All Articles: No Man’s Sky

As promised, Hello Games has released the “Foundation Update” (Version 1.1) for No Man’s Sky. The update, which will be the first of many free updates, includes all of the new base-building options the developer talked about on Friday… along with a few surprises.

In addition to building a homestead, Version 1.1 of No Man’s Sky will allow players to create a Hydroponic Lab within their base and grow different plants. These plants will provide “a steady supply of resources” and eventually lead to the discovery of new resource elements. And for players who want to venture away from their base, they’ll be able to make camp anywhere with Save Points and color-coded Waypoints.

However, if you’d prefer to always be on the move, players can purchase a Freighter to move large amounts of resources across the galaxy. Freighters can also be crewed by three other characters to research new technologies. And speaking of resources, the “Foundation Update” will also add new biome and star-specific resource types to the game, as well as a simplified user interface.

But the biggest change to No Man’s Sky is the addition of three new game modes, including a brutal (and “much more challenging”) Survival Mode:

• Normal Mode is the original chilled exploration experience
• Creative Mode allows players to explore the universe without limits, and build a huge base
• Survival Mode really changes the game, creating a much more challenging endurance experience

A trailer offering more details about No Man’s Sky’s “Foundation Update” is embedded above, and the full Patch Notes can be found at the game’s official website.

It’s been a rough road for No Man’s Sky, and developer Hello Games, since its launch back in August. Many fans felt cheated by drastic departures the final game took from early teaser trailers and promises made by Director Sean Murray. Others, like our own Mike Ryan, were more forgiving, but he also found No Man’s Sky to be just average.

However, massive changes are coming to No Man’s Sky, beginning with a major update scheduled to launch this week. Known as the “Foundation Update,” Hello Games discussed how it’ll serve as a base for future updates to the game on their official website:

We’re calling it The Foundation Update, because we have added the foundations of base building, and also because this is putting in place a foundation for things to come.

The message from Hello Games only lightly brushed up against the public’s mostly negative reaction to No Man’s Sky, but the team also said they are listening to fan feedback and will use it to shape the game going forward:

In the nine weeks since then our small team has been hard at work on development, testing and certification for the Foundation Update. It won’t be our biggest update, but it is the start of something.

The discussion around No Man’s Sky since release has been intense and dramatic. We have been quiet, but we are listening and focusing on improving the game that our team loves and feels so passionately about. Positive or negative feedback, you have been heard and that will truly help to make this a better game for everyone.

And they closed their first communication in a very long time with a promise that bigger things are on the way: “This update will be the first small step in a longer journey.”

Have you heard that several stores broke the street date for No Man’s Sky, and that a small handful of lucky gamers are playing the highly-anticipated space exploration sim right now? It’s true, but once No Man’s Sky officially launches on August 9, we’ll all be playing a very different game…

In a lengthy post on the game’s official website, Director Sean Murray has detailed the many changes that will be applied to the game as part of a “Day One” patch. Some of these changes include the creation of three distinct “Paths” where “early choices have significant impact on what you see later in the game,” advanced combat techniques, multiple endings, and much, much more:

• The Three Paths – there are now new, unique “paths” you can follow throughout the game. You must start the game on a fresh save, with the patch, as early choices have significant impact on what you see later in the game, and the overall experience.
• Combat – Auto Aim and weapon aim has been completely rewritten to feel more gentle in general, but stickier when you need it. Sentinels now alert each other, if they haven’t been dealt with quickly. Quad and Walker AI is now much more challenging, even I struggle with them without a powered up weapon.
• Space Combat – advanced techniques have been introduced, like brake drifting and critical hits. Bounty missions and larger battles now occur. Pirate frequency has been increased, as well as difficulty depending on your cargo.
• Writing – The Atlas path has been rewritten by James Swallow (writer on Deus Ex) and me. I think it speaks to the over-arching theme of player freedom more clearly now. Early mission text has been rewritten to allow for multiple endings.

According to Murray, this is just the first of several planned updates to the game. So, after several years in development, No Man’s Sky might be ready for release, but it’s far from finished.

Hello Games recently released the final three videos in their Four Pillars of No Man’s Sky series.

“Video 2: Fight” gives the promise of “epic space battles” with lots of explosions and color in the sky, and a battle for survival when you’re planetside. In “Video 3: Trade,” players can “gather natural resources” that you can then travel the galaxy to buy and sell. “Every trade tells a story,” the trailer boasts. And “Video 4: Survive” shows the “hostile environments” and “deadly lifeforms” that will keep you on your toes. Watch out for those rads – I mean, that radiation!

No Man’s Sky will be out on August 9th for the PlayStation 4 and August 12th on PC. Hit the jump to see the three videos. (more…)