Subnautica - SCUBA, Unknown Worlds, drowning

I’m just diving in for the first time (har har) and really loving it - managed to sink around 25 hours in the last week! Long long time since I binged so hard. I’ve been taking my time and doing a lot of base tinkering/rebuilding with each new upgrade, so it feels like I’ve still got a lot to go (just now hitting around 900m depth).

My two complaints (and both are minor): rarely I feel like I must have just missed scanning the last piece for a blueprint, and then can’t find it again (at the same site or others) for hours and hours, which feels like poor design.

Second, I am really intrigued by the story but sometimes I get a few separate ques at once, check all of them out, but then need to go back later with new tools. Once I get those new tools (or progress in general) I’ve forgotten what area I had to go back to, and thus the story hasn’t moved along in quite a number of hours. It would be niece if there was a ‘last radio signal received’ option so I knew which one I need to follow up on to get things moving again.

Both valid complaints, to be honest. I find if I’m missing certain fragments it might not be in the immediate area I found similar fragments, but usually is within that biome somewhere. Which fragments are you missing that you need?

The story comes through those static messages and dynamically through things you find, where you are, what you see, etc. Also though I can’t confirm it, I think some things are bound to what you find, build and do. I know once I build the seamoth I start getting more lifepod messages that are deeper, etc. You get links to follow the Degasi storyline early on, so I’m guessing you’ve gotten those? You might also go to the gun island if you have not already. That kick starts some of the story as well.

I played this quite a bit during early access, and only just got back to it last week or so. Finished my run last night. Fantastic game, that’s really brought down a few notches by technical problems. The draw in/pop in is fairly ridiculous, and really pulls me out of the game. The frame rate problems are better than they were in EA, but they are still pretty horrible from time to time.

Even with the problems, it’s probably my game of the year at this point. It’s funny that this gets billed as a survival game, as it’s easily as much a mystery/adventure game. I found the survival aspects of it to be pretty minimal, especially once you get some gear going.

Fantastic game, and certainly worth playing if there is anyone still on the fence about it.

I’ve played this a lot the last week or two, and it is indeed a great game. It’s been a while since I have been so immersed in any game, and with this one, I find myself thinking and planning while I’m at work, looking forward to my next game session.

I am terrible at finding my way though. I get lost all the time, and I have the hardest time finding anything. I would have loved an in-game map, and I have to admit that I cheated a bit and looked up a map on the wiki. But even with the map, I still get lost. It’s the same in real-life. Without my GPS, I would be doomed.

So, OK. Last night: I’m at this island waiting for a rescue ship to arrive, and there’s this huge alien facility. What happens next will shock you!

Oh well, I could see it coming, but it was SO well done. This is a special game.

it is, isnt it?

Yeah. Apparently I’ve got 2 full days played in this thing, and I think I’ve spent most of the building a base, getting a new blueprint, redesigning my base, realizing the location doesn’t work anymore, moving my base, discovering how BIG a Cyclops really is, moving my base, getting a new blueprint, …

On the other hand, I’ve gotten at least as far into the plot as rhamorim!

I didn’t unlock the Cyclops yet. Also, no bases yet either. I guess I suck at finding stuff to scan, apparently. ;)

Though I’m actually contemplating now where to build my first base. I thinking about 500-600m NE of the pod, so somewhat close to the location I mentioned and also not too far from the Aurora. Good idea?

Bad news is, there is some kind of teleporting monster in that region and that doesn’t sound good. I just caught a glimpse of it, and then it teleported a couple of those alien fishes that grab pieces of metal in kelp forests to attack me. Huh. Not cool, alien! Not cool!

And apparently I suck at scanning things and remembering the names of the alien animals. Welp.

About 500 meters almost directly north and south of the escape pod, near some kelp forests, there are thermal vents. Near-ish those (say within 100-200 meters) make good starting base spots, easily hooked up to thermal power when you get that. I’ve not seen that beastie near those spots. My base is currently* a few hundred meters east of the pod, near one of the red grass plains, running off the north thermal vent.

*Location subject to change without notice.

The areas right at the edges of multiple biomes where the scenery changes can often be really nice spots. You can get materials from any of the biomes you are near. As for power, see the spoiler below, though it isn’t really that much of a spoiler.

Solar panels are okay but need to be as close to the surface as possible to generate power well. They store power over nightfall though, so if you see you’re depleting that a lot, add more solar panels or seek additional power with another type below.
Thermal power needs the large hole vents (shallows and open biomes,) the spire thermal vents (deeper biomes,) or lava (lowest biomes,) to generate power. The hotter it is, the better power gain you can get. They are often paired with Power Transmitters. There are a few good YouTube videos on how those work together that are worth checking out.
Bioreactors are internal base power systems that can run off any flora or fauna you can put in them. They are good once you have the ability to grow things, but require you to keep them up. They require a large multipurpose room.
Nuclear reactors are another internal base power system good for mid-late game and require reactor rods (a manufactured item) as well as nuclear disposal (like a trash can for spent rods.) They generate a TON of power, but are good for instances where other sources aren’t close by. These too require a large multipurpose room.

That is a warper… not very nice at all…

I had several nuclear reactors and none of my rods ever got to spent. Huge power. All i ever use is water, battery and ship recharging. Water filtration is the largest consumer of electricity. And with mid/late game foods you can grow, water becomes something that you really don’t need as much. What else uses electricity?

I think Moonpools for recharging/repairing, and the big alien containment tanks. If you do power cell charger banks those can eat quite a bit as well, but it’s not often you recharge that many at a time.

I forgot using the fabricator too. If you do a lot of processing it can add up. Scanner rooms do not seem to take as much as you think they would.

Just finished my first play through. 50 hrs on the money. Damn what a great game. I used solar in my main base in the shallows. Had a second base i used nuclear with never went through a rod.

Speaking of finishing the game, what was your reaction when you find out you have storage cabinets onboard your spaceship? What did you load them up with?

I would be very curious to see the data (if they have it) on what everyone is loading up.

I’ll be honest, I couldn’t help myself. I packed them up with everything i could think of. Plants, rubys, diamonds, plasteel, and just because i never want to go hungry or thirsty, a ton of water & all my food bars (I saved all the foodbars I found), along with ion cubes for that alien tech.

HAHA well I was in such a hurry to get off world and see some land I brought nothing but some food and water.

I brought nothing but what I had on me. There was a brief moment when I thought I should get stuff but then I thought, what would they even game at this point. I threw my tools in the time capsule.

Thinking about it now, I wonder if you could build a base off that platform?

New home!

Oooo living on the edge! How are the neighbors? =)

Stasis gun says hello lol. It’s not bad actually, I was a bit worried I would be constantly bombed, but they tend to ignore you once you get in base/craft, unless they were already agroed. It’s certainly a good spot for thermal power lol.