No Man's Sky is an action-adventure survival multiplayer-optional game developed and published by Hello Games. It was released worldwide in August 2016 on PS4 and Steam. The XB1 release is due to land on the 24th July 2018. Since its initial launch the game has seen three major updates with a fourth releasing alongisde the XB1 launch. These updates have continued to build upon the base game, dramatically extending functionality and content alongside updating the visuals, perfomance and applying numerous quality of life adjustments.
Players are free to explore the entirety of a procedurally generated open universe home to some 18,446,744,073,709,551,616 planetary bodies. Planets are found within solar systems, and can be orbited by several moons. Across these planets you will find numerous biomes from completely desolate 'dead' planets with no atmosphere, to lush, tropical landscapes teeming with life. From planets with extreme weather conditions and radioactivity to endless oceans No Man's Sky draws inspiration for its aesthetic from 60's and 70's Sci-Fi like that written by Isaac Asiimov or seen in the illustrations of Chris Foss, and aims to give users a sense of walking through these vibrant world's, with planets to explore decorating the horizon.
Perhaps a question as open as the universe the game is set in. It really is a game that invites you to explore as you wish, though that isn't to say there aren't things to help provide focus. The core tenets of the game revolve around exploring, mining, trading and building. Players explore a variety of world-types in the pursuit of mining and collecting various resources, which in turn are used to both further exploration, enhance your ship and biosuit capabilities and build increasingly extravagent and complex bases.
There's also a 20-30hr main storyline for players to follow should they prefer a more structured path, which you can start to follow the moment you begin your game.
Due to the size of the game you are always able to discover new systems, planets, flora and fauna with the ability to upload these discoveries to a central shared database, renaming them if you wish. If future travellers then happen across your path they will be able to see what you have seen, complete with any given names and your username and date of when you were first there.
It's this sense of ongoing discovery that captures many people but it's not the only thing to do if you've finished the story or want to take a break from the linear approach. There's farming, learning of alien languages, portals that allow you to visit known community locations, trading complete with different economies, bounties, automated-mining operations, remote freighter missions, ship-collecting and more to entertain you and work toward.
There are also four main game modes:
- Normal
- Survival
- Permadeath
- Creative
No Man's Sky chucks you in at the deep end a bit. Much like the first level of Soulsborne games it forces you to come to terms with the basics of the game in order to survive and get past that first hurdle - in this case leaving your starting planet. In doing so it ensures you know what you need to moving forward, however it can be a little bit 'sudden' for some players, so this section will aim to give you a brief rundown of what to do when you hit the ground.
As a result of the above it is highly recommended that new players do not start on Survival or Permadeath. These are hardcore experiences intended for people at the least familiar with the basic concepts of the game. Instead I would recommend starting on Normal. For people that don't want any grind or worries, go with Creative.
So, without further ado, grab your towel, remember "DON'T PANIC" and let's jump in:
Starting the Game
Note:
- Look to the lower right for an overview of your current objective
- Look at the mission log and guide in the menu. They are quite informative.
With that in mind, let's get going:
1) Fix your scanner
To do this you'll need some Ferrite Dust. This can be found in most objects that look like rocks. So as soon as you land look around for things that look like rocks. To confirm when you move your pointer over the rock it will have a grey label saying Ferrite Dust. When you find it, zap it until it breaks down. Your scanner heat is on the top right, when it gets red just stop and start again.
Note: At this stage do not try and mine any rocks or crystals that are large, stick to the small-to-medium sized items. Plant-life/Flora (like trees) are the exception to this. You will get an advanced mining laser later in the game to mine the larger and rarer resources.
When you have enough Ferrite Dust, open your inventory and move to the Multi-Tool tab. Here you can see the broken scanner. Select it and then the Ferrite Dust to fix it.
2) Gather primary resources to survive
Now you have your scanner working you'll need to quickly find some resources to heal up your draining Hazard Protection and Life Support (the two bars on the bottom left).
To do this activate the scanner and look for YELLOW [Na] and RED [O2] symbols around. Yellow plants - Sodium - are what restores your Hazard Protection. Red plants (Oxygen) are what heals your Life Support. Spend some time scanning and picking these up until you have a decent supply. This will allow you breathing room to relax and take your time moving forward.
Notes:
As you progress through the game you will get upgrades to these that buff both of these, allowing you to effectively last longer in environments. On non-hazardous planets you will only need to monitor your life support.
Storms will drain your protection and health at a rapid rate. This is why I mentioned stocking up earlier, but if you find yourself without run to a deep cave or hop in your spaceship to get away from it until it dies down. If you chose the cave option take advantage of the time and location to mine some extra resources around you!
3) Continue to follow guidance (bottom right) to fix your ship, fuel it and leave the planet
Now one very important thing to do:
- Get 50 Carbon
- Craft a carbon nanotube in your inventory
- Build the Analysis Visor on your multi-tool
- Locate material deposits (like Copper) around you
- Tag whatever you want to move toward
- Scan flora and fauna for credits
- See where Sentinels are easily, and dangerous planets (red icons)
- Show points of interest like ruins and buildings
- Do notengage the Sentinels.
- A white indicator means one is near.
- Blue means they;re investigating you
- When you see blue move to a different mining spot away from them
- Chromatic Metal is made from refining Copper
- Condensed Carbon is made form refining Carbon
- Pure Ferrite is made form refining Ferrite Dust
- To craft go into your inventory and select an empty slot
- You can pick uprefineries and save points for ease for quick deployment later
- When you pick up your refinery any fuel left in it is returned to you
IMPORTANT: IT IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED YOU FOLLOW THE TUTORIAL UNTIL "SEEK ANSWERS AMONG THE STARS" TO AVOID A NUMBER OF COMMON ISSUES.
I will be amending this guide so if you have anything you think should be added having done the start of the game yourself, please @ me and suggest something.
- Melee Boosting
An invaluable trick that you should learn as soon as you're not fighting to survive on a planet. It allows you to drastically improve mobility once you know it and you'll be using it to move everywhere thereafter (or until you get an exocraft lad vehicle.
To perform it you need to:
- Run
- Hit melee
- Hit the jetpack button instantly after (almost as close as one after the other as you can get)
- If performed correctly you will shoot forwards with the momentum from the melee. You will know when you've done it.
- This can be done from standing still but is less effective
- Fast Swimming
There are two methods to do this:
1) Melee Boost as above from land into relative deep water (so you don't touch the bottom). You will maintain your momentum for awhile and proceed to move through the water at a faster pace.
2) Dolphin Diving (for larger expanses of water): When you're in the water, jetpack up and out as high as you can. Land back in making sure not to hit the bottom and use the momentum to move forward and up back out of the water. Use your jetpack to height again and repeat. Momentum will stack each time and you can end up going fast enough that you can die on impact reaching the shore if you're not fast enough.
- Save, Save, Save.
Deployable save points can be picked back up, so when you've built one and saved pop it back in your inventory. Then whenever you've done something of note, are mining or refining a fair bit or want to save-scum something just put it back down from the quick-access menu (where you would usually build one - it'll use the one you have). Alongside this it's worth making sure you're backing up your saves to the cloud in the event of a save issue.
- -
Have a tip you'd like to suggest?
Please @ me in the thread with the tip and I'll post it up here.
If you are experiences issues please submit a bug report directly to Hello Games here: https://hellogames.zendesk.com/hc/en-us
This is not an exhaustive list and Hello Games are good at deploying patches with speed to address major issues. Below you will find a list of some of the more common bugs and issues found by members here, alongside solutions if there are any:
- !! SAVE BREAKING !! - Freighter Expeditions Save Replication Bug
Currently there is a bug across all versions of the games where starting Freighter Expeditions can result in a piece of replicating code inside save files that grows over time and overwrites elements of vital data. This results in a broken save file as elements of if become overwritten. To make matters worse this issue can occur in the background and only become apparent when you exit the game (and thus try to reload the save). Fix is being deployed soon: https://steamcommunity.com/app/275850/discussions/0/1762482479180982874/
- PS4 Pro Fans
Players on the Pro may notice their consoles attempting to take off alongside their spaceships. For now, until a patch is released, it is heavily recommended that you turn off, in the in-game menu, Supersampling, lock the framerate and then, in the Playstation system menu change the output settings to 1080p. You should see a sudden increase in performance.
- Starships Stacking in Freighters
You might come back to your ship in your Freighter to find two of your ships merged into one. To resolve this try getting into the ship that appears to be 'on the bottom' first and taking off. Failing that, try quitting the game and reloading your save.
- Claimed Starship Missing
If you claimed a starship (not replacing your current one but adding it to your starship list) and can't find it on your freighter then try saving the game, quitting and reloading back in. It should now be in your Freighter.
- Skipping the Antimatter Quest / Missing Antimatter Recipe
If you managed to find a warp cell or Antimatter before the tutorial you might be left panicking that you've missed the opportunity to craft it in the future. No problem. If you go into the Log (or Guide, Materials, Antimatter and select it if it's not in your Log) and find the Antimatter mission and abandon it. It should restart up and guide you to a location where you can find the recipe. If this doesn't solve the issue then post in this thread asking for someone to help you. If they join your gave and transfer you some antimatter then the recipe will pop up (thank you Lamptramp and Audioboxer for confirmation on this).
- Artemis Questline is in Another System?
Don't panic. The game will tell you to consult your Galaxy Map. Instead, go to the Space Station and to the portal. You'll be able to warp to the station in the system where the quest step is.
Please @ me in the thread with the bug/issue and solution if there is one, and I'll post it up here.
The NEXT update is the fourth major update to the game and is set to release on the 24th July 2018, alongside the XB1 version of the game. This update will include a variety of things but the primary focus is the inclusion of a fully-fledged multiplayer system, not only allowing people to play with their friends but also come across strangers in the vast universe you're exploring.
Trailer:
Alongside this there are a number of other major additions to the game, with numerous other quality of life tweaks:
- Frigates and Freighter Command
- A freighter can command up to 50 frigates.
- These can be deployed on remote missions to other systems to earn resources should they be successful.
- They can also aid you in your exploration of systems.
- When deployed these will actually be in those systems and not magically vanish from existence
- Third-Person Perspective
- For both ships and on-foot.
- As a result of having a visible character there are now extensive customization options.
- Expanded Base Building
- Bases can now be built anywhere on a planet (including underground and underwater).
- You can now build multiple bases.
- The size allowance for each base has been massively increased.
- Introduction of Weekly Events
- Members of the community can work together toward community goals and missions.
- These will have their own reward currency that can be spent on things like ships and cosmetics.
- This currency will not be purchaseable with real currency. There are no micro-transactions in the game.
- Visual Overhaul
- This includes better atmospheric effects, increased draw distances, new cloud rendering system improved textures among others.
- Ringed planets can now be found in the game.
- Fauna in the game have better textures, animations and sound.
No Man's Sky has developed a strong community across various platforms, social services and websites. Despite the fact that up until recently there was very limited multiplayer functionality, members of the community still managed to create compelling stories of adventure and persistence, as well as forming a galactic hub - a section of the galaxy where all users could visit to share messages, view bases and see well-traversed planets for themselves. See the Galactic Hub section for more information below.
Here on ResetEra we have a strong No Man's Sky community that have shared their journey with each other through previous update until now, giving new users advice on how best to approach certain aspects of the game, sharing screenshots of the wonderful things they've discovered and made pilgrimages across the galaxy to see well known sites for themselves.
Below you will find links to help start getting involved or learning more about the community:
The Discord was set up by Lamptramp as a means to help coordinate players and provide some off-forum social platforms for ResetEra members. A way to keep in touch and chat in real time with members of the forum you know, and faciliate meeting up and playing together with ease.
The Discord is platform-agnostic meaning it's for all players of No Man's Sky.
Click the image above to join.
As mentioned earlier the Galactic Hub Project is an initiative by the community to populate a growing section of the galaxy and foster an in-game community where players can highlight planets of interest in the area, set up bases together on planets and general have a 'busier' section of space for all to visit.
This has grown into having different factions and alliances, it's own lore, a sightseeing tour of wonderful locations and life within the hub and a shopping list of where to find some of the nicest ships in the galaxy.
I will go into more detail on various parts of the Hub and its history, including the famous Pilgrim's Star, over time but for now you can click the image above to learn more.
For the same reasons as the Discord above, Lamptramp also set up the No Man's Era XB1 Club to help people on xbone find people to place with and share experiences with. Click the image above to join!
If you haven't played since lauch then the quick answer is, a lot. Below you can find a breakdown of what's been added in the last three major updates to catch you up on everything major you've missed. With each will be a link to the update post so you can check them out in even more detail should you wish.
No Man's Sky is in constant development and even more updates are planned for the future. As you can see from the below and with NEXT they are anything but trivial, extending the scope and function of the game immensely. Many of these additions were never planned and some even against the original direction of the game, but Hello Games has been keen to listen to the community they have and incorporate large chunks of functionality according to what the players want.
This is expected to continue into the future.
Atlas Rises was the third major update, introduced to the game in August 2017.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5328iuzHw-w
Major additions with this update included:
- 30 hour narrative storyline
- Overhauled lore and introduction of new characters
- Over twice the amount of lore and interactions of the base game
- Introduction of a fourth race
- Portals
- Portals allow you to enter a new learned language to visit other people's worlds, random planets or return to places you've been.
- Wealth, economy and conflict levels added to star systems
- Upgraded tech allows you to filter between these on the galactic map
- New trade goods are available with the new economy update allowing you to buy low and sell high acros ssystems.
- Tiered crafting system allows you to work toward making increasingly valuable resources
- Extensive UI improvements
- New analysis visor shows more information and gives greater rewards for scanning
- New mission log allows you to track progress across various areas
- Guild tracking shows you your standing with the various guilds
- Missions
- Players can now visit mission agents for NPC guilds
- Missions cater for all players and are constantly generated
- More difficult and rewarding missions as you increase your standing with guilds
- Crashed Freighters
- These can be looted using the terrain manipulation to uncover buried cargo
Pathfinder was the second major update, introduced to the game in March 2017.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDNtbosTCvo
Major additions with this update included:
- Exocraft Vehicles
- There are three types of exocraft; the Nomad, the Roamer and the Colossus.
- The Nomad has the greatest speed and agility, and is able to glide over water.
- The Roamer is capable of quickly crossing rugged terrain and adapting to most situations.
- The Colossus offers an enormous cargo hold perfect for those looking to harvest resources.
- You can now create race circuits on home planets, create a time-trial and challenge others to beat it
- New Permadeath mode and increase Survival mode difficulty
- Survival: Dying in space will now restart you on the nearest planet's surface, away from your crashed ship
- Starships now have specialisations and classes
- Fighters that specialise in combat
- Haulers that have expanded cargo holds
- Explorers that feature increased warp capabilities
- Shuttles that provide an all-round experience
- Ships will now be class-rated: A, B, C or the ultra rare S class
- Multi-tools now have specialisations and classes
- Pistols offer increased mining capabilities
- Rifles provide combat advantages
- Experimental weapons are attuned to scanning
- Alien Multi-tools are the rarest and most powerful variety
- Similar to starships, weapons are also S, A, B or C class-rated
- Standing is now more important with each faction:
- Traders will only sell the best technology to their closest allies
- Vy'keen traders for Multi-tool technology
- Gek for ship upgrades
- Korvax for Exosuit improvement blueprints
- New weapons for both ships and multi-tools:
- Multi-tools weaponry:
- Scatter Blaster is most effective in close range encounters, able to damage multiple foes at once
- Pulse Spitter is ideal for mid-range skirmishes, particularly against fast moving opponents
- Blaze Javelin is a long range weapon, capable of eliminating enemies from afar
- Ship weaponry:
- Cyclotron Ballista fires a concentrated ball of charged particles at forward targets, causing heavy damage
- The Positron Ejector shoots in a wide cone of destruction
- The Infra-Knife Accelerator releases a sustained burst of rapid fire
- Base sharing and Steam Workshop integration
- You can now own and store multiple ships aboard your Freighter
- New shops and a new currency; Nanite Clusters.
- Photo Mode
Foundation was the first major update, introduced to the game in November 2016.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hI9PvjJJijY
Major additions with this update included:
- Base Building
- Find and claim uninhabited bases.
- Construct modular structures and decoration in exchange for resources gathered while exploring.
- Teleport to and from your base from Space Stations with a terminus teleporter.
- Add storage containers to bases
- Build shelters and take refuge from storms and atmospheric damage
- Farming
- Grow and harvest crops using the new Farming system
- Research and grow ten new plant types
- Plants grow over time meaning biome dependant crops can be cultivated outdoors, or inside hydroponic labs
- On-foot Construction
- Explorers can now deploy equipment in the field
- Automated harvesters gather resources continuously
- Communication terminals allow explorers to leave sub space messages for others to find
- Nearby mineral deposits, uninhabited bases or drop pods can be discovered with a Signal Scanner
- Place save points anywhere
- Freighters
- Interstellar Freighters can be purchased and summoned from anywhere in the Galaxy
- Teleport resources to your Freighter while on-planet
- Customise the base building section of your freighter & build hydroponics labs to grow crops
- Use the new recruitment system to recruit NPCs for your Freighter
- Create extended cargo holds to increase freighter capacity.
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