How to Hub with Just Two Portals

[Wayfare]

I see screenshots of impressive portal hubs at people's main bases. These are really cool, and very useful if you have multiple players doing different things in different areas. However, if you are playing solo or in a small group that stays together, you only need two portals at your main base: one that you tag, and one you leave untagged.

Each permanent portal you build out in the world gets a tag. You travel there (and back) by changing the tag on your tagged portal at home. Simples.

You can always drop a temporary portal with no tag. Carry the materials with you when you go exploring, mining, gathering, etc. Because you also have an untagged portal at home, this temporary portal you build will automatically connect home. Make sure you always deconstruct this portal and collect its materials after use!


Now you can do all sorts of useful things:

1. Mining inland. Establish a tagged portal on the shore. Establish an untagged portal at your mine. Now you can do your mining and quickly hop back to base through your untagged portal to repair/rest. When you have gathered your fill of ores, run them back to your tagged portal on the shore, drop off in a chest, hop through the tagged portal to home, then through the untagged portal back to your mine.

2. Move out through one tagged portal, get back through another. You may have several tagged portals on one island, like your starter island. If you're doing a gathering run you may end up closer to one of your other tagged portals. Unfortunately, that one won't be connected to home. What to do? You drop your untagged portal, get home, rename your home tagged portal, pop back to collect your untagged portal and finally go home again for a well-earned tankard of tasy mead.

3. Quickly drop off loot to clear inventory space. Trophies, treasure, dandelions... All cool stuff but they quickly clutter up your inventory. Drop your untagged portal, pop home to dump your loot, pop back and continue your adventure!

4. Always have your best rested bonus. No more sleeping in a rickety makeshift shelter for Comfort 3... Just drop an untagged portal wherever you are so you can go home and sleep like a king among the loxhide rugs and raven thrones of home!

5. Repair your ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥. So you went out through one portal, now you died and respawned somewhere awful and you are near a portal but it's the wrong one... Derp. Just remove the tag from that portal and it will connect to your untagged portal at home. Go home, grab materials to build a new temporary portal and then follow 2. (assuming you don't also have an untagged portal still hooked up, in which case you should probably start punching boars to build a raft).


Note: Enemies may attack unprotected portals when you are nearby, but I've never seen them do so when you are far away. I have had portals built outside of shelter for many in-game months with no sign of damage. In a very high-risk area, like the Plains or near a boss, you may want to build some shelter for your portals.

Enjoy!

[Netaris]

I have two portals in my base too, one to connect to other portals around my world and one tagged "Base" and unconnected by default. When I put a new portal somewhere, I tag him "Base", return to my base, put the name I want for this portal as the tag of the other portal in my base, return to the new portal via the "Base" portal and change his tag for the new one. With this method I've always a portal to be connected with and an universal portal to reach all the others. I also plan to add a list of usable portal tags to the wall, when the number of portal tags gonna be too high to remember them all. :)

[sheap]

Originally posted by Ad Victoriam !:

I also plan to add a list of usable portal tags to the wall, when the number of portal tags gonna be too high to remember them all. :)

Yup and there doesn't seem to be a limit to what you can write on the "tags" panel so you can write all your adresses down there on one panel :

https://i.imgur.com/aZA8JrK.jpg

Btw it sometimes is glitchy when there is a lot of letter but if you select it a 2nd time then it s working fine

But do not forget to wait a few seconds ocne you have entered a new adress, I personnaly disconnect the portal before writing a new adress.

[MeGa]

Good and interesting guide, ty

[Nesahat]

Yep, that's how I do it to, in a way. Two portals, one tagged HOME and second one is basically stargate dial-up. With lots of portals (well six currently) around the world named like SHOP, SWAMP, BOSS, FARM (for wood farming) etc.

[Netaris]

I also use portals as an exploration shortcut by :

1- Destroying my boat with the building tool.
2- Move the ressources for my boat and what's needed to craft a workbench through portal (nails aren't portal ban).
3- Build a workbench on the other side and rebuild my boat.
4- Explore further. :)

That's why I like to place little outposts at mid-map range.

[Kaziklu78]

I find it easier to just have portals connected full time so I don't forget one. I have a few I don't really use often. So it is nice to avoid having to try to remember the tag.

I can do it with 2... but I have a lot of Greydwarf eyes and more cores than I'll ever need. And this way if I take a 3 month break or something I don't forget all the names.

[Nesahat]

Originally posted by Kaziklu78:

I find it easier to just have portals connected full time so I don't forget one. I have a few I don't really use often. So it is nice to avoid having to try to remember the tag.

I can do it with 2... but I have a lot of Greydwarf eyes and more cores than I'll ever need. And this way if I take a 3 month break or something I don't forget all the names.

You don't have to remember the names. Just put up map marker (in a shape of portal) with a name.

[rexpiscator]

I utilize the same concept, and I keep it straight by posting a 'bulletin board' at the portal site with all the current names of portals in the world[favorite furniture='the sign']...;), an index of sorts. It's a simple solution to negate to constructing a palace to house all the portal connections. One central Hub to make the connections...

I call 'em my In/Out doors, FTW! Also, been putting 2 doors as entrance to 'community' buildings in MP...keeps traffic flow moving and no keystone coppin' at the doorways....as you rush for heat and comfort!

[Nesahat]

Originally posted by rexpiscator:

'bulletin board' at the portal site with all the current names of portals in the world

Oh! Why am I constanly forgetting about signs?

[Wayfare]

Some good points made!

- Your "untagged" portal can really be named anything, so long as it is static. Like "Home" or "Base" or "Don't forget the crypt key next time". I go untagged because it is quicker in the field: sometimes you need a portal out of trouble RIGHT NOW.

- It is important to note down all the portal names somewhere. I use the map for that. Signs could work too.

- After you rename a portal that was already connected somewhere else, there is a delay until the new connection becomes active. This is a good way to get stuck out somewhere you don't want to be. I like to let the portal completely disconnect before I make a new conection.

[RasaNova]

These are the sorts of posts I like to see! I do something similar with renaming portals, except I do keep a shack with portals to each permanent base. But I never knew that un-tagged portals would connect, that's great!

Another tip, put a marker on the map showing the exact tag of every portal in the field, that way you'll never have to remember what you named it.

[ska.one]

I use the same two-portal at home, infinite portals in the world system. Definitely use the map to track portal names out in the wilderness. Using this method is great for having farms away from your main base (saving you time and FPS destroying instances) and immediate access to non-metal resources in abundance.

Also worth mentioning, and it probably sounds obvious, this works way better for solo. On a MP server it could also work for having your own separate portal system from your core group's portal hub - like if you have a specific island you want to get to and build on as a sanctuary. Having everyone on a MP server utilize this is prone to errors.

[Tekk]

Originally posted by RasaNova:

These are the sorts of posts I like to see! I do something similar with renaming portals, except I do keep a shack with portals to each permanent base. But I never knew that un-tagged portals would connect, that's great!

Another tip, put a marker on the map showing the exact tag of every portal in the field, that way you'll never have to remember what you named it.

Have a semi-circular room with 6 portals currently, that acts as a hub at my main base, so if i want to go from one outpost to another, i just gotta go back through the hub :)