You're standing on a desolate, orange-tinted rock, staring at a Gas Extractor that's doing absolutely nothing. It’s frustrating. You need that Planet Crafter methane cartridge to push into the mid-game, but the mechanics feel a bit opaque when you first unlock them. Most players hit a wall right around the time the sky turns blue. You’ve got iron and magnesium coming out of your ears, but suddenly, the game demands complex chemistry.
Methane isn't just another resource; it's the literal fuel for your progress. Without it, you aren't making Fertilizer. Without Fertilizer, your biomass score stays flat. If that stays flat, you aren't getting those high-tier Oxygen generators or the beautiful tree spreaders that actually make the planet look like a home. It's all connected.
The Basic Science of Grabbing Gas
So, how do you actually get a Planet Crafter methane cartridge? It isn't something you find lying in a golden crate in a shipwreck. Well, rarely. Mostly, you have to manufacture the opportunity. You need a Gas Extractor. Specifically, the Tier 1 version becomes available once you hit a certain Heat threshold—usually around 155 mK.
Once you plop that machine down anywhere on the map, it starts sucking gas out of the "air." But here is the kicker: it’s random. The T1 extractor pulls both Magnesium and Methane. You’ll go back to your machine expecting a haul of blue canisters and find a locker full of gray rocks. It’s annoying. You have to manually clear those rocks out to make room for the gas you actually want.
Why the Location Doesn't Matter (Mostly)
A common misconception is that you need to place extractors near "smelly" areas or specific vents. Honestly? You don't. Unlike Ore Extractors, which are hyper-dependent on the specific ground they sit on (like needing to be in the Aluminum Hills to get Aluminum), the Gas Extractor works anywhere. You can put it right next to your front door.
Moving Up to the T2 Gas Extractor
If you’re tired of playing the "is it a rock or a gas" lottery, you need the T2 Gas Extractor. This is a game-changer. It unlocks much later—specifically at 5.00 mPa of Pressure.
💡 You might also like: How Orc Names in Skyrim Actually Work: It's All About the Bloodline
The T2 version is beautiful because it allows you to filter. You can literally tell the machine to only collect the Planet Crafter methane cartridge and ignore the nitrogen or the stray minerals. This is where your automation truly begins. If you’ve reached the point where you’re building an Ore Extractor T3, you should already have a dedicated farm of T2 Gas Extractors humming away.
- T1 Recipe: 2x Zeolite, 1x Iridium Rod, 1x Super Alloy.
- T2 Recipe: 1x Three-Stacked Super Alloy (basically a Super Alloy Rod), 2x Zeolite, 1x Magnesium.
Zeolite is the bottleneck here. It starts appearing on walls and near water once the flora stage kicks in. Don't waste it on decorative items early on; save it for your gas production.
What Are You Actually Doing With All That Methane?
You shouldn't just hoard these canisters. That’s a rookie move. The primary reason you’re hunting for the Planet Crafter methane cartridge is the Bio Lab.
Fertilizer is the big one. To craft basic Fertilizer, you need three algae, two eggplants, and one methane cartridge. If you’re wondering why your base looks like a desert while other players have lush forests, it’s because they have a steady stream of methane feeding their Fertilizer production.
Then there’s Pulsar Quartz. Late in the game, you’ll need this for Fusion Reactors. While you can find Pulsar Quartz in the wild (especially in the meteor crater or the hidden rainbow caves), eventually you’ll have to craft it. That requires a mess of ingredients: Zeolite, Osmium, Uranium, Iridium, and—you guessed it—methane.
📖 Related: God of War Saga Games: Why the Greek Era is Still the Best Part of Kratos’ Story
The Mutagen Connection
Don't forget Mutagen. If you want to get into butterfly breeding or bee hives (which you should, because the Riley messages suggest it's the best way to boost insects), you need Mutagen T1.
- Bacterial Colony.
- Sulfur.
- Methane.
It’s a simple recipe, but you’ll burn through dozens of canisters in a single sitting when you're trying to roll a high-stat butterfly larva.
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
I’ve seen players build ten Gas Extractors and then complain they have no power. These machines are thirsty. A T1 Gas Extractor pulls about 55 energy per second. A T2 pulls significantly more. Before you go on a methane spree, check your nuclear reactor situation. If you’re still relying on solar panels and wind turbines, you’re going to have a bad time.
Another tip: The Backpack Problem.
Methane canisters don’t stack. They take up a full slot. When you go to harvest your extractors, go with an empty inventory. Better yet, build a storage locker directly next to the extractor. Empty the machine into the locker, then carry the bulk back to your Bio Lab in one trip using a jetpack. It saves so much sprinting.
The Nitrogen Confusion
Sometimes you'll see Nitrogen cartridges. They look similar. They're used for different things, mostly late-game recipe variants and some specific biological upgrades. If your extractor is full of Nitrogen and you need Methane, you’re likely using a T2 and have the wrong filter selected, or you’re using a T1 and just having a run of "bad luck." Just clear the inventory. The machine's internal timer resets and starts rolling for a new item immediately.
👉 See also: Florida Pick 5 Midday: Why Most Players Chase the Wrong Patterns
Scaling Your Production
By the time you reach the "Trees" stage, you should have at least four T2 Gas Extractors dedicated solely to the Planet Crafter methane cartridge.
Why four?
Because crafting is exponential. One tree spreader needs Fertilizer T2. Fertilizer T2 needs Fertilizer T1. Fertilizer T1 needs Methane. If you only have one extractor, you’ll be sitting around waiting for bars to fill up instead of actually transforming the planet.
Basically, if you feel like the game is slowing down, it’s probably because your chemical production is lagging. Methane is the bridge between "survival" and "terraforming."
Practical Next Steps for Your Save File
Check your current Pressure levels. If you haven't hit the 155 mK mark for the T1 Extractor, focus entirely on Drills. Once you have the extractor, place it near your Bio Lab. Don't worry about "optimal" placement—just get it running.
Next, prioritize Algae Generators. Since Methane is mostly used with Algae to make Fertilizer, there’s no point in having 50 methane cartridges if you don't have the green slime to match. Balance your farms.
Once you unlock the T2 Extractor, deconstruct every T1 you own. You get all the resources back, and the efficiency gain from filtering out the junk minerals is worth the five minutes of rebuilding. Keep your Zeolite in a dedicated chest so you're always ready to expand your gas farm when the power grid allows for it.