No Man's Sky is an expansive game. After years and years of continuous improvements by the game's developers, Hello Games, it's truly evolved. It's now a massive time sink with all of its originally promised features, and so many more. It may very well be the most beautiful and accessible space exploration game currently on the market.
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One feature added by Hello Games over the years was base building. We know many readers have already built bases in nearly every other open-world survival game, but the building in No Man's Sky is surprisingly fun. With modular building parts, fully customizable terrain, and beautiful building environments, the biggest obstacle is simply deciding what to build. We've compiled this list to (hopefully) help players make up their minds!
10 The Space Pyramid
Fans of ancient Egyptian culture, ancient aliens, desert planets or etc. will likely get a real kick out of a well-made space pyramid. It's a great option for those who aren't looking to build a complicated exterior. Crafting the pyramid takes time and planning, but once everything is laid out, it's a fairly simple building to put together.
The real magic of any pyramid is what lays beneath it. The Egyptians filled their burial chambers with traps and hazards to ward off grave robbers. Since underground building in No Man's Sky is easy, there's plenty of potential for subterranean passageways.
9 The Mountainside Lookout
It might take some time to scout out a good location for this type of base, but the results are more than worth it. A good spot on a cliff overlooking an ocean will provide breathtaking views, as long as the player is willing to source glass for their walls.
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Scenic mountains provide tons of visual flair. The best results come when a builder achieves harmony with the mountain, creating a base that doesn't distract too much from the natural beauty of the landscape. This "lookout" base lets in plenty of natural light, providing even more beauty to what could've been a dreary underground bunker.
8 The Ocean Rig
It can be tough to know where to start a base in the middle of the ocean. Building on water is annoying if nothing else, but it does have one pretty big upside. The ocean is flat. Flat areas are at a premium in No Man's Sky, especially for those who don't trust the terrain manipulator to make a decent-looking plot of land.
No Man's Sky also features plenty of building parts that look surprisingly appropriate for a rig. The pictured base is complete with cranes, and the landing pads are a natural fit. With a bit of work, players can build their very own Mother Base among the stars!
7 The Observation Tower
In No Man's Sky, players can always just climb into their ships to view the landscape from on high. But what if they want a stationary post from which to look down on the world and their fellow players? For that, only a tower will do.
There are a ton of different potential tower designs. One could build a sci-fi tower surrounded by floating rings, or a more traditional edifice of steel. Players could even build a floating tower or one that rests on a floating island, for that extra bit of height. Another idea would be to build several towers, with suspended pathways connecting them.
6 The Cozy Cabin
For those seeking a simple build that won't be a huge drain on resources, a cozy cabin on a snowy planet can be a great thing. No Man's Sky features modular wooden building pieces that use only carbon, making it simple and fun to build a perfect winter getaway.
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The featured cabin has a gorgeous outdoor patio and even a small kitchen area, for keeping warm on those winter days. Another idea might be a "ski lodge" type building nestled on the top of a huge mountain, with slopes for exocraft racing. Alternatively, maybe a Christmas village with red and green colored lights would be a fun build.
5 The Japanese Ryokan
By finagling various different pieces together, players can build bases in a variety of architectural styles. This beautiful Japanese Ryokan base illustrates that fact. Players could potentially employ this architectural style in a number of ways, even building an entire town inspired by Japanese architecture.
In theory, one could take inspiration from any number of architectural styles throughout the world, but the traditional Japanese style seems to work particularly well in No Man's Sky. Players could complete their designs by including hot springs, or by finding trees similar to the bansai to plant around, as the builder of the pictured base has done.
4 The Underwater Outpost
No Man's Sky is no Subnautica, but it does feature some interesting underwater creatures and environments to explore. With a submarine exocraft, players can tour the watery depths in style. However, a glass-walled underwater base is the ultimate prize for true fans of marine observation.
Players might want to consider some serious upgrades to their life support systems before they delve too far below water. As the underwater base becomes more established, oxygen will become less and less of a worry. At first, however, consider stockpiling some spare oxygen, perhaps in the storage space of a submarine. Finally, make sure to bring plenty of glass. After all, what's the point of building underwater if you can't see outside?
3 The Jungle Treehouse
Lush jungle planets provide a huge amount of trees. Trees equal carbon, which is great news, both for condensed carbon manufacturing and for wooden home construction. And since you'll be surrounded by trees anyway, why not build a fun treehouse?
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The pictured treehouse is actually a number of buildings connected by suspended passageways. In this way, a large multi-room base can be constructed without putting too much "weight" on any one tree. When building around trees in No Man's Sky, great care is needed. It's sadly very easy to destroy a tree forever. Generally, players will want to build wooden support structures around a tree, both to protect it and to give the structure a more realistic look.
2 The Medieval Castle
A castle feels like the ultimate construction in any base-building game. In the sci-fi world of No Man's Sky, however, they feel weirdly out of place. Despite this, it's still more than possible for players to build their ultimate medieval dream home among the stars.
The possibilities for castle constructions in No Man's Sky are just as varied as castles themselves are in real life. One could build a fortified keep atop a high mountain, as the pictured builder has done. Alternatively, building near a body of water could allow for a moat to be dug around the castle perimeter. Consider drawing inspiration by referencing real-life castle designs.
1 The Modern Mansion
Thanks to its modular building pieces and focus on a clean sci-fi aesthetic, building a modern-looking home in No Man's Sky is sort of a breeze. We recommend incorporating fully glass walls and overhanging roofs to complete the "modern beach house" look.
Homes with affluent modern designs frequently feature architectural oddities. A second floor might hang over the first with its slightly bigger size, or an oddly-shaped room might sit on top of what's otherwise a perfectly normal-looking building. Modern homes also frequently feature large patios, which might make a good place to install a landing pad, or even a pool.
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