Do you need a wiki to play?

[HumanMirthquake]

Like if I picked up the game will I need one open on another screen so I can do the basic stuff?

[Suzaku]

No, but it also wouldn't hurt. If you're using another screen for anything, it's probably to look up efficient setups, or to use an interactive map or save editor.

[steventirey]

Using a wiki does help of course, but I know of no game that requires a wiki to play. It may just take a little longer to figure out just how everything work together (or doesn't work properly, in some cases).

[lpnlizard27]

Press "N" in game, it has info on every recipe and also functions as a calculator

[stealthXG]

The only things useful on the wiki is the awesome sink points and fuel usage rates.

[umop-apisdn]

Pressing "N" opens a search box you can type into and find the Codex entry on any in-game item, but if you press "O" then it takes you straight to the Codex which gives you more options.

Personally, I tend to use the wiki and a "scratch pad" text editor window, but I have multiple monitors. It allows me to see the required materials for my next/current project at a glance without having to clutter my game screen.

[PhailRaptor]

I've found the interactive map far more useful than the wiki. Hopefully that will change in Update 6, though. Since they're giving the map basically from the get-go instead of having to wait until mid-game to research it.

[Amanoob105]

The only things I really needed the wiki for was planning out my first 8 coal plants as that was the first major hurdle I felt I needed to get right.
Everything before and after that, including more coal power, was fairly simple overall.

[The Big Brzezinski]

You don't need the wiki. All the information you need is in the game, from recipes to resource locations.

What you DO need is spreadsheet software to keep track of it all. I am not being funny. Transcribing recipes from the production machinery into a spreadsheet, manipulating it into a large production plan, building that plan in the game, and seeing everything work perfectly is immensely rewarding.

[umop-apisdn]

Originally posted by The Big Brzezinski:

You don't need the wiki. All the information you need is in the game, from recipes to resource locations.

What you DO need is spreadsheet software to keep track of it all. I am not being funny. Transcribing recipes from the production machinery into a spreadsheet, manipulating it into a large production plan, building that plan in the game, and seeing everything work perfectly is immensely rewarding.

I tend to use notepad, myself, or even just a scratch pad in a pinch... but yeah, something to take notes on is an invaluable tool; spreadsheet software can take the brunt of the math out of it for those who experience physical pain when equations start acquiring letters.

[The Big Brzezinski]

Originally posted by umop-apisdn:

Originally posted by The Big Brzezinski:

You don't need the wiki. All the information you need is in the game, from recipes to resource locations.

What you DO need is spreadsheet software to keep track of it all. I am not being funny. Transcribing recipes from the production machinery into a spreadsheet, manipulating it into a large production plan, building that plan in the game, and seeing everything work perfectly is immensely rewarding.

I tend to use notepad, myself, or even just a scratch pad in a pinch... but yeah, something to take notes on is an invaluable tool; spreadsheet software can take the brunt of the math out of it for those who experience physical pain when equations start acquiring letters.

The methodology I worked out was to put all my learned recipes on my first sheet with all their products and materials, then work out new sheets for each facility. Each row on a facility sheet was one recipe, with the product totals at the bottom. Columns were the combined number/overlock for each recipe, followed by each involved product. I'd have to fill out each cell's logic myself since my spreadsheet skills are weak, but after doing so, I could simply put in different quantities of each recipe to and adjust the whole production line as I liked.

The advantage is that I always knew the requirements for whatever I was building. So not only did I know what machines to build and how to pipe them, I also knew what logistical connections I had to build as well. I'm pretty good with trucks, trains, and cargo handling.