The paint system has a lot of different numbers, limiters, and gotchas. I'm going to show how to gather the paint, transport it, send it into platforms, and use it on platforms, with or without jumps, for painters, mixers, and crystalizers. I hope this helps.


The current version of Shapez 2 says the space pipe capacity is 43200 L/m per pipeline. That's a mistake. The space pipe's pipelines are meant to carry six times what a paint launcher can handle: 10800 L/m.

The space belt used to carry 1:1 ratio with a shape launcher. When it was increased by a factor of 4, which is great, it accidentally increased the space pipe by a factor of 4. Which is why it shows 43200 (10800 * 4 = 43200).

So, eventually, an update will change the space pipe limit back to 10800 L/m per pipeline. If instead they make it a permanent change, or change it to something else, then I'll redo the numbers in this guide. For now, the "supposed to be" limit is 10800 L/m per pipeline.

The first important number to know is that a space pipe can hold six times the amount it can deliver to a single platform dock (a platform "dock" is where we connect the space pipes, each has 12 ports).

Here is a screenshot showing a pipe with one color per level in a full space pipe feeding six docks. That paint, is being mixed into white paint, and then sent out six docks, which are combined into a single space pipe, to fill it.

When a full space pipe is connected to a platform's dock, which has 12 ports, each of its 12 pipelines has 10800 L/m of paint.

But, the platform dock's 12 ports require a paint catcher to receive the paint. Those can only handle 1800 L/m. That's 1/6th of 10800 L/m. This is why the space pipe handles six times as much as a platform dock. The paint catcher acts as a limiter (so does a paint thrower, pipe gate, and paint storage).

A regular pipe, used within platforms, can handle 7200 L/m. That's four times as much as a jump (ramp, paint catcher/thrower). So, we want to combine four jumps into a single regular pipe. There are four in each platform level, so, we use one regular pipe per platform level, like in this screenshot:

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Also, in this example it's using a different color paint per level, which works out with the numbers and is often helpful for dealing with paint.

A regular pipe handles 7200 L/m. So, to feed painters, mixers, and crystalizers, we must use a certain number of those buildings.


A pipe feeds 16 painters.
When using one pipe per level, we can feed 16 painters for each level, which is a total of 48 painters.
The 48 painters can paint a full dock (12 ports) of shapes.
So, a full dock of paint can supply 48 painters to paint a full dock of shapes.
Example:


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Note, this is using only 1/6th of a full space pipe of magenta and 1/4th of a full space belt of the shape. And, it's only filling 1/4th of the space belt with output. Below is an example using all of the shapes (4 docks) but only 4 docks of paint, which is 2/3rd of the 6 it can provide. To use all the paint we'd need two full space pipes of paint (12 docks) and 3 full space belts of shapes (12 docks). This fills the output space belt.

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A pipe feeds 16 mixer inputs.

(This can be a little confusing because mixers have two inputs. In general, each input should have a different paint color so they mix to make a new color. However, sometimes it's helpful to send the same paint into both inputs which causes the mixer to output that same color. That's for dynamic mixing, often for automation. So, for this guide, let's assume each mixer port receives a different color.)

A pipe feeds 16 mixers, one input per mixer.
So, one pipe of Red, and one pipe of Blue, will feed both inputs of the 16 mixers.
The 16 mixers would then output 32 magenta.
It's double, because it's 16 Red + 16 Blue = 32 Magenta.
Example:


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Note, this is using only 1/6th of each input (the blue and red). And, it's only filling 1/3rd of the space pipe with output (2 docks is 1/3rd of the 6 needed to fill it).

Here is an example of using all of a full space pipe of both blue and red to make magenta. It'll fill *two* space pipes with magenta. Normally I'd put all the mixers in a line, but, I wanted to be able to show it all in a screenshot, so, I split it to go to opposite sides.

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Feeding paint from two levels into the mixer platforms is similar to feeding two inputs to swappers, as in my swapper guide. Here's an example:


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A pipe feeds 12 crystalizers.
6 crystalizers crystalize a full belt.
A pipe can feed two crystalizer groups (2x6) for two full belts of shapes.
Example:

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Note, this is only using one of three levels of paint, and, only using 2 of 12 shape ports. That means the three levels of the paint input could handle 6 belts, 2 per level (2 per pipe). That's only half of the 12 shape inputs.

So, when crystalizing shapes, to support a full dock (12 ports) of shapes we need TWO full docks of paint, which is 6 levels, for 6 pipes. Example:

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Note, this is using all the paint and shapes and the output is 1/4th of a space belt worth of shapes. We'd need four of these working together to fill a space belt.

Also, I hastily put together this example. I wouldn't say this is the right way to do it. It's a way I thought would show it well for learning about how much paint is required for crystalizing.

One thing which is often a surprise "gotcha" is how paint transport buildings limit the paint going through them.

The good news is all of these buildings have the same exact paint limit: 1800 L/m:

1. paint catcher/thrower (when used at a platform dock, and when used on a platform floor)
   
2. pipe gate
   
3. paint storage

So, if we want to have paint from a regular pipe jump over something, then we need to use *four* paint jumps to get all of the paint across and into a new pipe.

And, if we want to control whether a pipe's paint goes forward then we need *four* pipe gates to control it before it goes into a new pipe.

Examples:

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1. Blue shows paint jumps to carry a full regular pipe of paint

2. Green shows pipe gates to carry a full regular pipe of paint

3. Red shows two things, to the right it shows paint storage to accept and output a full regular pipe. To the left it shows a way to avoid paint storage limiting the pipe while still accepting paint from the pipe and outputting paint to the pipe. Although it can only output 1800 L/m it's enough when we only need it to help with a small amount of paint due to a supply fluctuation.

Now that we know how to use a full space pipe and full regular pipes, I'll show how to gather the paint into full space pipes from both small and large paint asteroids.


To fill a space pipe with paint requires a lot of paint, and, it must be sent to all 12 pipelines of the space pipe.

A single Paint Miner with 3 extensions supplies enough paint to fill a single space pipe pipeline to 2/3rd (7200 of 10800). Or, it can fill 4 pipelines to 1/6th (1800 of 10800). Or, it can fill all 12 pipelines to 1/18th (600 of 10800).

Note, we can't send it all into a single pipeline because the paint thrower is limited to 1800 L/m. That's why we always send paint out to at least 4 pipelines.

When using 4 outputs on each Paint Miner, use 4 in the same level and build the Miners in threes with each one supplying paint to a different level.

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Another option is to connect the regular pipe to all 12 outputs so paint is sent evenly to each of the 12 pipelines of the space pipe. This uses more buildings, but is convenient because we don't need to track whether we're outputting enough to each of the levels (tracking them in threes, etc). Instead, we just build enough of those Miners to fill the space pipe.

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Either way, we need 18 Paint Miners to fill an entire space pipe. That's 18 Paint Miners and 3 extensions for each of the Paint Miners. A total of 54 extensions, making a total of 72 platforms.

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The game will help us measure to see if we have enough. Select all the Paint Miner platforms and Paint Miner Extensions. The window in the top right will show the number of platforms. To fill a space pipe we need 72 platforms. It could be 18 Miners and 54 extensions, or, it could be more Miners and less extensions, depending on what fits on the asteroid.

Wait to add space pipes because they count as platforms; then you can measure only the Paint Miners and their extensions.






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Small paint asteroids often don't have enough paint to fill a space pipe. Simply place Paint Miners all over, with extensions, and then connect them all to the same space pipe. You can also do it similar to the large paint asteroids, too. You decide.



Large paint asteroids are easy to use. Place Paint Miners with 3 extensions in rows across the asteroid, like this:


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Then, connect from the middle outward in both directions so there's two separate space pipes, one going left, one going right.

Both the ones above and below the space pipe connect, and we want 18 Paint Miners, so, that's 9 from the top and 9 from the bottom.

If there aren't 9 both above and below, then we'll need some extra paint from a nearby row, or, near the top/bottom of the asteroid where there will be some extras.

The above screenshot produces 3 full space pipes of paint. You can see some of the extras are used to fill the space pipes.

If you prefer, all miners could face the same direction, and instead of splitting left and right, a single row could try to use all of them. Feel free to do things however you want.

Space pipes deliver a lot of paint. So, train Paint Loaders will fill quickly when a full space pipe is connected to it.

I'm going to explain, in detail, using a full space pipe to load a single paint loader. Then, to figure out what happens when loading more than one loader, just multiply the time by the number of loaders. So, two loaders would take twice as long to make packages and fill up.


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1. A full space pipe has 12 pipelines. A paint loader accepts paint in three levels. So, that means 4 pipelines are combined for each level of the loader.
   
2. Each space pipe pipeline is 10800 L/m paint.
   
3. (That's 6x a paint launcher, which is 1800 L/m.)
   
4. Four pipelines combined is 43,200 L/m for a single paint loader level to make packages.
   
5. A paint loader can hold 12 packages per level (we can't see them all), and then enough paint for a 13th held in its meter.
   
6. A paint loader package is 1800 L.
   
7. 43,200 L/m divided by 60 seconds is 720 L/second.
   
8. A package's 1800 L divided by 720 L/second is 2.5 seconds per package.
   
9. So, it takes 2.5 seconds for each package (each level), and 30 seconds to make all 12 packages to fill the loader (each level).
   
10. (Remember, this is for a single loader and it'll fill the meter for a 13th package in the next 2.5 seconds, for each level).

We want to plan to deliver paint at the speed it is needed at platforms.

1. one loader holds 12 packages, which it can make every 30 seconds; 24 per minute if they're picked up
   
2. wagons hold 6 packages
   
3. platform docks can use 4 packages per minute per level because paint catchers only allow that much

One way uses more (un)loaders and wagons. Use 6 loaders, to 6 wagons, to 6 unloaders.

The advantage of this is they have more storage space which allows more time before they get another delivery.

I always let things fill up completely before starting to use them. This helps the system handle small fluctuations of supply.

I fill the system one step at a time. First, I let the loaders fill. Then the unloaders. Then I connect the unloaders to the platform by placing the paint catchers at the docks. Then, I delete (or don't place) the outputs of that platform so their work fills up the platform. Once it's full, then I connect its output. That way I can see each step fill up and make sure it's working. Once it's running all the way to sending output into the Vortex I watch to see if any part struggles to keep up.

This way, each unloader will have more than enough to supply a single platform dock. So, if you see it getting low on packages then there's something wrong.

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The above image is compact so I can fit it in a screenshot while zoomed in. It's not really an example of how to do it because things would often be farther away from each other. However, it does show the connections. There's a full space pipe feeding 6 loaders. They're picked up by a train with 6 wagons and dropped off at 6 unloaders which feed 6 platform docks. Their output is sent to 6 loaders for another train.



Another way is to use one of each: loader, wagon, and unloader. This will only work if the train can deliver often enough. If it's a long travel distance then use more than one train.

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Or, use somewhere in between, 2 or 3, etc. It depends on how you want to play it. More storage for better fluctuation protection, or, use the fewest Platform Units (PU), or whatever.



Use multiple stops in a row to pickup packages for multiple wagons from the same loader.

This was easy before v0.1. Now, wagons want to load 6 packages, if they can. And, loaders hold 12 packages. So, 2 wagons would hold all 12 and then later wagons wouldn't get any. So, it takes some extra care to setup (especially letting everything fill up along the way before letting the whole thing go). It's still possible to do, if you're interested in setting it up.

I'm going to describe how much paint is used/needed for all the various paint things using a single jump (paint launcher / paint catcher) as the unit of measure.

1. 1 jump accepts 4 paint extractors on a Paint Miner
   
2. 4 jumps accepts all paint extractors on a Paint Miner with 3 extensions
   
3. 1 jump feeds 4 painters
   
4. 1 jump feeds 4 mixer inputs (usually 4 separate mixers, only one of their inputs each)
   
5. 1 jump accepts 2 mixer outputs (each mixer outputs 2 units of paint, for 4 total, filling a jump)
   
6. 1 jump feeds 3 crystalizers
   
7. 4 jumps per 1 regular pipe
   
8. 12 jumps for 1 dock
   
9. 12 jumps of paint for painting 12 jumps of shapes
   
10. 24 jumps (2 docks) to crystalize 12 jumps of shapes
    
11. 72 jumps (6 docks) fills a space pipe (must send evenly to all 12 pipelines)

The numbers can be daunting, but, here they are:

Please read my other guides for help in other areas of the game.

https://psteamcommunity.yuanyoumao.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3511915001

https://psteamcommunity.yuanyoumao.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3362553729

https://psteamcommunity.yuanyoumao.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3511195417

https://psteamcommunity.yuanyoumao.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3334747691

https://psteamcommunity.yuanyoumao.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3320548627

Please, post a comment if you see any mistakes, or, if you have suggestions for the guide.

Thank you for reading, I hope I was able to help you enjoy Shapez 2. Have a great day.


* show 18 Miners to fill a space pipe
* show sending paint to all 12 pipelines of space pipe
* show sending paint to only one level of a space pipe, in trios
* show loading speed for loaders
* show space pipes connecting to platform docks
* show 3 pipes to a dock (4 catchers per pipe, each level)
* show direct pipe use
* show jump limited paint use
* show pipe gate limited paint use
* show paint storage limited paint use
* show crystalizer groups using twice the paint of painters
* show using 1 loader, 1 wagon, 1 unloader
* show using 6 loaders, 6 wagons, 6 unloaders
* mention using a series of stops to load from the same loader into multiple wagons
* show how to use selection to have the game count how many Miner+Extensions there are