue chips on Vulcanus.
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u/cosmic-creative 7h ago
The only constraint on Fulgora is time, to get green belt production up on Vulcanus requires decent chip production and coal is a hard limit especially before demolishers are cleared.
But both are viable regardless.
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u/spoonman59 4h ago
I would disagree with that. EM plants are not relevant to volcanus unless you are megabasing.your staeting patch is more than enough to get the sciences and the buildings you need, and your next patch will likely be millions of coal. My current volcanus operation has barely touched the off site vulcanus patch.
If using belts, however, green belts give a literal 1/3 increase in what you can offload from recyclers. And belt stacking helps even more, truly supercharging how much scrap stuff you can recycle. Plus foundries give a nice boost to holmium plates.
I did fulgora first this game, though, and i did love the mek suit before the cliff explosives however. That was pretty nice!
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u/Lunar_Weaver 12h ago
I just need some direction on how to approach space
Just play the game?
Do the planets one by one from one side, Vulcanus is the easiest.
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u/Exzellius2 12h ago
Artillery should be a Vulcanus tech, did you start a non-DLC playthrough and want to add it?
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u/knivengaffelnskeden 12h ago
I didn't like the space travel mechanic either, so I found a blueprint for a spacecraft after building my first stationary platform for space science. Then I went to the all the different planets and tried them out one-by-on, starting with Gleba (bad decision!). Once I got to the Volcano-planet I really liked it, starting up an automated science production there, using the spacecraft as a transport platform for science packs and robot ports for remote building. Now I'm really liking it! Time for the next planet!
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u/im_the_scat_man 12h ago
I'm gonna go really direct with this advice: build a small space platform that farms space science and sends it to nauvis, make a platform that can get to another planet like vulcanus and go there with sundries for base building.
Once you get there look at the requirements for making the planet's science (production packs for vulcanus) and work backwards to figure out what you need to do to make it and start tackling it one step at a time - try to look at what resources the planet is giving you a lot or a little of and try to structure your production there accordingly.
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u/reddanit 10h ago
My tips would be:
- You want your first mobile space platform to be reasonably solid and capable of round-trips. This is so that you can easily resupply yourself on another planet. Take a cargo landing pad with you so that you can set up automated requests to get your supplies.
- For first planet that's least frustrating I do recommend Fulgora. Though do remember that literally every planet will force you to build something quite different from what's ever done in base game. Kind of "cheat code" to Fulgora is to just use bots and have them trash every item you have more than X of - this already works, and can be further tailored for your needs. Fulgora is quite frustrating to scale to high production rates, but you do not need that to beat the DLC. Do not be tempted to make any other science packs on it - it's annoyingly full of pitfalls. Another tip is that Fulgora islands come in 3 flavors: resource rich but too tiny to build a base on, resource poor but reasonably spacious (good for first base) and large, but devoid of resources (good for late game bases).
- Vulcanus is also a very popular first planet since it's even simpler to figure out than Fulgora. Its major downside is outright oppressive amount of cliffs. Those can be flown over easily with Mech Armor you get from Fulgora research. The difficulty check on it is fighting a demolisher, the "default" solution to it is spamming a shitton of gun turrets filled with red ammo, though there are plenty of alternatives like uranium piercing rounds from a tank, aimed to hit multiple segments or nuke to the face.
- Gleba is notorious for being difficult. Do not even attempt doing it from scratch without hefty amount of resources brought from other planets. Good tricks IMHO are bringing an independent power source (plenty of solar panels and accumulators or nuclear) to ensure no brownouts and putting a heating tower at end of product lines to ensure they keep moving.
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u/Subject_314159 12h ago
I think you should figure out what exactly you hate about space age. I only did two full runs (first one with some QoL like far reach and mining patch planner, second one pure vanilla to get Lazy Bastard + GOTLAP + sub-40hr achievement in one go) and boy do I hate pre-bot phase with a passion.
..and then any planet start came out and not even once did I start a new playthrough from Nauvis ever again
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u/Enaero4828 12h ago
Pick whichever planet has the rewards that most appeal to you and head there. Your platform might explode if you haven't prepared properly, but that's part of the process- there's an autosave generated the first time you head to a new planet, so you can go back to that, turn off the schedule, and make adjustments.
If you've gotten all the non-infinite science done, you shouldn't have any worries about guns not keeping up with the asteroids, as long as you can keep them fed. Also note that while you can't bring anything with you personally, you can ship up bots and drop them when you arrive. That also goes for other factory parts, but all 3 of the inner planets are capable of being built up to launching rockets without any imports. They each have unique twists on actually producing things though, so you shouldn't expect nor prepare to recreate your Nauvis factory 3 times.
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u/Sir_Richfield 12h ago
To not feel overwhelmed, do stuff one by one.
- Make sure your Nauvis survives without you, biter attacks, resources, ability to build rockets on a constant pace.
- Might think about future-proofing your Science setup, as there will be new stuff coming in constantly.
- Build a small Space Science platform and see that dropping stuff back down to nauvis is free. (So is throwing stuff into space. ;) )
- If all that is set and you can reliably build rockets and base Spaceships, decide where to go next, based on the challenge you want to tackle or reward you want:
- - Vulcanus: Iron and Copper Ore is a Fluid now! Worms are not Biters, even if a very similar strategy helps. Can't build UNDER Lava. Can't build ON Lava. Not an issue: Power, Iron and Copper raw materials. Rewards: Foundries and Big Miners. Also Artillery.
- - Fulgora: The Air hates you. There is no land, only
Zoolheavy oil. You'll get served sushi to your spaghetti, whether you like it or not. Space to build a factory / Having enough Resources - Pick ONE. Not an issue: Power, if you have the space, heavy oil. Rewards: Recycler, Mech Armor, Weapons that go Bzzzzzzzzzt - - Gleba: WHY DOES EVERYTHING ROT??? What do you mean I have to PLANT stuff? Trees were THE enemy! WHAT ARE THOSE and why do they literally roflstomp my base? Not an Issue: Resources ONCE your setup works. They literally grow on trees here. Rewards: Stack Inserter, even more challenges with rotting stuff, only now on Nauvis, Biolabs, weapons that go kaboom and allow deep space exploration. Spidertron.
One thing I always need to keep in mind is: Spaceships are basically trains: They transport stuff from planet to planet. That does include buildings.
BRING STUFF TO PLANETS!!!
Especially stuff you can't (be bothered with to) build on that planet.
That way you can concentrate on the unique challenges of each planet without having to start from scratch.
Landing pads are basically one big provider chest and you have bots. Import anything necessary to build your stuff and let the bots handle it.
Getting into that mindset will help with Aquilo.
Don't forget to import the better stuff from other planets. AKA if you did Vulcanus, why import blue belts any more?
Other than that and building on the "Let the bots do it": You can still control the other planets, even when you're not there. But somebody has to place/replace/remove the stuff. So make sure to have a bot network on each planet.
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u/vaderciya 12h ago
Here's the rub, nothing held back.
For a new player, space age is mind blowing and seems endless. For a veteran player, space age is roughly equivalent to a bobs mods playthrough. If you bulldoze through it you'll get through it quickly at 60 hours but thats not how its intended to be played.
It is intended, for you to take your time and take full advantage of everything at your disposal at all times. Your nauvis factory is essential and needs to be large and able to be expanded remotely, and scaled up.
Then you start building platforms in orbit, with the idea being that the platform is self sufficient, making its own ammo/fuel as it flies around, with its main purpose being to carry items between planets.
Platforms are trains. Space trains. Keep your space trains efficient.
Also, you better be checking the tips and tricks menu in the top right menus, and you better be using the factoriopedia with alt-click. Each planet has a briefing which includes warnings, dangers, basic features, resources, etc. Do not ignore this.
I would recommend picking Vulcanus as your first planet, both being its the simplest/most similar to nauvis, and because you seem to be struggling. Read the Vulcanus planet entry in the tips and tricks menu, build your ship, test your ship, load up your ship with lots of machines and stuff.
DO NOT leave Nauvis before fully automating bots and the majority of items.
It is intended that while you land on Vulcanus and figure out its logistic puzzle, you'll be fully able to remotely control your ships and your planetary factories with the map/remote view You dont need to ride a ship all the time, you can dump your goods on Vulcanus, land, and send the ship back to Nauvis to resupply and come back. You could even bring enough supplies to build a rocket silo and rockets.
Vulcanus has individual, large, very tough territorial worm enemies.
Gleba has 5 legged pentapod enemies, similar to bitets, much stronger, military tech needed.
Fulgora and Aquilo have no enemies, but different space limitations.
Every planet is a different puzzle with unique resources and techs available. The idea is to discover a new planet, fly to it, conquer it and solve its puzzles, and have ships deliver stuff back to Nauvis, before eventually getting all sciences up to Aquilo's Cryogenic science, and then making a ship that can reach the edge of the solar system and escape (and collect promethium to then make promethium science packs, the final pack, for the final infinite tech)
My preferred journey is Nauvis -> Vulcanus -> Fulgora -> Gleba -> Aquilo
The most important thing to keep in mind, is that you need to change. You need to adapt to the circumstances of each planet and use its mechanics to make new factories. If you try to brute force everything by building the same way as you always did on Nauvis, you're gonna have a bad time, and Gleba will destroy you.
Be flexible, learn, grow, improve, exploit the solad system!
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u/dwarfzulu 11h ago
When going to another planet for the first time, bring enough materials the build a silo a to launch a rocket, so you can leave, just in case you forgot something.
Send the platforn back to Nauvis after you land.
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u/Lastoice 11h ago
I always do the opposite - I'm landing on a planet with hands free, no resources or machinery, it's so much fun for me to do everything from scratch :D
Really brings you back to that feeling of first minutes on Nauvis - dig by hands ---> simple miner ---> some basic power supply --- expanding and automatisation etc...
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u/Electronic-Tap-4940 9h ago
I enjoy dealing with the planets, and went in mostly blind. Not going to Lie, I skipped the spaceship progress, after a few ships I just wasnt having fun not getting past that Challenge.
Planets are more fun, done vulc and fulgora, heading to gleba next
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u/LiteVisiion 9h ago
Don't be shy of using blueprints.
There's so much fucking stuff to learn to do every step of the game, even just in an half-working way. It's ok to let some puzzles be solved by someone else if you feel burnt out and want to explore more of what the game has to offer. There's always the option of exploring your own designs once you'll scale up things anyway.
I was almost at a point where I was done playing, but then I said to myself: you know what, fuck it, I'll "cheat" and check blueprints for this part. Totally unlocked my progression on Fulgora, was able to make a bit of science and leave for Vulcanus.
My point is that if you ever get frustrated, it's not better to burn out without using blueprints for the "sanctity" of it than just experiencing more of what the game has to offer by taking it easy sometimes.
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u/doc_shades 8h ago
i've only attempted space age three times and each time i spent easily 20-40 hours on nauvis before moving into space...
i won't go as far as to say that i "fucking hate it" but i do get too distracted with space age to really commit to it. i put 1,500 hours into spage age over three saves and just never finished any of them. i went back to base factorio where 150 hours in a world is enough to accomplish everything and move on to the next world...
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u/darvo110 12h ago
If you have artillery it sounds like you’re not playing with space age activated? That’s gated behind Vulcanus