How to get polymers, machine parts etc...

[Boneca Ambalabu]

Hi !
I like this game very much... but I'm quickly affected by a problem everytime I start a new colony :
I need polymers/machine parts/electronics and can't get any ! The only way is to use the funds of the mission and launch a rocket filled with polymers.
I think I missed something... or maybe it's normal to struggle when I begin the game ?
Thanks

[CyrilSneer]

Hi,
you can manufacture polymers pretty easy by using water, energy and workforce in a polymers factory. You just need to import a building prefab in one of your rockets.I usually start production very early.
Same for machine parts but they consume metal and electronics consume rare metals while producing (i think they convert 1:1). So for the beginning I prefer to import them and export rare metals.

[Boneca Ambalabu]

Thanks !
I tried one time to use a polymer factory but really not much was coming out of it... I surely did something wrong. I'm quite new to management games like Surviving Mars... usually things get out of control when I make people come on mars, I need to get this working better haha.

[SuperMeatBag]

I'm pretty sure that buying those items in is intended until you can produce your own, unless you have set up a harder game/sponsor then you should have enough money to tide you over. Without knowing for sure I'll bet you staffed your polymer factory with random colonists and not the Engineers who will produce the most. Nothing wrong with any of this, it's all part of learning the game

[Boneca Ambalabu]

Thanks everybodyyyy !

[lost]

Polymer production also uses fuel. Yes, you make that from water. However, if you don't have enough fuel production, polymer production will stall.

[some moron]

Yeah, generally you'll need to buy some of the three materials for a while. Which means you need to mine rare and send it to earth to fund your purchases. Once you get a medium population (and the tech) you can build the factories. But if you build a factory and only have a few workers, it costs too much in power and workers and maintenance to be worth it. To offset the overhead, I advise building a factory only when you have enough workers available (trained or otherwise) to staff one entire shift minimum, preferably two shifts. Two shifts is the sweet spot.
Also, I often buy a small electronics and small parts factory so I don't have to research them until I have enough workers for a large one.

[Boneca Ambalabu]

Thanks Alot !