Basic materials in The Planet Crafter start out with minerals like iron, titanium, and iridium. But as the planet comes to life, the needed materials start to include more organic items like algae and methane cartridges.
However, while it's obvious that algae comes from Algae Generators, it's not immediately apparent where players can get methane. Fortunately, the solution is simple, and once players of The Planet Crafter set it up it's very easy to get a consistent supply. In fact, this supply can come from almost any location on the map.
The Gas Extractor
The Gas Extractor blueprint unlocks at 100 mPa. Just like ore extractors, players must place the gas extractor on regular dirt or sand and not on rocks or buildings. Players need three super alloy, two zeolite, and one iridium rod. Gas Extractors provide a very small amount of heat, but the main reason to build them is to get methane and oxygen.
Once placed, Gas Extractors slowly start to fill their four container slots with the two gasses. On average, these machines generate 3 methane for every 1 oxygen. This means players won't have to spend two cobalt ores to get oxygen cannisters, and in fact players can put the oxygen generated by Gas Extractors into a Recycling Machine to generate two cobalt.
How to Use Methane
Currently, players can use methane in three recipes, all of which are produced in the Biolab. The first is Fertilizer T2, a stronger variation of regular Fertilizer that comes in handy once the better versions of Tree Spreaders unlock. Second is Mutagen, a material that's essential for creating butterflies, bees, and tree seeds of every variety. The last recipe is for pulsar quartz, and while players will only get the pulsar quartz blueprint at 175 GTi, this is the only way to make the mineral in unlimited quantities.
Players should note that while the number of recipes is low, the demand for methane in the Trees and Insect terraformation stages is high. Mutagen in particular is necessary for every tree seed and nearly every butterfly and bee larva, and so players should make sure they have a consistent supply of water, algae, sulfur, and methane. Fortunately, methane is the easiest material to set up, because while Algae Generators and Lake Water Collectors need to be placed in water and Ore Extractors can only get sulfur from specific locations, Gas Extractors will collect methane no matter where the player places them.
The Planet Crafter is available now in early access on PC.