I crafted the terraform machines, I powered them and they poop out cells, canisters and samples. But the cells/canisters/etc, don't really seem to do anything. Looking at factoriopedia, there also seems to be no use for them other than launching them via rockets, but that's an optional tech.

How am I supposed to actually do anything?

yer sorry slight oversight i'm working on a fix now

I'm confused, how was the mod supposed to function before 1.1?

You're right to ask that.

Before 1.1, the intended loop was that running the terraform machines would effectively drive the planet stats, while the cells / canisters / samples were mostly acting as intermediate outputs and future payload materials. In practice, that made them feel pointless, because they didn't have a strong direct use in the actual progression loop.

That was a design mistake on my part.

1.1 changes that by making those outputs the real terraform resources:
- Heat Cells -> Thermal Injector
- Pressure Canisters -> Pressure Array
- Oxygen Canisters -> Oxygen Distributor
- Biomass Samples -> Biosphere Seeder

So the proper loop now is:
produce materials -> transport them -> consume them -> gain planetary progress

Before that patch, the mod's progression idea was there, but the resource-purpose step was too weak, and your post pointed that out correctly. Thanks for calling it out.

Since we're on the subject, how are you supposed to actually know the planet's stats if there's no UI? Like there's a heating machine but the planet is a barren desert, should I be heating it more? Am I supposed to be aiming for specific terraformation ratios or just run all machiens at full blast at all times?