Applied Energistics in Minecraft: Basics, ME Network, and Blocks

To start working with the Applied Energistics 2 mod, you need to find a meteorite. To simplify this process, create a Charger and "charge" a regular compass. To do this, connect a power source from other mods or install a wooden crank directly onto the Charger. Right-clicking will allow you to generate a small amount of energy to charge items.

Once you create the special compass, its needle will point towards the nearest meteorite. When the compass starts spinning rapidly, it indicates you are almost there. If you don't see a large black sphere on the surface, you may need to dig a bit or move away to redirect the compass to a new meteorite.

Inside meteorites, you will find 8 blocks where Certus Quartz Crystals grow. Note that crystals have several growth stages. Breaking a crystal before it fully grows will only give you dust instead of a complete crystal.

By charging Certus Quartz, you unlock the ability to create Fluix Crystals. To get these crystals, simply throw Charged Certus Quartz, Nether Quartz, and Redstone Dust into one block of water.

Additionally, inside meteorites, you will find a central block containing 4 Presses. These will be needed to create special Processors, which will later be used for crafting various components in the mod.

At this stage, you can already collect several basic AE2 components. However, these materials are just the beginning. It is also important to understand how to use them to create your first ME network and advance into more complex aspects of the mod.

After learning about the basic ingredients and materials, it is time to create a full-fledged network for storing and processing items. Applied Energistics provides players with many tools to build a scalable and customizable network capable of storing thousands of items and processing them automatically.

One of the key concepts in an ME network is the Channel. Each block or device connected to your network uses one data channel to function. The main challenge when building an ME network is managing these channels correctly to ensure efficient operation without overloading. For this, you will need various types of cables:

• Regular Cables — the main connection between network blocks and devices. There are two versions of cables: smart and simple. Smart Cables show the number of channels passing through them, which greatly simplifies the design of large networks.

• Quartz Fiber — a special type of cable that only transmits energy without using data channels. These cables are useful for transferring power between two network segments without mixing energy and data streams.

• P2P Tunnels (Point-to-Point) — a unique category of cables that allows data transfer between two network points directly, without overloading the main line. P2P channels are especially useful in large networks where many channels need to be transferred without using many cables.

Additionally, cable facades help hide cables and make the network more visually appealing, which may be important when designing your base.

With the right choice and distribution of cables, you can build an efficient ME network that meets all your automation and resource storage needs.

In newer mod versions, this block is localized as the Regulator, but for convenience, we will use the name Controller.

ME Controller — the key component allowing the use of up to 32 channels per block face. The Controller can be built as a multi-block up to 7x7x7 in size, which significantly expands its capacity for connecting more cables and devices.

However, remember: one network cannot have two separate controllers.

Interacting with the ME Controller lets you see all devices connected to the network, including energy storage. The interface also shows information about current energy consumption.

For stable network operation, a constant energy source is required. Applied Energistics 2 supports various energy sources from other mods, such as IndustrialCraft and Thermal Expansion. To convert external energy into a suitable form for AE2, a special block called the Energy Acceptor is used.

Initially, you can use the Vibration Chamber — a small generator powered by coal and other combustible materials. As the network develops, you can add Energy Cells — energy storages that save energy surpluses and prevent shutdowns when energy runs low. They can be upgraded and combined to increase total capacity.

Once the network is powered and has a controller, you can connect devices. Applied Energistics offers a wide range of devices such as ME Drive, ME Chest, and ME Terminals. These components play a key role in resource management, providing players with access to storage and other functions.

• ME Chest — a simple storage block that holds items in special cells.

• ME Drive — a device that stores multiple cells simultaneously, making it a more efficient option for large volumes of data.

• ME Terminals — interfaces for interacting with the network. Terminals come in different types: ME Terminal, ME Crafting Terminal, and wireless versions for remote network access.

One of AE2's strengths is its ability to automate tasks, allowing players to reduce manual labor and increase efficiency. Using AE2, you can set up automatic item input and output and integrate crafting processes that trigger on demand or when resources are low.

ME Export Bus and ME Import Bus are two devices that allow easy item transfer between the AE2 network and external inventories:

• ME Import Bus — connects to any block or chest, extracting items and sending them into the AE2 network. For example, if a chest or furnace is connected to the network, the bus will automatically transfer resources to the ME network.

• ME Export Bus — does the opposite, unloading items from the network into any connected block. This is useful for automating resource delivery to furnaces or machines from other mods. The export bus can be configured for specific items to transfer them to the desired inventory.

The Applied Energistics 2 (AE2) mod is an incredibly powerful tool for players looking for efficient automation in Minecraft. It allows you to organize complex networks for storing, processing, and transporting resources, as well as automate many processes to make gameplay more convenient and productive. Whether you want to create an automatic crafting system or a resource farm, AE2 provides all the necessary tools.

Remember, the deeper you explore the mod's capabilities, the more solutions you will find for your base and gameplay improvements. All you need to do is experiment and configure your network to perfectly suit your needs.