How to Get Started in Scrap Mechanic
The first 30 minutes, broken into clear steps with a YouTube walkthrough for visual learners.
What this guide covers
This is the single most important page in the wiki. It walks through your first 30 minutes in Scrap Mechanic Survival Mode: from waking up beside your crashed ship to driving a basic tractor back from your first warehouse run. By the end of this guide you will have:
- Refilled your health, hunger and thirst bars.
- Located the Mechanic Station and placed a Craftbot.
- Built a basic tractor and driven it at least once.
- Planted your first crop and watered it.
- Decided whether to play solo or join a multiplayer server.
For the long version, see the beginner roadmap. This page is the short version, with a video to anchor the steps visually.
The first 30 minutes, step by step
- Wake up and explore the crash site. Look for the pond near the ship. Fill both buckets with water.
- Recover the battery. Walk to the Mechanic Station building (follow the road), grab the battery inside, and return it to the ship.
- Place your first Craftbot. Interact with the Dispenserbot at the Mechanic Station and place a Craftbot on flat ground outside.
- Craft a Driver Seat and 4 Small Wheels. These are the simplest parts and the foundation of your first vehicle.
- Build the chassis. 4 wood blocks in a 2x2 pattern, with the Driver Seat on the front-left block and a Battery directly behind it.
- Attach wheels and test. Sit in the seat to confirm the controls.
- Drive to a nearby wreck. Use the road network to find the closest wreck and gather 30 refined metal.
- Plant your first crop. Find a flat patch of ground near water, place a Soil Bag, plant a Wheat seed, water it.
If you have done all eight steps, you have completed the on-boarding. The wiki is now useful to you — start with farming and raids once you are ready to expand.
What to do next
- Read how to get a Spud Gun so you can start clearing warehouses.
- Plan your base with the defensive base template.
- If you play with friends, look at the controllers and sensors guide for shared automation.
Watch the community walkthrough for this guide:
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the most common questions.
Can I skip the tutorial?
There is no formal tutorial in the 1.0 patch — the on-screen hint system replaced it. You can ignore the hints and the game will still let you progress, but you will miss important unlocks.
How long until I reach the underground?
Most players reach the underground by hour 3 of their first run. Speedrunners reach it in 45 minutes, but they skip the questline.
Should I play on Easy first?
Yes. Easy is the recommended starting difficulty. It reduces raid frequency by about half and slows bot aggression, giving you time to learn the build system.