Milestones

Milestones are scenario-based progression objectives that unlock mechanics, provide rewards, and guide player goals. Milestones are divided by scenario, and their shapes build on each other, with arrows indicating dependencies between milestone shapes. Completing a milestone grants rewards such as Research Points, Platform Units, and Blueprint Points; the number of shapes required to complete each milestone and the rewards granted depend on the selected Difficulty settings (Goal Multiplier, Copy/Paste Cost, and Platform Limit). If Copy/Paste is free and/or the Platform Limit is unlimited, the respective rewards may not be shown or awarded.

Milestones also gate certain mechanics. For example, the mechanic that allows creating and importing blueprints must be unlocked by reaching Milestone 2 (Blueprints) in regular scenarios and Milestone 0 (Rotate & Cut) in the Hexagonal scenario. The shapes required for milestone completion and the shapes you must deliver to the Vortex change depending on which scenario you play.

Milestone completion contributes Blueprint Points and other progress currencies. Pasting blueprints may cost Blueprint Points: the base cost for pasting is ceil((machine_count - 1)^1.3), which is then multiplied by the Copy/Paste Cost Multiplier set by Difficulty. In Relaxed and Normal difficulties the multiplier is 0% (making pasting free), while in Challenge it is 100% (making pasting cost the full amount). Blueprint Points are earned by delivering certain shapes to the Vortex and by fulfilling Milestones and Jobs.

Practical notes and interactions to consider when working toward milestones:

• Milestones are scenario-specific; check which shapes and counts the current scenario requires before optimizing production.
• Milestone shape requirements stack according to shape dependency arrows; plan progression to unlock later milestones efficiently.
• Unlocking the blueprint mechanic via the milestone enables creating blueprints from selections using Clone (Ctrl+C) or Cut (Ctrl+X) and saving them to the Blueprint Library (Ctrl+S).
• Blueprint workflows affect milestone-related costs: pasted blueprints consume Blueprint Points according to the formula ceil((machine_count - 1)^1.3) × Copy/Paste Cost Multiplier. Adjust difficulty or manage machine_count to control costs.
• Blueprint library features (naming, icons, folders, clipboard copy, drag-and-drop, and file export as .spz2bp) help organize milestone-focused designs and share them via the Community Vortex or Discord.
• If Copy/Paste is free or Platform Limits are disabled by difficulty, some milestone rewards (like Platform Units or Blueprint Points) may be omitted or not awarded.
• Plan platform usage carefully when Platform Limits are active, since platform availability influences how many shapes you can build toward milestones and how rewards scale.

Milestones serve both as an in-game tutorial progression and as a scoring/objective system that ties together unlocking mechanics, blueprint capabilities, and reward economies. Design and blueprint strategies that account for milestone dependencies, paste costs, and scenario-specific delivery requirements to progress efficiently.