What this solves
When the world opens up and every signal looks tempting, build a short supply loop first. Widen it only once oxygen and scanning are reliable.
Quick route
- Stay shallow and gather Titanium, Copper and Quartz first.
- Craft toward Scanner, repair utility and basic fabrication before chasing distant signals.
- Make the first Silver run a planned trip with a return line.
- Place base basics only after the short supply loop is reliable.
Before you go
- Do not swim toward every HUD signal as soon as it appears.
- Keep inventory space for Silver and electronics materials once the first recipes open.
- Use the map as a filter tool, not as a reason to overextend.
Prerequisites
- Fresh save or early save
- No deep route required
- Basic resource gathering around shallow areas
Field Notes
Step-by-step Walkthrough
Each step keeps exact coordinates conservative. Use the linked map filters for route planning and trust reviewed marker labels when you need precision.
The first route should be short enough that you can repeat it without checking a guide every time. Step 1Biome-onlyGuide noteStay shallow until tools are stable
Build the resource loop that keeps early crafting from stalling.
Titanium, Copper and Quartz are the opening loop. Use them to support Scanner, Fabricator and survival-tool progress before long signal dives.
Spend the first stretch close to safe water. Titanium keeps simple construction moving, Copper opens electronics, and Quartz supports early utility. If you already have a signal on the screen, resist the urge to turn the first swim into a long expedition.
The practical target is familiarity. You want to know which rocks, ledges and oxygen options you can reach quickly. Once that loop is comfortable, the same area becomes your launch point for Silver and Scanner progress.
Map hint
Start with Quartz or Titanium filters if you need a visual reminder of nearby resource clusters.
Do this
- Titanium and Copper gathered
- Quartz route identified
- Return direction known
Watch for
- Leaving with a full inventory but no recipe plan
- Swimming past easy oxygen just to follow a signal
Next: Check Scanner and Fabricator paths before widening the route.
Scanner progress is what turns the opening area from scenery into usable progression. Step 2RecipeGuide noteBuild the scan and repair path
Turn loose materials into tools that unlock information.
Scanner, Survival Multitool, Repair Tool and Wakemaker-style unlocks all pull from the same early pile. Check the next craft before spending rare pieces.
The Scanner matters because many later blocks are not solved by raw gathering. They are solved by recognizing fragments, structures and interactable objects. Build toward scan and repair utility early, then use those tools on each safe return instead of saving all scanning for one huge trip.
If a recipe asks for a material you only have one of, pause before crafting. Silver and electronics parts can sit behind several useful upgrades, so the next recipe check is often worth more than immediate spending.
Map hint
Use item pages for recipe checks, then return to the map only for the material that is actually missing.
Do this
- Scanner path started
- Repair or utility path noted
- One rare material reserve kept
Watch for
- Crafting without checking the next recipe
- Ignoring fragments because the tool loop is unfinished
Next: Move to Silver once basic tools stop being the blocker.
Early Silver is a planned return route, not a desperate final stretch of a signal swim. Step 3ApproximateGuide noteBank Silver before pushing farther
Solve the first real material gate before chasing longer routes.
Silver is tied to early oxygen and electronics. Treat the first Silver trip as a planned return route, not a one-way signal chase.
Silver is the first material that tends to feel like a wall because it sits behind oxygen, wiring and starter tech decisions. Treat the first Silver trip like its own objective. Go in with enough air, mark the route mentally, grab what you need and leave before the cave turns into a maze.
If the map shows several reported areas, choose the one that matches your current oxygen comfort. A slightly slower safe route is better than one dramatic pickup followed by losing the path home.
Map hint
Open `/map?type=resource&q=Silver&mode=focused` and keep only Silver-focused results visible.
Do this
- Enough oxygen for a short cave run
- Inventory room for Silver
- Return path chosen before entering
Watch for
- Following a deep marker because it is closer on the map
- Using the first Silver before checking Air Tank and Wiring Kit needs
Next: Open Early Silver if this is the material stopping your save.
A first base should support the route you already repeat, not replace route planning. Step 4Route noteCommunity notePlace base basics after the supply loop works
Build a base where it shortens routes instead of adding chores.
Drop base pieces once you can restock Titanium, Copper, Quartz and Silver without second-guessing the return path.
Base pieces are useful once the nearby loop is stable. If you still cannot reliably restock Titanium, Copper, Quartz and Silver, the base location will not solve the problem; it will just become another place you need to swim back to.
Choose a spot that makes repeated trips shorter. Early bases should sit near simple resources and known exits. Save ambitious deep staging bases for the point where vehicle depth and cave knowledge are no longer fragile.
Map hint
Compare base-location markers against nearby Silver and Quartz filters before committing.
Do this
- Supply loop works twice in a row
- Fabricator or storage need is real
- Nearby exits are easy to recognize
Watch for
- Building somewhere pretty but awkward
- Moving storage before you can defend the route
Next: Use Best Base Locations only after the starter loop is solved.