Is there no map? no compass? how do i return to my base?

[FourTwentynator]

This may be stupid ... but i walked "a bit" and i couldn't find my base again.
Am i missing something or do i need to be more careful in the future? ^^

[Sifdeath]

So at the start its a good idea to stay near your base or build bases as you explore, as all items help global terraforming, as you unlock terraform tiers compass and such will unlock. It takes a couple or playthroughs / restarts to get used too it, but once you do its a lot of fun especially on hardcore mode.

[Nefai]

Use the moons/planets you can see in the sky to navigate until you unlock compass.

[Philtre]

At the beginning of the game you are on your own for navigation, but if you explore wrecks you will find blueprint chips you can use to get special blueprints; I think the 2nd or 3rd chip you use will give you the compass. Later on you can build a map screen to see exactly where you are, but that happens considerably later. In between, you will get a beacon (visible from everywhere) that you can use to permanently mark your base (and any other places you want to get back to).

[Plant]

When I first started, I found it pretty helpful to build trails of wind turbines from a point of interest back to my main base. It kept me pretty oriented as I learned the layout of the map.

Power is global anyway, and they're very cheap to build, so there is no real downside to just spamming them.

[maddog2020]

You can use a beacon and set it up at your home base and other remote small bases as you explore. You will at least have the correct direction to go until you advance more.

[Phoenix Cat]

Use beacons. They don't cost alot and you can mark everything with a color and name it.

[starlight78sso]

Eventually you can unlock the map chip, and a compass chip.

[Vaaluin]

It's a handcrafted map with no two places the same. Use landmarks to navigate. Pay attention to where you go, what you see, and figure your way back. You don't need a map. You got this.

[FourTwentynator]

thx guys. im just gonna be more careful next time. thing is i was wondering if i was missing something. but it makes sense that stuff unlocks over time.

how/when do i get the beacons?

[Philtre]

Originally posted by FourTwentynator:

how/when do i get the beacons?

They unlock by progressing your terraforming stats, like most other blueprints. I forget exactly which, but they're pretty early. Check the Blueprints screen.

[Nefai]

Beacons require Aluminum, which is rare early-game, especially if you don't know the map. And there are a lot better things you could be spending your Aluminum on. I wouldn't waste it on Beacons.

You get Compass very early though. And you carry 3 Iron, 2 Titanium and 1 Silicon when you explore, so you can always drop a Living Compartment and get O2.

[Philtre]

Originally posted by Nefai:

Beacons require Aluminum, which is rare early-game, especially if you don't know the map. And there are a lot better things you could be spending your Aluminum on. I wouldn't waste it on Beacons.

You can spare one aluminum to mark your base so you don't have to worry about getting lost while you're exploring to find more aluminum. :)

[Major Ahole]

You have to build your own compass, as well as satelite uplinks so you can use rockets to use maps. Eventually you can use a map directly on your suit instead of a pc.