I Really Need Help With Building....

[Pantherr]

All I have is a 3/3 square wooden shack with 2 rows of floor around the outside, that was just my starter base/shelter. I am on the mission to "expand" my base but I cannot work out the damn building in this game.

Apparently landing pads can ONLY be placed on the ground, not elevated, which I have done but that leaves me no way of building above the ground to avoid trees, rocks etc. I can't find any stairs that will snap to a corridor or to the landing pad.

Now it seems I have to build a construction bench and staff it with an overseer, so I guess that means I can't just place it "anywhere" so I need to build something suitable for it and go from there, especially if it's the same as the damn stupid base terminal that CANNOT be moved and has to be left sitting outside on the ground :(

I am no stranger to building in these types of games but with this game I am at a loss..... Even some pics of bases would help to give me some idea of what I can do with this...

[japp_02]

Easy way to build is to use prefab buildings and power them. For anything else it's good to first make foundations, this will also reduce problems with terrain re-growing afterwards. I would start a Creative mode to experiment and watch some videos about building, because as you said it's not that simple and trial-and-error can be frustrating.
Personally, I don't deal with building very much, I use prefab stuff to place my base specialists and go on with the game.

[Pantherr]

I am TRYING to use the prefab stuff, THAT is part of the problem,, and foundations/paving will NOT snap to it anything that is prefab.. it's really hard

[japp_02]

Originally posted by Pantherr:

I am TRYING to use the prefab stuff, THAT is part of the problem,, and foundations/paving will NOT snap to it anything that is prefab.. it's really hard

For prefabs you don't need foundations. For example, place a round building, put a door, put a ramp and there you go. Inside, put a ladder, put a second round building above etc. Then, put corridors and...and...and...That's the simple part. Then, put windows...Lights...Put soloar panels outside connected to a battery which connects to the building.

[Namaride]

Suggestion is to use the basic (wood/concrete/metal) parts only. Other type of construction mostly snap into each other with doors only.
Landing pad can be off the grond also, using these basic parts.

[Pantherr]

You still need some outside stuff as well as the prefab rooms to connect it all and to put stuff on. I really don't think those huge storage boxes are gonna fit inside one of them.

[Pastor of Muppets]

@Pantherr - place two of the prefab cubes, one on top of the other, the space between them will meld into one larger open space, same as placing them side by side. Add however many to get to your size goal or material budget, but a a minimum of two high will give you the height needed for the storage units.

You can also go the full manual build method mentioned above, using the basic component list, then add doors/channel paths, etc.. with the items from the large and small prefab menu.

[Mr Fantastic]

Originally posted by Pantherr:

I am TRYING to use the prefab stuff, THAT is part of the problem,, and foundations/paving will NOT snap to it anything that is prefab.. it's really hard

A good trick they don't teach in the tutorial is the flattening tool in the terrain manipulator, it's a huge life saver when building a base.

Select terrain manipulator, press middle mouse button and you can change modes 1- destroy terrain 2 - buld terrain 3 - flatten ground. For 1 and 2 you can also increase the bubble size with R and T making it easier to destory/make terrain. The small bubble is only useful for mining since it will optmize mining so much it gives you like double the resources from using the normal bubble.

[MacZulu II]

If your using the basic building stuff, you can use walls/archways for a foundation so you dont have to worry about uneven ground.

The walls will sink into the uneven ground and snap together. Usually I will put the first 4 around the base computer. Those walls will be partially buried, so you then snap a floor on top. And that is your building level, slightly elevated over uneven ground. You then build off of that floor, more floor panels then walls. The landing pad will snap into a wall and create it own door.

Then you can add stairs to access and it sort of hides the base computer as well.

Also, with solar panels. They do not need to be outside or in a window. They can be buried under ground and they still work. I know because i did a buried base as part of a nexus mission. So i always hide them, but now i usually use electromagnetic hotspot. Which you'll get to later.

And you can build as elevated as you want, and then delete the supports and you'll have a floating base

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2026866344

[Pantherr]

Originally posted by Pastor of Muppets:

@Pantherr - place two of the prefab cubes, one on top of the other, the space between them will meld into one larger open space, same as placing them side by side. Add however many to get to your size goal or material budget, but a a minimum of two high will give you the height needed for the storage units.

You can also go the full manual build method mentioned above, using the basic component list, then add doors/channel paths, etc.. with the items from the large and small prefab menu.

You mean with the small "cuboid" ones, I'll try that, thanks...

Originally posted by Cesar:

Originally posted by Pantherr:

I am TRYING to use the prefab stuff, THAT is part of the problem,, and foundations/paving will NOT snap to it anything that is prefab.. it's really hard

A good trick they don't teach in the tutorial is the flattening tool in the terrain manipulator, it's a huge life saver when building a base.

Select terrain manipulator, press middle mouse button and you can change modes 1- destroy terrain 2 - buld terrain 3 - flatten ground. For 1 and 2 you can also increase the bubble size with R and T making it easier to destory/make terrain. The small bubble is only useful for mining since it will optmize mining so much it gives you like double the resources from using the normal bubble.

Yeah I know how to use the terrain manipulator.. , I also know that any terrain you manipulate keeps comming back after a while, so what's the point...

Originally posted by MacZulu II:

If your using the basic building stuff, you can use walls/archways for a foundation so you dont have to worry about uneven ground.

The walls will sink into the uneven ground and snap together. Usually I will put the first 4 around the base computer. Those walls will be partially buried, so you then snap a floor on top. And that is your building level, slightly elevated over uneven ground. You then build off of that floor, more floor panels then walls. The landing pad will snap into a wall and create it own door.

Then you can add stairs to access and it sort of hides the base computer as well.

Also, with solar panels. They do not need to be outside or in a window. They can be buried under ground and they still work. I know because i did a buried base as part of a nexus mission. So i always hide them, but now i usually use electromagnetic hotspot. Which you'll get to later.

And you can build as elevated as you want, and then delete the supports and you'll have a floating base

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2026866344

Some helpful info there, thanks... A question on your pic.. the landing pad on the left of the block building...what are you useing to connect the landing pad to the building..? looks like some railing etc..

[MacZulu II]

When you have a wall in place, the landing pad will snap center to the wall and place a door in your wall. All you need is a wall to snap too, as long as the area for the pad is clear.

It's really that easy, just build an elavated wall and try snapping a pad to it to see.

So with that base in the pic I built the walls all first, decided where I wanted to locate the pads. Then snap snap snap.

There is no other connection point for the pad, no structure underneath. Just snapped into the wall.

[Animus]

If you want to lay foundations or tiles you have to do that first then add structures. Personally I just use the 'flatten' setting on the multi-tool to make a suitable area for a base and go from there...

[Pantherr]

Originally posted by Animus:

If you want to lay foundations or tiles you have to do that first then add structures. Personally I just use the 'flatten' setting on the multi-tool to make a suitable area for a base and go from there...

Yeah but the terrain comes back after a while.. and I can't get the prefab stuff snap/place properly on any foundation or tiles I put down first, it's rather annoying.

Originally posted by MacZulu II:

When you have a wall in place, the landing pad will snap center to the wall and place a door in your wall. All you need is a wall to snap too, as long as the area for the pad is clear.

It's really that easy, just build an elavated wall and try snapping a pad to it to see.

So with that base in the pic I built the walls all first, decided where I wanted to locate the pads. Then snap snap snap.

There is no other connection point for the pad, no structure underneath. Just snapped into the wall.

I tried that and it wouldn't snap onto it, I'll try again tho.. :( Thanks..

Wow , I actually got it to snap on this time, thankyou very much :)

[SirProsik]

Sometimes it is helpful to add then delete items in order to connect/snap parts where you want them. Like build three round prefabs in a column then delete the lower two to get ground clearance.

[Pantherr]

Originally posted by sirprosik:

Sometimes it is helpful to add then delete items in order to connect/snap parts where you want them. Like build three round prefabs in a column then delete the lower two to get ground clearance.

Yeah I'll probably be trying that as I get building. The issue is if they are UP how do I connect them with the lower stuff..?

[iambear.]

Connect a landing pad to a door frame or arch