Quick answer

After loading an Early Access save in Version 1.0, check the Workbench before assuming a missing device is lost. The official 1.0 notes say all non-production devices were removed from the Tech Tree and must now be unlocked at the Workbench. They also say shop sales upgrades were reworked, purchase-contract upgrades were removed, and their bonuses moved into Shop Recognition.

If an older save has a problem, separate the current menu changes from named launch bugs that were fixed: Hotfix 1.0.4917 fixed an issue where old saves could refund skill points multiple times after updating, and Hotfix v1.0.4930 fixed unusually long loading for large save files. Those announcements define a fix boundary; they should not be presented as current universal failures.

What moved from the Tech Tree

The official Version 1.0 notes say all non-production devices moved out of the Tech Tree and must now be unlocked at the Workbench.

Use this order when a familiar device is missing:

  1. Open the Workbench and look for the device's current unlock path.
  2. Compare the device category with the current production and non-production split.
  3. Recheck the Tech Tree for production devices rather than using a pre-1.0 screenshot as the menu authority.
  4. Rebuild only after the current unlock path is visible in the save.

This explains a menu-location change. It does not promise that every old placement, recipe or progression state remains identical after the update.

Shop and upgrade changes

Version 1.0 also changes the shop progression model:

  • shop sales upgrades were reworked;
  • purchase-contract upgrades were removed; and
  • the bonuses from those purchase-contract upgrades were integrated into Shop Recognition.

If the question is about sales or customer feedback, use Shop Recognition: Reputation and Sales in 1.0 instead of carrying an Early Access purchase-contract checklist into the current build.

Returning-player checklist

Run this short check before rebuilding a factory from memory:

  1. Load and inspect. Let the save finish loading, then note which device, shop or recipe looks different.
  2. Check the Workbench. Look for non-production devices that the old Tech Tree used to expose.
  3. Check Shop Recognition. Reconcile the current sales and reputation path before repeating an old upgrade order.
  4. Review recipes. The 1.0 notes say some recipes changed; compare the current recipe screen before restocking materials.
  5. Check the hotfix boundary. If the symptom is repeated skill-point refunds or unusually long loading for a large save, compare it with the named fixes before treating it as a current build rule.
  6. Make one change at a time. Keep the old save, current menu and next action together so a returning-player correction remains easy to verify.

Old-save and hotfix boundary

Hotfix 1.0.4917 recorded a fix for old saves that could refund skill points multiple times after being updated. Hotfix v1.0.4930 recorded a fix for large save files that could take an unusually long time to load.

Those are historical launch-fix boundaries. They are useful when matching an old report to the build, but they are not a reason to describe every current load or skill-point result as broken. If the same symptom still occurs on the current build, capture the save context and exact behavior before looking for a narrower troubleshooting page.

Other 1.0 changes to keep in view

The 1.0 notes also describe the new Wagon Logistics System, the Grand Portal, changed shop management and recipe changes. When an old factory's problem is transport rather than a missing unlock, use Wagon System: Rails vs Conveyors for the current decision framework.

Frequently asked questions

Where did non-production devices go? The official 1.0 notes say they were removed from the Tech Tree and must now be unlocked at the Workbench.

Are purchase-contract upgrades still in the game? The official notes say purchase-contract upgrades were removed and their bonuses were integrated into Shop Recognition.

Did Hotfix 1.0.4917 leave the old-save skill-point refund issue active? No. The announcement records that issue as fixed. If it appears again in the current build, record the exact save and update context instead of treating the launch report as a universal current failure.

Sources

Last verified: September 10, 2026. Recheck Workbench unlocks, recipes and shop upgrade labels after future updates.