To survive on Ketern our first priority is to get a base that gives us oxygen. This will take a few in-game days and this guide will help you get to the point where you can create a base and generate oxygen.

For a beginner-friendly playthrough, I can recommend this seed, which is the seed I first used to complete a full play-through of Beyond Contact. When creating a new game copy/paste this seed number into the seed section of the game creation screen.
Recommended seed: 1698666873

If you are struggling to survive I would also recommend these guides:

https://steamproxy.net/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2609429520
https://steamproxy.net/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2614525638
https://steamproxy.net/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2616091361

• Always keep Tamber and Sparkstones on you.
  Tamber is the main component of many crafting recipes so it's always useful to have a full-stack in your inventory. More importantly, combine Tamber and Sparkstone to create a Thermostick (torch) to survive cold nights and freezing biomes.
  
  
• Look at your mini-map often.
  The mini-map should be like your rear-view mirror in a car. Use it often. You will catch things like oxygen bubbles, materials, or the exact location of a creature you are hunting, which normally you might not have noticed while running by.

At the start of the game, we have two goals. Our first goal is to figure out where to build a base, and to help with that we will be focusing on objectives. Our second goal is to research materials to earn data and gather materials to upgrade our scanner.

• Press M and locate the Aurelius (crashed ship) on your map, make your way there.
  
  
  
• Pick up and scan Sparkstone on your way to the Aurelius to start your first research.
  
  
  
• To get Data and Materials, scan and pick up everything on your way. Especially focus on Scrap Heaps early on as they give easy access to food, oxygen, and health.
  
  
  
• Look for orange glowing Ember crystals to upgrade your scanner.
  
  
  
• Pick up all scrap heaps, Space bars, Oxygen containers, Medical Gel, and Thermosticks around the Aurelius and then follow the objective to find the Camp.
  
  
  
• At the Camp you should be able to find a Head Torch and some armor.
  
  
  
• After discussing the next step with CARL he will mark the world forge on your map.
  NOTE: If you are in trouble, run to the world forge and replenish oxygen and stamina before going to the next step.
  
  
  
• Explore until C.A.R.L. notifies you of a strange signal, and then run to it. Don't be scared of running through Toxic areas, but avoid snow for now.
  
  
  
• When you find the source of the strange signal discuss your findings with C.A.R.L. and he will trace back the signal to an Alien Base and will mark it on your map.
  
  
  
• The World Forge and The Octomian Base are the main two areas you will be focusing on and their locations will help you determine where to make your base. I can recommend making your base between these two points for easier travel.
  
  
• Focus on getting materials and research data until you can build a base with:
  ○ Workbench
  ○ Basic power generation
  ○ Material Refinement
  ○ Oxygen Support station
  ○ Data mining
  ○ Thermal Bulb

There are a lot of benefits to the different Biomes on Ketern, and a lot to keep in mind when picking the location for your base. It is up to you to figure out what you value the most. Here are some things to consider when deciding on where to place your base.

• Do enemies spawn nearby?
  Check your map, and if there’s a creature Icon it means that creatures will respawn there if they are killed. Being near enemies means your base could be under attack and you will have to defend it.
  
  
  
• Sufficient power?
  There are a lot of different ways to gather electricity. Are there any strong winds for turbines? Or will you be near a biome that gives you materials used for electricity, like a mushroom biome?
  
  
  
• Which materials are nearby?
  ○ Bleached Sands/Geode Quarry for mining materials
  ○ Overgrown Wildlands/Wildlands for plants and wildlife
  ○ Fungal Fields for early bioshrooms
  ○ Melting Valley for late-game materials
  
  
  
• Are the two civilizations nearby?
  There are two key objective areas that you will be returning to frequently. Those two areas are the Octomian Base and the Brachylon Oasis. Creating a Base between those areas will reduce the running time between them.

My own Utopia location is a place between an Overgrown Wildlands biome and a Geode Quarry biome, with strong winds. Somewhere between the Octomian Base and the Brachylon Oasis.

When starting your playthrough CARL should be busy researching as much as possible. The early research is cheap. If you are in need of Data, make sure to explore and scan. Killing wildlife and scanning what they drop will also produce data.
This list only covers required research, quality of life research is not included.

1. Rapid Heating.
   The first research we do is Rapid heating to be able to make Thermosticks that will keep us warm on the first night.
   
2. Mining Equipment.
   This will let us craft a pickaxe and unlock key research paths to craft basic components later on.
   
3. Animal Capturing.
   We research this as it teaches us how to make Rope and Cloth out of Tamber.
   
4. Basic Backpack.
   The extra spaces will be invaluable, and the backpack is cheap to make.
   
5. Basic Workshop.
   While researching Animal capturing you should look for the materials needed to upgrade your scanner, and research Basic Workshop. If you can’t research this yet, skip to 5, and come back after.
   
6. Portable Heating.
   Portable heating gives you access to batteries which we will need later on. It’s also a good way to cook food early on.
   
7. Basic Power Generation.
   This is the starting research to make your base liveable. You will get a way to generate power and place wiring.
   
8. Materials Refinement.
   Gives you access to refine materials but more importantly unlocks the Oxygen Support Station schematic
   
9. Data Mining.
   While not required, There’s a good chance you don’t have a ton of data right now to research. Building a Data miner can help give you the data you need for key structures.
   
10. Oxygen Filtering.
    After this we are now able to generate power, and oxygen in our base.
    
11. Oxygen Support Station.
    Produces oxygen when connected to a power source.

You now have a base with a Bio Generator, Refinery, Oxygenator, and a Data Laboratory and have completed the Early game portion of the game!

For a guide on the Mid Game and what to do from here please continue to our Mid Game Survival guide:
https://steamproxy.net/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2631275780