Shape Gravity Rules

Shape Gravity Rules determine how shapes settle after any operation that could produce floating pieces. Floating layers or pieces cannot persist in Shapez 2; the gravity rules are applied to shapes after operations such as cutting, stacking, or generation so that every remaining part is supported according to the game’s definition.

Gravity is applied layer by layer from the bottom upward. For each layer, parts are grouped into horizontally connected groups. Horizontal connection requires parts to be directly adjacent in the same layer and neither part may be a pin. For each group, if no part in that group is supported vertically, the entire group begins to fall. Groups that contain crystals behave specially: when a falling group contains crystals, those crystals shatter and any crystals connected to them also shatter. If regular parts were connected only through crystals, those connections break and the group can split into multiple groups before falling further. Groups continue to fall until at least one of their parts comes to rest directly above another part.

A part is considered supported if it meets any of these conditions: it is on the bottom layer of the shape; it is directly above a supported part; it is horizontally connected to a supported part; or it is a crystal that is directly under a supported crystal. Pins count as vertical supports in place of gaps, so a part directly above a pin is treated as supported vertically. Pins do not count as horizontally connected parts, so they do not support adjacent parts sideways and will allow horizontally adjacent parts to fall if nothing else supports them.

Crystals are fragile and follow additional rules. Crystals are considered connected when they are directly adjacent on the same layer (corners and diagonals do not count) or when they are directly above or below another crystal. Differently colored crystals and crystals created at different times are still considered connected if they meet the adjacency rules. A crystal will shatter if it falls or if it becomes separated from crystals it was connected to. Other parts can fall onto crystals without shattering the crystals. Crystals cannot change color after creation; they pass unchanged through Painters and Crystal Generators, and crystals are generated only by the Crystal Generator.

Pins are generated by the Pin Pusher and have no color. Pins do not connect horizontally with regular parts and therefore do not form horizontal groups with them, but they do act as vertical supports for parts directly above them. Like empty parts, pins will be replaced by crystals if passed through a Crystal Generator. Refined (exotic) shapes and crystals do not change color when passed through Painters; exotics change color only via Trade Stations.

Shapes created from Shape Codes can contain more layers than the current Scenario permits. Any extra layers are preserved until the shape next passes through a machine that applies Shape Gravity Rules; such machines will delete layers that exceed the scenario maximum by applying the gravity rules and trimming layers as dictated by support and configuration limits.

• Gravity is applied from bottom to top; handle operations that may produce floating pieces by rechecking supports after each transform.
• Treat pins as vertical supports but not as horizontal connectors; designs that rely on sideways pin support will collapse.
• Avoid leaving crystals in positions where they may fall or be separated; a single falling or separated crystal shatters all connected crystals.
• When using Shape Codes, be aware extra layers may be removed when the shape next encounters a gravity-enforcing machine.