Oil

Where to start: When you first drop into a new game, you'll be on your randomly generated 'Mother Planet.' The absolute first thing you need to do is place your Epicenter. This is your main hub, and it's super important to put it somewhere smart. Look for a spot that's close to a water source (like a lake or river), a forest for wood, and some loose rocks. Why? Because your Nuggets will need these resources constantly, and having them nearby means less travel time, which means they get stuff done faster.

Getting Water: Once the Epicenter is down and spitting out your first four Nuggets (two adults, two kids), the adults will start gathering stuff. Your immediate priority is water. Click that hammer icon at the bottom of the screen to open the Buildings menu. Find the Well under the Epicenter category and place it near a good water source. The game will show you numbers indicating water quality – aim for the highest. While the Well is building, you can scout out other water bodies. You'll likely want to build a Water Pump next, as most other buildings need water to function.

Food for Thought: With water sorted, it's time to think about grub. You've got a couple of options here. You can build Fisher Piers on your water bodies to catch fish, or you can go for Farms. If you choose farms, you might need another Water Pump to keep those crops happy and hydrated. Different crops have different needs – some need more water, some grow better in certain temperatures, and some take longer to harvest but give you more food. For starters, pick a crop that doesn't guzzle too much water.

Keeping Things Running: As your population grows, you'll need to start thinking about maintenance. Build an Engineer's Hut. This is crucial because your buildings won't last forever and will need repairs. If they collapse, you'll have to rebuild them from scratch, which is a huge waste of resources. Also, consider building a Hospital or a Cemetery. Injured Nuggets lose health over time if not treated, and dead Nuggets can spread illness if not buried. A plague or mass injury can quickly tank your whole civilization.

Extra Goodies: Once the basics are covered, you can start adding buildings that improve your civilization. An Eatery lets you turn raw food into prepared meals, which is more efficient. A Forecast Tower gives you a heads-up on upcoming weather and seasonal changes, helping you plan ahead.