Factorio Guide#

Factorio is an automation sandbox game developed by Wube Software. You play an engineer who has crash-landed on an alien planet, and you must mine resources, build factories, research technologies, and ultimately launch a rocket to escape. The core loop is: mine → process → assemble → research → expand.

Core Features#

Automation Is the End Goal#

Every item can be produced by machines. Manual work is only temporary — the goal is to replace your hands with machines, and then use machines to build machines.

An Infinite World#

The map is procedurally generated and endless. Resources run out, so you must keep expanding outward.

Enemies and Pollution#

Every bit of production you do generates pollution. Pollution enrages the alien biters, and they will attack. You must balance growth against defense.

Modular Design#

From conveyor belts to railways, from circuit networks to robot logistics, the game provides a rich toolkit for designing elegant automation systems.

The Space Age Expansion#

The Space Age DLC, released in 2024, expands the game across multiple planets. Each planet has its own resources and challenges:

Nauvis — the starting planet, with basic resources
Vulcanus — a volcanic world of molten metal
Fulgora — lightning storms and ruined cities
Gleba — fungal marshes and biological products
Aquilo — frozen tundra and cryogenic technology
The Shattered Planet — the endgame challenge

Why Factorio#

Factorio has held an “Overwhelmingly Positive” rating on Steam for years running. It is widely considered the peak of the automation genre, with an extremely active modding community and regular free content updates.

Beginner FAQ#

Question	Answer
What should I do first?	Mine coal by hand → mine iron by hand → build a stone furnace to smelt iron plates → build an electric mining drill → run conveyor belts → set up red science automation
Best main bus design?	4-8 iron plate lanes + 4 copper plate lanes + 2 steel lanes + 1-2 green circuit lanes — leave 4 tiles of clearance on both sides
Biters keep attacking — what do I do?	Cut pollution (use efficiency modules) + build a turret defense line + research military tech first
How do I place train signals?	One-way track: regular signals spaced one train length apart; place chain signals before intersections and regular signals at exits
How do I calculate production ratios?	Red science: 5 copper plate and iron plate assemblers supply 10 red science assemblers (5:10); green science: 6 gear assemblers + 1 belt assembler + 1 assembler assembler feed 12 green science assemblers (6:1:1:12)
Which planet first in Space Age?	Recommended order: Vulcanus → Fulgora → Gleba → Aquilo

Core Production Ratios at a Glance#

Product	Recipe	Ratio	Output	Notes
Iron plate	1 iron ore → 1 iron plate	1:1	0.3125/s (stone furnace)	The most basic of the basics
Copper plate	1 copper ore → 1 copper plate	1:1	Same as iron	Wires consume enormous amounts of copper
Steel	5 iron plates → 1 steel	5:1	A stone furnace needs 5 smelting cycles	In high demand — a dedicated production line is recommended
Green circuits	3 copper wire + 1 iron plate → 1 green circuit	3:1 (wire assemblers : circuit assemblers)	3 wire assemblers supply 2 circuit assemblers	The game’s most important intermediate product
Red circuits	4 green circuits + 2 plastic + 2 copper wire → 1 red circuit	4 green : 2 plastic : 2 wire	Complex recipe — modular production is advised
Blue circuits	20 green circuits + 2 red circuits + 1 sulfuric acid → 1 blue circuit	20:2 + sulfuric acid	Endgame product — consumption is enormous
Oil processing	100 crude oil → 25 heavy oil + 45 light oil + 55 petroleum gas	Basic refining	Add cracking for full conversion

Version History#

Version	Date	Highlights
0.12	July 2015	Steam Early Access — the basic game framework
0.15	April 2017	Research system rework — introduces the 7 science packs
0.17	February 2019	Graphics and UI rewrite — new tutorial system
1.0	August 2020	Full release — Overwhelmingly Positive
1.1	November 2020	Logistics network improvements — Spidertron
2.0	October 2024	Space Age DLC — multi-planet exploration

Space Age Planet Comparison#

Planet	Resources	Unique mechanic	Main challenge
Nauvis	Iron ore, copper ore, coal, stone	Basic production	Managing biter pollution
Vulcanus	Infinite molten iron/copper	Lava casting — no mining drills needed	Clearing nests
Fulgora	Ruined city scrap	Recyclers — dismantle scrap for resources	Lightning storms + power management
Gleba	Biological products	Agriculture + fermentation — organic production lines	Spore spread attracts enemies
Aquilo	Cryogenic technology	Pipe insulation — heat management	Extreme cold — pipes freeze and crack outside
Shattered Planet	Endgame challenge	Endless mode — the deeper you push, the harder it gets	Requires the most advanced technologies

Recommended Advanced Mods#

Mod	Type	What it does	Why pick it
Space Exploration	Total overhaul	Expands the game to a cosmic scale — hundreds of new technologies	The classic overhaul mod, 2,000+ hours of content
Krastorio 2	Total overhaul	More complex production lines — new resources and weapons	Lighter than Space Exploration but just as excellent
Bob’s + Angel’s	Total overhaul	Extremely complex raw-material processing chains	For players who chase maximum complexity
Factorissimo2	Functionality	Factory buildings — put your factory inside a building	Saves enormous amounts of space
LTN (Logistic Train Network)	Functionality	Train logistics network — dynamically assigns tasks	Essential for large bases
Rampant	Gameplay	Smarter biter AI — harder combat	For players who want a combat challenge

Science Pack Unlock Path#

Science pack	Ingredients	Key techs unlocked	Suggested output
Red	Iron plates + gears	Basic automation, logistics, military	15-30 SPM
Green	Green circuits + belts + assemblers	Railways, oil processing, advanced logistics	30-60 SPM
Gray	Piercing rounds + grenades + red circuits	Stronger weapons and armor	15-30 SPM
Blue	Red circuits + engines + sulfur	Productivity modules, robot factories, cracking	30-60 SPM
Purple	Green circuits + bricks + electric furnaces + efficiency modules	Advanced smelting, productivity module 3	30-60 SPM
Yellow	Green circuits + blue circuits + low-density structures + processing units	Speed module 3, rocket launches	30-60 SPM
White	Unique products from each planet	Endgame research	—

Logistics Robot Comparison#

Robot	Function	Infrastructure required	Best used for
Logistics robots	Automatically ferry items between storage and requester chests	Roboport network coverage + a logistics zone	Supplying finished goods in mid-size bases — precise on-demand delivery
Construction robots	Place and remove buildings according to blueprints	The blueprint system + a logistics network	Rapid expansion — large-scale construction automation
Combat robots	Automatically attack nearby enemies — can be recalled to restore health	A logistics network + combat robot chests	Defensive reinforcement — a substitute for manual repairs

Achievements and Milestones#

Milestone	Condition	Difficulty
Space Age	Launch your first rocket	★★☆☆☆
Million Output	Produce 1,000,000 of any one item	★★★☆☆
Spidertron	Build and control a Spidertron	★★★☆☆
Around the World	Walk a total of 100 km	★★☆☆☆
Mega Base	Reach 1,000 SPM	★★★★☆
Perfect Automation	The entire factory runs with zero manual labor	★★★★★

Choosing a Transport System#

Method	Capacity	Infrastructure cost	Best used for	Complexity
Conveyor belts	Medium	Low	Short distances, small and mid-size bases	★☆☆☆☆
Railways	Very high	High	Long-distance bulk transport, mega bases	★★★★☆
Logistics robots	High	Medium	Short-to-mid range, finished goods, resupply	★★★☆☆
Pipes	Very high (fluids)	Low	Fluid and gas transport (oil / acid / water)	★☆☆☆☆

Module Types at a Glance#

Module	Effect	Tiers	Best paired with
Speed module	+20%/40%/60% speed, -5%/10%/15% productivity	1/2/3	Assemblers, research labs
Productivity module	+4%/6%/10% free products, -5%/10%/15% speed	1/2/3	Steel smelting, circuit boards, rocket parts
Efficiency module	-10%/20%/30% energy usage	1/2/3	Mining drills, furnaces — cuts pollution

Science Pack Recipes at a Glance#

Science pack	Main recipe	Target output	Assemblers required
Red	1 gear + 1 iron plate → 1 red pack	30 SPM	5 Assembling machine 2s
Green	1 belt + 1 assembler → 1 green pack	30 SPM	5 Assembling machine 2s
Gray	1 piercing round magazine + 1 grenade + 1 red circuit → 1 gray pack	30 SPM	5 Assembling machine 2s
Blue	1 red circuit + 1 engine + 1 sulfur → 1 blue pack	30 SPM	5 Assembling machine 2s
Purple	1 electric furnace + 1 efficiency module + 1 brick → 1 purple pack	30 SPM	7 Assembling machine 2s
Yellow	1 blue circuit + 1 processing unit + 1 low-density structure → 1 yellow pack	30 SPM	7 Assembling machine 3s

Summary#

The core joy of Factorio is building automated production lines from nothing and constantly optimizing them as your research advances. Whether you are a newcomer chasing your first rocket or a veteran pushing a thousand-SPM mega base, the sub-pages of this guide have a reference for you. Good luck building your perfect factory on Nauvis.

Version Info#

Item	Detail
Game type	Factory automation / survival building
Languages	Chinese interface supported
Single / multiplayer	Multiplayer co-op supported
Mod support	Official mod platform integration

Satisfactory — first-person 3D factory automation on an alien world
Minecraft — the sandbox classic of mining, crafting, and building
Terraria — 2D sandbox mining, crafting, and base building
Valheim — a survival crafting game about harvesting resources and expanding a base
Enshrouded — a survival crafting game with deep base-building systems

Best Indie Games · Best Co-Op Games · Best Survival Crafting Games

Full Guides#

In-depth sub-guides — achievements, challenges, controls, the gallery, lore, resources, tips, updates, and a full walkthrough — are available in Chinese on NTGame’s Factorio section.

If you read Chinese, the updates sub-guide there carries the full version-by-version record behind the table above.