Outposts are advanced player-built bases in Starfield that serve as secondary hubs and homes away from the player's primary spaceship. Outposts enable players to harvest resources, conduct research, store items, and more.

Overview

  • Outposts act as planetary bases that provide shelter, resources, research stations, and crew housing
  • Players can construct outposts on suitable locations across planets in the settled systems
  • Outposts have extensive customization options for layout, structures, decorations, color schemes, and naming
  • Players can recruit, hire, and assign companions and crew members to work at their outposts
  • Outposts can generate income through resource harvesting, mining, agriculture, animal husbandry, and processing collected resources
  • Outposts can be built up with a wide range of structures and facilities to unlock more capabilities
  • Players manage power, resource storage, research projects, and crew assignments at their outposts

Construction and Placement

  • Outposts can be constructed on almost any planet if certain requirements are met
  • Players first place an Outpost Beacon to designate the outpost's location and boundary
  • The beacon defines the workable area that the outpost can be built upon
  • Ideal outpost locations have rich mineral deposits and other natural resources
  • Outpost structures come in various shapes and sizes for different functions
  • The initial structures and options available depend on player progression
  • Players start with basic hab and power options and unlock more advanced buildings through research and crafting
  • A top-down isometric camera mode assists with precisely planning outpost layouts
  • Constructing outposts requires gathering requisite resources like metal ingots
  • Building each structure consumes specific amounts of resources
  • A build limit governs how many objects can be placed based on outpost location and size

Structures and Facilities

Outposts can potentially contain the following structures and facilities:

Habitat

  • Airlocks - Required for planets/moons with unbreathable atmospheres
  • Habs - Basic habitats that provide interior space for working and decorations
  • Crew Quarters - Living spaces for companions and other crew members
  • Hydroponic Habs - Enable farming of alien plants and fungi for resources
  • Science Habs - Allow research stations and labs to be installed
  • Military Habs - Used for crafting weapons, armor, and ammo
  • Watchtowers - Raised structures with high vantage points for monitoring
  • Hallways & Connectors - Link together other structures

Resource Harvesting

  • Extractors - Harvest surface resources like minerals and ores over time
  • Mining Rigs - Extract resources like buried minerals, metals, oil/fuel
  • Hydroponics - Grow alien plants and fungi for organic resources
  • Creature Pens - Can potentially breed creatures for animal-based resources
  • Processing Facilities - Refine and process extracted resources into usable materials

Power & Maintenance

  • Solar Panels - Generate electricity during daytime
  • Wind Turbines - Generate electricity perpetually but depends on wind
  • Batteries - Provide power storage to handle peak demands
  • Power Relays - Distribute power between structures as needed
  • Maintenance Bots - Automated robots that handle minor upkeep and repairs

Storage & Equipment

Specialized

Customization

Players have extensive control over customizing both the exterior and interior of their outposts:

  • Structural Layout - Position structures and interconnect them as desired
  • Decorations - Place furnishings like chairs, tables, cabinets, and shelves
  • Lighting - Adjust colors, intensity, and positions of light sources
  • Architectural Style - Alter structural shapes, textures, and color schemes
  • Gardens - Add planted areas with alien vegetation for aesthetics
  • Defenses - Construct walls, barriers, turrets, and other security measures

Interiors

  • Players can decorate interior spaces with obtained furniture and items
  • Walls and floors can be recolored to desired shades and patterns
  • Rooms can be renovated for specific purposes like laboratories or lounges
  • Interactive elements like computer consoles, starmaps, and workbenches can be installed
  • Quarters can be customized for crew members based on their personalities
  • Trophies obtained during adventures can be put on display

Exteriors

  • Players can decorate outpost exteriors with constructed and found items
  • Structures can be recolored or have materials swapped out
  • Lighting like lamp posts and flood lights can be added
  • Gardens with alien plants and landscape features can be created
  • Defensive perimeter walls, guard posts, and turrets can be erected
  • Landing areas and garages can be built to house vehicles

Crew Management

Crew members provide major bonuses to outpost operation and productivity:

  • Companions recruited during the main campaign can be assigned to outposts
  • Standard crew members found throughout the systems can also be recruited
  • Each crew member has a set of skills and specialty areas
  • When assigned to an outpost, crew members contribute their skills and bonuses
  • Ideal skill matchups depend on the outpost's focus like research, farming, or mining
  • Crew members can also be assigned to specific facilities like labs or mining rigs
  • Need to balance companion and crew skills between the player's ship and outposts
  • Can potentially have multiple shifts of crew that rotate between assignments
  • Number of assignable crew may be limited by outpost size and available quarters

Progression

Outposts represent a major progression system that players work towards over the entire game:

  • Outposts are considered end-game content given their complexity
  • Substantially time and effort is needed to acquire the blueprints, resources, and crew required
  • Players start with the ability to create basic outposts for shelter
  • More advanced facilities must be researched via the Tech Trees
  • Resources must be mined across systems to produce required construction materials
  • Crew members have to be recruited with the appropriate skills
  • Developing extensive, productive outposts allows players to establish presence across multiple planets
  • End-game outposts provide benefits like resources, research, storage, financial income, and more

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