If you're just getting started in Stranded: Alien Dawn, fear not, we're here to help!
To prepare you for what awaits you, we've put together a list of top tips for people who are just getting started in Stranded: Alien Dawn.
Play through the tutorial
The tutorial will guide you through the game’ssystems and mechanics, everything from how to give tasks to your survivors, sorting out their schedules and priorities, to creating a functional power grid. It should be your go-to place to learn when you first play Stranded: Alien Dawn.
Take your time
While it's easy to think that you must accomplisheverything right away, we recommend thatyou take things slow and at your own pace in the beginning. Use the pause function to pause the flow of time so you can take stock of your situation and your surroundings, then start giving out tasks to your survivors. There's no need to rush, if your survivorshave enough food, they'll make it through the first few days.
Scan the environment
It's a good idea to consistently take stock of whatyou have in your immediate surroundings in case you've missed any resources or observable plants or animals. Things like trees and bushes, wildlife, and
crashed spaceship debris are easy to spot, but smaller things like grain or Chewroot can be more difficult.
Food for thought
Food can be harvested from plants or gained byhunting and slaughtering wildlife. Focus on harvesting and creating food that can be stored for a long time without going bad. Sweet syrup is a great fallback in case you run out of other foods, while grains can be stored and eventually turned into edible porridge. Buttermelons and other vegetables can be pickled so they keep for longer, and meat can be dried in the drying rack, before being used in stews, soups, and other recipes.
The Restriction tab in the Survivor Profile windowcan be used to prevent your survivors from eating certain foods. Certain raw foods or uncooked plants can be poisonous if ingested, so it's a good idea to
check the list of restrictions so they don't eat something they shouldn't! This tab can also be used tactically: by preventing your survivors from eating certain foods or meals lets you keep them saved up for later when food is scarcer.
Annie get your gun
Once you've established a base camp and are able tokeep your survivors well-fed, it's worth looking into arming your survivors. Depending on the scenario and difficulty, there may already be some weapons available, but we recommend researching how to make some basic weapons just in case. You start off with spears and crossbows, but you'll eventually move on to more advanced weaponry.
Your base will be intermittently attacked by hostilewildlife, and it's up to you to help your survivors defend themselves against these attacks. In the early stages of Stranded: Alien Dawn, a good offence
might be your best defense. Going after hostile wildlife before they attack can help you mitigate the threat before it becomes too dangerous, and could even prevent potential damage done to your survivors.
To initiate combat, you'll need to Draft yoursurvivors by selecting them and choosing "Draft" from the window. You can then direct them around the map and attack any nearby wildlife. Positioning is very important when going into combat. Try to use the environment to your advantage, or build fences or walls if you have time. If you don't Draft your survivors, they'll automatically run away from any attackers, unless the "Fight Back Attackers" option is ticked in their Survivor Profile.
A healthy mind in a healthy body
Life on an alien planet can be full of dangers. Yoursurvivors can become injured when fighting hostile wildlife, and these injuries can become infected if left untreated. They can also become sick due to poor weather conditions, or from being exposed to alien bacteria and viruses.
Luckily, there are solutions! Different types of injuries and illnesses call fordifferent types of treatments. Antibiotics will treat infections and illnesses, but they won't stop anyone from bleeding to death. Make sure you have bandages ready, or some medkits, in case someone gets a cut or worse.
Your best healer should always have Healing as theirtop priority. This means they'll always put healing ahead of any other task they're assigned. People with low healing skill should avoid healing others, as
poor treatment could mean future infections or other hazards. If your healer is injured, giving them a direct order to heal themselves will make sure they're ready to take care of the rest of your group.
Stay tuned for part 2 of our Top Tips for New Beginners, and don't forget to share your own top tips in the comments!