In my current survival game (also the first survival I play) I went for the westernmost Shallows, facing south towards the grassy plains. It's a nice safe place, with a herd of gasopods nearby for ammo, and practically next door to Jellyshroom cave entrance, Kelp and Mushroom to the north, and Dunes to the west.
My next survival game, I'm considering a no-base and no-Cyclops run. The idea is to plop exterior growbeds as "pit stops", growing Brain Coral (for air supply), Gel Sacks and Bulb Bushes (for food&water), and maybe a single Creepyvine (for extra food variety, extra lighting and a navigation beacon). Will still need to set up a place for battery charging and specialized crafting, but no livable bases.
I built a base in creative mode that goes from wreck 1 I believe it is, in the east Grassy Plateaus, into the eastern mushroom forest, then taking a 90 degree turn to the Aurora. Which I promptly exploded. Which, well, not my greatest plan.
well, I just recently started a modded survival run of Subnautica, after collecting a bunch of materials I swam in a random direction to find a perfect spot to build a base. I found a good spot that was near the kelp forest, safe shallows and grassy plateaus, it was also near the northeastern mushroom forest, both blood kelps and it was near a cliff. After building my base I look up and notice I built my base about 150m away from a Reaper in the Dunes. Luckily for me it would only come near my base like every 50 mins or so.
If you want to. It doesn't really matter where or how many bases you build. There are a few particularities to each site, such as surrounding resources or distance from some points of interest.
Am I the only one that likes to build on the underwater islands??
I tend to build my main base on the largest island, the one with the thermal vents right in the middle. Using the vents to supplement my bases power plus later on to charge my cyclops via a "dock". The main island houses 2 moonpools, water purifier and my Reginald tank for food, plus my biggest warehouse for storage.
Then depending on how I feel that play through I use the surrounding smaller islands for various projects,
A "research lab" that has a wing for every biome. Each wing has a 4 - 5 floor tower which holds the alien containment for biome specific critters and plants. With the top floor being used as a picture gallery of sorts..
And finally I'll have my outpost(s) I set up 3 or 4 of them around the world. 2 - 3 high alien containment filled with regis, 4 water purifiers and short term storage. Top it off with cell/battery chargers and a moonpool ( not every outpost has the moonpool )
I know it sounds like a lot and rather grindy but I like that aspect of the game and I'd rather have supplies close by all the time, you never know when it's about to hit the fan.. especially on hardcore. As for the underwater islands it might not be the most visually pleasing area, yet the bonesharks and reefbacks do add to the appeal. Plus the bioluminescent plants are a bonus..
I really like the edge of the UIs. Near the MF and the BK. Especially when the GL wanders down to the area below the UIs. Well, maybe not that last bit....
1. Western Safe Shallows (-750, x, 150) is an super-nice spot, close to six different biomes including Jellyshrooms (seven if you count ALZ via PCF entrance). I've discarded this playthrough half-way, though now that I'm better familiar with the game it looks even more promising than I originally thought. The only issue is lack of geothermal power which I'd have to route from the Jellyshroom caves if I decide to re-run.
2. "No base" idea didn't really play out. You still need some place to recharge your batteries... and do some crafting... and some other crafting... and store all the stuff you've collected... and before you know it, you've got a damn base...
3. ...so in the same game I tried the small trench at the point where Sparse Reef, Deep Reef, Grassy Plateaus and Kelp Forest meet. A nice spot, built a huge base there powered by nearby geothermals, plus there's a useful entrance nearby (ahem). Otherwise nothing spectacular, lack of background music on Sparse Reef sucks and kinda scratches the area off any of my future base plans. So I said "screw this" and flew the hell out of there.
4. Tried the central Jellyshroom entrance at (-375, -200 ,-200), right above the hotspots, with a huge vertical staircase upwards to the moonpools. One of my most successful bases so far, especially after I scoured the surrounding area for quartz which is always a deficit when you build big. Grassy Plateaus had tons of quartz... but no longer, I've collected it all (and still need more).
5. Next playthrough I'll probably go for the border between Grassy, Kelp and NE Mushroom forest, roughly at (500, x, 450). Pretty close to a number of important locations. An interesting alternative is the very north-eastern tip of the BK trench, it seems pretty safe-ish and has a nice creepy atmosphere.
If you want to. It doesn't really matter where or how many bases you build. There are a few particularities to each site, such as surrounding resources or distance from some points of interest.
The Cannon island is a good one. Lots of resources. Lots of things to to hurt you too....
i build where my life pod is so i don't have to waist materials building a beacon
Beacons are super cheap...
I built my base in the sea treaders’ path, just outside of the cave enterance on the grand reef side. Tis a massive block of glass and bulkheads, and it has a meagre attempt at a tunnel that the sea treaders can go under. It’s not yet finished, though
this is a good point thank you, so where is there a safe and plentiful place?
If you're not building big, it doesn't really matter where you build - you don't need that much resources to win the game.
If you're building big, then you don't really need any exotic resources. What you do need is titanium and quartz in bulk (as in, multiple floor lockers of each). Settling anywhere at/near the Grassy Plains and building a Scanner Room will supply you with plenty of both. Any other resource you can obtain enough with a single trip if you know where to look.
Comments
My next survival game, I'm considering a no-base and no-Cyclops run. The idea is to plop exterior growbeds as "pit stops", growing Brain Coral (for air supply), Gel Sacks and Bulb Bushes (for food&water), and maybe a single Creepyvine (for extra food variety, extra lighting and a navigation beacon). Will still need to set up a place for battery charging and specialized crafting, but no livable bases.
If you want to. It doesn't really matter where or how many bases you build. There are a few particularities to each site, such as surrounding resources or distance from some points of interest.
I tend to build my main base on the largest island, the one with the thermal vents right in the middle. Using the vents to supplement my bases power plus later on to charge my cyclops via a "dock". The main island houses 2 moonpools, water purifier and my Reginald tank for food, plus my biggest warehouse for storage.
Then depending on how I feel that play through I use the surrounding smaller islands for various projects,
A "research lab" that has a wing for every biome. Each wing has a 4 - 5 floor tower which holds the alien containment for biome specific critters and plants. With the top floor being used as a picture gallery of sorts..
And finally I'll have my outpost(s) I set up 3 or 4 of them around the world. 2 - 3 high alien containment filled with regis, 4 water purifiers and short term storage. Top it off with cell/battery chargers and a moonpool ( not every outpost has the moonpool )
I know it sounds like a lot and rather grindy but I like that aspect of the game and I'd rather have supplies close by all the time, you never know when it's about to hit the fan.. especially on hardcore. As for the underwater islands it might not be the most visually pleasing area, yet the bonesharks and reefbacks do add to the appeal. Plus the bioluminescent plants are a bonus..
1. Western Safe Shallows (-750, x, 150) is an super-nice spot, close to six different biomes including Jellyshrooms (seven if you count ALZ via PCF entrance). I've discarded this playthrough half-way, though now that I'm better familiar with the game it looks even more promising than I originally thought. The only issue is lack of geothermal power which I'd have to route from the Jellyshroom caves if I decide to re-run.
2. "No base" idea didn't really play out. You still need some place to recharge your batteries... and do some crafting... and some other crafting... and store all the stuff you've collected... and before you know it, you've got a damn base...
3. ...so in the same game I tried the small trench at the point where Sparse Reef, Deep Reef, Grassy Plateaus and Kelp Forest meet. A nice spot, built a huge base there powered by nearby geothermals, plus there's a useful entrance nearby (ahem). Otherwise nothing spectacular, lack of background music on Sparse Reef sucks and kinda scratches the area off any of my future base plans. So I said "screw this" and flew the hell out of there.
4. Tried the central Jellyshroom entrance at (-375, -200 ,-200), right above the hotspots, with a huge vertical staircase upwards to the moonpools. One of my most successful bases so far, especially after I scoured the surrounding area for quartz which is always a deficit when you build big. Grassy Plateaus had tons of quartz... but no longer, I've collected it all (and still need more).
5. Next playthrough I'll probably go for the border between Grassy, Kelp and NE Mushroom forest, roughly at (500, x, 450). Pretty close to a number of important locations. An interesting alternative is the very north-eastern tip of the BK trench, it seems pretty safe-ish and has a nice creepy atmosphere.
The Cannon island is a good one. Lots of resources. Lots of things to to hurt you too....
this is a good point thank you, so where is there a safe and plentiful place?
Yeah I know.
Beacons are super cheap...
I built my base in the sea treaders’ path, just outside of the cave enterance on the grand reef side. Tis a massive block of glass and bulkheads, and it has a meagre attempt at a tunnel that the sea treaders can go under. It’s not yet finished, though
What if the center of the game coordinates doesn't align with the center of the map?
If you're building big, then you don't really need any exotic resources. What you do need is titanium and quartz in bulk (as in, multiple floor lockers of each). Settling anywhere at/near the Grassy Plains and building a Scanner Room will supply you with plenty of both. Any other resource you can obtain enough with a single trip if you know where to look.
Shhhhhhhh