SteamWorld Build Guide - Tips for Beginners

Source: SteamWorld Build, developer: The Station

i

SteamWorld Build is a new game in the popular SteamWorld universe. Developers from The Station decided to try city and dungeon builder genres, as the game is a mix of both. You have to divide your time between developing your settlement on the surface and mining resources in the mine. If you want to learn more about the game and how to play it, we are here to help you. Read our Beginner Guide for the most useful tips.

SteamWorld Build – Tips for Beginners

General tips

1. Open chests – they often contain useful items, you will have to find them in the mine, though.
2. Clear the floor – during the game you will discover shafts and descend deeper into the mine. It is a good idea to explore the previous level before entering the next one, as they contain resources and items which may be useful later. Don’t divide your attention.
3. Redirect items – you can give items to mine workers. It is important to give them to those, who need them the most. In most cases, you want to equip robots that are on the same floor as you are exploring at the moment.
4. Build traps – before you enter the terrain with enemies, put next to it at least 1 Grenade Turret. It will slow down enemies and give your Guards time to react. You can move the turret; you don’t have to build a new one each time.
5. Watch out for nests – starting floor 3, you will find enemy nests. They will spawn hostiles from time to time. It is a good idea to fortify them with traps.

Building tips

1. Plan quarters carefully – the size of quarters will determine how many workers you will be able to hire, how many machines you will be able to build and so on. Because of that you want to have a lot of space for most crucial zones. When you click a quarter, you will be able to see how many tiles you need to build for another worker/machine.
2. You don’t need all quarters to be big – Miner Quarters: you need around 8 miners when you explore the floor, after that you can lower their number and hire other workers. Prospector Quarters: you will need a large number of them as they transport your resources. Guard Quarters: it is crucial to have 10-12 guards, even after you finish exploring (nests will attack you regularly). Workshop: big enough to create extractors for every resource (situation is similar with Armoury). Mechanic Quarters: in most cases 1 mechanic is enough. Build other zones according to your needs.
3. Build Districts – you will have to upgrade houses to unlock different kinds of citizens. It is a good idea to build districts, big enough to be managed by service buildings.
4. Upgrade roads – they will boost your steambots movement and make buildings’ range bigger.

Resource and item management

1. Check Administration Window often – it will tell you how many units of each resource you get. Try to increase production of those which are listed in red (below demand). However, if the loss is small (up to -0,5 or -1.0), observe situation. It may be the case that you will not have to do anything if your stock is high enough.
2. Use every resource you find – even if at that point you don’t need a given material, your city will grow and the demand at some point will be higher. You can also sell those resources which you don’t need.
3. Boards and Tools are important – those two resources are crucial as they are necessary to create most of the buildings and constructions, both in mines and on the surface.
4. Items in mines can stack – while on the surface you can equip only 1 item per building, in the mines you can stack items of the same type.