How to Unlock the Map in Solarpunk (Tier 2 Research)

The map in Solarpunk does not appear the moment you spawn. It sits behind the research system, so you have to work through the early tech before you can pull up a proper view of the floating islands around you. Until then, navigation comes down to flying to the edge of your island and eyeballing what is nearby.

Quick answer: Unlock the Map at the Research Table once you reach Tier 2, then craft it using 2x Cloth (made from cotton found on your starting island).

Map unlock requirements in Solarpunk

The Map is a Tier 2 Research Table upgrade. You cannot jump straight to it. Every Tier 1 research has to be completed first, and only then does the Tier 2 unlock become available. There is no way around finishing the early research queue.

Step	What you need
Build the Crafting Table	8x Wood
Build the Research Table	Wood (sourced from chopping trees)
Complete all Tier 1 research	Rain Collector, Well, Chest, Beehive, Bed
Unlock Tier 2	1x Build-Hammer, 1x Beeswax
Craft the Map	2x Cloth

Research Table in Solarpunk — The Research Table is where the Map upgrade unlocks at Tier 2.

Wood is the easiest material to gather around your spawn. Chop trees with an axe, which you can craft from 2x Stones and 2x Sticks, both lying around the starting area. The Crafting Table only needs 8x Wood, so build that first, then put together the Research Table.

Reach Tier 2 at the Research Table

Clear the full Tier 1 research list. That means the Rain Collector (2x Wood), Well (3x Stone, 2x Wood, 2x Sticks), Chest (2x Wood), Beehive (2x Wood), and Bed (2x Wood, 2x Sticks, 1x Cloth). All of these have to be done before the game lets you advance.

Build a Beehive so you can collect Beeswax, and craft a Build-Hammer. The Tier 2 unlock specifically asks for 1x Build-Hammer and 1x Beeswax, so have both ready before you try to move up a tier.

Spend those materials at the Research Table to unlock Tier 2. Once you do, the Map appears among the available Tier 2 research options, alongside upgrades like the Furnace, Bottle, and Deco Tables & Chairs.

Craft the Map with cloth and cotton

After the Map research is unlocked, crafting it costs 2x Cloth. Cloth comes from cotton, so the last thing standing between you and the map is a small cotton supply.

Map item in Solarpunk — Crafting the Map requires 2x Cloth.

Gather cotton from your starting island. It grows as a plant you can pick directly, and each harvest gives you both a piece of cotton and cotton seeds. Hold on to the seeds so you can replant and keep a steady cloth supply later.

Turn the cotton into Cloth, then craft the Map. With 2x Cloth in hand, the Map becomes craftable straight away.

Tip: Cotton is much easier to find at night because the plants glow in the dark. If you are struggling to spot it during the day, wait for nightfall and scan the ground while you walk around.

You will know the unlock worked once the Map shows up as a craftable item after reaching Tier 2, and once you build it the world view opens up for marking islands and tracking where you have been. From there, exploring the surrounding skies becomes far less disorienting, and you can start planning trips to nearby islands with a clear sense of direction.

Map unlock requirements in Solarpunk

Reach Tier 2 at the Research Table

Craft the Map with cloth and cotton

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