witnessed a crystal during a lightening strike

[Γαῖα]

While waiting for a storm to pass i witnesses lightening strike the ground and a crystal form.
I couldn't get out at the time as the lightening was all around my craft,
When the storm stopped however i went to the crystal but it wouldn't let me collect it (no up visor info appeared) and promptly disappeared the moment i looked in another direction for a brief few seconds. Even under visor there was no evidence it ever existed.

Has anyone else witnessed this and if so did you manage to get the crystal ?

[der_wahre_Nils]

You can only collect them during a storm

[jonnin]

these are great money, and you need a few for some crafting so be sure to stow a stack or two away before you start selling them. This is an excellent way to use the minotaur craft, but I prefer to just buy a couple of anti-fire suit mods.

[Mr. Bufferlow]

Sounds like a spawn glitch of some kind. The storm crystals are pre-set on each world that has them...they don't "form". Once the storm is over they just look like black cracked up rocks.

They turn on approx. 10 to 20 seconds after you are alerted a storm is coming.

[Galadhlinn]

Within extreme storms are storm bursts. These can hurl you into the air and kill you if you aren't prepared. They are also a blast to ride out if you are. I have a nanite farm on an extreme snow planet. I farm runaway moulds between storms and storm crystals during storms. Over time I have developed crystal routes that I run from my base where crystals are spaced about 220u apart. My process has meant that I spend a lot of time in these extreme storms and in the storm burst that can occur within them. The lightning strike resulting in the crystal formation is a rare event that does occur in these storm bursts. In all my time in extreme storms, I've seen three of these lighting crystals, so I'd say they are pretty rare.

[Γαῖα]

Theres me thinking the storm was just pretty far off in the distance graphics yet the whole time they have a purpose.
Got to admit i never expected to see lightening up close and personal and was completely blown away when i clocked a crystal being formed.
I just wish i could have got out to go to the crystal but the lightening was everywhere and didn't fancy my chances.
Its sad though despite all that which for me was quite something, the crystal wasn't collectable after the fact and disappeared the moment i took my eye off it.

Todays been a strange day in no mans sky as ive also discovered a plant and a moon with loads of top stuff i only see in small pockets of a planet and stuff i never knew even existed.
Problem is though sentinels are uber aggressive and on the planet landing was impossible without the ship taking damage.

Its really cool even after 200 plus hours that im still finding new things to keep the game fresh and me entertained.

[Galadhlinn]

When you are in an extreme storm where you see the storm crystals lit and can gather them and then you get another extreme storm warning message while one is already happening, that is a storm burst, and you are in close proximity to it. Snow planets tend to be more lightning and wind, while other types of planets can have tornadoes. Either type can throw you into the air for quite a ride. Save your jet pack for when you are clearly coming down.
Be careful and have fun!

[Kitet]

Crystals form on the spot lightning strikes. They don't show on analysis visor the same way as the normal, storm crystals, they exhibit intermittent discharges so the symbol on analysis visor is also intermittent, as opposed to continuous discharges and yellow symbol on analysis visor of the normal, storm crystals. If you are chased by lightning while planetside, you'll see a red circular area forming under your feet. That's where lightning will strike in a second. If you move out of the way, there's a chance one storm crystal will appear where the lightning struck, literally few units to your side.

[Galadhlinn]

Originally posted by Kitet:

If you are chased by lightning while planetside, you'll see a red circular area forming under your feet. That's where lightning will strike in a second. If you move out of the way, there's a chance one storm crystal will appear where the lightning struck, literally few units to your side.

Red circle means Move Now! Since I find myself in these bursts fairly often, my practice is to stay moving. I only tend to see the red circles when I'm actually harvesting the crystals, as I have to stop then. You can actually out run (or jetpack away from) the storm burst, and you'll get a message that the storm is clearing even though the main storm continues. Bursts can move off on their own too and are usually short lived.

What I find strange is that in all other situations, I really don't care to be out in extreme storms, but on my nanite farm planet, it's a rush that I look forward to. Perhaps because there I have my routes to run, I have my system, I know where I'm going, and I have a job to do.

[Kitet]

OK, so if you are running from the red circle next time, when you hear lightning strike, turn around and see if it didn't leave the crystal, it probably will. If you need it, that is.

[Metal_Bard]

There seems to be a new limited source of storm crystals on worlds that don't generally have storm crystals. It happens only during a storm and even that during an extreme electrical event. Rocks will fall from the sky like meteorites and if they land near you, they will float about until they dissipate or are collected.

Looks very fantasy like to me. A bit out of place in this game, but oh well, The Atlas, 16, glitches etc. It would be a bit of luck to an enterprising newbie were it not for the fact that in order to take advantage of this, you need to be willing to be struck by lightning and potentially pegged by meteorites all in the same general time-span.

This happens occasionally (see: VERY OCCASIONALLY) on the toxic world in the starting system on expedition 4. It is not an extreme world so it doesn't naturally have storm crystals. but for an occasional and very brief time, storm crystals will fall out of the sky. And you can collect them if you are close enough to the action.

I did collect approximately three crystals from one such event. I wasn't even looking for them so I skipped over some and moved along. I was farming buried caches and buried tech modules.

[Γαῖα]

Oh this thread just keeps getting better and better as i too on the very planet i saw a crystal forming also witnessed much earlier in the day a storm and meteors crashing down both at the same time. Sadly though it was too far off not to mention i had no idea these events caused what i witnessed which you guys shared with me today.

Its great i've found a planet that has this happen multiple times in a day but it comes with the caveat of extreme heat and wind. Hopefully i can get around that and hope to chase storms in the future.

Massive thanks to everyone who posted as you've all made me so happy.

[tinywars]

Its a Storm Crystal.

[Bullwinkle]

Originally posted by Galadhlinn:

Within extreme storms are storm bursts. These can hurl you into the air and kill you if you aren't prepared. They are also a blast to ride out if you are.

What is proper preparation?

[Xyngrr]

Yep, lightning strikes during an extreme lightning event have a chance to create a short lived storm crystal you can harvest. I think it's neat, though playing with lightning may not be a recommended activity.
:)

Extreme storm burst Proper Preparation = deep jumpjet resevoir, regen while airborne, burn like hell when you get close to the ground to slow your impact.
Unfortunately, it seems they are buggy and can grab you while in your ship, or your base, and will then fling you in the air even after the storm has passed. Looks like it sets a flag and does not clear it on storm finish.
Also, the impact even when slowed does extreme damage in survival mode, often oneshotting you through your sheilds, or wiping them and then applying a second tic a few seconds later which kills you.
Looks like they've been overtuned to present more of a hazard, and then bug out and just end you.

[Galadhlinn]

Originally posted by Bullwinkle:

Originally posted by Galadhlinn:

Within extreme storms are storm bursts. These can hurl you into the air and kill you if you aren't prepared. They are also a blast to ride out if you are.

What is proper preparation?

1. Have decent shield upgrades, not just for the storms you'll be in, but the ones that add core health. If you visit the exosuit guy in space stations every system you enter, it won't take long at all to max out your exosuit with S-class (4 is the max core health shields you can have, I believe). I personally wouldn't settle for anything less than S-class because you have only so many slots and S-class is not hard to get.

2. Practice using your jetpack to give you soft landings. Cliffs work well, just start small and work your way up. It's all about preserving your jetpack fuel for when you really need it. It's a timing thing. Edit: in a storm burst/lightning strike, if you are hurled into the air, you will rise and fall multiple times. This is why you have to be practiced at saving your fuel for when you really need it.

3. When you think you are ready, go out and find an extreme storm planet and run around collecting crystals. (you might as well make a lot of money waiting for the storm bursts.). I don't know if storm bursts happen every storm cycle because you only get the message if you are near to one. The longer you are out in an extreme storm, the better chance you have of experiencing a storm burst. Keep your eyes and ears out for the secondary "Weather update, Extreme hazardous storm incoming." That means it's happening and close to you.

4. Have fun