What should I do first in Sandustry?

Start by digging downward with your shovel to find Sand and underground Water pockets. Combine Sand + Water to make Wet Sand, then build a manual Shaker to extract your first Gold. Do not dig straight down — dig staircases to avoid falling into caves.

How do I unlock the Tech Tree?

Press T to open the Tech Tree. Early nodes unlock basic tools (Shaker, Conveyor, Launcher). Spend Gold to unlock nodes — prioritize Shaker first, then Conveyor, then Launcher for your first automation loop.

What is the Wet Sand formula?

1x Dry Sand + 1x Water = 2x Wet Sand. Wet Sand is the input material for Shakers — without it, you cannot extract Gold. Always locate a water source before building your first Shaker.

How do I avoid flooding my base?

Never mine Ice or breach aquifers without a lined catch basin below. Build overflow drains and use R-key filter walls to isolate water channels. If a flood starts, place solid blocks (Stone, Scoria) to contain the spread immediately.

When should I build my first automated loop?

After unlocking Shaker + Conveyor + Launcher (approximately 30-45 minutes in). Build a simple loop: Launcher feeds Wet Sand into Shaker, Shaker drops Gold into a collection chest, Slag is conveyor'd away to a disposal pit. Expand from there.

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Sandustry Beginner Guide: First 2 Hours Walkthrough

Welcome to the brutal desert of Sandustry. Here is the exact progression path from manual digging to your first automated power grid and logistics network.

// QUICK PROGRESSION ANSWERSandustry beginner walkthrough: dig dry sand and tap underground water to craft Wet Sand (1:1), build a manual Shaker to pan your first Gold, then unlock Conveyors and Hydraulic Launchers to automate continuous loops.

🏆 First 2 Hours Milestones

✓1. Mine 50x Dry Sand & find nearest Water Basin

✓2. Craft first manual Shaker & pan for Gold

✓3. Unlock Logistics Tier 1 in Tech Tree (Conveyors)

✓4. Construct first automated Launcher + Shaker Loop

Phase 1: The Manual Era & Sandstone Strata

You begin with a simple hand shovel. Start digging downward through dry sand. Between depths of -15m and -45m, you will hit dense subterranean Sandstone (density 160). Unlike loose sand, Sandstone requires a pickaxe or mining laser to break, and can later be crushed in a Kinetic Press into 70% Sand, 25% Stone Dust, and 5% Quartz Crystals.

Store dry sand in designated dry bins away from water sources (sand exposed to water turns into wet sand and will begin settling/clumping prematurely). When navigating narrow cave drops, use Phase Dash to safely pass through single-layer hazard boundaries without taking falling rock or thermal damage.

💡 Pro Tip: Never dig directly underneath water bodies without building retaining walls, or you risk flooding your underground shafts.

Phase 2: Unlocking the Tech Tree

Collect 100 gold coins using your manual sifter. Approach the Ancient Research Terminal to unlock:

Conveyor Logistics: Grants basic conveyor belts and diagonal shoots.
Hydraulic Launchers: Essential for lifting materials upward without jamming.
Kinetic Slag Press: Reclaims valuable gold and organic spores from burnt residue.

Phase 3: Managing Waste (The Slag Law)

Every 100 units of wet sand produces approximately 25 units of gold and 75 units of Slag. If you do not plan an exit pathway for Slag, your factory will grind to a halt within 10 minutes of operation. Refer to our Gold Factory Blueprint → for the optimal waste routing diagram.

Phase 4: Must-Know Keyboard Shortcuts & Fluid Physics

BUILDING SHORTCUTS

• C: Box-select structures to blueprint
• Ctrl + C / V: Copy and duplicate machine arrays
• Ctrl (Hold): Instant replacement mode
• R: Toggle Filter Wall / Flow direction

FLUID DIAGONAL LEAK RULE

In Sandustry's Noita engine, liquids (Water/Lava) leak diagonally through single-corner block junctions. Always build solid T-junctions or double-layer basins!