In-game video options allow you to set the resolution, but there's no toggle for windowed mode. You can manually switch between windowed and fullscreen by pressing <Alt+Enter>. (Also, you can bring up an often-used genereic launch dialog by holding down <Alt> when starting the game. It has a checkbox for windowed mode, but that setting is only in effect during the loading screen.)

These scores are not required for progression in the game. They only matter if you want to optimize your machine for pride or fun, or to beat certain achievements. The stats are explained here: http://steamproxy.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=623821926

Three things are easy to miss:

• Use the Input Rate setting!
  It controls how fast items spawn – this has a huge impact on production speed, and therefore, the Cycles score. (The default bindings didn't work on my german keyboard, so be sure to check options and set the keys to something that triggers.) Of course, your machine must be able to handle the input. If items get stuck, lower the rate or improve your design.
  
• Platform Blocks (grey cubes) do *NOT* count in the Blocks score
  This is easily overlooked. If speed is not an issue, you can massively improve that score on long conveyor belts. All you need is one conveyor at the beginning, that keeps pushing new items on the platform blocks – the previous items will then push each other.
  
• How does my Footprint increase when the machine is running?
  When spawned items move, they "tag" the area they cross – this is what's increasing footprint when the machine is running. (You can observe it if you toggle footprint view

  while machine is running.) This also means that the size of moving parts may increase footprint as well, so your score might benefit if you join big parts as late as possible.[/list]
  Also keep in mind:
  

  • Tomorrow You'll Have Better Tools
    You will unlock more block types as you progress in the game. At the beginning, you don't have all the blocks that might allow more effective solutionts. You can always come back later to optimize any map.
    
  • One Build for Each Score
    You have 3 slots available per map. When optimizing, the straight-forward recommendation is to use 1 build focused on Cycles, 1 focused on Footprint, and 1 on Blocks. (Sometimes, the latter 2 might coincide, but not always.) Just like in real-life, a machine can be optimized for performance, size or cost, but it's often impossible to get everything in a single design.

When optimizing, it's essential to use the mechanics to your advantage.

If you erase blocks that connect a structure to a wall or ceiling, it will still "hover" in edit mode, but will fall down once you start running it. This also works with logic conduits (orange pipes) – if they drop on other conduits or sensors, they will "morph and bend" to connect with their neighbors, just like they do in edit mod.
You can use this to your advantage, for delayed activation of certain machine parts, e.g. for something like a sensor/pusher combo that skips the fist 5 parts. Or, you could use free-falling blocks passing some sensor, to have a certain action trigger only for the first few cycles.

When moving parts, conveyors and pushers will wait until the target area is completely empty. You can use this to slow down spawn rates of certain items, especially useful when running at increased input rate.
For example, imagine a feeder where blocks would come out one right after another, with no gap in between. You could use a sensor/pusher combo, but a much simpler way to reduce spawn rate by 50% is to place the conveyor 1 block below the outlet (so items have to fall down), or rotate the conveyor to go left or right. Both variants will force the feeder to wait until the outlet is cleared, which creates a gap between parts.
Now you could use a pusher to block (and delay) the outlet even longer, if you wish.

Some parts stick to each other, some don't. Platform blocks stick to a pusher surface, you can use this for a "long arm" pusher. When you optimize for the Blocks score, conduits hurt – platforms don't.

Blocks that don't stick, can be moved.
Platform blocks don't stick to the top of conveyors (or conduit pipes, if a platform drops on one).
You can use this to build advanced logic curcuits.

Sensor blocks are only active for 1 cycle, when another block is passing them. But sometimes you might want a signal to stay active for more cycles. These examples are just to demonstrate the principles. You can always optimize and adapt to your needs.

Let's say you need a signal active for 3 cycles. Simply push a line of 3 platform blocks through a sensor. My example is ready to trigger again after completion, by using a 2nd pusher to return the blocks to the starting position. If there's enough time before you need the signal again, you can simply use conveyors for return.


Like spawned items, platform blocks (grey cubes) don't stick if they are on conveyors, or if they drop on sensor conduits (orange pipes). This can be used to build a simple flip switch with 2 pushers.

The left sensor will switch the output OFF (by pushing the block away from the output sensor).
The right sensor will switch the output ON (by pushing the block in front of the sensor).
Based on how sensors in the game work, the output will have 1 cycle of delay.

Use your imagination to solve problems. It's so rewarding to see your idea work out.
There's countless variants how to solve each puzzle.
Don't just google solutions – Test yourself: What can *you* come up with?