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As an open-world format, Starsand allows they player many options for how they progress. They’ll have to learn how to hunt, build, and craft things to make it through in one piece. With these beginner tips, they’ll have a better shot at living a bit longer.
7 Don’t Ignore The Tutorial
While the intro to the game may seem a little boring and bland, the player will want to ensure they pay attention to everything going on. It’s where they’ll learn the basic controls and mechanisms. There are a lot of factors that go into survival and different information they’ll need to know that indicates when they’re about to die.
They’ll also learn how to craft and build things. One essential thing the player will learn how to do is build a fire. They won’t make it past the first night without this lifesaving technique. So while the tutorial may seem like it’s a waste of time, they’ll need to ensure they pay attention to everything presented.
6 Use The Map
The player will notice upon entry into the game that their map is completely empty and essentially a blank piece of paper. It’s their job to fill it in. Each time they find a landmark, they’ll need to stamp it on the map. They can also build markers and put them on the map.
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The idea behind this is to create a fully functional map that can be used to effortlessly navigate the desert. The player should be able to see where they are going at all times once they fill in the map.
5 Understand How To Save And Do It Often
Saving is done in a specific way. There is no menu option and if the player hasn’t saved in a while, they could lose all their progress. They’ll have to craft beds or tents to use while at an oasis to save.
If they happen to die in the middle of the desert, they will respawn at the last save point. This is why it is essential to save as often as possible, eliminating the problem of losing all their work from an unexpected death.
4 Tame A Camel As Soon As Possible
Walking through the desert takes a lot of out of the protagonist. He’s sensitive to the extremely high temperatures, and it severely drains his stamina. The good news is that he can tame a camel to make traveling through the dunes much easier and faster. The camel can also help the player avoid certain hazards like alien invasions and attacking animals.
They can also equip their steed with saddlebags, increasing their ability to carry things. It’s a good idea to carry a spare axe and pickaxe in the saddlebags for events when the player needs them. It is essential to remember to feed the camel. If the player forgets, the camel will run off with all their prized possessions, leaving the player alone in the desert once more. However, it will simply head to the nearest oasis where it can be tamed again, and the player can recover their goods.
3 Pay Attention To Stats
In the bottom left corner the player will find all their critical stats they need to pay attention to throughout the game. The primary one is the temperature level. This lets the player know the protagonist’s temperature level and whether he is getting too hot or too cold, so they can take action to counter the effects. Then there is a blue icon with a water drop, indicating his thirst. As he is in a desert, this is also critical to manage because once his thirst level reaches a critical level, his temperature will uncontrollably increase.
The other two stats the player can see on the game screen are the health and hunger levels. When toggling to the inventory screen, all four stats are also displayed. In addition, they can see the sun protection, armor percentage and cold protection.
2 Immediately Build Up Sun Protection
One of the first things the player needs to do when setting out into the desert is find ways to build up their sun protection. They can make a straw hat right away. To do this, they’ll need some cordage, which comes from breaking up palm fronds or yucca. Then, the cordage will be used to construct the hat. The had is worth a huge amount of sun protection, so the player should try to do this quickly.
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They can also use desert fruit to create a balm. They should not eat it as it is poisonous. Consuming this desert balm will help combat when the protagonist is suffering from excessive temperatures. At an oasis, the player can take the protagonist into the middle of the water to cool off. This will result in an immediate decrease in temperature and can work in a pinch when there is no other option for cooling him down.
1 Use The Oases For Hunting
All animals will drink at the oases at the same time. This allows the player to hunt them without having to traipse across the desert in search of game. Because of this, they can save stamina while collecting essential supplies for crafting and food.
It’s important to note that all animals that provide meat give the exact same meat, just different amounts. This includes camels down to frogs. So the player can capitalize on this by hunting all of them for food.
Starsand is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch.
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