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Is No man's sky any good these days?

Started by Kryton, May 04, 2019, 02:42:29 AM

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Kryton

Just bought it on steam, but need to wait a few days to play it. Has it improved since release?
How's the base building? Exploration? How much content is in there?

Basically will it scratch the itch of wanting a survival(lite), base building style game?

Fishfinger

Quote from: Kryton on May 04, 2019, 02:42:29 AM
Just bought it on steam, but need to wait a few days to play it. Has it improved since release?
How's the base building? Exploration? How much content is in there?

Basically will it scratch the itch of wanting a survival(lite), base building style game?

I've played it on and off since launch and it's unquestionably improved. As much as I loved playing it in the months after release, it was little more than a tech demo really with a simplistic game loop. These days it has a properly developed story-line, plentiful ongoing procedural quests, actual multiplayer and several different modes including survival (more challenging), permadeath (survival with 1 life only) and creative (sandbox with infinite resources).

Just following the story-lines to their end should provide 40+ hours of play without taking into account the open universe and online elements. I have hundreds of hours logged over the last 2-3 years.

I think it'd scratch that itch. Some people do nothing but build stuff. But outside of creative mode you can expect a grind. The early game is rather top-heavy, I think, and it takes quite a while to get off the tutorial rails and into the game proper.

I'd also mention that there's a large update due this summer which is supposed to expand the multiplayer gameplay amongst other things. That should be a good thing, but in the past they've had made a habit of changing all the resources and blueprints in major updates, which can be rather irritating as you're forced to relearn the systems, and their quality control has been pretty abysmal, with game-breaking bugs often lingering for weeks.

On the whole though, I think it's genuinely a great game that still has a future and this would be a good time to get into it.

kalowski

There are story lines? I just seem to spend hours mining copper and then my air or radiation protection runs out.

Fishfinger

Yeah, there are, but you can ignore them. Early on, unless you play an old version, the game should be setting you objectives that lead to getting a working ship, hyperdrive and the ability to warp between systems. After that you can do what you like.

madhair60


Kryton

Blimey this is beautiful isn't it?

I've built a kind of shack in the shadow of a crashed freighter on a planet that is soaked with corrosive rain - It's not much but it's home. I'm calling it my first base as I scout other planets looking for ideal locations


In the second system I explored, I was awe-struck in discovering a glacial planet that consisted of about 80% water with tiny lonely islands dotted around all basking in an orange/pink glow. I can't wait to figure out how to get a submarine and explore the damn thing. I already have plans for a building something on one of the little islands and basking in my own lonely paradise.

The world generation is fucking astounding. I spent about ten hours playing this yesterday and I've just been gobsmacked by how beautiful it is...

https://imgur.com/a/Q0ynRG7


Twed

It is gorgeous. Here's why I don't think it's beautiful. Some other worlds from No Man's Sky:


Kryton

Just got myself a free fucking freighter after fighting off some pirates!
Meanwhile, I've been building up my shitty base and exploring a few planets. S
till utterly loving this game.
Also found two crashed ships that I've nabbed but they need some serious repairs.

Still enjoying just hopping from planet to planet in the downtime between the quests.

No real idea of what I should be doing but that's kind of wonderful as I can take everything at my own pace.

No idea how I get a submarine either, but I can't wait to get one and take it to my proposed glacier/water planet for a mooch about.

Noonling

I started playing this yesterday, though I'm on PS4 without the multiplayer so I don't know how much different the experience is. To be honest, I don't

I haven't found it all that pretty (on planets at least, in the system it is), but the exploration loop is very satisfying to me. I have a weird fondness for finding all the alien words too - although why I would need to know "convergence" or "virus" without even knowing the word for "hello" is a mystery.

Do the flora/fauna/buildings have more variations in later systems or galaxies? I've only been to one other system besides the first one and its basically as Twed said - just the same stuff in different colours. I'm already a bit bored of specific types of buildings all having the same layout and I started playing it less than 24hrs ago... Its not a dealbreaker, its engaging enough otherwise, but the lack of variation still is disappointing.

Fishfinger

#9
You can expect to encounter a little more planetary variation as you install new hyperdrive tech and can then access new types of star systems. Late game you might travel to a different galaxy, which will be more likely to serve up certain features (more 'exotic' or 'paradise' planets, for example). Flora, fauna and buildings - the latter in particular - are as limited as you suspect. There are literally two types of space station, for example, and one of those is rare.

I write this as someone who played the hell out of the game and still likes it. It's just how it is. For me it's mostly been about little unexpected and unscripted moments that elevate the content. But I've also spent many hours goofing around with friends, so that's provided a lot of the enjoyment too.


Fishfinger

Another update's due soon - no date or real detail as far as I'm aware - so it may well shake things up. We'll see.

Mobius

Is there any way to see what Star Systems are dogshit? I spent ages yesterday building fuel for my hyperdrive to go for a big jaunt and find somewhere nice to start a new base, and ended up in arse end of nowhere, without any fuel, having to land on some godforsaken hellhole farming materials in 10 second bursts so the raging firestorm didn't kill me. Unless I'm very blind, this system didn't even have a Space Station?

Noonling

If you install an economy scanner then you can see if the system is wealthy or not, which affects ship class you can get (C to S) and trading prices (one aspect of the game I have no interest in...).

Otherwise: If when you hover over a system it doesn't mention any dominant lifeform then its one without a space station. Also you can see how many planets there are circling the star, which kinda gives indication of variety. Star colours also has an effect on planet type and minerals found.

I've played this game a heck ton over the last few days. Really loving it, loving having so many different goals to aim for.

surreal

Trailer for the next update "Beyond" is out - the update is free from 14th August:

https://youtu.be/PM7ArMxUFR0

VR, Multiplayer, plus a load of new stuff (rideable creatures!).  Must say it looks good, certainly for a free boost.  Personally I hope the multiplayer is largely optional, I like just being able to explore in peace which is what I thought the original point of the project was - I also play Elite:Dangerous in solo mode.  Oh well, maybe it's just me.

Here's Sean Murray talking about the new stuff - looks like he's re-emerged after they have been forgiven by the bloody games community at long last.  Sure there will still be some moaning about the launch:

https://youtu.be/zAo7b4HjtjQ

Alberon

With the size of the game I think it'll still be pretty easy to be alone in each star system if you want to.

It'll so obviously have a SP or MP option when you start it up. As if they'll FORCE multiplayer on you. Don't worry guys.

Noonling

I had thought it was just gonna be a bunch of boring multiplayer and VR stuff added, but actually there's a whole load of single player stuff!

https://www.nomanssky.com/beyond-update/

Various NPC updates, MORE ALIEN WORDS, creature riding, cooking, base power and logic switches, several quality of life changes...

Fishfinger

#17
In Options > Network and Voice you can disable multiplayer if you want. God knows if it works, but it's there.

ETA: the reason I say that is there were issues with the PS4 'Appear Offline' mode, where NMS players could join your sessions anyway.


Alberon

Got the update. To actively fine other players you need to go into the Space Anomaly which is much bigger than before and I've seen other players there. Unfortunately at the moment it's as laggy as fuck in the multiplayer bit and keeps crashing my game.

Before that I got back to my first base, but it now needs a Biofuel Generator to run the gate back to the world I had just reached. Not quite sure where to get the plans for that so I'm slightly stuck here at the moment.

Heard the VR is aids tier, looks like Sentinel running on an Acorn Electron at 4fps.

Thursday

Jesus the size of that patch notes page. I don't have time to read it all tonight.

Thursday

Quote from: The Boston Crab on August 14, 2019, 07:47:41 PM
Heard the VR is aids tier, looks like Sentinel running on an Acorn Electron at 4fps.

Your mum is aids tier mate.

Fishfinger

Tried playing with a few friends for a couple of hours and it just crashed all the time. Consistent with other NMS updates. It'll be good eventually.

bgmnts

Quote from: Fishfinger on August 14, 2019, 09:38:58 PM
Tried playing with a few friends for a couple of hours and it just crashed all the time. Consistent with other NMS updates. It'll be good eventually.

Thats what you want from your games you paid for, to be good at some point.

Fishfinger

Quote from: bgmnts on August 14, 2019, 09:43:13 PM
Thats what you want from your games you paid for, to be good at some point.

Not saying it's fine, I'm saying it's how it'll be. I've played it since launch. Their QA is dogshit. But they've put out worthwhile, substantial updates for free for 2 1/2 years. They just don't work very well for a few weeks usually. The base game itself has probably been on sale at least that long.

Alberon

Outside of the multiplayer bit it is running fine.

Mobius

I wish I didn't rinse this game to fuck not long ago. Is there enough new stuff to justify reinstalling? I got sick of having to scan about 30 plants which looked identical every single planet I went to, which it sounds like this update might improve!

Fishfinger

Quote from: Mobius on August 14, 2019, 11:54:28 PM
I wish I didn't rinse this game to fuck not long ago. Is there enough new stuff to justify reinstalling? I got sick of having to scan about 30 plants which looked identical every single planet I went to, which it sounds like this update might improve!

It's mostly a multiplayer update. If you don't care about that stuff don't bother. Otherwise, give it a few patches and see.

Thursday

I've played a bit every time there's been some of the more major updates, It's all a bit daunting now there's been so many changes, but I also don't want to start again for a 3rd time.

I'm happy for it, but it's time for them to sack it off and make another Joe Danger game I think.