There’s a saying that you can’t cross the same river twice and that’s certainly true in games. The initial experience of discovery, trial and error, and simply awe just doesn’t exist the next time through. It may give the sensation of comfort, but it’s not the type of emotional event that typically marks you.

This is why NewGame+ exists, and why there are challenge modes. You have the sense of familiar, but with that extra challenge. I wouldn’t say this works for every game, especially those that are narratively driven, but it’s a relatively simple option to extend the shelf life of a game.

Logistics games are similar to action games, where you as an individual become better at the game. You’ve optimized builds, strategies and tactics. Think about it, rogue-likes are based on this exact model. The difference is in how long you gain that experience before a reset. MH Wilds is ‘easy’ because mechanically the game has less friction, but moreso because I’m just a better hunter.

End game Factorio has planet-sized factories that are ultra-optimized. I have spaceships that farm legendary material. Tons of blueprints to quickly build complex structures. And importantly, hundreds of automated robots to do all the menial work for me. I am build an entire factory while standing on a different planet as a result!

I have ziltch of that in a new game. I have a forest, rocks, a pick axe, and legs that run in molasses.

New Game Rules

To make this run different than the last, I need to set some ground rules. Concepts and goals that come from experience and desire.

• Compact builds means maximum distance between roboports. 50×50. This also means that I need to build a blueprint from late game to frame things, as it takes hours to normally unlock this tech.
• I want to get off Nauvis as soon as possible and head to Vulcanus. Vulcanus has absolutely every raw material I need in near-infinite supply with much smaller factories as a result.
• To leave Nauvis quickly, I need to drastically limit my resource expenditure and sprawl. Smaller builds require less material, especially trains to get access to Oil/Nuclear.
• I do not want any enemies or cliffs. Enemies are a resource drain, all risk and no reward. Cliffs on Nauvis are dumb because you can’t get rid of them until much later. I could care less about cliffs once the bombs are available to build on Vulcanus.
• The planet order will be focused on meaningful unlocks. Vulcanus (will be the main factory planet), Fulgora (elevated trains and recyclers), Gleba (I really don’t like this planet, but you need heat plants for later), and finally Aquilo (fusion power).
• I am not looking for quality crafting until after Aquilo is unlocked, at least not in any meaningful sense. That is a major resource drain, with minimal results until you have the appropriate unlocks available.
• Space Ships will maintain the prior build structure. One for the interior planets, one for Aquilo, one for beyond.
• The game is ‘complete’ at the solar system edge.
• I am not interested in a time challenge. I prefer clean and optimized lines that can be re-used. Frankly, time challenges require some RNG luck and double the time in preparing the necessary blueprints to skip design work.

So let’s see where this goes.