Octopus Overlords

I've still yet to come across a crashed ship despite something like a dozen transmission searches.

RLMullen wrote:

Newcastle wrote:So i finished off my first system. Well felt comfortable leaving. Kind of neat. Had enough warp juice to hop over to the next system. And got a "beacon" signal to head somewhere. Hope, hope its for the atlas story line. This new system has these electronic aliens. So...coolness get to start over exploring these planets.

Also managed to save up about 2.7M and bought a new 26 slot ship for about 2.1M. When i got to this new systems spaceport, i saw a cool ship cruise in...checked it out...35 slotter for 12M. Need to start saving up for, or hotwiring it. Whatever works right?

It's really interesting to see how people approach this game. You've just headed to your second system, but you managed to clear 2 million units in your first system. I just cleared 2 million units, and I've warped about 16 times!! I've upgraded my ship with whatever crashed clunker I can find, and I'm on my 8th ship. There really is no right or best way to play, and I like that.

You can make a "bypass" thingy (very basic item, you shuold have it) from plutonium & iron (both common materials); they sell for about 3K a pop. BOth components are amazingly common, just be patient grind the stuff up and you can make some cash. Also was looking for other resources. It wasn't quick, but i stuck with it. Figure that they will patch it at some point, if not...cool.

Not to rain on anyone's parade, but the game we is just a shell of what was promised:

https://www.reddit.com/r/NoMansSkyTheGa ... _big_list/

Looks like a lot of stuff got pulled out. If I had bought the game based upon what had been "promised", I'd be mad too.

Too bad, the promised game would have been fantastic.

Were those features that were promised, or ideas that were discussed over the years-long development process? Wanting/intending to implement a feature and being able to get it working are two different things. I'm more concerned about whether the game delivers on what is actually "printed on the tin" when it is released than whether it is everything that the developer hoped it could be before it was built.

This is what Sean Murray was actually promising by the time it became possible to purchase the game.

You guys – THAT IS WHAT YOU DO IN NO MAN’S SKY!

We planned it from the start, but you can play the game now, and you can have those moments yourself. Lots of little details have changed (so many, SO MANY, for the better!) but the game looks and plays just as we aimed to. The thing I’m so proud of though, is that I’ve managed to gather the most talented team I’ve ever worked with, and they’ve done some of the best work of their lives, to help make this happen.

Here is what No Man’s Sky definitely is:

• Exploring a universe of pretty procedurally generated worlds, with beautiful creatures
• Trading with NPCs
• Combat against robots/mechs and cool space battles
• Survival/crafting in a universe sized sandbox
• An awesome procedural soundtrack from my genuine favourite band (check the NMS album out here)
• For one small moment, you might feel like you’ve stepped into a sci-fi book cover

That means this maybe isn’t the game you *imagined* from those trailers. If you hoped for things like pvp multiplayer or city building, piloting freighters, or building civilisations… that isn’t what NMS is. Over time it might become some of those things through updates.

For instance, freighters and building bases *are* coming! Read about updates coming here.

At launch though, it’s an infinite procedural sci-fi-space-survival-sandbox unlike anything you have ever played before. If you decide to play it, you’ll see just how closely it plays to those trailers, and to our original vision. It’s a weird game, it’s a niche game and it’s a very very chill game.

Some of that is subjective (things like cool and awesome are in the eye of the beholder), but according to Steam I've logged about 36 hours in the game since Friday (I may need an intervention) and at this point, I can't fault him on anything in that statement. The game isn't perfect by any means, but it's pretty damned good and I'd rather play it now than wait indefinitely for a hypothetically perfect game (that, honestly, would never ever be released).

As ever, le mieux est l'ennemi du bien.

From my reading, these weren't just "hopes", but things he said would be in the game. A number of them are even in promotional videos, and appear to have been in earlier builds before being stripped out. Some were being used in advertising as of the end of July. You'll have to check the post if you want hand details.

I'm not saying you shouldn't or can't enjoy it for what it is. But the game we got is not what was promised. And if features had to be dropped, all well and good, that happens. But people should have been told, and game promos changed.

Grifman wrote:From my reading, these weren't just "hopes", but things he said would be in the game. A number of them are even in promotional videos, and appear to have been in earlier builds before being stripped out. Some were being used in advertising as of the end of July. You'll have to check the post if you want hand details.

Due diligence would require more effort than I can be bothered to give it (i.e. I'm too lazy to go looking for a way to be unhappy about something that I'm currently happy about ). I'm pleased with what they were actually able to deliver, and I'm looking forward to seeing what they can add to flesh it out going forward. YMMV.

To be honest, I never followed the game that closely, watched a few videos, knew little more than it was a big, space exploration, survival game. I really had no idea of the things promised and dropped. But I was surprised when I found this. Just thought I'd share in case anyone was interested. But many people seem to,be enjoying the game regardless, so that is cool.

I'm actually in much the same boat. Back when it was announced with great fanfare as a PS4 title, I assumed it would be a PS4 exclusive, filed it away as something I'd never play, and went back to obsessing over Elite: Dangerous. Not being burdened by years of anticipation and speculation about what might be makes it a lot easier to just look at the game and enjoy it (or not) for what it is rather than what it could have been. In a way, I'm surprised that I enjoy it as much as I do, given that the gameplay elements are so simple compared to more serious sims like Elite: Dangerous is or Star Citizen might be (if it ever actually makes it out of the gate ).

Max Peck wrote:I really like the data logs found in the derelict/abandoned buildings. Some of that stuff is so bent, you'd almost think they had Jerry Holkins writing it.

Speaking of Jerry Holkins, I guess this is what he's actually writing about the game. Different strokes for different folks, I reckon.

First, GMG has this 15% off now, $51.

Two milestones (ha) last night.

1) I entered a system that had been discovered by someone else. I believe it was called "I feel so alone 4", later I jumped to "I feel so alone 8"
2) I *think* I completed the Atlas path. The story here is so light it's hard to be really certain, but I was given a completely new option at the atlas interface and the text seemed to indicate that was that.
3) After that I went through a black hole. I don't think I am ever getting back. Yeah I said two milestones. I am not counting this as a milestone.

I think they may have fixed the unlimited crashed ship opportunity. I hit 4 transmission towers last night, all unattended and was not able to use the interface a second time on any of them. I also only got one ship upgrade out of the 4 crashed ships (up to 43 slots). I got a bunch of backpack upgrades, up to 31 there. I also got a 24 slot multi-tool, which I think is the max.

I am going to keep playing for a while. I at the very least want to discover all the animals on ONE planet. I also need to look at the achievements to see if there is anything interesting.

edit: I looked and Achievements are all about milestones. Meh. I'll keep playing until Tuesday when the avalanche of (not quite) Fall starts.

So, Coop, are you about "done"?

Man, that was fast. I'm only on my second system

I think I finished the "story". I am not done playing the game. I have played 25 hours already, but I am still having fun with it. I still want to get a max ship with a cool model. I want to kill a freighter. I want to build a deadly multi-tool. I want to learn more of the languages. I want to get the other two levels of the key.

There is still a lot I want to accomplish, but I have to do it before Next Tuesday when Deus Ex releases.

So i am a bit stuck, but in a good way not bad.

I am on a new system with electronic guys. I know nothing of their language, and dont dare try to interact w/ their guys for the little bonuses (operation centers etc) because I am concerned I'll screw up the conversation. And i need these guys to give me a plan to get the anti matter crafting scheme so i can warp to the next system. So now i got to learn these guys language while I pillage their planets of iron, plutonium and other lovely resources. Not in a bad way, just have to work through this path.

A few questions:

1- Has anyone done any space mining? Is there a companion that allows you to scan space for minerals and such?
2. The reason I asked the above is that i am looking for chrysonite (sp?) to help upgrade my various mining tools so that atl least will go faster.


TIP - when looking to upgrade a tool make sure the slots are together and not spread out. Or at least have a plan to maximize the adjacency bonuses. The more compact the tool slots are, the better off you are in terms of getting bonuses to stack.

I just upgraded a tool from 12 to 14 slots and this new tool cost about 97K but the slots were very compact.

Still liking this game for what it is. I was not really paying attention to its development, and just a few months ago came across a description of it, and only last week decided to get it. I enjoy the game for what it is, not what others are griping what it could be. I read grifman's link to a post, and it sounds like the guy is nitpicking (resources spawning in certain patterns, not being able to rename fleets, etc.). I mean its ok to be upset about something, but this game is not for everyone. And I actually really am liking it for what it is, but then again I came in with almost zero expectations and zero time spent following its development. Just looked like a cool exploration & crafting game, and that's what I got. How long i last, who knows. But for now its got my gaming attention.

Oh still havent found a way to get on the atlas path, but I will get to it am sure.

Newcastle wrote: A few questions:

1- Has anyone done any space mining? Is there a companion that allows you to scan space for minerals and such?
2. The reason I asked the above is that i am looking for chrysonite (sp?) to help upgrade my various mining tools so that atl least will go faster.

I haven't noticed a way to identify asteroid contents except to blow them up. I am ok with blowing them up.

Chrysolite or whatever the hell it's called will be blue crystal formations on the surface. It is not prevalent like Plutonium or Iron. When you find a planet that has it, go crazy mining it because it's fairly hard to come by. You can also look for it in space stations. Before I found my stockpile that's where I got it.

If you're shopping for an element or an item, if it's not in the Galactic Mall don't forget you can also hang out in a hangar checking the constant stream of ships coming in for the thing you're looking for.

I don't know how long it lasts in a station, but the gold star next to items will provide almost 90% profit if you can sell it. So, you can see what the station wants, go down to the visiting ships, and buy it cheaper from them to sell the item back to the station.

I wish there was a timer or something to know if I had time to go down to a planet, load up the ship, and return to the station in time.

I spent most of my time running for my life on my last planet, there was nothing but ravaging dinosaur equivalents, sometimes I had three red arrows up all at once. Quite scary!!! A lot of Emeril there but I couldn't stay still long enough to mine it

Buatha wrote:I don't know how long it lasts in a station, but the gold star next to items will provide almost 90% profit if you can sell it. So, you can see what the station wants, go down to the visiting ships, and buy it cheaper from them to sell the item back to the station.

I wish there was a timer or something to know if I had time to go down to a planet, load up the ship, and return to the station in time.

The values on some items change between the various pilots as well. Ive found that you can buy dynamic resonators from most pilots for a slight mark up, they usually run around 30k or so. Eventually, usually once Ive filled my pack with resonators, on pilot will buy them for over 100% value, its usually around 56k. Anyway, ten of them will get you around a 250k profit. I went from 250k units to 6 million easily just buying and selling resonators.

I still don't think this is a AAA game that should command a AAA price, but I'm enjoying it. I just hope that it continues to grow through a combination of patches and DLC to incorporate the things that were left out/new things to do.

Kid just got a $50 gift from an Aunt. This combined with what's in his Seam wallet means he can afford No Man's Sky. He wants it and can afford it. I'm not going to talk him out of it but I will remind him that the nearly 70 canadian dollars could buy him somewhere between 7 and 15 games during a sale. More if he's willing to go Humble Bundle.

And if he buys it, you can be damn sure I'm borrowing it when he's not online.

For the record, I've mostly been unimpressed with what I hear about the game. I'm not sure I was ever going to buy it, even on sale. With no actual play time, I obviously don't have an opinion on gameplay.

Finally found some derelict ships last night. First one had one slot LESS than my current ship. The next one had one more, but everything in it was broken (which I guess is the norm). So I took some time to fix it up and said F it, that takes to long for just one more slot. So then I spent about 30 mins grinding gold on a gold-rich planet I found to scrape up the cash for one of those big spacious ships I've seen on the space stations.

I also found a planet where all the sentinels are extra-hostile and summon mega-sentinels immediately, but it's also positively littered with gravitino balls. So I'll land next to a structure, do a scan, find the closest ball, then dash out and grab it and run inside the building before the sentinels kill me. Then I'll scan again for another ball, and dash out for it, etc. I named that planet Angry Mites.

I think the easiest money making has been doing monoliths. They usually give you one of those Graghrhaghrrhghag masks, or a Charm, or something else worth a lot. I've also gotten a bunch of multitool upgrades and actual multitools from them.

GreenGoo wrote:And if he buys it, you can be damn sure I'm borrowing it when he's not online.

AFAICT, there is only one save. You can't play unless you play his game.

Zaxxon wrote:

GreenGoo wrote:And if he buys it, you can be damn sure I'm borrowing it when he's not online.

AFAICT, there is only one save. You can't play unless you play his game.

Depends where the save lives (I haven't looked), is it under the users documents are in a shared space? Also different PC? different Steam account...

coopasonic wrote:

Zaxxon wrote:

GreenGoo wrote:And if he buys it, you can be damn sure I'm borrowing it when he's not online.

AFAICT, there is only one save. You can't play unless you play his game.

Depends where the save lives (I haven't looked), is it under the users documents are in a shared space? Also different PC? different Steam account...

My save follows me across Steam computers, so methinks it's tied to the Steam account.

Disable cloud save is same account, all set if different account. I am just theorycrafting here. I'd try it but not sure my kids computer would survive it.

I found the Kotaku review pretty interesting. Much as I have suspected, the author says that the experience of rushing through to the "endgame" is unsatisfying, but there is some fun to be had in exploration and discovery....IF you're inclined to do so.

Pretty much confirms NMS as something I'll get eventually, even if just out of sheer curiosity.

killbot737 wrote:Finally found some derelict ships last night. First one had one slot LESS than my current ship. The next one had one more, but everything in it was broken (which I guess is the norm). So I took some time to fix it up and said F it, that takes to long for just one more slot. So then I spent about 30 mins grinding gold on a gold-rich planet I found to scrape up the cash for one of those big spacious ships I've seen on the space stations.

I also found a planet where all the sentinels are extra-hostile and summon mega-sentinels immediately, but it's also positively littered with gravitino balls. So I'll land next to a structure, do a scan, find the closest ball, then dash out and grab it and run inside the building before the sentinels kill me. Then I'll scan again for another ball, and dash out for it, etc. I named that planet Angry Mites.

I think the easiest money making has been doing monoliths. They usually give you one of those Graghrhaghrrhghag masks, or a Charm, or something else worth a lot. I've also gotten a bunch of multitool upgrades and actual multitools from them.

The best way to do these ships is to do as many in a row as you can. You dont bother with repairing everything, just repair your jump thrusters so you can fly and then find more transmission towers ( when ever you find a scanning tower use a bypass chip and scan for the transmission option, you can scan multiple times at the same tower, so scan until you find a transmission tower, bypass chips are dirt cheap to make ) Also since youre going to be dumping the ship, dismantle all of the mods, they can give you a decent amount of rare elements. Also dismantle all the working mods on your current ship before you exchange for a new one. Its good to have pack space for dismantling, when you go ship hunting, so whenever you find a terminal dump what you dont need.

wanted to add if you get a new ship and youre going to leave the planet for any reason, like a visit to the space station, be sure to first repair your pulse engines or you will be a sitting duck for any pirate that wants to take you.

Zaxxon wrote:

coopasonic wrote:

Zaxxon wrote:

GreenGoo wrote:And if he buys it, you can be damn sure I'm borrowing it when he's not online.

AFAICT, there is only one save. You can't play unless you play his game.

Depends where the save lives (I haven't looked), is it under the users documents are in a shared space? Also different PC? different Steam account...

My save follows me across Steam computers, so methinks it's tied to the Steam account.

Mostly sharing doesn't have any issues with save game overlap even on the same computer with cloud save turned on, but one or two games have behaved oddly enough that the potential for issues to arise exists. If he buys it and I borrow it, I'll report back with the results, for interest's sake.

coopasonic wrote:Disable cloud save is same account, all set if different account. I am just theorycrafting here. I'd try it but not sure my kids computer would survive it.

I just checked, and my local save files are in Users\<WinUserID>\AppData\Roaming\HelloGames\NMS. If I disable Steam cloud saves for the game from the same Steam account but a different Windows account, I get a new game start with a new set of local save files for that Windows account. However, I would expect that if someone later re-enables cloud saves it will end badly, with one player getting their save overwritten with the other player's data. I did not take the experiment that far...

The cloud saves are tied to the steam account so in that scenario I would expect exactly what you feared. One save would eat the other and only 1 would exist for 1 steam account.

Borrowing adds an additional dynamic as the game is treated as the borrower's until the owner comes back online AND tries to play something. Normally each steam account would have its own cloud save for the game, even if there is only 1 copy of the game owned by anyone.

If a game has no cloud save and doesn't put the save game in the window user's space (i.e My Games or similar) but instead puts them in the steamapp game folder, then yes, the saves are actually shared by both the borrower and borrowee. I'm fairly sure I ran into this at some point, but I can't remember off the top of my head.

In any case it will be easy to check. I'll borrow the game and start it up. Just the start menu should tell me if I can "continue" my son's game or if starting a new game gives me a warning that the old game is going to be wiped out.

Some factoids about borrowing etc.

Both accounts can be logged into steam. Only when the owner tries to start a game (any game) does Steam tell the borrower that their time up. It's often a 3 minute warning and if you don't stop playing Steam just kills the game midplay. Like task manager type kill.

I keep both my son's library and my library in the same Steam location (actually I have 2 different steam libraries but they aren't organized by steam account). There doesn't seem to be any separation at the file system level. Everything just sits neatly under the Steam folder, all in the same place. The Steam app keeps track logically and that's where the separation comes in. When I start a game from my son's account, the exact same executable is being called. There aren't two copies of the game. It's just steam deciding whether I have the rights to access the executable etc. This may seem obvious to some of you. I just write it out as confirmation.

Some games allow the borrower to earn achievements while others do not (you have to own the game for the achievement to trigger).


There's some other crap I observed but I've run out of steam (no pun grrr). I may write it up later if anyone cares. I don't think most people have overly complex home network + multiple steam account dynamics, so most of this is just interesting to know rather than useful.

Zaxxon wrote:I've still yet to come across a crashed ship despite something like a dozen transmission searches.

Some planets seem to have way more crash sites than others. My best luck has been on moons that weren't too harsh (environmentally). Basically, if its a place with a lot of escape pods, it also has a lot of crash sites. This seems to also affect whether you can use the relay multiple times in a row to mark several ships at once.

Were you doing this on a high security, extreme or water world? I've had shite crashes in those circumstances.

FWIW, my inventory slots: Multitool = 18, Ship = 39 and Exo-suit = 48 slots as of last night's session. This ship is ugly as hell and flys like a bucket, so I will be searching for a better looking 40+ tonight.

Can't remember the specs of the world. I'll try again in a friendly one.

My son borrowed my copy and he saw my discoveries at first but when he left the planet he got his own discoveries. This was under family share.

Lorini wrote:My son borrowed my copy and he saw my discoveries at first but when he left the planet he got his own discoveries. This was under family share.

Well that answers that then. Well, hopefully for everyone else. I don't know what it means to "see your discoveries" although I assume after 10 minutes of play I will.

So i lost my space station waypoint indicator. You know that little "shape" on your screen when you are in space to help guide to it. For some reason mine doesn't pop up now. Not sure why. However, on the plus side I can find it. I know its by 1 planet, and also if you are looking in space you can see faint while lines around planets, follow those and eventually they will converge on 1 area, that's your space station.

No idea how i lost it. BUt i did. Also found a planet that has chrystolite (sp?) so will be farming that up tonight as well.

Small disappointment for me. Some of the critters make the same awful earsplitting screeches I've heard in other games. Spore comes to mind, but I can't exactly place the sound. I can't stand them. Time to stop befriending animals.

I don't know how to describe the sound that bothers me. It's something like the "dog squealing" sound you hear on TV shows all the time. That's probably why I can't stand it.

killbot737 wrote:Small disappointment for me. Some of the critters make the same awful earsplitting screeches I've heard in other games. Spore comes to mind, but I can't exactly place the sound. I can't stand them. Time to stop befriending animals.

I don't know how to describe the sound that bothers me. It's something like the "dog squealing" sound you hear on TV shows all the time. That's probably why I can't stand it.

I guess they can't figure out how to procedurally generate critter's voices?

Only 2.5 gigs? I can't remember the last time a new game weighed in that lightly, except for indie games I guess.

The guy that posted a long data mining 'what's in the game vs what was promised' disappeared from reddit. Speculation is that he was doxxed.

Either way -- Sean Murray promised a bunch of shit and didn't produce it. I'm still enjoying the game but wishing there was so much more.

Tonight I discovered a moon that was FULL of pods with expansion slots for my INV. I went from under 15 to MAX just by going from pod to pod. An anomaly in the equation I guess, but I'll take it.