How to Play Scrap Mechanic Multiplayer

How multiplayer works in 1.0

Scrap Mechanic multiplayer is host-based peer-to-peer co-op. One player hosts a world through Steam, invites friends from the friends list, and everyone plays in the same Survival save. There are no dedicated servers in version 1.0 — when the host disconnects, the session ends.

The July 2026 release specifically improved network responsiveness for connected players. Vehicle movement, Connect Tool interactions and raid events sync more reliably than in Early Access, though large automated bases can still stress the host machine.

Setting up your first co-op session

1. Host creates a new Survival world (recommended for 1.0 — old saves may not load).
2. Open the in-game friends panel or press the Steam overlay invite button.
3. Friends accept the invite and load into the host’s world.
4. Each player spawns at the crash site with their own inventory and Connect Tool.

All players share the same world state: crops, chests, quest progress and built structures. Quest markers appear for every connected player.

Recommended role splits

Role	Responsibility	Best for
Driver / scout	Explores roads, finds warehouses and ruins	Players who know the map
Farmer / cook	Maintains crops, Cookbot and food stock	Players who prefer base work
Builder / engineer	Crafts parts, wires automation, repairs vehicles	Players who love the Connect Tool
Combat lead	Handles Farmbot and Trash Bot fights	Players with Spud Gun experience

Splitting roles early prevents the common co-op trap where four players all build different half-finished vehicles.

Shared storage and crafting

• Chests are shared. Place a central storage hub near the Mechanic Station early.
• Craftbots are shared. Any player can craft at any bench; materials come from shared chests.
• Quest progress is shared. Only one player needs to talk to an NPC to advance the yellow quest chain.
• Vehicles are shared. Whoever sits in the Driver Seat controls the vehicle — agree on a parking spot.

Performance tips for the host

The host runs all physics simulation. These habits keep co-op smooth:

• Split large factories into separate buildings with small gaps between them. One giant connected structure forces the engine to recalculate everything when any part moves.
• Replace timer loops with sensors where possible. Hundreds of active timers create sync overhead.
• Anchor inactive vehicles when not in use. Unanchored physics objects add constant load.
• Pause automation overnight if nobody is online. Running vacuum-pump farms 24/7 while the host sleeps wastes CPU.

For detailed automation layout advice, read automated farming.

Co-op raid strategy

Raids hit harder in multiplayer because bot counts scale slightly with player count. Assign coverage before sundown:

• One player watches the farm perimeter with a Spud Gun.
• One player repairs walls and turrets mid-raid.
• Remaining players kite Farmbots away from crops.

See how to protect your farm for defensive layouts that work with two to four players.

Using Creative Mode and the Garage together

The most efficient co-op workflow in 1.0:

1. One player prototypes vehicles in Creative Mode.
2. Export blueprints from the Creative world.
3. Import them at the Scrap City Garage once the group reaches Scrap City.
4. Spawn finished machines into the shared Survival save.

This avoids four players each wasting metal on failed vehicle experiments.

Common multiplayer mistakes

• Everyone builds their own base. Pick one central base location and expand together.
• Host has the weakest PC. The host should be the player with the best CPU, not necessarily the group leader.
• Ignoring quest markers. Yellow markers advance the story for everyone — follow them as a group.
• No backup save. Copy the world folder from %AppData%\Axolot Games\Scrap Mechanic\User\ before major updates.

For solo play, every guide on this wiki still applies — start with getting started.