Trying really hard to get into automation games
Ahoy there!
Despite the title's implications, I like automation games. I enjoy the very concept of building up machines and structures to do the job for you, and stepping back to look at your finished production chain - no matter how confusing or inefficient it may be - is an awesome feeling. You, and only you, built that, and it is your very own work that it's even functional and doing what you intend for it.
And yet, I quickly give up on them.
My problem:
They stress me out. Badly.
After having lots of fun initially, I will inevitably reach a point where I look at the mess I have created, then at the huge-ass goals the game asks me to fulfil, all the tons of additional work required - setting up new sprawling factories, possibly rebuilding the entire thing from scratch to incorporate new machines, etc. -, and then I start to sweat and hyperventilate. So I stop playing, uninstall, and forget about it.
I think it's a mix of "Not knowing where to start", "too much stuff at once", and "I don't understand the game, yet it asks a ton of me".
So far, I have tried a few of them:
Satisfactory: That was indeed my very first, included in a humble bundle, and the one where I lasted the longest: 14 hours, right after building the space elevator. Most of the time was spent restructuring my factory because it looked terrible (still does as far as I remember), and then my OCD kicked in after not managing to place all machines in a production line evenly spaced. Then I remembered the requirements of the current phase and noped out. What didn't help as well was the 1st person-building; I really need an overhead perspective, and the towers didn't cut it for me. I'm thinking about returning lately, though.
Factorio Demo: The tutorial is amazing! It doesn't say much, yet subtly guides you by placing broken machines for you to replace, then connect them, showing you neat layouts and production lines. Then it introduced science packs, a big-ass goal, basically said "figure it out yourself from here", and left me alone, staring blankly at the screen and running around aimlessly for 20 or so minutes. So I quit.
Factory Town: It was fun until the tutorial ended 30 minutes in, and I then had the "not knowing where to start"-problem. Refunded.
Mine Mogul Demo: Again, fun until the quests asked for ingots, gems, crushed coal, and I saw the absolute spaghetti of conveyors, sorters, and crushers I would have to create in a cramped space. Nope.
Now I'm looking at Eden Crafters, but I'm worried about getting overwhelmed again.
For what it's worth, I enjoyed the automation in Astroneer, where I automated the storage and refineries.
Maybe it just isn't meant for me.
Many thanks for every bit of advice in advance. :)
EDIT: Many, many thanks for the support! The amount of responses was overwhelming, and you've brought some awesome suggestions!
I'll write a few answers down, given how quite a few posts suggested the same:
- I have played Planet Crafter (finished the base planet) and had a great time. But my automation limited itself to storage, just like in Astroneer.
- I'll keep an eye on Shapez 2. Currently, I find the price of almost 30 rubees very high and am not particularly interested in the premise and setting.
- Finished the Little Rocket Lab Demo and have put the game on my wishlist. That one suited me the best, I think, given its small goals, isometric perspective, many explanations to fall back on, and only a few components to handle, so a more preferable complexity level. Of course, this may change in the full game, but so far, I'm invested.
- Dyson Sphere Program probably not. From what I read and see, this will be too much for me to handle.