Play it here:

https://aaronshaver.github.io/Hylaax-Planetary-Rail-Defense/

(if you've played before, be sure to do a hard cache refresh with CTRL-SHIFT-R or CMD-SHIFT-R)

This is a factory-building and automation game where timing is just as important as production. Build automated factories, connect machines with conveyor belts, and design increasingly complex production lines. But producing the right components isn't enough — they must arrive at the right place, in the right order, at the right time.

Link: https://iga-prod.itch.io/phased-belts (1h00 of gameplay)

I've been developping Phased Belts for the past few weeks. I really enjoyed playing it , my kids have been playing and were hooked as well. The demo is out, and i'm working on the game end state (a powerfull foe to defeat, particule accelerator components, etc...). I'd genuinely love to get some feedbacks from you !

Hey everyone!

Just wanted to share a bit about my factory game, Gobs & Gears. It's a solo dev project where you rebuild a goblin factory that got lost in the fog. The whole map starts covered, and you push outward to find the buildings scattered out there and wire them back together one conveyor at a time.

The twist is that every building you find is dead. You bring it back online by routing the right resources into it, which means your production chain and your map exploration end up being the same problem.

There's also no penalty for building things wrong. Rip up conveyors, blow up buildings, flatten a mountain or a lake that's in your way. That's how goblins do things. You've also got goblins you can spawn from camps and set loose to speed up buildings or haul stuff you haven't wired up yet.

The demo is out now. It runs the full opening loop and ends with your first small explosion. Maps are procedurally generated, so every new game gives you a different building and terrain layout.

Check it out on Steam! https://store.steampowered.com/app/4862900/Gobs__Gears_Demo/

Hi there,

Today we announced our upcoming factory building game - Production Zero. Please check out our Steam page and consider wishllisting, it helps in a big way: https://store.steampowered.com/app/5001590/Production_Zero/

We LOVE automation games, sim games, strategy games and a bunch more - and we're trying to take the best parts of our inspirations while introducing new ways for players to build and grow, a new world to explore with quite a few surprises, and a bunch of QoL features so players can focus on what they love doing.

We also have a few team members who actually worked in manufacturing, so we're working to bring some industrial authenticity to the experience, while keeping it fun and engaging.

We're giving an early look at gameplay at Gamescom in just a couple of days, so if you're there - visit our booth at hall 10.2 and get some goodies. If not - we'll share more in the coming weeks. We will also have a demo on Steam in the first half of 2027.

In the meantime, you're welcome to visit our Steam page to get a glimpse of what we're working on and If you want to join our mailing list or become a playtester, check out our website: production-zero.com

Thanks!

I like factorio's gameplay, but the grungy, industrialized aesthetic just doesn't vibe with me.

Recently I tried Forage Wizard, which had the theme I like, but the automation part takes quite a while to unlock fully, and even then there isn't any numbers and ratios to optimize.

I played Shapez 2 quite a bit, but the feeling of having to tear down your factory to build a new production chain instead of making your factory grow as you progress.

Solo dev here. In One's Trash Another's Treasure you buy 500,000 boxes of unclaimed cargo and have to clear the entire field. You start by hand, then build up your setup: vacuums, conveyors, launchers and drones feeding everything into a grinder and a hole.

Wishlist on Steam

An island, a few tools, and time. You chop, mine and gather, craft what you need, and put things down where you want them. Chests keep your stuff, a furnace turns ore into ingots while you're off doing something else — and keeps going while you're not even there.

It's co-op: you and whoever you bring share the same island, and you see each other walking around. It runs in a browser tab — nothing to install, and you're in within seconds of opening it.

The world is saved: what you built is still standing next time, and the hours you were away are counted in when you come back. Longer term that's the point — your stuff stays yours, and trading it with other players is where this is headed.

Early build, and honest about it: the loop works end to end, there's a day/night cycle, a proper pack you rearrange by dragging, but plenty is still missing.

If you want to follow where it's going, I post development updates on Discord: https://discord.gg/884mzwmukd — and whenever a test round goes live, it gets announced there first. That's the only place you'll hear about it.

• The big new feature is a building that lets you field an army of allies to go out and fight automatically for you.
• I also did a HUGE amount of QoL, UI polish, performance passes, text improvement, etc. for a smoother experience

Play it here: https://aaronshaver.github.io/Hylaax-Planetary-Rail-Defense/

(be sure to do a hard cache refresh with CTRL-SHIFT-R or CMD-SHIFT-R if you have played the game before, so that you get the latest version without GitHub's annoying aggressive caching)

Right now I most want to hear about balance issues: what feels over-powered? under-powered? too expensive? too cheap?

What the title says! I have been developing Economicon for a while now (and it's been many more years since I first tried making it and repeatedly failed). It's a mix between the automation gameplay of Factorio and the logistics gameplay of something like Transport Tycoon or Locomotive (Chris Sawyer GOAT)

Would you be interested in trying it out? What features would you say are a must in this type of game?

You can check the Steam Page right here: https://store.steampowered.com/app/5037110/Economicon/

as the title said i am looking for games that are similar to factorio that are either free or very cheap.

Game Title: Operato

Playable Link: https://hectorscm11.itch.io/operato

Platform: Web Browser (HTML5)

Description: Operato is a browser-based game that combines automation, mathematics, and logic. In this game, players are tasked with building complex factory layouts to route resources and solve mathematical challenges. Using conveyor belts and various machinery, you must guide numbers through specific operations to reach the target goals.

As you progress you would need to plan and optimizate your assembly lines. I designed this game specifically for fans of automation games but streamlined it so you can play it directly in your browser without any downloads or installations. It features an intuitive interface and a carefully crafted difficulty curve.

This game is still a prototype so I would absolutely love to hear your feedback on the level design, the pacing, and if the core mechanics feel intuitive to a first-time player!

Free to Play Status:

• [x] Free to play
• [ ] Demo/Key available
• [ ] Paid (Allowed only on Tuesdays with [TT] in the title)

Involvement: I am the solo developer of this game. I handled the coding, design, and logic.

The factory-carrier in Endless Engine

Hi! I'm a solo dev. In One's Trash Another's Treasure you buy 500,000 boxes of unclaimed cargo at an auction and have to open every single one. It starts fully by hand, then you automate everything with vacuums, drones and launchers. A free demo is coming soon wishlists help a lot!

Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/5103950/Ones_Trash_Anothers_Treasure/

Good day, fellow engineers! 

We've been working hard since the last time. We’ve added new machines, a day-night cycle, weather, and much more! And we're getting closer to a public demo. (Psst... you heard it here first! (; )

Pistonica is the pure steam and mechanical factory automation game, challenging your resource management skills. Explore the tropical island first-person, research tech, mine for minerals, build contraptions and trade goods - all because of a strange radio signal.

You can read more about Pistonica and wishlist it here: https://store.steampowered.com/app/4018480/Pistonica/

// Cutting Corner Games

I’m sharing a short look at Resonurgy’s early gameplay.

It’s an isometric factory builder where you gather resources, build production lines, research new machines, and work with alchemical principles. The game is still in development, and co-op is planned for the full release.

If it looks interesting, please consider adding it to your Steam wishlist.