survival versus normal?

[ec928]

Just bought the game, mainly because I saw a recent patch note (i.e. endurance) and someone said there is good base building along with exploring, and it looks like there are some survival elements. That sounds like one of my favorite games, Valheim.

Started the game, turned on survival and ... died over and over and over while trying to fix this spacecraft as part of some basic quest. This fetch quest wasn't especially interesting either.

Does survival eventually reward you versus normal by being a fair challenging as well as interesting? Or am I just gimping my character by going survival versus normal?

[SaD-82]

After leaving the first planet that's it - you've beaten the game.
Seriously - the game gets easier with every minute after that.
The only difference for survival mode in comparison to normal mode:
Less space in your inventory slots and more hazardous environments (and more damage done by animals, pirates, sentinels and by fall damage). That's it.

And no, other than padding your own shoulder upon claiming that you would have "beaten" NMS in survival mode (which no one will care about as it is no survival game), there is no reward. Well, an achievement does exist, but that's it.

[cswiger]

Survival is more difficult and offers no reward over playing normal.
The only reason to play survival is for the extra challenge.

If you are just starting the game and learning how to play, why aren't you playing on normal?

[Dirak2012]

In survival you have less storage, you ship consumes more fuel, your protections drain faster.

More than difficult, it's annoying.

[lar unuruur]

survival adds NOTHING! unfortunately.
if someone is happy to interact more often with fueling he`s suit, gun and ship, then fine. that is all there is about it. because amount of mats means nothing, because by far most people them buy in stocks, by thousands and store them in 9999 unit slots.
so, in the end, all survival mod adds is more often interaction with refueling everything.

[Dannicus]

I would play on normal because most of the player base is on normal and that will make things much easier for you if you start looking for a special ship, multitool, freighter and so on you will find plenty of coordinates online.

[Xuhybrid]

Survival is just more tedium. Save yourself the headache.

[tkwoods]

Originally posted by ec928:

Just bought the game, mainly because I saw a recent patch note (i.e. endurance) and someone said there is good base building along with exploring, and it looks like there are some survival elements. That sounds like one of my favorite games, Valheim.

Started the game, turned on survival and ... died over and over and over while trying to fix this spacecraft as part of some basic quest. This fetch quest wasn't especially interesting either.

Does survival eventually reward you versus normal by being a fair challenging as well as interesting? Or am I just gimping my character by going survival versus normal?

Once you get the hang of it you seldom die.

Survival depletes energy faster, resources collect slower, items use more energy, storage is greatly reduced. I think you lose items in inventory on death also. Sorry but it's been a while time since I died and then it was on purpose in an Expedition.

[DyD&Marina]

Originally posted by ec928:

Just bought the game, mainly because I saw a recent patch note (i.e. endurance) and someone said there is good base building along with exploring, and it looks like there are some survival elements. That sounds like one of my favorite games, Valheim.

Started the game, turned on survival and ... died over and over and over while trying to fix this spacecraft as part of some basic quest. This fetch quest wasn't especially interesting either.

Does survival eventually reward you versus normal by being a fair challenging as well as interesting? Or am I just gimping my character by going survival versus normal?

No, when you surpass the starting point, you will never risk anymore to dying, there will be no challenge or reward.

The survival elements are very limited and can be totally bypassed when you get access to some money or refiners.

Even at start if you find a cave, you can make with cobalt and ferrite dust the ion battery to recharge the protection from elements.

And with life support gel you can recharge easily life support with carbon and di-hidrogen gel, the di hidrogen with the basic refiners can be create endlessly.

This two item totally nullify the survival aspects of the game.

[Mr. Bufferlow]

Other than the Steam achievement- Survival is just a tad bit harder until you locate your broke ship and fix it. Once you have a working ship, it becomes more of an annoying version of normal mode.

You can offset any challenges to dying in Survival by increasing your extra storage slots and keeping valuable items in there. You don't lose anything in the extra storage if you die.

I already got all the achievements, but if I was starting now I would probably just pick Permadeath and get both Steam achievements for getting to a new galaxy in PD. Dying is much more final in PD, but it is just as annoying as Survival.

[cattivision]

I have played long runs in normal, survival and permadeath modes, I generally play in normal now as the inventory management in the other modes was just annoying.

When I was experimenting with the nutrient processor and with the vast array of ingredients and products and trying to see how it all worked, it took LOTS of inventory slots. I prefer to have a go and see how things work for myself rather than looking at guides, for me that is all part of the fun of playing.

[frazzled]

I'd always played normal before the 7th expedition, which required pseudo perma death, then converted to survival when completed. Perhaps others enjoyed it, but I wasn't a fan.

Now running a new save in normal mode. I definitely prefer it.

[Corielus]

I definitely prefer survival. Sure the difficulty is still super easy but at least its something. Normal is a bit too "sandboxy" for me.

Permadeath runs can be fun as well. Makes you think twice about landing on that aggressive Sentinel planet.

[wubbelflup]

i personally prefer normal. yes the game is easier. but survival's challenge is just that it's more grindy and annoying. not the kind of challenge i seek.

[Guyver8]

Although i think most players prefer normal mode...i find the stack sizes for substances ridiculous and as others have told you NMS isn't much of a challenge survival-wise...so survival/PD modes for me thanks, it's not very dangerous but some danger and excitement is better than none for me.

the reduced inventory stack sizes forced me to try different strategies for play so that the game doesn't become 'inventory tetris' and now when i go back to my normal saves everything is so easy.

it's really something only you can decide for yourself