No Man's Sky: 20 Crucial Tips For Beginners (2024)

No Man’s Sky took some time to reach consoles after it was announced, but the wait was worth it in the end. For fans of sandbox games, the volume of content to invest in is deeply rewarding. The resource management elements are handled well despite customization not being as extensive. Either way, this simulation-arcade-style adventure will also tickle fans of not only sci-fi but science itself.

The incorporation of fellow players is definitely an added bonus to the variety of gameplay. But the single-player, PC-oriented nature of the game lingers. The story also begins like a trial-by-fire, and it can feel overwhelming. Here are some tips for newcomers that become obvious but feel elusive at the onset.

Updated on May 10, 2023, by Branden Lizardi: If there's any one thing to look forward to, even today, it's another eventual update to No Man's Sky. The game continues with new expansions regularly, introducing new mechanics, components, items, and equipment. We've returned to this list and made a few changes to ensure that all of the content remains fresh, accurate, and fit for the game in its current form. Best of luck to any new travelers looking to voyage to the center of the galaxy for the first time.

1 Explore Underground For Valuables

Building The Bank

While starting out in No Man's Sky, you might be tempted to scan a few trees, gather some materials, and be on your way with a not-so-shiny repaired ship. However, something you'll want to start thinking about early on in the game is money - units are the galactic currency, and you will need a lot of them soon. There are many different ways to get money, but an easy thing to do before you leave your starting planet is to explore underground.

Cave systems are all around in No Man's Sky, and you can often find them by stumbling across large openings in the ground or spotting icons beneath the surface with the Analysis Visor. Caves usually have some good stuff to grab, including less common materials, unique types of flora, and even relics such as Vortex Cubes, which you can sell for a decent amount in the early days of the game.

2 Use Your Ship To Save Often

Never Lose Progress

No Man's Sky is a game where you will make large amounts of progress in bulk. Whether exploring a planetary surface for quite some time or warping from system to system with no res between, you need to ensure that you save your game as often as possible. Luckily, the game doesn't run into nearly as many crashes and halting issues as it once did, but as many long-time players will tell you - use that autosave.

Every time you get out of your ship, the game will autosave. If you're exploring a planet, just summon your ship to land near you every now and then, hop in and out, and carry on. If you're jumping systems, take a pit stop at a space station and stretch your legs - it'll be worth it if anything happens. You can also carry around save beacons and use them, but the ship will remain the most accessible method of saving on the go.

3 Expand That Inventory

Leave No Treasure Behind

One of the things you will notice almost immediately in No Man's Sky is that inventory management is a major mechanic. Those pockets will be pretty full almost immediately, and it can quickly become a burdensome mess.

Expanding your Exosuit inventory can be done through upgrade modules, while your ship inventory can be expanded by trading ships or by purchasing expansions from the ship upgrade station. Eventually, you can get your own freighter, which will also have inventory capacity you can expand. And lastly, you can unlock and build storage boxes from the Anomaly that can be built on your own bases or in your freighter.

4 Grab Missions From Space Stations

A Little Hard Work Pays Off

Space stations aren't only useful for gear upgrades. There are plenty of different vendors in space stations; some of them are just there to buy/sell stuff. But others are there for more specific purposes. For example, the Cartographer will take navigation data from you and turn it into a map, which can lead you to different things, depending on the type of map that you choose. Looking for some blueprints? There's a map for that. Looking for a ruin? 'X' marks the spot.

Other missions are available at space stations, too, some of which are locked behind some progression. The further you get in the game, and the more respect garnered from the different races and guilds in the universe, the more missions will be available. The rewards often get better and better, too.

5 Always Have Extra Fuel For Launch Thrusters

Avoid Getting Stranded

Few things are more irritating than finishing an expedition on a planet, getting in the ship to take off into the stars, and realizing that there's no fuel for the launch thrusters. It's not as if the materials required to make this fuel are difficult to come by. After all, it's just Ferrite Dust and Di-Hydrogen, right?

On certain planets, obtaining those two materials might require a trek to gather them. It's better to just always have extra fuel on hand so there's no risk of getting stranded. This is also why investing in upgrades for launch thrusters is very important.

6 Complete The Tutorial Alone

Start Your Adventure Off On The Right Foot

No Man's Sky has come a very long way in regards to co-op play, but the initial tutorial teaching you how to build bases and fix their ship is still designed for a single player. It isn’t complicated in the way Monster Hunter: World is; the beginning is just easier to knock out alone. But don't let the 'tutorial' storyline take too long since the point of the game is limitless exploration.

Also, if you try to partner up at the beginning, they will cannibalize resources for survival. Worse, neither of you can actually complete the tutorial steps together. For example, bases cannot overlap with each other, and they have a decent-sized radius. You also won’t be able to edit each other’s bases unless the owner is present.

7 When In Doubt, Just Relaunch

Have You Tried Turning It Off And On Again?

As with most games that encounter bugs, there is sometimes no immediately obvious method of fixing certain issues. Some parts of your base can disappear or even get stuck in a wall. It could even get pinned underneath a ship on a local space station. The spaceship doesn't always pick the best place to land, either.

Ultimately, it’s likely that no amount of teleporting will save the day. If the game encounters issues, simply quit, relaunch, and hope for the best. Thankfully, the game is in a much more stable state than it was when the game first debuted in 2016, and this has become a lesser issue.

8 Life Support Gel

Dihydrogen Saves The Day

It’s easy to panic about Life Support because it constantly depletes unless you are in a ship or a structure. Bear in mind that sprinting and the jetpack actually use up that white bar even faster. The thing is, Oxygen can be really difficult to come by. Other materials are also required to refill hazardous shields for things like toxins and radiation.

But the game doesn’t explicitly tell you unless you go looking, that Dihydrogen can save the day. These jagged blue crystals in the ground can be transformed into Dihydrogen Jelly. Mix that with some basic carbon found in flora, and a Life Support Gel can fill that Life Support bar right up. Multiple gels are ideal to carry around throughout the game as they stack up in your inventory.

9 Base Computers Are Permanent

Choose Your Spot Wisely

A base is your second means of protection against the elements besides a ship. That’s why it can be such a pain to get the first one started. As with other crafting games such as Terraria, you need one thing to craft another, resulting in Minecraft levels of storage.

Firstly, a Portable Refiner lets you make a Base Computer, which lets them claim an area of land. Once that is done, you can start building a shelter. A little shack made of wood will perfectly defend you from all hazards. However, as mentioned, keep in mind that Base Computers are permanent. There’s no moving the computer; the only option is to delete it (and with it, the base), so be sure where the base needs to be before getting started.

10 Evade The Sentinels

The Safest Way Through Is Around

Sentinels are feisty machines that become relentless killing machines when they spot someone "corrupting" a planet. Essentially, these floating robots don't like it when people smash up too many rocks or crush certain plants. Depending on the aggression rating of sentinels on a particular, some will even attack you on sight.

The only defense at the onset is to retreat to the ship or base and wait for their investigation to end. They can actually spawn out of nowhere, so keep a wary eye while farming for resources. You can eventually use a Boltcaster to shoot down enemies or hostiles. Unfortunately, every Sentinel immediately summons reinforcements when downed.

11 Scan Everything You See

An Easy Way To Make Money

Early on, you will be asked to integrate a scanner into your visor; it can define nearly everything in sight. The scanner can tell you where resource deposits are in the distance and locate bases and ships. But scanning minerals, foliage, and animals is perhaps the most important thing to use it for.

This may seem meaningless in the beginning, but once you get the hang of things, you should scan literally everything. Every discovery rewards you with a specific amount of Units and can be uploaded to the discovery server for Nanites. These units allow you to purchase upgrades for their multi-tool, ship, and more. The number of units can also be increased using upgrades, with some top-of-the-range upgraded multi-tools that can earn you around 300,000 units just for scanning a simple creature.

12 The Benefits Of Solar Power

Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

When base building or constructing, you are restricted to using a mere Biofuel Reactor early on, which is powered with carbon. But even though that can be an easy resource to find, it can also be somewhat time-consuming, as you will have to constantly top it up. So many things require carbon, and bases often need more power than these reactors provide. Once a Teleporter is added to your home, improved power management becomes absolutely essential.

The only surefire way to keep generating power earlier on is to utilize solar energy and batteries. Solar Panels need Gold, which can be acquired on new planets and occasionally mined from asteroids. But the combination of Solar Panels and Batteries helps store any surplus energy for nighttime use. This keeps the power going 24/7 — or however many hours are on that planet.

13 Don't Forget To Summon Your Ship

Self-Driving Getaway Ship

In a game that invites you to traverse as much terrain as possible, the ship is crucial. Some settlement days away will be easier to reach by flying into orbit and using the Pulse Engine. Either way, summoning a ship speeds everything up, provides a quick save point, and offers shelter.

If you happen to get into a firefight with Sentinels or even just wander too far from a base, you can summon your ship at any time. However, that can only be achieved if the ship actually has fuel in it. So, as mentioned earlier, always make sure that the launch thrusters are fueled up before embarking upon an on-foot expedition.

14 Leave The Tutorial Planet

Search For Greener Pastures

When they first launch a new game in No Man's Sky, the planet you end up with is entirely random. One could end up on a lush paradise planet. Or one could end up on a toxic planet with acid bubbles and walls of fire. But if you stick your head down and endure the dangers, you'll be able to leave it behind in no time.

That’s right. You don't have to stay in a miserable, hazardous place. There are plenty of randomly generated planets - and some of them are nicer. Firestorms in the day, freezing at night? Nobody needs that. Just leave, and continue your tutorial on a new planet as soon as your ship is repaired.

15 Space Station Travel

Utilize The Galactic Fast Travel System

Space stations become integral to the game, supplying you with all manner of upgrade potential and even some customization. In fact, you can even purchase other ships out there that vary wildly. However, one of the most important aspects is the space station teleporter.

Any time you reach a new system, they should go straight to the space station to activate the teleporter. This will allow a swift return and let them use it in the future. Most importantly, this will save people a lot of launch fuel early on. Pro-tip: the starship will follow you when you teleport somewhere, and it doesn’t cost any fuel to launch from a space station.

16 Trade-In Planet Data To Helios

Enjoy The Neverending Loot Loop

The exploration is why people pick up this game, but the connections they make might be why they keep coming back. Helios hangs out at the Anomaly, and he kind of looks like a twisted-up Groot. But he also helps out with exploration and connections.

Not only can you trade in scanned data to him for nanites, but you can pick up derelict freighter coordinates. He gives one away each week, and they lead to an abandoned freighter full of loot and spooky mysteries. They are great and fruitful missions to do with friends.

17 Do Anomaly Missions With Friends

The Best Way To Get Quicksilver

The Anomaly is the big spherical spaceship you can summon wherever they are. It is the home of Specialist Polo and Priest Nada. People can also exchange nanites for a plethora of items here, such as base upgrades, multi-tool mods, and more. However, it also allows anyone to pick up unique missions that give quicksilver.

In the main area where spaceships land, there's a Nexus where you can pick up different missions. Some are scanning animals or collecting materials, while others involve killing sentinels. The unique currency of Quicksilver lets people buy ship baubles, base decorations, and unique armor and head types.

18 Remember To Pick Up Planetary Maps

Mapping The Galaxy

Every space station has a Cartographer station that lets you trade in navigation data. They offer five different types of planetary charts: Secret Cartographic Data, Emergency Cartographic Data, Commercial Cartographic Data, Alien Cartographic Data, and Specialist Planetary Data - the last of which is for finding settlements added with the Frontiers update.

As veteran players know, navigation data is very common in the game, found in devices across space stations or buildings. Trading it in for various planetary charts can help speed along with missions, lore discovery, and resource hunting. It can even lead to crashed ships they can claim and scrap - or use for themselves.

19 Every System Has Two Exosuit Upgrades

Double The Upgrades, Double The Fun

You'll notice that every space station has a spot where you can purchase an additional slot for your Exosuit. Unfortunately, you can only do this once per system. But before you go warping to a new system to expand further, give the Anomaly a visit. In the back of the Anomaly, where you can exchange tech for upgrade recipes, there is another Exosuit upgrade station. Like at the space station, this will allow for one use per system.

This won't save you from having to warp constantly to get fully upgraded, but it will double how frequently you need to do so.

20 Upgrade Your Ship's Hyperdrive ASAP

Go Farther Than Ever Before

No Man's Sky allows you to explore a relatively non-creepy version of space. Those of us who don't deal well with jump-scares can enjoy the vastness of space, with only some dark ambiance. But to do that in the best way, you need to upgrade your ship's Hyperdrive. You can install upgrade modules that will increase the distance your ship can jump and increase the efficiency of the warp cells.

There are three main types of hyperdrive additions: Cadmium, Indium, and Emeril. Each drive lets you go to systems of different colors. Get the most out of the game by upgrading the Hyperdrive with all drive types as soon as possible. They all require blueprints, wiring looms, and associated resources like cadmium.

No Man's Sky

With an almost limitless universe to explore, No Man's Sky is a sandbox action-adventure game that uses procedural generation to create its open world. You must explore, gather resources, upgrade your equipment, and survive.

Released

August 9, 2016

Developer(s)

Hello Games

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