Having your very own Subnautica 2 metal farm is a total game changer, especially when it comes to the resource-heavy late game story beats. That's not to say that you won't have to explore at all - you must have discovered the farthest reaches of the early access Subnautica 2 map to get a metal farm for yourself, but it will make everything past that point a bit easier.
The second part of the story sees you discovering an Alien Power Plant, and you must fix the turbine to be able to power it up again. Just beyond this point, in case you haven't found it yet, is the toxic-looking, bright green metal farm, and it's here you can find the resources to make you own.
How to get the Subnautica 2 metal farm blueprint
To unlock the Subnautica 2 metal farm blueprint, you must scan three sections of the metal farm to the far east of the map.
Luckily, the three sections you need to scan are altogether, but there are some deadly creatures around here, including a giant Subnautica 2 leviathan, so spend as little time outside of your tadpole as possible. Some beasts damage your vehicle and even drain its power, so you should also make sure you have a spare power cell and a repair tool to hand.
Use your tadpole to get to the area shown in the image at the top of the page, where there is a small pool of toxic yellow water and a destroyed metal farm structure. Using your scanner, you can scan both prongs and the main body to fully unlock the metal farm blueprint.
How to use and power the metal farm
Once you've got the blueprint unlocked, you'll need one Mangalloy ingot (1x titanium ingot, 1x atacamite, 1x troilite), and one Axum Bacterial Culture. You can then place a metal farm structure with your Subnautica 2 Habitat Builder, as you would any other structure.
You can place a metal farm anywhere you want, even right next to or on top of your base. Despite the item's description, it doesn't have to be placed in a specific location: the farm's inventory determines its output, not its surroundings. However, it does have to be powered, so placing it as close to your existing base or power system is best.
Powering the metal farm, and other gear, can be a little tricky in Subnautica 2. You must have a power transmitter near the device, and when placing it, you can see if it has a power line connecting it to your base or power supply, so ensure the line is present before placing the transmitter. If placing it by your base, moving the transmitter close to your base until it attaches to the surface seems to work. Generally speaking, just move the transmitter around until you get a connection.
Once powered, you can then set your metal farm to work. Place the metal you want to replicate in the farm, and a timer will appear, showing how long until a new node is created. Use your Sonic Resonator to then break that node to harvest your materials. This is ideal for the likes of Subnautica 2 troilite, which is sparce, or even titanium - you'll know what I mean when you go to repair the Power Plant turbine.
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