Where would you say is the best place to set up your base?

[istD@dA]

As far as I can tell, there are four main things that need to be addressed when building one's base: 1) Location; 2) Location; 3) Location; and 4) Location. Now, while it might sound like a joke, the 'locations' here actually represent different considerations. Let's take a closer look:
1) Location. In order to set up one's base, the terrain needs to be flat, but also large enough that the base isn't just three aligned modules. As such, a plateau of some kind is most likely the best place.
2) Location. The base has to be easily defendable against hostile tribals and\ or wildlife. I have not yet had any encounters with tribals, so I don't know how they spawn, but I imagine that setting up a base backed against a cliff wall, or a chasm, is the most strategic idea, because that way one'll only have to defend one, or at worst, two directions, against a whole of four, making things a lot easier. (unless the game spawns tribals atop the cliff or directly behind your building, which would be a problem, or unless they break through the base's defenses and the player is cornered)
3) Location. A good base requires mud building, and mud building requries easy access to water. It can be a pond, a lake, a swamp, a river, or even the ocean. It doesn't matter as long as mud can be gathered. Having access to water is also useful for survival (granted, it'll still need purification first, but that's a small price to pay).
4) Location. The area of the base also has to have plenty of wood\ bamboo to provide one with enough material for all their base-building needs. Medicinal and fruit-bearing plants are not a proper consideration as they can be grown in planters (pardon).

In my, no yet far-and-wide travels, I have found one place that covers three of the four points on this list: a cliff-wall (self-explanatory), access to water (a small pond that also spawns snails), and access to trees (and bamboo). But the terrain is not wide enough to allow building a big base, as the cliff touches an upward slope. At best, I can build a straigh, two-three story building of around three modules in lenght. In case anyone's interested, it's not far from the crashed airplane, just follow the dried riverbed (don't remember in which direction though).

After all said, I was hoping that you would share your ideal locations for base-building, and preferably with explanations on why you chose that specific place over all others (ideally, with coordinates).

[miniL]

Honestly in story mode I stayed at spawn after a few exporations (and a restart). I quickly noticed that there are no enemies unless you venture out over the log covering the chasm to the north, which covers part 2 for you.

At first it seems very insufficient, but once you get a feel for this tiny area, you will soon notice there is plenty of things you should do daily, from getting bananas and shrooms (carbo), catching lizard or fish (protein), grabbing the monster deliciosa as they spawn (carbo + protein), and collecting the nuts that drop near their respective trees (there are quite a few of those trees around). With the water pool all your food categories are covered (though of course the water is bad so you need to pick up some shrooms to help against the parasites regularly, or get them coconuts quickly and cook water near fire or make sure there is plenty rain being caught in open coconut shells).

Honestly the flat terrain is the biggest part but you could start cutting some trees away that you do not need, but depending on how big you want your base this area is too small rather quickly. Then again a big base is kinda pointless if you ask me, specially since the building is super limited, and often rather buggy in this game (yes I am looking at you bloody balcony that won't let me put in the ropes for no reason).

Now there is no bamboo, but there are plenty of trees to chop down, many give rope as well, and just leave the trunk so they regrow and you can expand on building more and more. Getting the last needed medicinal plants and fruits you want outside the base with a little exploring and plant them as you suggested and you have everything covered.

I did mention the lake/pond with fish and water right? So yeah, mud =)

I like it as it is peaceful. I wanna do the story soon, but now I am just doing day to day life with farming and collecting my animals from the now plentyful amounts of traps. Even when drying tons of stuff goes spoiled cause I have an abundance of food.

Except for fats, the nuts just dont drop often enough, and without venturing further away to get the fatty meats more often (or a few brazilian nuts that are way too rare), that one just gets filled up now and then, just before it drops to zero.

[briansaxton]

I've been all over the map, and I've never found a better place than this one:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2580564577

Close to everything I need and plenty of room (after I cleared out some bamboo). Plus, right in the middle of a bunch of waterfalls, it's got great views. It's down near the southeastern corner of the SOA map.

My second choice is "anaconda island," but be wary of the local lizards.

[Jaunitta 🌸]

Anaconda Island for me. It has to be cleared out first, craft traps up the track and to the left for the capi and place a dryer there as well under roof. ishing is great and lots of fruit both bamboo an wood. access is across a bamboo brisge in both ends of the base. Only predatore here is the crock.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2580647082

[Shane]

Storymode does not require a base at all...

unless your playing the expansion in which case a very small basic one can be useful right next door to the elders campsite.

I always like the idea of making a base at the airfield, space for serious creative minds but getting mud there is another matter. The starting area is okay i guess but long walks, so...

basically anaconda island is the middle ground because its location is on map section #2 meaning access to backtrack area#1 +forward #3

[istD@dA]

Originally posted by briansaxton:

I've been all over the map, and I've never found a better place than this one: corner of the SOA map.
My second choice is "anaconda island," but be wary of the local lizards.

I've never played SoA, so I don't know where that is. :(
Is it at all accessible in survival mode?

Originally posted by Jaunitta 🌸:

Anaconda Island for me.

My only beef with Anaconda Island is that you can't do anything about the backpacks\ sleeping bags\ plastic bottles left behind by the campers.

[istD@dA]

Originally posted by Shane:

Storymode does not require a base at all...

unless your playing the expansion in which case a very small basic one can be useful right next door to the elders campsite.

I always like the idea of making a base at the airfield, space for serious creative minds but getting mud there is another matter. The starting area is okay i guess but long walks, so...

basically anaconda island is the middle ground because its location is on map section #2 meaning access to backtrack area#1 +forward #3

Yeah, I know. In story mode, at worst, you just need a wood frame with a leaf roof to keep your fire from going out in the rain, but otherwise, there's no need, especially given how you're supposed to constantly keep going onward.
The airfield is cool, but the two buildings there kinda remove the need for building a shelter.

Just last night I've set up camp in a small cave behind a waterfall. It was really nice, but there was only enough space for a bed and a campfire. :\

[istD@dA]

Originally posted by miniL:

Honestly in story mode I stayed at spawn after a few exporations (and a restart). I quickly noticed that there are no enemies unless you venture out over the log covering the chasm to the north, which covers part 2 for you.

Interesting observation.
Well, there are snakes and spiders on occasion even in the starting aread. :D

[briansaxton]

Originally posted by P3scar1:

I've never played SoA, so I don't know where that is. :(
Is it at all accessible in survival mode?

Yes, that pic of my base is from survival mode. I don't want to spoil your exploration, so I'll just say there are multiple ways to get to that area which involve climb points and caves. Think south of anaconda island or south-southwest of the drug camp.

[>< V ><]

I chose around 45 21, because it was central in the first map for efficient travel to other locations on this first map, it was flat and right next to a river.

[doty]

I like the Docks. More specifically the flat bit up the hill just west of the docks. Plenty of trees, nuts and bananas all in the area. An armadillo spawns at the docks giving great armor. Plenty of larger prey to the south a short jog as well as along the river to the east a short jog. If you want a croc you can follow the river West (large fish are available) and you'll come to one just about the time the river turns south.
One of the best thing though is the lack of predators. No native spawns, no kitty spawns, no crocs (unless you go looking for it) and no snakes. The worst are some piranhas (easy to avoid that small section of river) and sometimes a spider by the building area.
The opposite side of the river has a bamboo forest that should satisfy even the most eager architect.
Good area but it can get a little too boring due to the lack of threat.
I also like to set up at the drug lab as both a kitty and natives span there and that keeps things interesting.

[nextgengranny]

Originally posted by doty:

I like the Docks. More specifically the flat bit up the hill just west of the docks. Plenty of trees, nuts and bananas all in the area. An armadillo spawns at the docks giving great armor. Plenty of larger prey to the south a short jog as well as along the river to the east a short jog. If you want a croc you can follow the river West (large fish are available) and you'll come to one just about the time the river turns south.
One of the best thing though is the lack of predators. No native spawns, no kitty spawns, no crocs (unless you go looking for it) and no snakes. The worst are some piranhas (easy to avoid that small section of river) and sometimes a spider by the building area.
The opposite side of the river has a bamboo forest that should satisfy even the most eager architect.
Good area but it can get a little too boring due to the lack of threat.
I also like to set up at the drug lab as both a kitty and natives span there and that keeps things interesting.

I wondered about predators & hostile tribes in that area, as I've only played that map w/ both turned off.

The area you refer to is probably more practical, but my personal preference is atop the hill behind (south of) the dock. I built three stories high there, & the views were awesome. ^^