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What Should I Get First in No Man’s Sky? A Beginner’s Guide

The vast, procedurally generated universe of No Man’s Sky can feel overwhelming for new players. With seemingly endless possibilities and a plethora of activities, knowing where to begin can be tricky. So, what should you prioritize when first starting your journey? The most critical initial steps revolve around establishing a solid foundation for exploration, survival, and progression. Here’s a breakdown of what you should aim to acquire and achieve early on:

Core Priorities for New Players

The very first things you should focus on in No Man’s Sky are all about getting your bearings and establishing a sense of security. This means prioritizing the following:

Upgrade Your Scanner: A better scanner will net you more units (the game’s currency) and nanites when discovering new creatures, plants, and geological formations. This early influx of resources will make everything else easier. Prioritize getting scanner upgrades as soon as possible, focusing on upgrades that enhance discovery payouts. You’ll find these at space stations.
Complete the Tutorial: This might sound obvious, but it’s vital. The tutorial missions gently guide you through essential gameplay mechanics like crafting, base building, and resource management. Pay close attention to these as the rewards are often essential items.
Get Your First Base Computer Down: The early part of the tutorial will lead you to building a Base Computer, and this should be one of your first significant tasks. Building a base gives you a place to return to, a safe haven, and also opens up more quest lines related to expansion.
Learn the Basics of Resource Gathering: You’ll need to consistently gather Carbon, Ferrite Dust, and Oxygen in the early game. Understanding where to find these, and how to refine them into higher-quality materials like Condensed Carbon and Pure Ferrite, is crucial.
Acquire the Portable Refiner: This device is fundamental for crafting essential resources. Refining raw materials is necessary for numerous blueprints, and having a Portable Refiner early on will greatly aid in your survival.

Once you have a grasp of these fundamentals, you can expand your focus.

Expanding Your Horizons

After mastering the initial steps, you should aim to accomplish these objectives:

Start the Atlas Path: While you’re free to explore as you wish, the Atlas Path storyline provides a structured narrative and introduces you to various game mechanics. The story also helps you acquire blueprint recipes and important technologies. This storyline is very easy to complete and is a great jumping-off point to many other facets of the game.
Learn Languages: Speaking to the various aliens is a key feature of No Man’s Sky, and being able to understand what they are saying is critical. This will lead to better relationships, rewards, and more missions. Focus on learning languages at Alien Monoliths and by interacting with NPCs.
Acquire a Teleporter: Base Teleporters allow you to instantly travel to your bases from any space station. This massively speeds up traveling around the universe and exploring different star systems and planet types. You can obtain the base teleporter blueprint from the base building missions.
Claim Your Second Free Freighter: Although the game offers you a free freighter early on, it’s recommended to decline this first offer and wait for a second. The second freighter is usually a much better class with more storage slots. This is extremely helpful for acquiring resources and storing your growing items.

Things to Avoid Early On

While you’re exploring, also be aware of some common early-game mistakes:

Selling Essential Resources: Items like Carbon, Condensed Carbon, Oxygen, Sodium, Sodium Nitrate, Copper, and Salvaged Data are vital for crafting and building. Avoid selling them, even if you are in need of funds, and focus on earning currency from scanner results, trading, and side missions.
Rushing to Buy a New Ship: Your starting ship is perfectly capable for a good amount of early gameplay. Upgrading the ship’s inventory slots and technology is more cost-effective than buying a new ship straight away. Instead, work towards acquiring a better ship through salvaging crashed ships or earning more units for a higher quality ship.
Overspending on Non-Essential items: Prioritize acquiring critical blueprints and technology for crafting your resources and building your base. You can focus on cosmetic or aesthetic items once you are in a better position with your base, inventory, and resources.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the best class of ship to look for in the beginning?

While any ship can get you through the initial phases of the game, focusing on Fighter-class ships is a good start. They have high shield and damage bonuses and are great for handling the early combat situations you may encounter. Aim for A-Class or S-Class ships when upgrading but in the early stages your starting ship will be fine.

Should I accept the first freighter I am offered?

No, it’s generally recommended to decline your first free freighter. The second freighter you’re offered after this will have better stats, more storage, and a higher chance to be a better class. Wait to acquire your first freighter until it’s the second offered to you.

What items should I absolutely not sell early in the game?

Avoid selling Carbon, Condensed Carbon, Oxygen, Sodium, Sodium Nitrate, Copper, Salvaged Data, and Navigation Data. These items are essential for crafting, base building, and various other tasks and shouldn’t be sold for units.

What is the fastest way to make money early on?

Scanning flora, fauna, and minerals is one of the fastest ways to make units early on. Scanner upgrades significantly enhance the rewards you earn for these discoveries. Also, completing missions offered by NPCs is a good source of income.

Is it better to build a base or focus on exploration first?

Building your first base is important because it unlocks new questlines and provides a safe haven for you to return to, but it does not need to be an elaborate, time-consuming structure. The first base is mainly for getting you accustomed to building and the basics of base construction. It is better to prioritize building a barebones base with a base computer, refiner and teleporter and then focus on exploring other planets and solar systems.

What is the best way to learn languages in No Man’s Sky?

You learn new words by interacting with alien NPCs and finding monoliths on planets. Focus on interacting as much as possible with aliens and completing missions for them. Each interaction will award you with a new word and eventually you will be able to converse with them fully.

What happens if I refuse the Atlas Path?

Refusing the Atlas Path will not prevent you from enjoying the game but does take away the main storyline. You will be teleported back to the planet where you started. You can still experience all aspects of No Man’s Sky but without the structure of the Atlas mission.

How long does it take to complete No Man’s Sky?

The main storyline takes about 30-40 hours to complete. But if you aim to see and do everything the game has to offer it will take about 140 hours, maybe more.

Is No Man’s Sky worth playing alone?

Yes, No Man’s Sky is enjoyable as a solo experience because of its infinite procedural generation. However, playing with friends greatly enhances the experience, especially on base building and exploration missions.

What is the maximum amount of Units you can have in No Man’s Sky?

The maximum amount of units a player can accrue is 4,294,967,295 (approximately 4.3 billion). After reaching this number, you will not be able to get more Units.

What is the best weapon in No Man’s Sky?

The Blaze Javelin is generally considered the best weapon in the game but it is a high risk, high reward type of weapon and is not great for beginner players. As such the Scatter Blaster is often regarded as the best early game weapon and then the Neutron Cannon is another good mid-game choice.

What is the best way to make money later in the game?

Late game money making options include salvaged technology data, ancient bones, trading, albumen pearls, broken machinery, crashed ships, derelict freighters, and gravitino balls. It depends on your method of play on what suits you best.

What is the best economy to sell in No Man’s Sky?

Galactic Trade Terminals at planetary trade outposts offer better prices, both buying and selling, compared to space stations. Always try to sell your items at these trade outposts for increased profit.

Should I take payment or the freighter for the first rescued freighter event?

You should take the payment for the first freighter because the next free freighter offered to you will be of higher quality and will be free.

Can you pilot the freighter in No Man’s Sky?

Yes, you can pilot the freighter after accessing the freighter’s warp map from the command station on the bridge. You can also acquire various other terminals that will aid you in your journey as you unlock them.

By focusing on the core priorities, expanding your horizons, avoiding early mistakes, and using the answers from these frequently asked questions, you’ll be well on your way to thriving in the vast and beautiful universe of No Man’s Sky. Happy exploring!

What should I get first in no man’s sky?