Tips & Tricks

A collection of the small things that cost us time to discover. None of them are explained clearly in the field manual, and several of them would have saved hours.

Last verified: November 2026 · Steam release build

General

Pressing C switches to third person. You cannot sweep or interact in that mode — if nothing works, that is why.
F5 hides the UI for screenshots; Tab shows your stats; H opens the field manual.
The HUD points home at the top of the screen, and another station appears once you travel far enough away.
Depositing and selling are two steps. Your money does not change until you press Sell Dust.
Coffee, chess, air hockey and a whiteboard are in the station. Pure decoration, but a nice break from sweeping.

Sweeping

Lock tool rotation with L and run lanes. It is the single best technique change.
Hexes count as done above 99%. Stop chasing specks.
Check the bottom-left container readout. Capsules only hold what your tool holds.
Carry old brooms on extra belt slots — each is a separate container.

Building

R moves a placed structure; X removes it with a full refund (current version).
You can build on top of dust. The dust under the footprint counts as cleaned.
Can't place a piece? Either dust is in the way, or you are in free-place mode — press F.
Ctrl + scroll changes belt height so lines can cross. Plain scroll moves splitter and merger outputs.
Lay belts before machines. Machine inputs are fixed and easy to place backwards.
Fill gaps under foundation edges with ramps placed from the platform down to the ground.

Power

Only the Large Solar Tracker is worth building — the small panels have no battery.
Build solar first so batteries are charged before your first night.
2 trackers per Pressure Chamber, 3 per Stone Press.

Vehicles

Vehicles start with cleaning switched off. Turn it on after getting in.
Recall any vehicle you own from the Garage menu.
Press M while driving — you can keep steering in the overhead view.
Craters launch vehicles. A runaway rover can run you over when you bail out.

Robots

An unconnected Capsule Catcher sells automatically. Keep a few as overflow.
Robots that finish hexes near you count for your personal achievements.
Robot Vacuums can drive under conveyors, so run their belts straight across their own area.
Robot Vacuums vanish after their area is done — place them in untouched dust.

Exploring

Flags pay $100+, survey sites $250. Walk out early.
Teleport between discovered stations from the moon map for $50 (right-click a station).
The jetpack has four charges that refill only on the ground.
Gravity Boots (B) + jetpack = controlled flight instead of moon bouncing.
Drop Garages or spiral stairs as "already searched" markers.