Can you manage numerous settlements?

[Paddy]

Now i know this game isn't like a third person Stellaris or Distant worlds 2 but one of the things i loved about fallout 4 was the Settlement system. I would have liked to have seen it developed with more depth. I loved the idea of attracting colonists, trying to keep them happy and safe etc so basically is it possible in this game to build a series of settlements/colonies to manage throughout different planets where you need to keep them happy and safe? Defended from bandits/pirates. Essentially i need a goal in this game and i don't just want it to be finding loot to then sell for nice furniture in my base or settlement that just looks good. I'm hoping for some depth in this aspect.

Now i'm very early in this game but i though i'd ask if this type of play-style is even possible?

[Dirak2012]

No, you can only "manage" one settlement at the time, and it's extremely simplistic. Just pick from two options from time to time, without any real input.

Maybe you just picked the wrong game.

[Captain Brendig]

Settlements in NMS are rather pointless. You can have only one, and throw resources and time into building more useless pre-fab buildings. Of course you do get those annoying pop up messages about the settlement being under attack, which is really nothing more than a handful of sentinel drones that don't really do anything unless you are there, or maybe settle an argument about who ate the last ice cream sandwich.

[Kryldost]

Still havent bothered with a settlement but I still want to experience it once

[Grumpy-Granddad]

Fun part with a settlement is that after a few Sentinal atacks you get drop with a empty sentinal casing.
That will put you on a questline, (Anomaly), to get your own sentinal "pet" so to speak.
It will even help you when you get atacked by other sentinals.
It also gives you the schematics to update your minitaur with Sentnal armour.

[wkitty42]

Originally posted by Grumpy-Granddad:

It also gives you the schematics to update your minitaur with Sentnal armour.

and an AI... there are two AI available... i think one is better than the other but i keep both justin case... with the AI, your Minotaur become completely autonomous and can be very helpful in battle...

the initial info on the AI Minotaur says it can help you when mining but we (TINW) have not seen any way to have it actually do that... it definitely works in battle if you have loaded it with decent weapons and ammo...

[Johnny in the Clouds]

The minotaur really helps to defeat overwhelming sentinels in a fourth wave. Especially fun in a solo battle.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2607028076
My settlement nets me over a million or more from the goods I collect each time I 'go home'
Once it is set up completely I have 4 market places that sell me all the components I ever need to build numerous 15 million item stasis devices or fusion igniters. They sell me Drop Pod data, Salvage data, Wiring Looms all sorts. All the useful things you can find at the building trade posts that you normally have to find first. I can't buy weapons though which are still controlled by trader buildings, pirate outposts and space stations. The couple of landing pads give me a constant supply of pilots to trade goods with or sell items to. Build a home base close to the settlement border and you've got a personal trade hub.

For the moment the game balance of needing to visit a settlement is about right. Not very often only when necessary. It's your choice. I'm sure as the game continues to evolve settlements will adapt to balance game play.

Basically the settlements produce massive passive income once set up. That is really really useful especially for a new character that is cash poor. It functions in a similar way to the passive income from fleet missions. In time both fleets and settlements will likely be updated to be even more useful.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2611460925
I like the different settlement designs of the current three races. It's all quite clever really how the parts fit together for variety. In some situations things might look similar but mostly on the infrequent visits it can be quite immersive and funny too, with the odd NPC comments. The writing of the NPC text speech is quite amusing at times and the simple questions managing the settlement are not tedious and I don't need to spend a lot of time there so can go do other things.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2607027983
As things develop I expect things may be more immersive than they are now. Maybe the bar cantina construction will become full of life like a Star Wars Cantina one day : D That would be so cool. We could pick up secret outlaw missions or something and get tip-offs to player bases or other missions.

I stuck with my first settlement which unfortunately is now on an extreme sentinel planet. But a marked sentinel pillar soon calms things down. I have a crashed freighter close by to loot and a great cave system to wind through when escaping. It's fun. I think it looks great and love all the work and art Hello Games put into them. Great for End Game amusement and new players.

[Wile E Coyote, Super Genius]

How do you find settlements?

[Mr. Bufferlow]

The settlement feature is pretty basic and other then getting a few stores and landing pads for trading, the fun really ends once you quit getting construction projects.

HG may have future plans for settlements, but based on other additions which appeared to be a "phase 1" and then never went anywhere, I would not expect any more. Looking at you nutrition and living ships.

There are some chuckles to be had if you accept it as it is. If you were hoping for something with more depth like a mini sim city game, you will be very disappointed.

[Merlin69]

You can buy the maps at the cartographer on space stations.

[wkitty42]

Originally posted by Merlin69:

You can buy the maps at the cartographer on space stations.

or, while you are flying about in space, you'll get a random comm radio message... if you answer it, it'll be someone calling for help... "planet in distress" i think... so if you respond, they'll ask you to come help them... you can or not... if you do and the settlement is not claimed, you can take it over...

[Mr. Bufferlow]

Originally posted by wkitty42:

Originally posted by Merlin69:

You can buy the maps at the cartographer on space stations.

or, while you are flying about in space, you'll get a random comm radio message... if you answer it, it'll be someone calling for help... "planet in distress" i think... so if you respond, they'll ask you to come help them... you can or not... if you do and the settlement is not claimed, you can take it over...

And to add on, if you don't like the planet you can just go on your way and the game will keep recommending another settlement every so often as you travel to other systems.

Other then weather, and avoiding volcanic planets, I mainly look for a settlement with reasonably good weather so I am having to monitor hazard protection while I am screwing around with the settlement.

[NZ.Zero]

Originally posted by GalacticStarman:

Basically the settlements produce massive passive income once set up. That is really really useful especially for a new character that is cash poor. .

Except new characters cant do that because the first building project requires some pretty advanced crafting and therefore a LOT of salvaged data just to get to the start line (not to mention the sheer time the settlement takes to build itself.. Im 400 hours in and its still not anywhere near done yet ...

[Johnny in the Clouds]

Originally posted by NZ.Zer0:

Originally posted by GalacticStarman:

Basically the settlements produce massive passive income once set up. That is really really useful especially for a new character that is cash poor. .

Except new characters cant do that because the first building project requires some pretty advanced crafting and therefore a LOT of salvaged data just to get to the start line (not to mention the sheer time the settlement takes to build itself.. Im 400 hours in and its still not anywhere near done yet ...

Yeah I know what you mean. There is of course a path to improving your character. The Anomaly has made that easier (arguably dumbed things down) as you can now simply buy recipes with Nanites, including all the component recipes which used to be exclusively found by entering buildings in the course of game play. If you don't want to spend or grind for nanites (and it isn't really necessary) then entering Manufacturing buildings and others to collect all the crafting or upgrade recipes etc still works, but is now often overlooked as it can be easier, if a little less interesting to simply gather nanites and spend them.

[Edmund Greyfox]

Originally posted by NZ.Zer0:

Originally posted by GalacticStarman:

Basically the settlements produce massive passive income once set up. That is really really useful especially for a new character that is cash poor. .

Except new characters cant do that because the first building project requires some pretty advanced crafting and therefore a LOT of salvaged data just to get to the start line (not to mention the sheer time the settlement takes to build itself.. Im 400 hours in and its still not anywhere near done yet ...

I don't think they are even available to new players. I didn't get my first distress call from a settlement until after i had finished the Atlas and Artemis missions, and it came as soon as i entered the new system.

As for what the first building requires, i think which one's you have as an option are randomized- All my first building took was a couple hundred carbon and silicate (the stuff you get from excavating dirt, can't remember the exact name).

[hhmcameron]

Can you confirm that settlements are 1 per character or 1 per galaxy

I assume character but have not seen settlements in galaxy 2 yet to test to see if still asks about abandoning euclid settlement