Starfield outposts are one of the most important features to get to grips with, letting you build a base and home among the stars. Though, how do you make an outpost in Starfield? Well, we’ve got you covered with everything you need to know about Starfield outposts, including all the base building structures we’ve seen so far.
Outposts in Starfield work similarly to settlements in Fallout 4, offering a great way to relax as you indulge in base building. However, with such a huge universe to explore, complete with over 1,000 Starfield planets, outposts will no doubt also come in very handy. While there are several bustling Starfield cities to explore, the universe can be a lonely place, so stick your feet up in your very own outpost among the stars.
Starfield outposts explained
Starfield’s outposts let you build bases you can build almost anywhere in the universe using a variety of components that can serve as homes and resource generators. By assigning crew members to an outpost, you can change how they function and even a network of outposts between planets.
These bases will come in very handy if you need extra storage, a home, or a steady stream of resources. Furthermore, you can have multiple outposts established on different planets, meaning you can passively harvest the natural resources of a variety of planets. This will certainly be useful when it comes to Starfield ship customization and Starfield weapons upgrades as these can end up costing you lots of credits and resources. By having a network of bases, you’ll always have what you need.
Described as a system that’s designed to be experienced over a long period of time by Todd Howard in an interview by Kinda Funny Games, outposts themselves can also be a costly venture. As a deep system involving lots of resources to build all the options available, outposts and base building is intended to be a long-term goal for the player.
How to build an outpost in Starfield
To build an outpost in Starfield, open the scanner and select to place an Outpost Beacon, designating the area as a base that you can begin building on.
Likely, this will cost resources or require you to have completed a certain task on the planet you’re exploring before you can place an Outpost Beacon and begin building.
In the Starfield Direct showcase, we see a player interacting with the Outpost Beacon in an established settlement, so it looks to act as the hub of your constructed base. It’s possible that it provides an overview of the base stats when interacted with, so you have an idea of what’s working and what’s not.
From here, you’ll be able to spend resources harvested on planets to build a variety of structures and habitats, or Habs, that provide new features and mechanics for you, such as crafting and researching.
In Starfield, there is a new fly-cam mode that allows you to build your Outpost from a top-down perspective. While the first-person construction of Fallout 4 is still available, this new perspective will make base building much more convenient in Starfield.
Is there a build limit in Starfield outposts?
Yes, your Starfield outpost will have a build limit that restricts how many structures and objects you can place in any given base. It’s unlikely this limit can be increased.
From the Starfield Direct gameplay showing base building, it looks as though the limit has been increased from Fallout 4, though we’ll have to wait and see.
Starfield outpost stats
These are the six Starfield outlast stats you will need to manage:
- Build limit – building budget remaining
- Cargo – storage space
- Crew – the number of active crew members
- Needed PWR (power) – electricity deficit
- Total PWR (power) – total electricity produced
- Production – resources generated per minute
If you want to have a successful outpost, then you’ll need to effectively manage these stats. These are similar to the Fallout 4 settlement stats, requiring you to accurately provide for inhabitants and keep up with energy demands.
Starfield outpost components
These are all the Starfield outpost components that we know of so far:
- Outpost Beacon
- Extractors
- Outpost Airlock
- Four Wall Hab
- Hydroponic Hab A
- Science Hab Small
- Military Hab
- Hab Round
- Small Hex Hab
- Research Laboratory
- Hallway – Industrial
- Watchtower
- Wind Turbines
- Solar Panels
Every one of the base building structures and components will require resources to construct, including Aluminium, Lead, Titanium, and Sealant. Similar to Fallout 4, you’ll want to stock up on these materials as much as you can so you don’t run out when you need them most.
Habs
Habs are the most important structures in outposts as they provide several valuable functions. For example, the Hydroponic Hab is used to grow plants, whereas the Science Hab is used for research.
You’ll want to build at least a few of these specialized outpost Habs so you can easily access important functions like Starfield Research Projects. What’s more, the Starfield companions and crew members you’ve assigned to an outpost will impact these facilities.
Extractors
Extractors are another essential outpost structure since they passively harvest the resources of the planet they are placed on. This will be a huge time saver, especially as you can have multiple outposts to harvest the different resources of each planet. The acquired resources will come in handy when you want to expand your outpost even further, customize your ship, or upgrade equipment.
Power Generators
Outposts need electricity to function. That’s where power generators like wind turbines and solar panels come in. While we’re yet to see how these are constructed, we’ve seen them in action during gameplay.
That’s everything there is to know about Starfield outposts ahead of the Starfield release date, from how to build an outpost in Starfield, to all the stats and structures the system has to offer. Once you’ve made your base, why not play around with the Starfield photo mode to take some stellar pics of your new home.
