Getting Started in Stranded: Alien Dawn – Top Tips For New Players Part 2

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.

If you missed out on Part 1, you can find it right here. Now onto Part 2:

Building to thrive
After your survivors arrive on the alien planet, their first task should be to establish a base where they can live and work. Initially they only have access to simple shelters, but they'll eventually learn to build more complex structures. Shelters can be built from scrap metal or from sticks and hay, and while it's OK to use scrap metal in the very beginning, we recommend using sticks as much as possible, since scrap metal can be rather valuable later in the game.

When building, it's also a good idea to use the environment to your advantage. Rock outcroppings and lakes can provide natural barriers when you're attacked by the local wildlife.

Fences and fortifications will provide an extra line of defense against any attackers, while traps and flamethrowers can give you an extra offensive edge.

The pursuit of happiness
A key component of Stranded: Alien Dawn is keeping an eye on your survivors' mental health. They need food to stay alive, but they'll also need home comforts and recreation in order to remain happy. There are many different ways to provide for your survivors' mental health. Things like dart boards, musical instruments, shooting targets, statues, and comfortable chairs, will all provide rest and relaxation. Don't forget to also allow your survivors enough relaxation time in their schedules. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, after all!

One early relaxation item that you can easily create is a Shroom Torch: by Observing glowing Glitter Cap mushrooms your survivors will unlock the Shroom Torch recipe. Having one in your base will create a source of light that your survivors can examine to gain some extra happiness. Or you could unlock statues by observing an animal. A statue will also give your survivors a nice happiness boost.

Another important thing to note with regards to survivor happiness is their food intake. A varied diet will help keep them happy, and they should obviously avoid poisonous foods like raw meats. Open your survivors' profile panel and use the tab on the right to disable consumption of raw food items!

Priorities, priorities, priorities
The best way to get your survivors to do what you want is to set their priorities. You can do this in the Management menu under "Activities". From here you can choose between Simple and Complex prioritisation. If you've finished the tutorial this will already be familiar.

When there are multiple tasks in need of doing, your survivors will choose and perform them from left to right, so if there are several tasks or activities with the same priority number, the leftmost will be carried out first. This is important to keep in mind when balancing your survivors' tasks. You can also prioritise your workbenches and production machines. Whatever task is at the very top will be carried out first, and the rest in descending order (provided you have the materials of course!)

Your survivors also have a schedule. This is where you designate certain hours of the day to specific activities like work, relaxation, or sleep. Depending on how to set up the schedule, your survivors will prioritise certain things above others. Work means they'll carry out work tasks around the base, only stopping to sleep and eat when their needs become too great to ignore. Relaxation is for taking breaks from work to eat and entertainment, which will also improve their happiness (more on that later). Finally, there's sleep, which is for sleeping.

Don't forget: You can always change your survivors' priorities and their schedule if things aren't working as you first intended.

Everything in its proper place
As your survivors carry out their various tasks, they'll inevitably need storage space for all the different resources, foodstuffs and items they'll be harvesting, cooking and crafting. There are numerous ways to store things in Stranded: Alien Dawn, and organising it all is up to you, but we have some recommendations we want to share. Don't forget that you can choose what gets stored where by opening up a storage space, then unticking boxes in the right-most tab.

Stockpiles are excellent to use for any building materials your survivors might use: stone, wood, scrap metal, sticks, and the like. Place them in a central location so they won't have to spend too much time walking back and forth to gather new building materials. Just remember to put a roof over your stockpiles, so things don't deteriorate from exposure to the elements.

For things likes clothes and weapons, Wardrobes or Storage Boxes should be your go-to. Scrap Metal or Wooden Shelves are good for general storage of everything else, especially things like food and crafting materials. Just keep in mind that food should be kept at a low temperature to prevent spoilage. Fridges and freezers are a good starting point for keeping things cool, and you can eventually use Air Conditioners to create cold storage rooms.

Planning for the future
While it's important to focus on the here and now, it's also important to plan for the future while you're playing. The alien planet has seasons, as well as fluctuating weather patterns, so the weather will eventually get colder. Plants won't grow during colder seasons and wildlife is less abundant. You should have some food stocks ready for such an occasion, as well as warmer clothing for your survivors to change into. Look for Clothblossom plants, which can be harvested for cloth, or any animals or plants that can provide you with leather.
 
Failure is always an option
Even if you've played through the tutorial, some things will be learned through trial and error. Something not working out is part of the experience, but you'll have the added benefit of learning something new! Maybe you didn't have enough food for everyone, or maybe you didn't have the right equipment or clothes to make it through winter. Don't be discouraged if things don't work out the first time around. There's no shame in starting anew, and you can even adjust the level of difficulty and the game rules to the level of challenge you prefer. There are also different scenarios to choose from if you want to change things up even further.

That's all we had for now, but we'd love to hear your thoughts on these top tips for new players. Was there something you think we missed? Drop your top tips in the comments and we might feature them in a future article for other new players.

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