Optimal Room Layouts in Oxygen Not Included: Maximize Efficiency and Comfort in Your Colony

Achieving optimal room layouts in *Oxygen Not Included* is essential for maximizing colony efficiency, Duplicant morale, and resource management. In this deep-space survival simulator, each room’s architecture and placement play a key role in boosting productivity and sustaining your base. Here’s how to design and structure the most effective rooms for your colony’s long-term success.

1. Understanding Room Bonuses

The game rewards you for enclosing spaces with walls and doors into designated "rooms." Once certain criteria are met—such as minimum size, permitted furniture, and proper enclosures—these rooms grant beneficial effects, like reduced stress, better food production, or increased Duplicant morale. For example, establishing a proper Mess Hall gives a morale bonus to every Duplicant who eats there, while a Barracks improves sleeping quality.

2. Essential Room Types and Layouts

- Barracks: Minimum size: 12 tiles. Place cots for each Duplicant, with decor elements (e.g., Flower Pots) to improve the environment.

- Mess Hall/Great Hall: Requires Mess Tables; a Great Hall adds a high decor item and a recreation building. Centralize this near food storage and kitchens for quick access.

- Washroom or Lavatory: Enclose toilets and wash basins so Duplicants maintain hygiene, ideally near living quarters.

- Research Room: Dedicated research spaces prevent distractions and localize heat production.

- Power Plant: Cluster generators and batteries for upkeep and safety, separated from living spaces due to heat and noise.

- Farms and Ranches: Design stables for critters and dedicated farm plots near necessities, like water, to streamline food production.

3. Strategic Placement for Workflow

Placing related rooms next to each other minimizes travel time. For example, position Washrooms adjacent to Barracks and Mess Halls, and keep industrial rooms (like Metal Refineries and Power Plants) away from bedrooms due to heat and noise. Centralized food production, with direct access to storage and dining, prevents spoilage and keeps duplicants efficient.

As a designer, I always consider traffic flow and accessibility—two factors that dramatically impact your colony’s performance. Even in digital spaces, good planning means balancing function with form. In *Oxygen Not Included*, this translates perfectly: an orderly and intentional layout doesn’t just look good, it ensures colony survival.

Tips 1:

When arranging your rooms, use consistent dimensions (e.g., 4x4 or 6x6) to simplify airflow, automation, and expansion. Mark out future upgrades in your blueprints to avoid overcrowding later. If you need inspiration to visualize or plan your base before construction, utilizing a room planner ensures your digital blueprints translate smoothly into efficient gameplay layouts.

FAQ

Q: What are the best dimensions for a Mess Hall?

A: Aim for 12–64 tiles, with easy access to food storage and handwashing. Add decor for additional morale bonuses.

Q: How do I maximize Duplicant path efficiency?

A: Place high-traffic rooms (Barracks, Mess Hall, Washrooms) near each other and avoid long vertical gaps or redundant ladders between utility rooms.

Q: Can room layouts affect stress or disease?

A: Yes! Proper Washrooms and airlocks between dirty and clean zones prevent contamination, and decorated rooms reduce Duplicant stress.

Q: Should I keep my industrial rooms separate?

A: Absolutely—industrial rooms generate heat and noise, so place them away from living spaces to maintain comfort and safety.

Q: How can I plan future base expansions?

A: Use blueprints and standard room sizes, leaving access points and space for growth, to adapt as your colony’s needs evolve.