Imagine being stuck on an asteroid with 3 duplicates. The only way to save yourselves is to dig nearby and sustain a life there. But for that, you need to intelligently manage the duplicants, resources and other facilities. You also need to survive from slime, creatures and toxic gases. Oh, did I mention that your oxygen is not included with that?
This is exactly the situation that you are put in from Don't Starve's developer Klei Entertainment's fan favorite space colony survival simulation game called Oxygen Not Included. But fear not, we have set up this essential guide just for you, so that you may last more cycles. These are the 11 points you really need for a chance at survival.
11 11. Trait is Key
At first, you get 3 dupes a.k.a. duplicants, each has different attributes, traits, interests and stress reaction. The attributes look lucrative enough, but in reality, they aren’t that important of a factor. Attributes can be easily levelled up and changed, but the traits are fixed.
So, while selecting, look out for the negative traits. Avoid Gastrophobia, Anemic, Mouth-breathers etc. as they will only create inefficiency. But traits like diver’s lungs, Caregivers etc. are the ones that will make your life easier. Many Interests are helpful as well, like research, cooking etc. Stress Reaction isn’t that important of a stat if you manage your dupes properly.
10 10. Create & Destroy
In the game, your main task is to dig and create the important resources or buildings you need. Building requires resources. From other game experiences, deconstructing a building gives a loss of resources. Most people are thus, unwilling to deconstruct buildings or just leave them as is after their utility.
But, in Oxygen Not Included, after creating something, you might want to reposition a building to just get it out of the way. Or one building needs to be to another supply of resources. For that, just deconstruct and you will get your resources back completely. So construct and deconstruct as many times as you need.
9 9. Where You Gonna Poo?
There are many different dupes' stats that you need to look out for, but the one that most people tend to overlook is hygiene. If their bladders gets full they will do their work on the floor, and that will not only cause others’ hygiene to drop, as well as germs to spread that will cause a health drop.
To avoid that, build an Outhouse as soon as you get in. For that, you will also need Wash Basins and a water supply, so make sure to spread out as much as you can within first cycle.
8 8. Don't Stress It Enough
One of the most deadly factors in the game is the overloading of stress. When your dupes’ stress is maxed, they will start responding via stressing out. With that, they will not only be unable to complete their tasks, but they will also make the other dupes stressed as well. For example, if a dupe vomits from being overstressed, his “polluted waters” will make other dupes stressed to clean it.
Keep those stresses at bay by incorporating furniture and decorations in the colony. Paintings, individual outhouses and cots, bright environment and plenty of oxygen will surely make the dupes lead a stress-free life.
7 7. Know Where To Dig
the task that you are given at the very start of the game is to dig your way. But digging isn’t the only thing that you have to do. There are lots of other factors that you need to consider as well.
At start, there are different biomes and pockets near you, so before you start, check the temperatures before you dig into a very hot biome. Digging into chambers of deadly gases, will make your cycles very difficult. High pressure fluids and gases can burst through fractures and kill your dupes. So plan ahead before you start digging.
6 6. Oxygen Not Important
Not for the first few cycles anyways. At start, the supply you start with and the different air pockets near you will get you through the first few cycles. So, you do not need to produce oxygen first hand. But, once there is an excess need, you will need to start producing with the Algae Deoxidizer. It will require algae and electricity to function.
For starters, one or two Algae Deoxidizers will suffice, as the Algae are decomposed very easily. Soon, you can start working on your Electrolyzer, which will turn water into oxygen and hydrogen. Thus, you can sustain your oxygen usage without a hassle.
5 5. Keep Your Cool
One of the stats you need to maintain in your colony is the temperature. You can check it via the temperature overlay. A lot of people think it can be maintained by air and water cooling researches. But that’s completely unnecessary.
Just check your overlays and plan on where you want to build your power plants and also look for hot biomes before digging. If you absolutely have to cool it down, there are Wheezeworts that you can find and position to wherever you need. You can use them to both chill the air and the water very efficiently. Thus, you can save energy and also save resources on research.
4 4. A Dupe's Gotta Eat
You start with 20,000 KCal, but each of your dupes take about 1,000 KCal each cycle. So, gathering the food should be your topmost priority. For the first few cycles, you can gather enough food from nearby chambers and use a Microbe Musher to process it. Oh and don’t forget to wash your hands in Wash Basin before eating!
Eventually, you will need to grow your own food. For that, unlock the Planter Box in research tree and you can grow your own Mealwood plants to create a sustainable source of food. You can further research for Farm Tiles fairly quickly and you will be set for the rest of your cycles.
3 3. God Bless Canada
Even though, healthcare services are free in Canada, in Oxygen Not Included, you will have to work on researches and spend resources for medical equipment. However, soon you will find out that they are completely unnecessary. If you make enough Airlocks, Waterlocks, Exo Suits and keep a close eye on your dupes’ immune system, you will be fine.
Medical equipment takes a lot of space, wattage and also needs to be researched. For starters, those resources are scarce. But if you keep your dupes’ health and immune system under care, you will never have to use the Med Bay.
2 2. Unlimited Power!
For the first few cycles, electricity might not be your prime concern, but as you progress further, it might become as important as oxygen and food. To use many of the essential objects, you will need electricity.
There are lots of options available to generate electricity, but from a personal experience, the manual generator a.k.a. the hamster wheels can sustain your colony more than enough. They don’t require any resources other than a dupe. Unlike other generators that quickly run out of resources to use, with the wheels, batteries & transformers you surely will have more power than you need. To go even beyond, you should look into more sustainable methods like a combination of fertilizer synthesizer and natural gas generator.
1 1. Success Not Included
the game itself is very difficult for starters with so many different variables to handle. But, the more you play and make mistakes, the more you will be able to learn.
So, don’t get frustrated and rage quit. Rather, try to understand the mechanics, develop tactics of your own, share your methods and above all, enjoy the game to its fullest. It might not have an end, but the fun from lasting each cycle doesn’t either.