What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Start by repairing your ship through S.A.I.L., enabling the Matter Manipulator and teleporter, then beam to the starting planet. Your first practical goals are a shelter, food, healing, storage and basic equipment. The first major progression gate is 20 Core Fragments: return them to the teleporter to reach the Ark and continue the main quest.
Prefer not to run the server on your own PC? Godlike.Host offers hosted Starbound servers with free DDoS protection and up to three free backups a day.
Your first session at a glance
Starbound is a 2D space-survival sandbox rather than a game with one required route. You can follow the story, build settlements, farm, collect creatures, explore dungeons or simply keep travelling. Chucklefish describes that freedom directly: “In Starbound, you create your own story – there’s no wrong way to play!”
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
For a new character, however, a reliable order prevents most early frustration:
- Finish the ship’s S.A.I.L. setup and collect the flashlight.
- Beam down and gather wood, plant fibre and food before travelling far.
- Build a small shelter with storage and a bed or other safe place to regroup.
- Craft the basic table, then work toward a furnace, anvil, tools and simple armor.
- Explore underground or find a core-fragment mine until you have 20 Core Fragments.
- Return to the teleporter, travel to the Ark and accept the next story objectives.
That sequence gives you a safe base and enough equipment to choose whether to pursue the story, explore, build or play with friends.
#1 Best Overall
Create a character and learn the controls
Character creation
Character creation offers seven races and extensive appearance customisation. Race choice is primarily an identity and role-play decision for a first run; choose the look and name you will enjoy seeing for dozens of hours. You can rebind controls later, so do not delay starting because the default layout feels unfamiliar.
Default keyboard controls
| Action | Default key | Why it matters early |
|---|---|---|
| Move left/right | A / D | Basic movement and platforming. |
| Jump | Space | Cross gaps and reach ledges. |
| Crouch | S | Lower your profile and move through some spaces. |
| Inventory | I | Equip items, manage materials and inspect food. |
| Crafting | C | Open available recipes. |
| Interact | E | Use objects, doors, chests and non-player characters. |
| Highlight interactables | Alt | Reveal objects you can interact with when a scene is busy. |
| Matter Manipulator | R | Mine blocks and collect natural materials. |
Open the controls menu and rebind any key that conflicts with your keyboard, controller or accessibility needs. Practise moving, jumping, opening the inventory and switching to the Matter Manipulator before leaving the ship.
Recommended Free Tools
Repair the ship before leaving orbit
Use S.A.I.L.
Interact with S.A.I.L., the ship’s onboard interface. Follow its reboot and repair commands until the ship systems are operational. The exact prompts are presented in sequence, so read each objective rather than clicking past it.
Activate your essential equipment
Complete the early ship prompts to enable the Matter Manipulator and activate the teleporter. Without those steps, you cannot use the normal mining and planet-travel loop. Open the ship locker and take the flashlight as well; underground areas become difficult to read without it.
When the ship tutorial points you toward “Tutorial II: Shop Class,” use the teleporter to beam down. If a system appears unavailable, return to S.A.I.L. and check that the preceding reboot, repair or activation instruction has been completed.
What to do immediately after landing
Gather the first materials
On the starting planet, use the Matter Manipulator on nearby trees and other natural blocks. Turn the unrefined wood into planks through the crafting interface. Collect plant fibre as you travel; it is needed for early healing items and other basic recipes. Pick up food whenever it is safely available instead of assuming you can find it later.
Make a basic crafting table
Follow the Shop Class objective and craft the basic table as soon as you have the required planks. Place it near the location you intend to use as your temporary base. The table expands your recipe list and is the first step toward the stations that turn raw materials into equipment.
Rank #2
- 200 GAMES / 200 PAGES — Holds twice as many games as standard 100-game scorebooks, reducing the need to replace notebooks.
- 150 GSM NO-BLEED PAPER — Thick, stationery-quality paper prevents show-through and ink bleed for clean writing on both sides.
- TOP-BOUND TOURNAMENT FORMAT — Comfortable for left- and right-handed players and ideal for crowded tournament tables.
- MINIMAL, THOUGHTFUL DESIGN — Warm-toned paper and a low-contrast layout reduce visual fatigue during long games and analysis.
- HARDCOVER + BLACK STEEL TWIN-WIRE — Durable hardcover construction with heavy-duty black steel binding built for years of tournaments, study, and travel.
Build a temporary shelter
Do not treat the first night or dangerous excursion as a race. Make a compact, enclosed room with a door or other controllable entrance, then place storage inside. A shelter gives you somewhere to organise materials and recover between trips. Keep your first build functional; you can move or replace it once you understand the planet.
- Put frequently used tools and healing items where they are easy to reach.
- Store building blocks separately from ore, food and quest items.
- Leave a little empty inventory space before an exploration trip.
- Mark the route back to your shelter with visible construction if the terrain is confusing.
Stabilise health, food and equipment
Healing and plant fibre
Craft simple healing items such as bandages from plant fibre when the recipe becomes available. Carry them before entering caves or approaching unfamiliar creatures. Healing after damage is safer than assuming the next room will contain a replacement item.
Food and unknown creatures
Gather and prepare food through the recipes you have unlocked. Treat every unidentified creature as a potential threat until you have observed its behaviour. Keep distance, use terrain to your advantage and avoid spending all your health learning an enemy’s attack pattern.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Early armor and tools
Use the basic table to work toward better stations, then make simple armor and tools as materials allow. Armor increases your margin for error while mining and exploring; upgraded tools make gathering faster and open tougher blocks. Do not postpone equipment indefinitely to decorate a first shelter.
Unlock the first crafting stations
The first table is a progression hub rather than the final workstation. Its recipes lead to stations including the stone furnace, anvil and foraging table. Build them in an organised corner of your shelter so you can use several stations without repeatedly searching your inventory.
Stone furnace
The furnace converts gathered ore and other inputs into usable bars. Place it where you can return with a full mining haul, and keep fuel or required ingredients in nearby storage. Smelting is what turns a promising ore deposit into material for equipment.
Anvil
The anvil is used for early metal equipment and upgrades. Once you have processed enough ore, check its recipes before committing every bar to decorative blocks. Make the practical tools and armor that let you survive the next depth first.
Rank #3
- New
- Mint Condition
- Dispatch same day for order received before 12 noon
- Guaranteed packaging
- No quibbles returns
Foraging table and farming
The foraging table supports resource-gathering and farming-related progression. If you prefer a slower, safer start, prepare a small plot near your shelter and keep a reserve of food. Farming is not mandatory for reaching the Ark, but it reduces the pressure to hunt or search for supplies on every journey.
How to get the 20 Core Fragments
Choose an underground route
Your first major gate is a collection of 20 Core Fragments. Explore below the surface and mine toward the lava layer, or locate a core-fragment mine while exploring the planet. Carry healing items, food, spare blocks and enough inventory space for the return trip.
Work methodically: create safe ledges, light the route, and avoid dropping into an unexplored shaft. If a passage becomes dangerous, mark it and return with better armor rather than losing your supplies in a recovery attempt.
Track the total
Check your inventory periodically so you know how many fragments remain. Deposit ordinary blocks and duplicate loot in your shelter when your inventory fills; valuable progression items are easier to protect when they are not buried among dozens of low-value materials.
Return to the teleporter
Once you have 20 Core Fragments, go back to the teleporter rather than continuing into a deeper area simply because it is open. Use the fragments as the teleporter objective requires, then travel to the Ark. This unlocks the next stage of the main quest and gives the story a clearer direction.
What opens up at the Ark
The Ark becomes your story-facing hub after the teleporter objective. Speak with the available characters, read the new mission instructions and decide which objective to pursue first. The game does not require you to abandon your planet base or stop exploring; the Ark simply provides the next sequence of story tasks and destinations.
If you prefer building or farming, you can return to your planet between missions. If you want a guided experience, follow the mission markers and upgrade your equipment as each new environment demands.
Choose a play style that fits your goals
| Preference | How to play | What to prioritise |
|---|---|---|
| Story progression | Follow S.A.I.L. and Ark missions after collecting the first 20 fragments. | Equipment upgrades, mission travel and preparation for new areas. |
| Sandbox building | Spend longer on one planet and develop a home, settlement or themed structure. | Wood, stone, decorative materials, storage and a reliable supply area. |
| Farming and safe survival | Improve your shelter and food production before taking long trips. | Plant fibre, food, farming equipment, healing supplies and organised storage. |
| Rapid exploration | Move between surface landmarks, caves and other planets as soon as you can. | Portable healing, spare blocks, light, inventory space and upgraded tools. |
| Creature collecting | Explore with the aim of finding and managing creatures rather than only mining. | Safe enclosures, space for supplies and time to observe unfamiliar wildlife. |
| Dungeon and settlement hunting | Search planets for generated points of interest and unusual structures. | Armor, weapons, healing and a way to mark locations worth revisiting. |
These approaches are not separate modes. A builder can complete the story, and a story-focused player can stop for a farm or settlement whenever resources run short.
Building, exploration and the scale of the sandbox
Construction is supported by hundreds of materials and more than two thousand objects, according to Chucklefish’s official game description. Start with a practical shelter, then expand when you know what rooms you actually use. Separate sleeping, storage, crafting and farming areas so a larger base remains navigable.
Exploration rewards patience. Surface landmarks can lead to caves, settlements and dungeons, while underground routes provide ores and Core Fragments. Record useful locations with signs, distinctive blocks or a simple map habit. The Matter Manipulator is both a mining tool and a building tool, so the same device that opens a tunnel can reshape your base.
Play with friends
Supported platforms and stores
The official FAQ lists Starbound on Steam, Humble and GOG, with support for PC, Mac, Linux and Xbox One/Series. Store listings and platform availability can change, so verify the current listing for your country and edition before purchasing.
Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallCrashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteJoining a session
On PC, the beginner guide describes joining through Steam friends or by direct IP. The Steam listing identifies the game as online co-op and cross-platform multiplayer. Use the multiplayer setup instructions for your platform, then have the host load the character and world you intend to share.
Co-op is easier when players divide tasks: one person can gather wood and food, another can mine, and another can establish storage and crafting. Agree on where the shared shelter will be and label chests so valuable ore and quest items are not accidentally consumed.
Co-op etiquette and recovery
- Tell teammates before taking shared materials or moving a communal station.
- Keep a personal reserve of food and bandages in case the group separates.
- Mark the shelter and meeting point clearly for players who are new to the planet.
- Before a long expedition, confirm who is carrying the fragments and who knows the route home.
Vanilla or modded play?
Starbound supports modding, giving experienced players ways to alter content and systems. For a first character, vanilla play is the clearest way to learn the intended crafting and progression path. Add mods only after checking that they match your game version and multiplayer setup.
Best Value
- 12 Game Night sections, each with: - 5 unique scoresheets - A place to record who came to play/who brought delicious food - Winner's and Loser's brag boards - A place to list final scores - An area to note any memorable events
- Stickers
- Your house rules
- The Game Night Book is the perfect accessory for game nights with friends and family! Made for friends who gather, families who love to play, board / card game enthusiasts, any type of game night you can imagine. The Game Night Book is designed to keep game night scores and memories, organized so you can enjoy looking back at your many gatherings over the years.
In a shared game, every player should use compatible mod versions. If a session stops loading after a mod change, disable the newest addition first, then restore the last known working configuration. Keep a separate character or backup world when experimenting so a test mod cannot become your only save.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Version and availability checks
Version information is time-sensitive. Starbounder lists these dated reference points: PC 1.4.4 (August 7, 2019), Mac 1.4.4 (November 18, 2024), and Xbox 1.4.5.2 (December 9, 2024). They are not a promise that your store currently serves the same build, so check the platform’s listing and update history close to the day you play or publish a guide.
Store pages can also differ by country and by whether an offer is a legitimate digital key, physical copy or marketplace listing. Confirm the edition, operating-system support and multiplayer requirements before buying.
Common first-session problems
“I cannot leave the ship.”
Return to S.A.I.L. and complete every reboot or repair prompt. Verify that the Matter Manipulator and teleporter have been enabled, then take the flashlight from the locker and follow “Tutorial II: Shop Class.”
“I cannot craft the table.”
Use the Matter Manipulator to cut nearby trees, convert the unrefined wood into planks, and reopen the crafting menu. If the recipe remains unavailable, check that you are using the character’s personal crafting interface and that the tutorial objective has updated.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches“I keep dying underground.”
Return to the shelter for bandages, food, light and spare blocks. Upgrade armor and tools at the anvil when you have smelted enough ore. Build a safer route with platforms and torches instead of jumping into unlit shafts, and retreat when your healing supply is low.
“I lost my base.”
Use visible markers and a compact shelter near the original landing area until you learn the planet’s terrain. Store a few building blocks and light sources in your inventory so you can mark a return path on future trips.
“The group cannot connect.”
Confirm that everyone is using a compatible game version and, if modded, the same mod set. On PC, try the host’s Steam friend invite or the direct-IP method described by the multiplayer guide. Check that the host has loaded the intended world and that platform-specific multiplayer requirements are met.
Quick Recap
A practical first-session checklist
- Character created and controls tested.
- S.A.I.L. reboot and repair prompts completed.
- Matter Manipulator enabled.
- Teleporter activated.
- Flashlight collected from the ship locker.
- Starting planet reached through “Tutorial II: Shop Class.”
- Wood converted to planks and basic table crafted.
- Small shelter and storage placed.
- Plant fibre, food and bandages collected.
- Stone furnace, anvil and foraging table considered as the next stations.
- Simple armor and practical tools made before deep exploration.
- 20 Core Fragments gathered and returned to the teleporter.
- Ark reached and the next story objective accepted.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
