---
key: mechanic/rpg-grind--production-chains
type: mechanic
id: rpg-grind--production-chains
lang: en
title: Production chains
summary: >-
  One recipe’s output becomes the next recipe’s input. The player supplies raw
  materials, intermediate components and enough capacity at every stage.
updatedAt: '2026-10-21'
status: active
url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/rpg-grind--production-chains/'
jsonUrl: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/rpg-grind--production-chains.json
markdownUrl: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/rpg-grind--production-chains.md
aliases: []
tags:
  - RPG grinding
  - Gathering and production
sourceIds:
  - source-fee3301bed8a96da
sources:
  - id: source-fee3301bed8a96da
    title: Factorio
    url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/427520/Factorio/'
    verifiedAt: null
relations: []
placements:
  - catalogId: rpg-grind
    id: production-chains
    title: RPG grinding
    url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/rpg-grind/#production-chains'
    categoryIds:
      - resources-production
supersededBy: []
attributes:
  preview:
    updatedAt: '2026-10-21'
    title: Production chains
    description: >-
      One recipe’s output becomes the next recipe’s input. The player supplies
      raw materials, intermediate components and enough capacity at every stage.
    image:
      src: images/mechanics/factorio-copper-wire.webp
      width: 1224
      height: 689
      game: Factorio
      sourceUrl: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/427520/Factorio/'
      originalUrl: >-
        https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/427520/ss_37aa19e26e20e18a220fd8870dac6efb0e98b5f0.1920x1080.jpg?t=1787348817
      credit: Wube Software
      rights: © Wube Software. All rights reserved.
      caption: 'One link: plates into cable'
      alt: >-
        Factorio: a row of assembling machines connects a copper-plate input
        belt to a copper-cable output belt.
      markers:
        - x: 27
          'y': 51
          label: The previous stage supplies copper plates
        - x: 38
          'y': 69
          label: This link makes an intermediate component
        - x: 74
          'y': 51
          label: Cable moves downstream along the chain
    tips:
      - Let players inspect recipe dependencies from the final product.
      - Distinguish missing inputs from insufficient production capacity.
    examples:
      - title: Factorio
        url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/427520/Factorio/'
endsAt: null
provenance: >-
  Original editorial RPG grind taxonomy authored for gamemechanics.pro on
  2026-10-20 and expanded to cover activities, progression goals, reward rules
  and constraints. All original thirty family/branch/variant identities are
  preserved. Official developer and publisher sources support only the
  specifically described released-game observations; design variants and
  scenarios are hypothetical.
license: CC-BY-4.0
codeLicense: MIT
attribution: gamemechanics.pro contributors
catalogKey: catalog/rpg-grind
---
# Production chains

id: rpg-grind--production-chains
type: mechanic
key: mechanic/rpg-grind--production-chains
lang: en
status: active
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/rpg-grind--production-chains/

One recipe’s output becomes the next recipe’s input. The player supplies raw materials, intermediate components and enough capacity at every stage.

## At a glance

![Factorio: a row of assembling machines connects a copper-plate input belt to a copper-cable output belt.](https://gamemechanics.pro/images/mechanics/factorio-copper-wire.webp)

[Factorio](https://store.steampowered.com/app/427520/Factorio/) · © Wube Software. All rights reserved.

1. The previous stage supplies copper plates
2. This link makes an intermediate component
3. Cable moves downstream along the chain

- Let players inspect recipe dependencies from the final product.
- Distinguish missing inputs from insufficient production capacity.

- [Factorio](https://store.steampowered.com/app/427520/Factorio/)

## How it works

A final item requires multiple processing stages. The player accumulates raw materials and intermediate components.

## Variants

### Action → reward

<a id="production-chains-loop"></a>

- Gather raw materials, process them and assemble components → craft valuable items. <a id="production-chains-repeat"></a>
- Accumulate components for multiple stages in parallel. <a id="production-chains-option-2"></a>
- Replace a scarce component through an alternative recipe. <a id="production-chains-option-3"></a>

## Design example

Ore becomes ingots, ingots become plates, and plates plus leather become armor.

## Context and limits

A systematic RPG grind reference: 110 mechanics and 330 variants in 18 sections. Four layers answer different questions: what the player repeats, what develops, how rewards arrive and what constrains the loop. It covers single-player RPGs, ARPGs, MMORPGs and adjacent management and accumulation systems. Every mechanic has an explanation, variants and a hypothetical example; coverage, combinations and verified game observations follow the catalog.

## Connected materials


## Sources and provenance

Original editorial RPG grind taxonomy authored for gamemechanics.pro on 2026-10-20 and expanded to cover activities, progression goals, reward rules and constraints. All original thirty family/branch/variant identities are preserved. Official developer and publisher sources support only the specifically described released-game observations; design variants and scenarios are hypothetical.

- [Factorio](https://store.steampowered.com/app/427520/Factorio/) (id: source-fee3301bed8a96da)

CC-BY-4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors