Flying around and finding random computer-generated planets sounds like a lotta fun for a first couple of hours, but then what?

What does the game allow you to do after finding a planet and walking around on it?

Say I just found and walked around planet A, then hopped in my ship and did the same in planet B, now what happens?

(Question is for those playing the game)

@howardian: So it depends on how you define robust. When exploring, you're literally flying around in your ship until you find a place you want to land (be that a POI highlight, you spot a mineral you need, or it just looks cool). From there you are walking around, while managing your shields and life support to deal with the planets' atmosphere (cold/hot, toxic, radioactive, freezing rain, etc).

You will find barren planets, just as you would in a real galaxy, but you'll also find planets filled with life (both fauna and flora). On any planet though, you will find elements that you will need for like upgrades, fuel, and repair; and to gather them you shoot them with your mining beam. Some elements are rarer than others (damn you iridium), while sometimes you'll find massive deposits which can be exploited for easy cash.

Each planet has a set number of flora, fauna, and geology (that number can be 0 for flora and fauna), and to scan them you use your binoculars (think tagging in MGS5). Whatever you discover you can name and upload to the server for easy money and the possibility of having another player find Harambee2016.

Using the elements, you will build upgrades for your suit (extra stamina, more jetpack, better at cold, etc.), for your ship (better warp drive, better deflector shields, better guns, etc.), and your multifoil (better mining, faster cooldown, shoot grenades, etc.). All of these things you build will use various elements and/or constructed pieces to make and recharge them.

Combat with the multifoil is not great; and you'll be doing it against different types of sentinels and angry fauna. Combat with the ship is ok, but could be better; and you'll be doing that against pirates, sentinels, and victims of your piracy.

@howardian: You look for the planet that has the elements that allow you to build upgrade mods, or rare elements to sell so you can buy a better suit/ship. And ultimately you travel deeper and deeper into the galaxy trying to reach the center.

strip mine them bare and kill all indigenous lifeforms.

Strip them of their minerals to sell for profits, which leads to upgrading your suit, gun, and ship (also buying new guns and ships). Explore the planets, cataloging the flora, fauna, geology, outposts, and stations. Find monoliths and knowledge stones to learn alien languages, one word at a time. Enjoy the scenery.

Seems to me like the whole game is about finding planets. So the answer is... you find more planets.

I haven't played it but from what i know, you mine for minerals to keep your stuff going and upgrade your gear, catalog life, and dicipher languages to communicate with the other intelligent lifeforms out there. You also get into dog fights at times and shoot robots and carnivores(or whatever else you want)

Get stoned

Explore them. That is literally the point of the game.

^ yep.

Have an existential crisis like the rest of us.

@ericjasonwade: It doesn't hurt. This is an incredibly chill game. Great to play once you've finished a long day of work before bed.

Walk on it. Do a push-up. Eat an egg. What else can you do with it?

@howardian: Get in stuck in a cave for two hours like I did last night! Good times.

That's my question, what does exploring mean? What do you do when you explore?

You walk forward, you take in the beautiful scenery, you click on a beam to activate it or click on a mineral to mine it. What else do you do with your hands?

I'm genuinely asking what this game is about before I buy it, what will I be doing in real-time?

Ok, now we're talking. Are the exploration and documentation mechanics that robust? You don't just walk around and click on things to 'mine' them but you actually do it based on different rock types and elements you need, etc..?

Also, you said upgrading my suit, gun, and ship. What will I need upgrades for? Is there a lot of combat?

Much like a tourist on a tight schedule I think this is my idea of visiting. (advice for AFTER the first five planets you see.)

- Scan the planet form space do a quick zip around
- Pop down to the monoliths you discover (story elements)...and use the beacons to find the other monoliths
- Pick up any rare elements (if you have cargo space).
- Do a few short tours to various spots to see wildlife to catalog
- If the planet seems very different - like just bananas - spend a bit more time.

It is my impression that more 'stuff'' might be added later, so rather doubt you can miss a chance forever. I do not have the impression anyone will irretrievable miss "blueprints" or "get a ship" by skipping a planet. I'm only ten hours in and I have gotten duplicate blueprints a few times, my guess is the whole game works like that except for animals & plants where getting the same dice-roll might not be always possible. JMO

I just check out the planet honestly.. Some of mine have been very cool so far, with nearby moons or other planets close-by, so just walking around seeing the vistas is awesome I think. Last night while divebombing into a planet I looked out the window of my ship to see what looked like a massive green storm encircling a neighbouring planet. Pretty neat methinks. This is, effectively, what I came to No Man's Sky for. This is "what I do".

@roars5000: That works for just about every game in my experience.