Foundations: An Aesthetic Question

[Ryvaken Tadrya]

I built a small base just outside Lifepod 5 and filled it with goodies. I decided I wanted a window and that was the straw that broke the hull's back, so I added a foundation. That thing is hideous! It just sits there, not attached to anything, supports going through it...I'm pretty sure I placed it bad. Got the job done, so there's that, but...yikes. And that's before I get into the issues of a flat surface pretending to support a round structure. Even under my scanner room, it's incongruous at best.

Does anyone have tips for using these things in a way that's less ugly? Or do I just wait until I have enough lithium to go nuts with reinforcements?

[...👑 JOST AMMAN 👑...]

Hmm... what do you mean?
Cen you take a screenshot so we can see?

[theresejesu]

Why not use a reinforced wall here or there?

I used one to start my base in the same area - thinking of removing it. I use them primarily to put planters on. - they can be removed after you erect your planters as well.

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1330086888

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1330433563

[Ryvaken Tadrya]

Originally posted by theresejesu:

Why not use a reinforced wall here or there?

Like I said, that's the plan once I have enough lithium that it's an option.

[theresejesu]

Originally posted by Ryvaken Tadrya:

Originally posted by theresejesu:

Why not use a reinforced wall here or there?

Like I said, that's the plan once I have enough lithium that it's an option.

You could try just placing a corner of the foundation under something. It may only need to be close enough, then use it for planters and plant a garden!

[theresejesu]

The supports can actually become part of the aethestics - compare the daytime and nighttime pictures:
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1348651860

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1348482404

[caesar_andy]

Originally posted by Ryvaken Tadrya:

Originally posted by theresejesu:

Why not use a reinforced wall here or there?

Like I said, that's the plan once I have enough lithium that it's an option.

Lithium is very easy to get. Place a scanner-base in the mushrom forest, a bit to the north of the shallows. There should be plenty of it and the most dangerous things there are sand sharks.

[theresejesu]

Originally posted by caesar_andy:

Originally posted by Ryvaken Tadrya:

Like I said, that's the plan once I have enough lithium that it's an option.

Lithium is very easy to get. Place a scanner-base in the mushrom forest, a bit to the north of the shallows. There should be plenty of it and the most dangerous things there are sand sharks.

I find the scanner room results cumbersome when using the HUD - there is nothing to differentiate distance. Would be so nice if the target circles were larger or smaller depending on how close you are.

[old.school]

Originally posted by Ryvaken Tadrya:

Does anyone have tips for using these things in a way that's less ugly? Or do I just wait until I have enough lithium to go nuts with reinforcements?

If you are following the storyline make sure to check out any caves on dry land for ore chunks and rock chunks you break for deposits.

One minor trick i can share about the foundations. I never liked how a multipurpose room would sit on the corner of a foundation. So instead what i did was locate a spot where i wanted a a foundation to go. Build foundation #1 a square away from that spot, build foundation #2 in the spot that i wanted, deconstruct the foundation #1 and use foundation block #2. This was how i avoided the foundation snapping to the wrong place and making the outside of my base look like crap.

I'll try putting up some pics to let you know what i mean.

[old.school]

OK here is a pic of the foundation tip i mentioned.

https://i.imgur.com/NuOv2J5.jpg

See in the pic that foundation with the growbeds? normally if you build one that close to those multipurpose rooms it snaps to a grid. But see how its centered? What i did was build a foundation in the yellow spot first. I got myself centered with my base and moved away and then built a foundation in the yellow spot. Then i built a connecting foundation (the one with the growbeds) and that instead snaps to the edge of the foundation i already built in the yellow spot instead of snapping to the multipurpose rooms. Once i had the growbed foundation built i just deconstructed the foundation that was in the yellow spot.

[miguelsz2]

Originally posted by theresejesu:

Originally posted by caesar_andy:

Lithium is very easy to get. Place a scanner-base in the mushrom forest, a bit to the north of the shallows. There should be plenty of it and the most dangerous things there are sand sharks.

I find the scanner room results cumbersome when using the HUD - there is nothing to differentiate distance. Would be so nice if the target circles were larger or smaller depending on how close you are.

Theres a mod for that.

https://www.nexusmods.com/subnautica/mods/32

[Pembroke]

Originally posted by Ryvaken Tadrya:

Does anyone have tips for using these things in a way that's less ugly? Or do I just wait until I have enough lithium to go nuts with reinforcements?

There's another alternative to add more hull integrity that's even cheaper than the foundation and visually they're practically hidden: Bulkheads. You only need titanium and rubber.

Besides, they make visually pleasing airlocks. A hatch opening directly to the habitat somehow triggers my brain to scream "no, this is nonsense!" so I always make the entrance with bulkhead+tube+hatch.

Foundations are good platforms for growbeds, though.

[toinkertoy]

yeah I hate the look of foundations, it’s just something about having a platform underneath that just looks bad to me! But as it’s been stated you can use bulkheads and reinforcements in lieu of foundations, especially with bases in shallower waters. If building in deep waters you may just have to go with some foundations cause of the pressure.

[Bubba Fett]

Bulkheads do help a lot with structural integrity, but I didn't find them till I went to the bases at the floating island. The OP may not have bulkheads yet.
You don't exactly need a lot of lithium or to go nuts with reinforcments. Each reinforcment adds a lot of SI.
I've got a base at about 900m and I think I've only got 3 reinforcments. It's got a moonpool and a scanner, but I'm not a big fan of windows. It's also got a foundation for my garden though.