No Man’s Sky is a vast universe full of exploration, crafting, and surprises. Whether you’re a beginner or a returning traveler, the sheer number of features can feel overwhelming. This guide breaks it all down—covering efficient resource gathering, inventory management, and even how to escape those pesky Sentinels. By the end, you’ll be well on your way to thriving among the stars.

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1. Gathering Resources

Mining Efficiently

• Keep your Mining Beam just below overheating to mine faster.
• Use your ship’s weapons to blast surface resources from the air.

Faster Travel with Melee Boost

• Sprint, then press melee followed immediately by your jetpack to gain massive forward momentum.

Locating Deposits

• Scan planets from space to preview available resources.
• Use your Analysis Visor to tag and track deposits.
• Adjust your Terrain Manipulator size (L1+R1 / LB+RB) to mine faster and cleaner.

Salvaged Data & Modules

• Use your visor to locate Buried Technology Modules—no digging needed if you stand right over them.
• These provide Salvaged Data, essential for unlocking base-building and vehicles.

Use the Resource Catalog

• Forgot where to find a material? Open the Catalog Menu—it shows known resources and where to locate them.

Buy Instead of Grind

• Purchase common materials like Ferrite Dust and Wiring Looms from trade terminals or NPC pilots.
• Stock varies by system, so shop around.

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2. Crafting & Refining

• Start with a Portable Refiner (1 input). Upgrade to Medium or Large Refiners for more slots.
• Many resources can be refined in reverse—like turning Dihydrogen Jelly back into Dihydrogen.
• Check out community-made websites or apps for refining recipes and shortcuts.

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3. Expanding Your Inventory

• Each space station and the Anomaly let you buy one Exo Suit slot per visit.
• Use Drop Pod Coordinate Data from cartographers to find drop pods for additional slots.
• Salvage crashed ships and freighters to earn free upgrades for your ship and cargo space.

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4. Ship & Flight Management

• Only refuel your Launch Thrusters when they hit 0%—you’ll save fuel this way.
• Use Uranium instead of crafted fuel—it’s easy to find or buy.

Crafting Warp Cells

• To fuel your Hyperdrive, craft:
  • Antimatter Housing: 30 Oxygen + 50 Ferrite Dust
  • Antimatter: 25 Chromatic Metal + 20 Condensed Carbon
• For long-distance jumps, upgrade to Warp Hypercores using Storm Crystals.

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5. Evading Sentinels

• On foot: Dig a tunnel with your Terrain Manipulator and hide until the alert clears.
• In space: Call the Anomaly mid-fight to end combat instantly.

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6. Making Money: Units, Nanites & Quicksilver

Earn Units

• Upgrade your Scanner and scan everything—creatures can net hundreds of thousands.
• Trade wisely: buy cheap, sell in high-demand systems.
• Sell to NPC pilots to avoid tanking terminal prices.

Earn Nanites

• Upload your scans via the Discoveries Menu.
• Refine Living Slime → Runaway Mold → Nanites.
• Visit Anomaly vendors regularly to convert discoveries into Nanites.

Earn Quicksilver

• Complete daily/weekly missions from the Anomaly to earn Quicksilver for cosmetic rewards.

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7. Base Building Tips

• Build your base near a Trading Post or Landing Pad to reduce fuel use.
• Use Salvaged Data early to unlock essential structures like storage, refiners, and teleports.

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8. Final Beginner Tips

• Use the Quick Menu to toggle third/first-person view, switch tools, and recharge systems fast.
• Prioritize upgrading your Exo Suit and Multi-Tool first.
• Visit Trading Outposts regularly to scout for better ships and multitools.

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What’s Next? Don’t Miss Part 2!

This guide sets you up with the essentials—but there’s more. In Part 2, you’ll learn:

• How to get a free freighter
• Where to find Storm Crystals
• How to optimize freighter storage and farming setups

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