🔧 My Time at Sandrock — Complete Workshop Starter Guide
Arriving in Sandrock
Your journey begins in the harsh but beautiful desert town of Sandrock. Your workshop is dilapidated, you are carrying a stack of debts from your predecessor, and the town needs a reliable builder more than ever. This guide covers day one, your first season, workshop optimization, and everything you need to thrive in the desert.
📋 Your First Day: Setup and Survival
Initial Build Order
| Priority |
Item |
Materials |
Why |
| 1 |
Worktable |
5 Wood, 3 Scrap |
Enables all basic crafting |
| 2 |
Stone Furnace |
15 Stone, 5 Wood |
Smelt copper for tool upgrades |
| 3 |
Dew Collector |
5 Copper Bars, 10 Stone |
Passive daily water generation |
| 4 |
Wooden Chest |
10 Wood |
Extra storage — your inventory fills fast |
| 5 |
Salvage Box |
5 Scrap, 3 Wood |
Converts excess items into resources |
Day 1 Checklist
| ✅ |
Task |
Details |
| ✅ |
Complete tutorial intro |
Follow Mi-an's instructions to set up your worktable |
| ✅ |
Scavenge nearby scrap piles |
Collect 20+ scrap and 15+ wood |
| ✅ |
Build Worktable + Stone Furnace |
These two unlock everything else |
| ✅ |
Check Commerce Commission board |
Accept 1-2 easy commissions |
| ✅ |
Visit the Blue Moon Saloon |
Meet Yan, Mi-an, and other key NPCs |
| ✅ |
Set up Dew Collector |
Place near your house for morning collection |
Tip: Do not sell raw copper ore or scrap in the first week. Copper bars are needed for every tool upgrade, and scrap is used in dozens of early commissions. Your inventory is your currency — don't spend it on small gold gains.
💰 Earning Gols — The Sandrock Economy
Unlike traditional farming games, Sandrock's primary economy is commission-based. You earn most of your gols by fulfilling building requests from townsfolk.
Income Sources Ranked
| Method |
Daily Gols |
Effort |
Best For |
| 📋 Town Commissions |
200-1,500 |
Medium |
Steady income + reputation |
| ⛏️ Mining + Ore |
300-800 |
High |
Quick cash when commissions are slow |
| 🏚️ Ruins Salvage |
400-1,200 |
High |
Best risk/reward — combat + resources |
| 🌵 Foraging |
100-300 |
Low |
Supplemental, daily free resources |
| 🏭 Crafted Items |
500-2,000 |
Medium |
Once you unlock advanced refiners |
| 🗑️ Scrap Recycling |
150-400 |
Low |
Passive income from recyclers |
Commission Strategy
The Commerce Commission board is your primary income driver. Key tips:
- Check every morning — new commissions appear daily
- Accept commissions that use materials you already have — don't commit to items requiring rare ores
- Prioritize time-sensitive quests — some pay 50% bonus for same-day delivery
- Keep a "commission chest" — store 5 of every common material (copper bars, basic mechanisms, wooden planks)
- Build reputation — higher reputation unlocks better-paying commissions
Commission Priority Matrix
| Commission Type |
Gols |
Reputation |
Time Pressure |
Take It? |
| Basic repair (copper bars, planks) |
200-400 |
Low |
2-3 days |
✅ Always — uses common mats |
| Gift requests (rare items) |
500-800 |
Medium |
1-2 days |
✅ If you have the item |
| Building construction |
800-1,500 |
High |
4-7 days |
✅ Best payout per commission |
| Custom furniture |
400-600 |
Medium |
2-3 days |
✅ Good mid-game income |
| Delivery (fetch quests) |
150-300 |
Low |
1 day |
⚠️ Only if on the way |
Upgrade Priority
| Priority |
Tool |
Copper Cost |
Effect |
| ⭐ 1 |
Pickaxe |
20 Copper Bars |
2× mining speed, break desert rocks |
| ⭐ 2 |
Axe |
15 Copper Bars |
2× wood chopping, cut cactus |
| ⭐ 3 |
Jetpack |
(Quest reward) |
Huge exploration advantage |
| ⭐ 4 |
Hoe |
10 Copper Bars |
Till larger areas for planting |
| 5 |
Watering Can |
10 Copper Bars |
Water 3 plants at once |
Mining for Materials
The Breach (eastern side of town) is your main mining area. Enter through the door at the tall mesa.
| Mine Depth |
Ores Available |
Key Resources |
| Floors 1-5 |
Copper, Stone, Dirt |
Starter materials |
| Floors 5-15 |
Iron, Copper, Crystals |
Mid-tier metals |
| Floors 15-25 |
Iron, Manganese, Gems |
Advanced crafting |
| Floors 25+ |
All ores, Rare relics |
End-game materials |
Mining tips:
- Bring food for stamina — you'll spend 4-6 hours per trip
- Use elevators every 5 floors as save points
- Do not sell raw ore — every ore goes into tool upgrades or commissions
- Collect data discs — they unlock new crafting recipes from the Research Center
📅 First Season Roadmap
Week 1: Survival Mode
| Day |
Focus |
Checkpoint |
| 1 |
Worktable + Furnace + Dew Collector |
Basic workshop running |
| 2-3 |
Copper tools, first commissions |
5 Copper Bars produced |
| 4-5 |
Unlock ruin access, first mining trip |
10+ floor depth |
| 6-7 |
Second furnace, 2-3 commissions completed |
2,000+ gols earned |
Week 2: Building Momentum
| Goal |
How |
Milestone |
| Copper pickaxe upgrade |
Mine 20 copper ore + smelt |
2× mining speed |
| Iron tools progress |
Reach floor 10+ in ruins |
Access iron veins |
| 5+ commissions completed |
Daily board checks |
2-star reputation |
| Horse stable |
Buy from Magic Shop (8,000g) |
2× travel speed |
Week 3-4: Mid-Season Goals
- Jetpack — complete the quest line to unlock this game-changer
- Water tank upgrade — more daily water = more crops and crafting
- Factory expansion — build a second worktable and recycler
- House upgrade — more room for processing machines
- 8,000 gols saved — for horse and stable
Beginner Mistakes to Avoid
| Mistake |
Why It Hurts |
Better Approach |
| Selling copper ore |
Delays tool upgrades by 3-5 days |
Only sell processed bars after upgrades done |
| Accepting every commission |
Rare material commissions drain resources |
Check requirements before accepting |
| Ignoring the Research Center |
Misses advanced recipes |
Donate data discs every 2-3 mining trips |
| No Dew Collectors |
Water becomes a bottleneck early game |
Build 2-3 in week 1 |
| Selling monster drops |
Used in dozens of crafting recipes |
Store 10+ of each before selling |
Final tip: Sandrock's economy rewards preparation over speed. Keep a well-stocked material chest, check the commission board before every mining trip (so you know what ores to prioritize), and never turn down a chance to upgrade your tools. If you enter month 2 with iron-tier tools, 5,000 gols saved, and the jetpack, you are in the top 10% of new players.
🛒 Where to Buy
🎮 Steam 🛒
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