have talked to more than one player about this, of how they are confused about the objectives, of how to get cubits and how to get plots. yes, I know it is long, read it in sections, find what you need to know about and ignore the rest or read it all. I hope it helps some new players who are confused on what to do.
yes, we have a tutorial, but to be honest, it doesn’t make it real clear and the most confusing part is that many players seem to think they need to do All of the objectives by week two and by level 20.
If you click on O you will get Objectives to come up. You look through them and pick ones to do. Go for the easiest first, those are the ones that teach you how to do things you need to learn. You get the basic at the start, build a crafting table, build a workbench but as it goes on you will find ones that you think you need to do it Now. You don’t, do what you want at your own speed, You need experience which you get by doing the normal, gathering, mining, hunting for meat, and others.
No, you don’t need in the first week to go to a tier 5 planet and find gold, silver, or gems or whatever. Those are for later, when you have the protection for those planet and the skills to survive.
Objectives give you skill points, experience that lets you level up and coins. You also level up just as you do things, mining, chopping on trees for wood, cutting down the leaves on trees (foliage to me is a dumb name, they are leaves on a tree) and you get berries you can cook and eat or even eat raw. When you have leveled up, finished a objective you will get a notice. Go to E for exchange and click on rewards (can’t remember if that shows up automatically) you will see what looks like crates of bright colors, click on take all and they will open and give you skill point, experience, cubits and coins. You can look at plots and see what they cost, the cubits.
It doesn’t take long to build up the cubits, especially if you complete the objectives, but you don’t have to do them all, pick and chose, chose easy ones at the start, up to level 20.
Depending on your experience in playing games, how good you are at learning what to do and can handle what is tossed at you, you might be able to go to higher level planets.
For players like me, who are new to gaming such as Boundless, Subnautica, and only knowledge of MMO is none, sandbox was Sims 3, I was totally lost and I doubt I would have stayed with the game. Too confusing at the start. My son, who is a Gamer, was by level 12 taking on level 2 planets and not dying by level 20 on level 3 and handling meteorites by himself. I’m level 50 and still can’t handle a level 1 meteorite by myself.
So, what you can do depends on your own skills in playing games, personal abilities and experience. We are all different, some can advance faster than others, don’t base your advancement on what someone else can do. Take it slow, there is no rush to get to get to a certain level.
Food
Yams, there are two types of flowers that give yams, the round one, called something nox that to me looks somewhat like a big flower and glows in the dark. The swords are different colors depending on the planet and biome, look somewhat like flowers; they are a spiky plant; both will give yams and other items. You will get fibrous leaves that you can turn into sackcloth. Inky leaves to make ink with and the fleshy leaves and spicy beans.
Mushrooms, lamella, the mushrooms give orbs, on lower level planets the yellow pulsating orbs and lamella that makes me think of a seashell. Orangish in color on lower level planets. Can cook them in the furnace with meat and have a meaty casserole.
I cook yams and carry them with me, nibble on them when I see the line on my energy go dark, not grey, that just means you need to stop and rest. Dark grey means you need to eat. Depending on how long you have gone without food and where you are, yams are sufficient. If low and in a area where you can get hurt, for new players level 2 with spitters, grab a meaty casserole or other food.
Back to cubits. you use them to buy plots and other items. Ignore at the start the other items, that is for when you have a lot of cubits, have bought the plots you need for your base and have the spare to spend on such stuff as decorations for your character. There is NO PAY TO WIN You can use personal cash, real life money to buy cubits, but they don’t help you to advance in the game in the area of leveling up, experience or give you coins. They are for players who want to build a large settlement, start a city and can buy the hundreds of plots they will need.
Coins are the ying/yang of the game. Many go you don’t need them. Some see them as the end all, the most important part of the game, they live to get coins and freak out when they can’t get what they think they deserve or need/want. You can survive without coins, but it will be hard. You can find the ores needed to make tools and weapons, just mine away, even on level 1 planets you can find some iron, copper will make tools and weapons. Not great ones, but they will do. You do NOT need that expensive 3k, 5k, 10k or higher tool or weapon at the start. You do not need to buy expensive brews, foods at the start, for the most part, unless you are driven to get to the higher level planets and get the cream of the game.
It is a game, take your time and enjoy it.
You can collect items and sell some of them, you might not get much, one, two or even just five coins for what you worked hard to get, but rocks can be sold for one or two coins, go to malls, markets and look at the request baskets, you can sell the fibrous leaves for 3 to 9coins each,
Info, where to find it. Knowledge, click on K and it will bring it up, knowledge and tips, I have never used the tips, some like it. You can find info and images of all the items you can find or make. I don’t know if they only show up as you gain experience and skills. Such as making decorative wood or stone blocks. I don’t know if it shows up before you have the skills for it,
Skills There is somewhere a skills calculator that you can use to help you see what skills you need for what you want to do. Take your time, up to level 20 you can change your skills without penalty, after that you can lose points, so use the calculator to determine what you need. Are you going to go to higher level planets, you will need protection from the critters, maybe even from the environment, some are deadly. Crafting, if you want to make tools, food, you will need to focus on crafting, cooking, tech skills, Hunter, gather, you will need protection from the critters, fast hammer speed to bust rocks faster, more accuracy in your slingbow, more protection from the spitters. Think of what you want to do and what you will need.
Most important, ask questions here, there are many who have experience and can give you the info you need. Pick and chose what you want. Those who are explorers, hunters will think you need this skill, those who are crafters will go these skills, go with what you think you need. Enjoy the game, you aren’t supposed to reach level 40 by week two, be able to handle level 6 planets by level 20 and have gem tools and weapons by level 25.
Play how you want, not by how others think you should. Listen to the advice, info and make your own decisions. Enjoy, it is a fun game if you remember that it is just a game.