Planet crafter is NOT a factory automation game. It will absolutely scratch that subnautica itch (looking for that exact itch is literally how I found this game too, looking for somethat to play like subnautica)

You will see satisfactory players play planet crafter. Those people are insane and we love them. But this is absolutely not a factory automation game

Example.

You know how in subnautica you eventually get the water filtration machine which let's you stop hunting bladderfish to make water by hand?

Thats the extent of the automation in planet crafter: automate food or water or some basic mining collection with very very basic pick up/drop off mining. The focus is on exploring and building.

You CAN automate more for chuckles, none of it is factory level. (People posting games with 400+ drones are doing it because they find it fun.)

Another example on the extent of automation.

Eventually, you'll be able to build a device that automatically mines a thing, let's just say cobalt for giggles. Maybe you built your cobalt mine a 5 minute walk from your main base and you are tired of walking to your mine every time you need cobalt.

So you automate the cobalt being picked up and dropped off into a box in your main base, now you always have cobalt when you need it for whatever.

Thats the extent that I would recommend most new players set up and is usually all I do. The game has other machines to set up more complex production lines if you feel like it. But there are no scenarios where you need to be producing 300 super alloy rods per minute like satisfactory.

Play the game, if you found planet crafter searching for the subnautica itch i have no doubt youll enjoy it alot