There are a number of great guides for beginners, but there are a some random points I'd like to share that I wish I knew at the start. Much focuses on stripping wrecks and mining, and general tips of 'not obvious' stuff. This is from a Starter Planet, Single Player view, no "Space Stuff". No spoilers. Note, this is a long read, sorry, it's my style ... . TLDR doesn't apply here anyway. Seasoned players probably know all this, but Empyrion is complex so you might learn something or have something to share as well, so please feel free to comment!! In totally random order: 1. USE YOUR PLAYER DRONE. (F5) An obvious tip, but I'm still working on remembering all the things its useful for. The drone uses whatever tool you're carrying and you can change tools while it's deployed. The drone can MINE resources both the surface rocks and below ground. I can't count the times I drilled myself into a hole recovering resources. The drone can easily move up and down in the hole and reach awkward or unreachable spots. Note you are EXPOSED to any attacks on the surface while you're mining, so don't get 'et or shot. The drone can also be used for reaching areas of WRECKS like underwater and the Heidelberg which has thrusters and lots of valuable equipment located way above your reach. Don't waste time building ramps or stairs, use your drone. If you can't reach the very top, move up a bit in the wreck (in a central location) and it will work fine. It can also be used in COMBAT to spy around corners safely and kill things, but that's another discussion. 2. Use the proper setting on your Multi tool. Get the T2 tool as soon as you can. It's often in POI's (Points Of Interest). Make a bunch of Multi Charges and watch your use of them and Drill Charges, you don't want to run out. You should have both with you or on your vehicle at all times. The tool has numerous settings, learn them. RETRIEVE BLOCKS will usually grab the item as an intact item but sometimes will break it down into it's parts. (More on settings later) Use a CORE on vessel or base you're tearing down you have a better chance of getting WHOLE items. You want to do that for almost all equipment, lights, machines like generators or tanks. Take them WHOLE. Using a Core also allows you to hit P and look at the device list. You can then turn on "Show on HUD" for the big items like generators, thrusters, etc to help find them. If you take an item without turning OFF 'Show on HUD', the marker remains, which can be confusing. SAVE and QUIT, then reload the game and they'll be gone. You should also use the "Auto Group" at the top in Devices from time to time to shorten the list. I do it just before the save and exit. You must redo "Show on HUD". Multi Tool - SALVAGE MODE you should use this mode which breaks parts down into their parts like steel plates, etc on any BROKEN items unless you have a need for them. Example: damaged steel plates. Note that the T2 tool has a better retrieval rate and range than the standard tool and that's better than the Survival Tool. If you are later in the game a DECONSTRUCTOR does a better job than any hand tool, but they're expensive. This is another reason to default to grabbing items whole with RETRIEVE. It's quicker and less costly to Retrieve a Hardened Steel or Alien Block than to SALVAGE and then have to manufacture it later! If a block isn't damaged, RETRIEVE it unless you need the plates. Another Alternative to the Deconstructor is the FACTORY (F2 on the right in BLUEPRINTS). I've just started using it (so correct me if I'm wrong) but you can upload items whole like generators, or steel blocks and it will use them to create a base or ship. Using whole items reduces the manufacture time and eliminates the "loss factor" you have with the Multi Tool or Deconstructor. It will also take "damaged steel" and break it down into plates for you. QUESTION FOR THE ADVANCED PEOPLE - What's the "loss" loading to the factory as opposed to the Deconstructor? I know you can upload damaged blocks ... Two notes about the factory - You must select a Vehicle or Base as a Blueprint you're looking to build before you start uploading stuff. Also, YOU CANNOT GET BACK THINGS YOU UPLOADED TO THE FACTORY. So if you upload a Large Generator and later need one for manual use, tough luck. --- Side tip - Don't upgrade and use the Dart. REPAIR IT (Repair function of the Multi Tool) (optionally; UPGRADE to Hardened Steel) then RETRIEVE all the parts, upload to the Factory and find a nicer Blueprint for a Small Vehicle to make from the parts). There's some killer designs out there. --- Multi Tool (cont) You bored yet? REPAIR MODE - If you have steel plate handy and want to fix up the Dart or Mangled Hovercraft you can put the plates in your Backpack and repair the blocks. Later there's a Repair Station you can add to your base that will do it all for you, but it's expensive. Sometime found in Loot. UPGRADE MODE - you an also use Titanium (or Sathium) plates to upgrade the blocks for greater strength against attacks. It's a cheap way to upgrade the Dart or Hover vehicles. Later, when you want to build a better vehicle from Blueprints you can RETRIEVE the blocks and upload them to the Factory. Voila, you just got most of the upgrade cost! DOWNGRADE - personally never used, any "Pro's" want to weigh in on a useful purpose for this? 3. GENERAL TIPS - UNDERWATER - You can't SWIM if you're holding a tool! Exception - Personal Detector, so use 0 (Zero) or whatever # you have your Detector in. Now something that's weird and often discussed is the water is broken. If you drop to the bottom and DRILL down you'll "fall" into the earth. THE WATER DOESN'T FOLLOW!! The game acts as if you're on land. This is handy for killing those damn underwater critters. Just drill down a bit then drill level (or use Flatten). They'll follow you and you can blast them with a Shotgun. Steak & Milk. UUMM! THIS IS ALSO VERY HANDY FOR FINDING ALL OF A WRECK! Some wrecks like Smugglers Barge might be worth a core to find all the items. (You rarely can retrieve a core intact), but you should always drill down and loot the wreck from below, much easier than trying to see past the seaweed, and if you Core it you can recover all the cargo & ammo without moving. NOTE ABOUT CORES - Once you place a core you can hit P or F4 and access all the Cargo & Ammo Boxes, as well as the Fuel and Oxygen tanks! If your vehicle is nearby (especially with a Wireless Connector which I ALWAYS add to the Hovercraft or Dart) you can transfer directly to it's cargo boxes. It's the only way to go when stripping a POI. DROP AN ITEM - Z key. This is a TOTAL PITA! When you're being attacked and fighting to survive it's very easy to hit the Z key if you try to hit SHIFT to run. You the DROP whatever you're holding! Epic Drill, Epic Shotgun, whatever. Forget getting it back, it's GONE or your DEAD. SOLUTION - go into settings (ESC then GEAR), open CONTROLS and scroll down to 'Drop Item'. Click on Z and change it to SHIFT + CONTROL + Z (just hold them down in that order). Now you can drop when you want but not in the heat of battle. SAVING - Get in the habit of saving OFTEN, and especially if you're entering a dangerous area or starting a new job like looting a wreck. ALWAYS SAVE BEFORE YOUR QUIT!!! This will create TWO save points. You can always delete them later, but the game deletes a save point when you load it, so if you open and then immediately die or screw up, you have another fresh start handy! IF YOU HAVE TO RESTART FOR SOME REASON, IMMEDIATELY DO A SAVE! That gives you a "fallback" point. Also do this if you've DIED. As soon as you re-spawn SAVE INSTANTLY. Well if you're still reading this you must be holed up at home, a Masochist, or a REALLY FINE PERSON. Hope at least one person finds it useful. Be sure to correct me on anything and add any tips you wish you knew when starting.
My pleasure {small bow} Have fun and welcome to the community, pretty good group of people here, feel free to ask questions.
A lot of that early wreckage around your Escape pod has cargo containers buried under the wreckage. Use your survival tool to dig around the wreckage. Protein plants are important both for energy bars and magic Band-Aids.
