Overview
Gadgets and tools in Solarpunk are the items players use to interact with the world. From basic hand tools for gathering resources to specialized gadgets for building and recycling, these items form the backbone of daily gameplay.
Basic hand tools
Tool | Crafted from | Function |
|---|---|---|
Pickaxe | Sticks + Stones | Mining rocks for sand, stone, and iron |
Axe | Sticks + Stones | Chopping wood; also used for demolishing building pieces (right-click) |
Hoe | Sticks + Stones | Tilling soil to create plantable patches for farming |
Watering Can | Crafted at workstation | Manually watering crops |
Basic tools are made through quick craft (press "F" in inventory). They use only Sticks and Stones, which are found everywhere on the floating islands.
Tool durability
All tools have limited durability and break after repeated use:
Wooden tools: Cheapest to make but break quickly. Players will re-craft these often in the early game.
Iron tools: Available in the full game (not in the demo). Require iron from scattered outcrops. Last considerably longer than wooden versions.
Build-Hammer
The Build-Hammer is a specialized tool crafted from Stone and Stick. Equipping it opens the building interface where players can place foundations, walls, roofs, stairs, and other structural components. The placement indicator turns blue for valid positions and orange for invalid ones.
The Recycler
The Recycler is a gadget that was unlocked as a Kickstarter stretch goal. It accepts almost any item or material and converts it into Recycling Points. These points serve as a cosmetic currency.
The Recycler gives every surplus item in the player's inventory a use. Rather than discarding unwanted materials, players can feed them into the Recycler and accumulate points over time. This ties into the game's solarpunk theme of sustainability and waste reduction.
Vending Machine
The Vending Machine is found on islands and must be repaired before use. Once operational, it offers character skins and other cosmetic extras. These cosmetics are purchased using Recycling Points earned from the Recycler, creating a gameplay loop: gather surplus items, recycle them, and spend the points on appearance customization.
Other notable gadgets
Fabricator: Located near the Merchant Platform; handles airship upgrades after being repaired.
Farming drones: Automated watering devices that connect to the energy system. See Farming and plants.
Automatic Drill: Extracts resources from ground deposits. See Automation.
Automatic Magnet Fisher: Collects algae from below islands. See Automation.
Switches: Inline devices on energy cables that toggle parts of a power network on and off.