How to Build a Money Farm in No Man’s Sky: A Comprehensive Guide

The vast, procedurally generated universe of No Man’s Sky offers endless opportunities for exploration, discovery, and, of course, wealth accumulation. While there are numerous ways to make units (the game’s currency), establishing a dedicated money farm is one of the most efficient methods for building a substantial fortune. In essence, a money farm involves setting up infrastructure to automatically extract and refine valuable resources, providing a passive income stream. This article will delve into the best practices for creating such a farm and maximizing your profits.

Core Principles of a Successful Money Farm

At its heart, a money farm in No Man’s Sky revolves around two core elements:

1. Resource Extraction: This involves finding planets with valuable resources and using extractors to pull those resources out of the ground.
2. Refining and Processing: The raw materials must then be refined into more valuable products, typically through the use of refiners.

The most common resources used for money farming are Chlorine and Activated Indium, though other options also exist. Let’s explore how to set up farms using these two key resources.

The Chlorine Farm: Simplicity and Reliability

Chlorine farming is a popular choice due to its ease of setup and consistent profitability. It leverages the power of refining salt. Here’s how to set it up:

1. Locate a Salt Deposit: Salt is abundant on most planets, especially underwater. Use your scanner to locate mineral deposits and harvest them with your Multi-Tool.
2. Build a Base: Claim a base near the salt deposits and construct a refiner.
3. Refine Salt into Chlorine: Place the salt into the refiner and it will convert to Chlorine.
4. Expand and Replicate: The chlorine can be placed back in the refiner with more oxygen to produce more chlorine. Repeat the process for exponential chlorine growth. You can then sell the accumulated chlorine at a galactic trade terminal.

Important Note: Oxygen is needed in addition to Salt in order to create more Chlorine.

The Activated Indium Farm: High Yield, High Effort

Activated Indium is a more advanced resource that yields significantly more profits than chlorine, but it requires a more complex setup:

1. Find an Activated Indium Planet: Use your ship’s scanner to locate a planet with Activated Indium. The planet will be labelled with “Activated” before the resource name.
2. Locate a Hotspot: Use your Analysis Visor to find an Activated Indium hotspot. This is indicated by a colored symbol on the terrain, it is not a visible deposit.
3. Establish a Base: Create a base near the hotspot.
4. Place Mineral Extractors: Build multiple Mineral Extractors over the hotspot to continuously extract the resource.
5. Construct Storage Tanks: Add multiple Storage Tanks to collect the extracted Activated Indium.
6. Add Supply Pipes: Attach supply pipes to connect the extractors to storage tanks.
7. Collect and Sell: Periodically visit your base to collect the Activated Indium and sell it at a trade terminal.

Important Notes:

• Electromagnetic Power: Activated Indium farms often require a lot of power. Look for an electromagnetic hotspot nearby to power your extractors and base with an electromagnetic generator.
• Base Complexity: Activated Indium farms tend to be larger and more complex than chlorine farms. Plan your base carefully to ensure efficient resource flow.

Maximizing Your Farm’s Potential

Once your farm is up and running, there are several ways to further boost its profitability:

• Upgrade Your Extractors: Invest in upgrades for your extractors to increase their yield and extraction speed.
• Increase Storage Capacity: Expand your storage tanks to hold more resources, allowing for longer unattended periods.
• Find S-Class Hotspots: Locating S-Class hotspots will provide significantly higher extraction rates compared to lower-class hotspots.
• Stack Multiple Refiners: Use a number of refiners together to refine more resources faster.
• Utilize Trade Outposts: Sell your refined resources at planetary trade outposts, which typically offer better prices than space stations.
• Use Teleporters: Set up a teleporter at your farms so you can travel there from any of your bases or space stations.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is the best resource for early game farming?

For the early game, Chlorine is the best option. Its simple setup and readily available resources make it perfect for new players looking for a quick income boost.

2. How do I find hotspots?

Use your Analysis Visor to scan the ground. Look for colored icons indicating different types of hotspots (mineral, gas, electromagnetic).

3. What are the different classes of hotspots?

Hotspots are classified as C, B, A, and S, with S-class being the most productive.

4. How many extractors can I place in a hotspot?

You can place multiple extractors over a hotspot, but the efficiency will start to diminish with more extractors. Test for the optimal number that will produce the most resources.

5. Can I build multiple bases on the same planet?

Yes, you can build multiple bases on the same planet, each with its own extractors and resources.

6. What is the maximum amount of money in No Man’s Sky?

The maximum number of units a player can accrue is 4,294,967,295 (approx 4.3 billion).

7. What is the best way to sell my farmed resources?

Sell at planetary trade outposts for better prices than space stations.

8. Are there any resources I should never sell?

Yes, some essential resources like Carbon, Oxygen, Sodium, and Salvaged Data are best kept for crafting and base building.

9. Can I crash the economy by selling too much of one resource?

Yes, you can temporarily lower the price of a resource by selling large quantities of it at a specific location, but it recovers quickly.

10. How do I hire NPCs for my base?

You need to construct specific terminals like the Agricultural Terminal and then go to space stations to find NPCs to hire.

11. What are the benefits of having a freighter?

A freighter provides mobile storage and allows you to send out frigates on missions for resources and money.

12. How do I find Ancient Bones for profit?

Ancient Bones can be found on specific planets. Use your visor to locate the glowing mounds and then use your terrain manipulator.

13. What are Salvaged Technology Data, and how do I get them?

Salvaged Technology Data are used to buy base blueprints from the Anomaly. They can be found buried in the ground or purchased from merchants at space stations.

14. Can I build a village in No Man’s Sky?

Yes, you can build and manage Settlements after the Frontiers update and become an Overseer.

15. What is the best planet to build a base on?

Lush Planets are generally considered the best for base building as they have no hazards and reliable resources.

By following the techniques outlined in this guide and optimizing your strategies, you can easily establish highly profitable money farms in No Man’s Sky and amass a fortune to fuel your exploration of the galaxy. Remember to experiment and find what works best for your play style. Happy farming!