Players may think IXION is a run-of-the-mill city building, but at its core, it’s an intense survival game. While players must focus on expanding the station, they’ll also have to learn how to handle its resources. Before players jump into this indie game, they should take a moment to learn some essential tips and tricks.

6 Harness the Power of Resource Management

Players will have to learn how to manage their resources efficiently, similar to factory-themed simulation games. But, unlike those games, the consequences of poor management will lead to an unceremonious “Game Over” screen, especially if the general population begins to die of starvation.

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Players should take some time to understand the Stanford Resource Transfer system, which allows players to transfer resources from one sector to another. For example, if Sector 1 is low on Food, but Sector 2 has more than enough, transfer some to Sector 1. As a bonus tip, players should toggle the Resource Indicator (top, left of the screen) to better visualize the available resources for each sector.

5 Carefully Spend Science Points

For the station to advance and reach new areas, IXION players must invest Science Points into the Technology Tree. But, Science Points are a rare commodity (just like in most complex city-building games), so players should think carefully about which Tech to upgrade. Fortunately, players can increase Science Points income by investing in the Tech Lab since it provides passive Science Points.

Once the Science Points start rolling in, players should focus on Tech that improves Resource Management and increases Storage Facilities. Aside from those, players can invest in the Steel Mill or Polymer Refinery since these resources are needed for building projects.

4 Choose the Best Quarters for the Crew

The crew is the life and blood of the entire station, meaning players will want to always keep them happy. Failure to keep them happy will cause them to strike, leading to catastrophic failures throughout the station. Fortunately, IXION players can avoid this by keeping the crew fed and giving them a decent roof to sleep under.

As players progress, they’ll unlock Optimized and Domotic Quarters, which provide decent comfort to crew members. Gamers should avoid at all costs (unless necessary) the Cell Housing Units. This housing is built using low-quality material, leading to upset crew members. And while placing the right housing reduces the overall Crew Stress, it still doesn’t mean players are free to listen to their favorite podcast. Random events will occur throughout the game that will lead to disaster if left unchecked.

3 Micromanage the Fleet

The early and middle stages of IXION will keep players micromanaging every aspect of the station, from resource Management to Population Control. But, one feature of IXION that should consistently be micromanaged is Fleet Management. That’s because Mining Ships don’t take the resources they’ve gathered to the Tiqqun (main ship) but instead deposit them into a Cargo Ship.

Cargo Ships will only accept resources that the player has selected, meaning that if a player begins to mine a new resource, they’ll have to add it to the Cargo Ship log. Failing to update this minor detail will cause the Mining Ships to waste time since they can’t deposit the resource, which can lead to shortages at the station. So, until players can fly the Mining Ships themselves (like in other space flight simulators), they should continue to micromanage the Fleet.

2 Keep the Hull Healthy

The Hull is an essential aspect of the Tiqqun, since it protects the entire station from outside dangers. The longer a player plays IXION, the more the Hull loses integrity, meaning players must keep an eye on the indicator. One way gamers can maintain the health of the Hull is by activating Hull Repair, which automatically repairs any damaged section.

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Players will need to have a steady supply of Alloy if they want to use Hull Repair. Additionally, every time a player uses VOHLE Jump, it will deplete a significant chunk of Hull. Avoid using VOHLE Jump if Hull Integrity is low. While this feature may be annoying, it creates more immersive gameplay, which some simulation games lack.

1 Plan Around the Cycle

Time management is crucial in IXION. Every action takes a certain number of “Cycles” to complete, from preparing meals for the crew to mining resources. Fortunately, almost every event or action states the number of Cycles it will take before it finishes (or starts). So for example, if players notice that the crew in charge of the Electronic Factory will begin to strike in five Cycles, they can prepare by hiring new workers, thus avoiding a system failure.

Additionally, players can fast-forward Cycles, which will come in handy when certain actions/events take 60 or more Cycles to complete. Players that have issues with managing the Cycles can try playing games like Civilization or Overcook to improve time management.

IXION is available now for Microsoft Windows.

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