Sandustry Guide and Wiki

troubleshooting

Sandustry Performance and Save Safety – Diagnose Without Risk

Troubleshoot Sandustry v0.5.6 crashes, lag, and save concerns with official logs, safer GPU diagnostics, reversible checks, and a clean report template.

Early Access v0.5.6 · checked 2026-09-04 · Checked 2026-09-04

Start with the v0.5.6 support boundary

Performance is hardware-, driver-, operating-system-, save-, and build-specific. Confirm the current vanilla public branch; SteamDB records v0.5.6 as build 25106127. A player report about one RTX 4060 laptop and recent late-game FPS threads prove demand, not a universal cause. Record the exact build and follow official reporting guidance before experimenting with community launch flags. This page does not promise an FPS gain or treat one machine or factory as proof of a game-wide defect.

Use the v0.5.5 diagnostics first

The official v0.5.5 announcement says Sandustry now writes more detailed crash logs. It documents main.log under AppData/Roaming/sandustry/logs on Windows, Library/Logs/sandustry on macOS, and .config/sandustry/logs on Linux. Confirm the path against the live announcement before sharing anything. The same update added optional Crashpad diagnostics, but the developer warns that crash dumps may contain sensitive information and says affected players will be told how to enable it. Do not enable or upload dumps from unofficial instructions.

Capture a baseline

Record game build, platform, operating system, CPU, GPU, memory, display resolution, graphics settings, mod status, and whether the issue occurs in a new or existing save. Note the exact location and factory state. Measure the same scene for several minutes without changing anything. A large active pixel simulation may behave differently from an empty area, so include approximate material activity. Avoid installing tools or deleting data before you have a baseline.

Apply reversible checks

Restart the game and system, close unrelated heavy applications, verify free storage, and compare one display setting at a time. v0.5.5 added Alt+Enter fullscreen switching, replaced instruction videos to address a documented GPU-preview crash, and added a macOS right-button workaround. v0.5.6 then replaced GPU diagnostics that caused problems on some hardware with a safer alternative, while the developer said remaining crashes are still under investigation. Update first, then use only the check matching the symptom. Disable mods only after recording the list and protecting the save; never install unknown executables or replace game files manually.

Protect saves

Use the official pinned save-location guidance for the current platform. Exit the game fully before copying anything. Copy the relevant save data to a separate dated folder, then verify the copy exists and has a plausible size. Never test destructive changes on the only copy. Cloud synchronization is useful but is not a substitute for a local versioned backup because an unwanted state can synchronize. Restoration steps vary, so consult current official support before overwriting live data.

Isolate factory load

Compare the affected save in a quiet region and near the busiest factory. Temporarily stop inputs through normal in-game controls rather than deleting structures, then observe whether stability changes. If it does, narrow by material activity, fluids, temperature reactions, logistics, or a particular module. That is a diagnostic clue, not proof of an engine defect. Preserve a minimal reproduction save if the official reporting channel accepts one.

Write a useful report

Provide a short title, current build, platform, hardware, mod and branch status, reproduction steps, expected result, actual result, frequency, and what reversible checks changed. If requested, attach main.log only through an official channel after reviewing it for personal data. Share a Crashpad dump only when the developer gives the current enablement and transfer instructions. State whether the issue survives restart and occurs in a clean new save. A precise report is more actionable than a guessed driver or save diagnosis.

Use a reversible troubleshooting ledger

Create one row for every change: timestamp, build, save, scene, setting or action, expected effect, measured result, and whether it was restored. Change only one variable, then return to the same scene and observation interval. Keep copies of configuration or save data only through documented safe methods, and never overwrite the sole working version. This ledger prevents placebo improvements and makes official reports easier to review. If performance improves only after stopping a particular production zone, preserve that as a reproduction clue rather than deleting the factory. If crashes continue in a clean new save or after current official checks, attach the minimal ledger summary and requested logs through the official support channel.

Sources and evidence notes

Frequently Asked Questions