I have the same problem, it happened twice now already. It's super annoying because it does prevent you from continuing the game. Any fixes or workarounds so far, besides not playing Sandbox?

If you know how to edit your xml files, I would check to make sure that the recipe is still in the files.

I found a solution after a lot of searching. In the recipe xml file the formula for steel is listed twice which seems to be the problem. I removed one of the recipes and now it seems to work.

I have no idea what xml files, or where to find and edit them

Originally posted by Wuschel:

I have no idea what xml files, or where to find and edit them

Step by step
1 - Need a program like notepad
2 - Right click game in steam library and select browse local files
3 - ...\steam\steamapps\common\CraftTheWorld\mods\starwars\data (open the data folder)
4 - Find the file called - recipe.xml
5 - Right click on file and open with notepad or an editor of your choice
6 - If you use an editor search for steel_bar
7 - it should find 2 lines with exact wording start to finish
8 - delete one of them.
9 - save file
10 - start game and play.

If you need more help post back one way or other.

Thanks for the help! I was so upset after the second time it happened, I deleted both of the games. I shall start a new one and wait for it to happen (chances are good ;) ) and then try the proposed solution.

Problem is, I cant tell you which one to delete as my files only have it listed once.

Look for a repeat of this line or an absence of it.

<recipe craft_need="smithy" group="2" produce="Steel=5" ingredients="iron-1,coal-2,coal-4,iron-5" name="Steel"/>

<recipe group="2" produce="steel=5" ingredients="iron-1,coal-2,coal-4,iron-5" name="steel"/>

Couldn't I just make a copy of it before changing anything? That way, if deleting the wrong line which might compromise gameplay, I can "reset" and try the other way

Make a copy of the whole file is best and rename it.

I tried the above. I found two slightly different lines for the steel recipe but it didn't have steel_bar, would that make a difference? However, removing didn't change anything. I tried both versions and at some point even took it out completely in hopes of finding it again but it wouldn't work. I also tried copying in the line from the original game but that didn't change anything either. Did it work right away, for those who had the same issue or did it come back after some time only?

on mine I don't remember which one i removed. I will say that i started a 'new game' to test if it was working so I don't know if this fix will retro back to a saved game. it seems that the game 'remembers' which formulas you have uncovered so it 'thinks' you already have steel despite the fact it is broken so it wont reintroduce the formula for steel

Oh. So basically, once you found the steel recipe, you checked the xml file and removed one of them? And from then on the game would work properly, even after it's been reloaded? Were you in game while modifying the data?

Never edit files while in game. That can cause it to corrupt your saves.

no. close the game. edit the recipe file. start the game. start new level. you cannot "fix" the issue and hope to go back to a saved game that the steel recipe is missing. Once you fix the issue you have to start a new game

I don't know whether this issue has been fixed officially but at least I haven't had a problem anymore. The recipe file looks 'cleaner', more orderly and there is only one steel recipe which is the same as the normal game one. Saved the game and came back to it twice at different times and steel is still available.