New to the Game - Almost

[BeastNips]

Hi everyone!

I'm blessed in the fact that my girlfriend is going away for the weekend so I finally have time to buy this game then sit and play it for 2 days straight (while not going to the gym, eating huge amount of junk food and drinking some fine craft ale [and then obviously hiding the evidence of the last 2]). Not having a huge amount of time to invest in the game usually has put me off buying it so far. My issue is this: I don't want to waste a lot of time playing this game if I'm going to re-roll every hour or so, so I'm wondering if I can have some spoiler-free tips for my first couple of games? The idea is that the surprise element of the game isn't ruined but I don't miss out of some key 'ground work' I need to put into place to make my game last. Obviously I expect to re-roll a couple of times but I'd like to get some nice lengthy games under my belt before needing to do so.

For anyone that has played Gnomoria I'll give you an example of the sorts of tips I want: "Make sure you set up an armed militia squad before the first day of summer or bad things might happen." This hasn't ruined the surprise of Goblin raids but it would also avoid one Goblin massacring my whole fortress and wiping a season's worth of work.

Thanks everyone!

[Lys]

Make sure you have at least 2/3 of your starting colonists with at least some fighting skills, preferably ranged (you most likely will get violent-incapable colonists at some point, which are really useless for defending your base. Early on that is fatal).
Make sure you start growing food from day 1 and if possible also healroot. Lots of it.
Check your whole map before deciding on where to build. Especially in mountaineous there are often spots that are much easier to defend (surrounded by rock etc).
Start researching stonecutting early (if you are not playing on flat) so that you can build durable walls. Next research should be microelectronics -> auto turrets (don't rush the latter ones, especially not if you are playing tribals).
Then, try to build a large freezer as soon as possible (don't forget you also need power/batteries for it to work). It is likely the most important structure in your base.

I probably forgot something really basic but this is what always is most important at the start of my games.

[chaotix14]

Hunting can be a lot of "fun".
The survival meals you get at the start usually aren't quite enough to last you till your first harvest(especially not with the local wildlife also liking the taste of survival meal), use the harvest order to harvest some nearby berry bushes or agave(the agave should be cooked prior to consumption, raw it has a less than great taste).
Reroll your starting survivors until you get a group that doesn't have some whiner complaining he's incapable of x or y, it'll be a godsend not having to deal with that in the first few days as a starting player.

[ReZpawner]

For your first game, I recommend selecting a map that has mountains. This allows you to set up your base with the back towards the mountain, so you only really have to focus on 1-2 directions, rather than 4.
I would also recommend playing on a low difficulty for your first games.
There's no shame in starting out on basebuilder difficulty with phoebe for your first few games while learning it (or later I suppose).

Early on, you'll want to set up a defensive area. Go with walls and sandbags in a WSWSWSWSW pattern, and make sure you build a roof over it. Without getting too complicated, this will give you a lot of cover, and the darkness provided by the roof will make you even harder to get hit.

Other than that, it all depends on how you want to play it. You can spend 3-4 hours selecting the best of the best people at the beginning, or make do with whatever you're given. Both gives you a unique gameplay experience.

Best of luck!

[BeastNips]

Thanks for the replies guys!

Any tips for custom start settings? I'd like a slightly toned down version of the game without disabling any central mechanics (like raids etc) or gifting myself too much starting equipment (like turrets etc).

Cheers guys!

[BlackSmokeDMax]

Thanks for the replies guys!

Any tips for custom start settings? I'd like a slightly toned down version of the game without disabling any central mechanics (like raids etc) or gifting myself too much starting equipment (like turrets etc).

Cheers guys!

First game, without having watched a lot of youtube let's plays?

I'd play Phoebe Chillax on Basebuilder, I'd use the crash landing scenario and play in a large hill temperate forest.

[BeastNips]

Thanks for the replies guys!

Any tips for custom start settings? I'd like a slightly toned down version of the game without disabling any central mechanics (like raids etc) or gifting myself too much starting equipment (like turrets etc).

Cheers guys!

First game, without having watched a lot of youtube let's plays?

I'd play Phoebe Chillax on Basebuilder, I'd use the crash landing scenario and play in a large hill temperate forest.

Will I still be raided etc with those settings? I know I'm being very picky here, but I don't want to develop a strategy that relies on bad stuff not happening, but at the same time I don't want to get owned. I'm very familiar with these types of games so I don't need it to be TOO easy.

[chaotix14]

Thanks for the replies guys!

Any tips for custom start settings? I'd like a slightly toned down version of the game without disabling any central mechanics (like raids etc) or gifting myself too much starting equipment (like turrets etc).

Cheers guys!

First game, without having watched a lot of youtube let's plays?

I'd play Phoebe Chillax on Basebuilder, I'd use the crash landing scenario and play in a large hill temperate forest.

Will I still be raided etc with those settings? I know I'm being very picky here, but I don't want to develop a strategy that relies on bad stuff not happening, but at the same time I don't want to get owned. I'm very familiar with these types of games so I don't need it to be TOO easy.

Yup, Phoebe as a storyteller will put large breaks between events, so stuff doesn't come at you all at once. Grabbing a lower difficulty will effectively lower the budget for raids and manhunter packs that are send to you(less people and less well armed). The low difficulty can lock out a few more severe events, but starting out those could make for a quick game over.

[BlackSmokeDMax]

Yep, what chaotix14 said. Phoebe will give you a decent break between while still slowly ramping up. This lets you learn all the mechanics of the game.

The good thing is at any time, you can go into options and change difficulty/storyteller. So you are not locked in to this slow of a pace if you find you are doing well.

[BeastNips]

Thanks mate, that sounds great!

Any tips for early base layout in terms of productivity and planning for the future? (as opposed to defence that someone already mentioned)

[BlackSmokeDMax]

Thanks mate, that sounds great!

Any tips for early base layout in terms of productivity and planning for the future? (as opposed to defence that someone already mentioned)

Keep your cooking (butcher table, stove) close to your freezer. And also setup an eating area near there as well. Keep the eating area in its own room if possible. You can do your cooking directly in the freezer, or do what I do and have another room within the freezer with a held open door. This gives a slight break from the freezing temps. (doors block temp, not very much while held open but still block some temp transfer)

If you plan into a mountain, try to leave enough room between rooms to eventually have built walls installed, this goes for the hallway between them as well.

edit: In mountains, I like to dig my hallways 5 wide. After building a wall on each side, this leave a 3 wide hallway. Some low traffic ones I go down to 4 wide (2 after walls)

Building power lines into the built walls is helpful for keeping the ugly down. All exposed power conduits have a negative beauty.

And lastly- make sure everything that can deteriorate is covered by a roof:
-guns
-clothes
-food (prior to having a freezer)
-raw food (prior to having a freezer)
-some raw resources

[Naeem]

Make sure your colonist have good skills,dont pick a colonist that cant do dumb labour and skill labour!

Also take a look at the health menu,dont pick a colonist that has a scar damage of 6-7 or they will be in moderate amout of pain and it sucks alot...

[BeastNips]

Thanks mate, that sounds great!

Any tips for early base layout in terms of productivity and planning for the future? (as opposed to defence that someone already mentioned)

Keep your cooking (butcher table, stove) close to your freezer. And also setup an eating area near there as well. Keep the eating area in its own room if possible. You can do your cooking directly in the freezer, or do what I do and have another room within the freezer with a held open door. This gives a slight break from the freezing temps. (doors block temp, not very much while held open but still block some temp transfer)

If you plan into a mountain, try to leave enough room between rooms to eventually have built walls installed, this goes for the hallway between them as well.

edit: In mountains, I like to dig my hallways 5 wide. After building a wall on each side, this leave a 3 wide hallway. Some low traffic ones I go down to 4 wide (2 after walls)

Building power lines into the built walls is helpful for keeping the ugly down. All exposed power conduits have a negative beauty.

And lastly- make sure everything that can deteriorate is covered by a roof:
-guns
-clothes
-food (prior to having a freezer)
-raw food (prior to having a freezer)
-some raw resources

Thanks a lot mate. I'm super excited for Saturday now!

Any other spoiler-free tips from anyone would be appreciated.

[TheDirge]

-You can put a dumping stockpile in front of your turrets to use the chunks of rock and steel to slow raiders down
-have a nice prison so you can recruit raiders you captured faster

[submarine]

When combat occurs watch your firing lines to avoid friendly fire. Use cover and try to deny cover for your enemies.