I've had the same thing. I got the hang of it with peaceful mode, and launched the rocket :) Then I went back and tried with biters there, and enjoyed it. Ther

I've had the same thing. I got the hang of it with peaceful mode, and launched the rocket :) Then I went back and tried with biters there, and enjoyed it. There is definitely an extra element with them present. Every time I start a game now, I customise it and keep the biters, but make them weaker and less aggressive so they're not a constant pain in the arse, but still present. I totally get the anxiety around "things piling up", but that is something you learn how to deal with. One of the things I found useful is the concept that a stockpile sitting on a conveyor belt is as valid as a sitting in a chest. And rate-limiting production by "there's no more room on the belt" is also perfectly valid. It does get more fun when you get to the flying robot stage, and there's a screen full of whizzing robots making everything happen.