How to play this game properly

[The Other Otter]

After finishing the campaign, I'm trying the Utopia mode, and I don't understand how I'm supposed to win it. I feel I'm doing everything I can, trying to keep districts together to save heat, exploring the frostland, researching buildings to increase resources output, etc... But none of that seems to matter, I always end up lacking one resource after the other, they run out on my map too early for me to find a proper replacement, and then a whiteout comes in and wipes so many people.

Am I doing something wrong? Or is this game about suffering and suffering?

[mezhiktime]

Try lower difficulty first. And I suggest horizon map.
Build council immediatly. Enact several merit laws to increase heatstamp income. Also harvesting food (adaptation) and hasvesting funerals(reason) are good at the start.
Research coal building, food building, sawmill and factory to satisfy needs. Don't forget about goods from the start, no goods -> less heatstamp -> less research -> suffering.

Then research couple scout techs and settlements. There will always be a place for coal settlement and food harvest near your city. It will help during first whiteourt.

Fully upgraded settlements will work even during the whiteout.

After first whiteout invest heavily into scouting. It will help you with resources + more settlements -> less population in main city -> less problems in main city.
Also during first whiteout or after it you can research deep drill. In campaign you can't have both. but in utopia you can.

Settlements, deep drills and first two generator upgrades will let you build The City.

When you can build an eternal ciy on low difficulty try next one and so one.

[The Other Otter]

Ok, thank you for the suggestions. I feel I'm doing all that already, or almost, but you're right, maybe I should try lower difficulty then.

[CuriousCat]

I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong in my Utopias. I feel like the first level is too easy and bumping it up one level makes it too hard. I've got no problem getting past my first Whiteout with zero deaths on the first setting but for some reason can't make it through my first Whiteout in a satisfactory manner.

I have been putting off building the council, so maybe I'll try that on the next run.

[adrien_perleflamme]

With a hot cup of chocolate, ideally, and a window protecting you from the cold weather outside. That's how best to play the game.