Start a Fresh Game
No Man’s Sky NEXT Beginner Tips
If you’re new to No Man’s Sky, or you haven’t played the game since launch, you’re definitely going to want to start a fresh save file. So much has changed with the NEXT update that if you load up an old file, you might find that a lot of your technology has gone obsolete, or you might be out of resources.
It’s worth noting that your starting planet is always random, and if you’re new to the game, we recommend resetting until you start on a planet that’s not completely hostile to you. For instance, if you spawn on an irradiated planet that’s killing your hazard protection faster than you can farm Carbon, and you have hostile Sentinels that are shooting on sight, you’re probably gonna want to restart.
For players who started an older save file, dismantle your obsolete technology for Technology Modules that will allow you to craft better upgrades for your multi-tool and ship. We also recommend reading through our guide on Antimatter and Warp Cell crafting so you’re up to speed on what you need to do to get around the galaxy. Check the next page as well for a quick rundown on which basic resources you need to stock up on.
Learn What the Important Resources Are
No Man’s Sky NEXT Beginner Tips
No Man’s Sky now has a new tutorial with new steps in the NEXT update, and the game doesn’t always do a good job of explaining exactly what you’re supposed to do. So we’ll help you out by letting you know which basic resources you need to horde.
For starters, your mining laser can only be recharged with Carbon or Condensed Carbon in No Man’s Sky. Carbon can be found in almost every plant around the planetary surface, so this shouldn’t be too hard to farm. Condensed Carbon is a more valuable version of the resource, and can be found in the red crystals that used to be Plutonium, which seems to have been removed from the game in NEXT. Stock up on as much Carbon as you can, as you’ll need it to recharge your laser, and it’s also an important fueling resource for the refiner. More on that later.
Next up, you’re going to want to keep an eye out for Oxygen-rich plants. These are a little more rare, and can only be located with the Scanner. Once you’ve repaired it, hit L3 to scan your surroundings for resources. Always grab the Oxygen plants, as you’ll need them to recharge your life support to prevent you from dying.
Ferrite Dust is the next most important resource, and it seems to have replaced Iron in vanilla No Man’s Sky. This resource can be easily harvested from rocks and minerals, which are very common on every planet. This is used to recharge your terrain manipulator, and can also be used to craft Pure and Magnetized Ferrite with the refiner.
Lastly, you’ll also want to use your Scanner to look out for Sodium, which is used to recharge your exosuit’s hazard protection. Similar to the Oxygen plants, these are harvested from the yellow Sodium-rich plants.
Make sure you’re always topped up on these four resources, and you’ll be able to survive.
Follow the Tutorial Slowly
No Man’s Sky NEXT Beginner Tips
No Man’s Sky’s NEXT tutorial can be very overwhelming, but just follow the steps closely and you’ll be fine. When you get started, the first thing you’ll want to do is harvest some Ferrite and Carbon. The Ferrite allows you to craft Metal Platings, and you can start to repair your equipment slowly. After that, you’ll be directed to your ship, where you’ll need to look for more resources to repair it. Start by fixing your Scanner so you can locate Sodium and Oxygen to improve your survivability, then start farming for more Ferrite and Carbon.
If you see blue Di-hydrogen crystals or plants, grab those as well, as you’ll need them to craft a jelly for the ship repairs. The game will also prompt you to examine a beacon at the crash site, which should lead you to the Hermetic Seal. At this point, if you wander too far away from your ship, you might notice that there’s no way to locate it again if you get lost. Don’t panic; the game should prompt you to craft the Analysis Visor so you get a compass on the top of your screen to find your way back to it. Check your Multi-tool for the crafting components, and you should be good. If you ever feel lost, press the Options button to check your objectives, and you’ll see what you need to do next.
We recommend following the tutorial closely as No Man’s Sky will teach you the basics of refining materials, base-building, and warping. No Man’s Sky is a great exploration game, but you should definitely stick on the tutorial path at least until you’ve crafted the Hyperdrive for your ship, and have gotten the blueprints for the Antimatter and Warp Cells. Once you’ve got those, you’ll have all the tools you need to fuel your ship and explore the galaxy, and you can do whatever you want from that point on.
You’ll Never Get Stuck
No Man’s Sky NEXT Beginner Tips
The galaxy in No Man’s Sky is vast and scary at times, and when you feel like you’re running out of resources to keep your gear going, don’t worry. Every planet in the game is stocked with all the necessary resources to prevent you from getting stranded. Fueling your ship’s launch thrusters is the best example to work with here.
In the past, you could quickly mine Plutonium for some fuel. However, with the NEXT update, the launch thrusters can only be filled up with fuel pods or Uranium. And before you start scouring the planetary surface for Uranium, I’ll tell you right now that it’s extremely rare. The best way to keep the thrusters filled up is by crafting fuel pods, which only require Di-hydrogen and Metal Platings, which are crafted with Ferrite Dust. Both resources can be found easily on every planet, and each fuel pod will fill up 50 percent of your launch thrusters, so they’re not that hard to craft.
Be sure to check our wiki for more information on No Man’s Sky and the NEXT update.
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