1. First Factory Setup

Your goal is to automate shape production tier by tier. Start with a simple cutter setup: input a raw shape into a Cutter, split it into halves, and feed each half into separate belts. The Platform Extender upgrade should be your first purchase from the upgrade menu.

2. Belt Routing Fundamentals

Belts are the lifeblood of your factory. Use tunnels to cross belts without blocking. Place balancers before machines that need equal input. Leave 1-tile gaps between parallel belt lines for future expansion. Label your belts with signs — you will thank yourself later.

3. Cutter and Painter Basics

Cutters split shapes in half (vertical or horizontal based on orientation). Painters apply a single color to a shape. Place painters along your belt line — the shape passes through and emerges painted. You need multiple painters in sequence for multi-colored shapes.

4. Progression Milestones

The tech tree progresses through shape complexity tiers. Complete each tier milestone to unlock new machines and upgrades. Tier 1-4: master basic cutting and coloring. Tier 5-8: introduce stacking and crystal processing. Tier 9+: logic systems and MAM designs.

5. Space Efficiency

shapez 2 rewards compact designs but punishes cramped layouts. Leave 2-tile gaps between modular production cells. Use vertical stacking (Stackers) to compress shapes and reduce belt congestion. A well-organized factory processes 3x more shapes than a tangled one.

Quick Tips

• Platform Extender upgrade first — more space means more production
• Always run belts at full capacity — empty belts waste power
• Save your designs as blueprints before rebuilding anything
• The MAM (Make Anything Machine) is the endgame goal — but do not rush it
• Use the speed overlay (Tab key) to find production bottlenecks