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Step by Step Guide to Modular Storage (Ironteeth)

By Helianthemum the Übernerd

With this guide you'll learn how to create an efficient storage layout using a module that can be vertically stacked to an indefinite height and combined horizontally to form large structures.

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Helianthemum the Übernerd
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Category: Gameplay Basics

Languages: English

Posted

Updated

2 Mar, 2024 @ 2:49pm

31 Dec, 2024 @ 3:18am

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Guide Index

Overview

Introduction - Why modular storage matters

Creating the Thing, Step by Step

Some ideas post Update 6

Conclusion

Comments

Introduction - Why modular storage matters

Contrary to belief, the best way to minimize the impact that storage has on your real estate is not to create very tall and awful-looking towers of warehouses, but rather to arrange your storage buildings over a large area in a way that allows for other things to be placed on top. This is where modular storage becomes relevant: having a design that can be stacked vertically and also chained to form large structures will make your life that much easier if you're looking for efficient storage solutions.

Creating the Thing, Step by Step

This section will illustrate, step by step, how to create a chainable, stackable module and how to compose multiple copies of it to form large structures. Finally, I'll show you an easy way to deliver power to all the buildings placed on the top floor.

The Base Module
The base unit is 2 storeys in height and has the size of four Industrial Piles, plus the paths around it.
- The image below shows how to ceate the first storey: 3 Industrial Piles forming a letter "L", each of them facing in a different direction. In the last spot fit in a Medium Warehouse and a Small Warehouse and then fill the remaining gap with 2 platforms; create "roadbumps" on each side using stairs and platforms, away from the entrances of the buildings
- Procede with the upper storey: place 3 piles on top of the others so that they are connected to the road; again, place a warehouse and a small warehouse in the remaining spot; then connect a staircase to the path and add a platform, as shown below:
- The base module is now finished.
The Mirrored Module
In order to chain the modules with one another, you will need to alternate between a regular version and a mirrored version.
To create the mirrored module follow the same steps as before, but everything will have to be mirrored across the axis highlighted in the image below:

To have staircases more spread out you can also have the warehouses+staircase part be placed always in the same corner, as shown below. This is equivalent to a mirroring+90° rotation.
Creating Large Structures
- To stack vertically: build double platforms on top of the paths, then add storeys by repeating the same steps you already know (with some slight variations on the warehouse corners, due to the presence of stairs)
  
  The module can be stacked on itself an indefinite amount of times
- To chain horizontally: Alternate between the Regular and the Mirrored version, both within lines and within columns, as shown below.
  
  You can replace any number of Industrial Piles with Large Warehouses, Hydroponic Gardens, Bot Parts Factories or Large Barracks
  
  In order to deliver power and transmit it vertically, either through Bot Parts Factories or housing, you will need to make a small adjustment at the base to accomodate a power shaft
Placing things on top and connecting them with power shafts
In this last section of this chapter we will see how to arrange buildings on the top floor and deliver power to them.
- Start by filling with platforms and double platforms, as appropriate
- Add paths, forming squares that outline the modules
- Now, to use space with the most efficiency while also adding tanks to the top layer, you can follow the steps shown below: 1. Delete part of the path and create “roadbumps” (stair+platform+stair) at each side of a road junction, near a staircase; 2. Place double platforms above the stairs, then normal platforms so that you have an area of 2x2 or 3x3 (vary the size according to your needs); 3. You can add the tanks now.
  Then, you can repeat the same at every road junction that is close to a staircase
- With this layout, transferring power along a column (the vertical direction in the images) is made really easy by running power shafts underneath the tanks. To propagate power from column to column you will only need a single power shaft between each column, and this is achieved by creating a roadbump with a power shaft underneath, just make sure that you’re not blocking the entrance of any building. Here I tried to highlight the power network. The big square is where the top layer receives power from a bot part factory placed underneath.
- If you want you can also add medical beds under the tanks
- In the image below I show the end result in its entirety. Of course, this is just an example and you can place whichever buildings you prefer in the way you prefer.
If you were able to follow up to this point, congratulations, you've done it! Your industrial abomination is now complete!

Some ideas post Update 6

Update 6 offers cheaper and more versatile platforms and adds overhangs to the game; these two things allow for an even more efficient use of space. The first and most obvious thing that can be done is to elevate the entire structure above the ground, leaving just a few points of access while the rest can be fields, forested areas or other buildings.

You can also use overhangs combined with 3x3 platforms to place large water tanks along the perimeter, it's very easy to do:

Place 3-long overhangs as you see here
Add 3x3 metal platforms
And finally place the tanks

Conclusion

If I made some grammatical or linguistic blunders throughout this guide, please notify me in the comments right below, but also forgive me, English is not my native language. Also, let me know in case one or more of the steps are not clear enough and I will try to fix that too.
See ya!

9 Comments

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Long bread 10 Jul @ 4:52pm

This looks compact and complicated, but its actually worse than a much simpler design.

With a road down the middle and storehouses on each side facing the road, you want a storehouse, a 2-tile gap, then another storehouse. In the gap on each side of the path, add stairs that spiral up. Place storehouses on top of each storehouse, but facing the 1-high platforms of the spiral stairs. You can connect modules together underneath the spiral staircase

Your pattern fits 3x 3x3 buildings, and 1 2x3. mine fits 3x 3x3

your pattern has beavers run around the perimeter, mine has them run through the middle. Pathing is more efficient.

your pattern spends 1 tile per side (- 0.5 if tiled). Mine spends 1 tile/side vertically, 0.5 tile/side horizontally: Mine is marginally more compact when not tiled, but when maximally tiled yours edges out.

My pattern natively has several empty spaces, which can contain power shafts or decoration items. Yours requires sacrifices to storage space.