FluxWorks FAQ
Getting Started
What is FluxWorks?
FluxWorks is a large Space Age overhaul for Factorio 2.1. It expands
metallurgy, petrochemistry, fabrication, nuclear processing, planetary
production, science, logistics, and the endgame. Its central system is
Flux: four related resources used to recover materials and build
advanced equipment.
Is FluxWorks a small content mod or a full overhaul?
It is a full overhaul. Existing recipes and technologies are changed,
new production chains are added, and progression continues beyond the
normal Space Age campaign.
Do I need the Space Age expansion?
Yes. FluxWorks depends on Space Age and uses its planets, space
platforms, quality system, spoilage, freezing, elevated rails, and other
expansion features.
Which Factorio version does FluxWorks require?
FluxWorks is made for Factorio 2.1.
Which mods are required?
FluxWorks requires FluxWorks Assets, Razi Lib, AAI Industry, AAI
Loaders, AAI Containers, and Finely Crafted Graphics. Factorio will list
and download missing dependencies when the mod is installed through the
mod portal.
Should I start a new game?
Yes. FluxWorks changes world generation, recipes, technologies, science,
and progression. A new save gives the intended experience and avoids
missing resources or already-researched technologies.
Can I add FluxWorks to an existing save?
It may load, but it is not the recommended way to play. Existing terrain
will not contain newly generated resources, and changed recipes or
technologies can disrupt an established factory.
Can I remove FluxWorks from a save later?
No safe removal path is guaranteed. The save can contain FluxWorks
items, entities, recipes, technologies, resources, and surfaces. Make a
backup before changing the mod list.
Is FluxWorks intended for first-time Factorio players?
It is playable by new players, but it assumes you are comfortable with
automation, fluids, trains, circuits, and Space Age progression. Normal
difficulty is the intended starting point.
Does FluxWorks replace the normal Space Age campaign?
It rebuilds and extends it. The familiar planets still matter, but their
materials and production chains feed a larger FluxWorks progression that
ends on the Shattered Planet.
Flux System
What is Flux?
Flux is a family of four resources recovered from source crystal and
other suitable materials. Each type supports a different group of
production chains and late-game systems.
What are the four Flux types?
Matter Flux is purple, Chemical Flux is yellow, Fuel Flux is red, and
Bio Flux is green. Many advanced recipes use one type, while the latest
systems combine all four.
Where does Flux come from?
Early Flux comes from Flux Rifts and their source crystal. Later
technologies add more recovery, harvesting, planetary, asteroid, and
synthesis options.
What is a Flux Rift?
A Flux Rift is a mineable resource deposit that provides the source
material for early Flux production. Rift frequency and richness can be
changed in the startup settings.
Can I create items from Flux?
Flux supports many material and component recipes, but it is not a
universal item copier. Conversions are deliberately limited by
technology, recipe design, catalysts, and material loss.
Flux Recovery
Can unwanted items be recycled into Flux?
Yes. Many items can be broken down to recover part of their material
value as Flux. Recovery is one-way and lossy, so it cannot duplicate
items or create a positive recycling loop.
Why does Flux recovery return less than the original item cost?
The loss is intentional. Recovery gives surplus and obsolete items a
useful destination without allowing infinite material loops.
Why does an item have no Flux recovery recipe?
The item may have no reliable material value, may be unsafe to recycle,
may belong to an unsupported mod, or may need more research. Some
generated, hidden, creative, or script-controlled items are excluded on
purpose.
Does item quality affect Flux recovery?
Yes. Higher-quality items receive stronger recovery multipliers. The
tooltip shows the applicable quality recovery values.
What does "Flux valuation: Anchored" mean?
Anchored means the item has a trusted material value derived from stable
recipe or resource information. This is the preferred basis for
recovery.
What does "Flux valuation: Derived" mean?
Derived means the value was calculated through the production chain
rather than assigned directly. It is still usable, but it depends on the
recipes leading to that item.
Are recovery recipes added by hand?
Most are generated from the final loaded recipe graph. This lets
FluxWorks cover a large number of vanilla, Space Age, and compatible
modded items while applying the same safety rules consistently.
What are catalysts used for?
Catalysts improve advanced Flux processing and can be recovered by
selected recipes. They reduce operating cost, but they are not
guaranteed to return every cycle unless the recipe says so.
Science & Progression
Why are there more science packs?
FluxWorks gives major industrial fields their own research milestones.
The added packs make metallurgy, petrochemistry, fabrication, nuclear
work, planetary industry, and Flux production important parts of
progression.
Are the new science packs optional side content?
No. They are core progression items and appear throughout the technology
tree. A successful factory must automate them rather than producing a
small batch once.
Do FluxWorks technologies require Cryogenic Science too early?
Early and midgame Flux progression is designed to work without Cryogenic
Science. Cryogenic Science belongs to later cold-chain and planetary
research where it is appropriate.
Does FluxWorks add infinite research?
Yes. Late-game mastery technologies provide repeatable goals for
production, recovery, mining, logistics, combat, and other mature
factory systems.
Why is research more expensive than vanilla?
The technology tree is built around longer production chains and
additional science packs. You can reduce research count and time with
the Research Cost startup setting.
Can I change only research difficulty?
Yes. Research cost has its own Easy, Normal, and Hard setting, separate
from recipe and campaign difficulty options.
Difficulty & Settings
What difficulty should I choose for a first playthrough?
Normal is the intended balance. Easy keeps the same systems but reduces
costs and pressure. Hard is for players who want larger factories,
slower progression, and harsher endgame hazards.
Can different parts of the mod use different difficulty levels?
Yes. FluxWorks has separate settings for core recipes, harvesting,
synthesis, condensing, petrochemistry, hydraulics, nuclear processing,
science, orbital recipes, crafting time, research, and several other
systems.
When do startup setting changes take effect?
Startup settings are applied when Factorio loads the mod set. Some
world-generation changes only affect newly generated terrain, so
changing them is most reliable before creating a map.
Resources & World Generation
What are mixed deposits?
Mixed deposits contain related raw materials in a shared resource
family. They make crushing, sorting, and separation part of early
industrial planning instead of giving every metal an isolated patch.
Can lead, bauxite, and titanium spawn as separate ore patches?
Yes, if standalone ores are enabled. The default progression emphasizes
mixed deposits, but separate profiles are available in the startup
settings.
Can I adjust individual resource types?
Yes. FluxWorks provides Sparse, Standard, and Abundant profiles for its
major deposits, standalone ores, Flux Rifts, promethium impacts, and
Shattered Planet vents.
Why did my old map not gain the new ores?
Resource generation only runs when a chunk is first created. Explore new
terrain or begin a new save after changing world-generation settings.
Recipes & Production
How much does FluxWorks change vanilla recipes?
A great deal. Machines, logistics, power, science, combat, orbital
hardware, and planetary equipment can use FluxWorks components where
those components fit their function.
Can I reduce recipe integration?
Yes. Startup settings can disable broad recipe integration, core
material replacements, combat integration, orbital and planetary
integration, Fulgora scrap integration, and machine-part rehoming.
Why did my crafting tabs move?
FluxWorks can reorganize recipes into clearer logistics, production,
science, bioprocessing, energy, chemistry, Flux, and fabrication groups.
Can I keep the original crafting-tab layout?
Yes. Disable Crafting Tab Reorganization, or disable only the individual
tab families you do not want changed.
Compatibility
Does FluxWorks support other mods?
FluxWorks includes native integration for its required dependencies and
a general compatibility pass for many other mods. Compatibility is based
on prototype behavior and recipe structure, so coverage varies by mod.
What does Global Compatibility Mode do?
Off leaves unknown mods alone. Conservative integrates placed machines
only when their purpose is clear. Broad also considers logistics, power,
combat, robots, modules, tools, and other recognized recipe families.
Which compatibility mode should I use?
Broad is the recommended default. Use Conservative for a lighter touch
or Off when another overhaul should retain complete control of its own
recipes.
Is every mod combination supported?
No. Large overhauls can change the same recipes, technologies,
resources, or progression rules. Report reproducible conflicts with the
full mod list and log file.
Does FluxWorks redistribute assets from other mods?
FluxWorks uses its own asset dependency and declared required mods.
Optional compatibility should use the installed mod's prototypes rather
than bundling another author's mod.
Logistics
What are Deep Storage Units?
Deep Storage Units hold a large reserve of one item type behind a
smaller visible inventory. They require power, and their energy use
rises with the amount stored.
What are Fluid Storage Units?
Fluid Storage Units provide powered high-capacity storage for one fluid
while preserving its working temperature.
Why does deep storage consume more electricity as it fills?
Capacity is balanced by an increasing containment cost. The Memory Unit
Power Usage setting controls how strongly stored volume affects power
draw.
What are Rift Exchange Gates?
Rift Exchange Gates transfer cargo between linked gates on different
surfaces. They must share a link ID, have a valid destination, and
accumulate enough energy for a transfer cycle.
Can Rift Exchange Gates move fluids?
Yes. Item and fluid gates are separate machines so each can enforce the
correct storage and transfer rules.
Why is my Rift Exchange Gate not transferring?
Check its link ID, destination, target-state setting, activation mode,
available power, and the state of the remote gate. The interface reports
whether it is idle, charging, missing a target, or waiting for a valid
transfer state.
Can gates be controlled by circuits?
Yes. Rift logistics supports manual, inventory-state, and circuit-signal
activation modes.
What happened to automatic item teleporters?
Rift transfer is intentionally a powered, linked logistics system. It
requires configured endpoints and a charge cycle rather than moving
items freely without infrastructure.
Shattered Planet
What is the Shattered Planet?
The Shattered Planet is FluxWorks' final campaign surface. It contains
regional Flux resources, severe ion storms, surface asteroid threats,
and the infrastructure needed for the Origin Projects.
How do I unlock the Shattered Planet?
Follow the late FluxWorks technology chain and complete the expedition
research. The route is part of the post-planetary endgame.
Why is the Shattered Planet so dangerous?
It is designed as a defended industrial foothold rather than a passive
mining outpost. Ion lightning damages exposed targets, and asteroids can
approach surface infrastructure from multiple directions.
Can Shattered Planet hazards be made easier?
Yes. Separate startup settings control Shattered asteroid pressure and
ion-storm intensity.
Do Shattered Planet asteroids damage buildings?
Yes. Surface asteroids choose impact areas and can damage valid
structures. Defend the whole site instead of assuming threats only
arrive from one edge.
Do Shattered Planet hazards continue while nobody is there?
Background asteroid activity can continue on an unattended surface.
Disable Unattended Shattered Asteroids if you prefer those waves to
pause when no connected player is present.
What protects buildings from ion storms?
Progression on the Shattered Planet unlocks storm-resistant
infrastructure and tools for controlling exposed areas. Build a
protected bridgehead before expanding expensive production.
Endgame
What are Origin Projects?
Origin Projects are the final megastructure production chain. They
consume mature factories, planetary materials, all four Flux types, and
late-game components.
What is the Origin Singularity?
The Origin Singularity is the final Shattered Planet monument. Place it,
keep it powered, fully charge it during the storm, and activate it to
complete the FluxWorks campaign.
Can the final objective cost be changed?
Yes. Origin Singularity Difficulty changes Origin Project ingredient
costs and the final energy requirement.
Does FluxWorks end after the Origin Singularity?
The Origin Singularity completes the campaign objective, but the save
can continue. Infinite technologies, large-scale Flux production,
quality, logistics, and factory optimization remain available.
Space Platforms
Does FluxWorks change space platforms?
Yes. Orbital recipes use additional components, asteroid processing is
expanded, and settings can change platform width drag, asteroid
pressure, and space-logistics timing.
Can I build wide space platforms without a large speed penalty?
Choose Easy Space Platform Drag. Normal keeps the original Space Age
width penalty, while Hard rewards narrow platform designs more strongly.
Does FluxWorks change Fulgora scrap recycling?
It can. The recommended integration adds FluxWorks electrical and
industrial outputs to the scrap chain. This can be disabled in startup
settings.
Does FluxWorks change spoilage?
It can change spoilage time globally through the Spoilage Pressure
setting. Normal preserves original spoil times, Easy doubles them, and
Hard shortens them.
Multiplayer
Is multiplayer supported?
Yes. Every player must use the same mod versions and startup settings.
As with any large overhaul, make a server backup before updating the mod
set.
Can difficulty settings be different for each player?
No. Startup settings belong to the save and mod configuration, so all
players share the same balance and world rules.
Troubleshooting
Are menu simulations supposed to spawn a player character?
No. FluxWorks menu simulations are intended to present automated factory
scenes without a visible player character. Report the simulation name if
one appears.
Where can I learn an unfamiliar FluxWorks system in game?
Check technology descriptions, item tooltips, recipe tooltips,
Factoriopedia, and Tips and Tricks. Important systems include direct
mechanical explanations and relevant production information.
Why does a name appear as "Unknown key"?
That usually means a locale entry is missing or another mod referenced
the wrong locale key. Take a screenshot showing the full unknown key and
include your mod list when reporting it.
What should I include in a bug report?
Include the Factorio version, FluxWorks version, complete mod list,
relevant startup settings, steps to reproduce, and the full error
message. Attach factorio-current.log for crashes or load failures.
Where is factorio-current.log?
Open Factorio's user-data directory and look for factorio-current.log.
Its location depends on your operating system and installation method.
What should I do before updating FluxWorks?
Back up the save, update all required dependencies together, and read
the changelog. Large progression changes may alter recipes, research
requirements, or existing machines.
A recipe changed after an update. Is my factory broken permanently?
Usually not, but machines may need their recipe selected again and belts
or pipes may need new inputs. Keep a backup so you can inspect major
updates safely.
Why is a recipe disabled even though I have its ingredients?
Most FluxWorks recipes must be unlocked by technology. Check the recipe
tooltip or technology tree to find the required research.
Why can I see a recipe but not craft it by hand?
Some recipes require a specific machine, fluid input, temperature,
pressure, Flux-processing category, or planetary environment.
Is there a recommended way to approach FluxWorks?
Automate intermediates early, leave room around fluid systems, treat
every science pack as a permanent production line, and scale material
sorting before shortages become severe. Flux recovery is a useful sink
for surplus, not a replacement for primary production.
What is the main design goal of FluxWorks?
FluxWorks aims to make each industrial field matter throughout the
campaign. Progress should come from building connected production
systems, not from crafting a single unlock and abandoning the chain.