Lost in Space? Not Anymore! Your Guide to Finding Crashed Ships and Derelict Freighters in No Man’s Sky
Are you exploring No Man’s Sky? The idea of a free ship is compelling. You’ve heard about crashed ships and derelict freighters. Finding them may feel impossible. Don’t worry! This guide helps you locate these wrecks and claim them.
1. Sniffing Out Crashed Ships: Become a Wreck-Finding Wizard
Crashed ships have patterns. They are not scattered randomly. You can use methods to locate these ships reliably. Let’s explore your options:
Transmission Towers: Your Best Bet for Beacons of Distress
Transmission Towers serve as your GPS for crashed ships. They appear on many planets. Look around as you explore. Inside each tower, there’s a small puzzle. Don’t worry. It’s usually simple, like basic Sudoku.
Solving the puzzle rewards you with a distress signal. This signal leads you to a crashed ship, or sometimes a crashed freighter. Consider it your shortcut for ship hunting.
Ship Radar: Low and Slow is the Way to Go
Want to try something more active? Get into your starship and fly low. Stay at about 60-100 units high. Use your ship’s radar to search for distress signals. Imagine you are a bloodhound, searching for a metallic scent. Patience is crucial, but the thrill is rewarding.
Exocraft Radar: Land-Based and Submersible Ship Sniffing
If you have an Exocraft, this is for you. A Mech or Submarine has radar for finding distress signals. While exploring land or underwater, turn on that scanner. You may find a wreck resting below or nearby!
Space Stations and Trade Terminals: The Social Ship Market
Sometimes, it’s easiest to ask for help. Dock at space stations or trade terminals and talk to pilots. They might sell or trade you one of their ships. It’s less about finding wrecks and more about getting any ship, but hey, a ship is still a ship!
Sentinel Ships: Embrace the Dissonance for Interceptor Gold
Want something with a twist? Look for Sentinel ships in “dissonant” systems. Check the galaxy map for the descriptor during scans. Look for “dissonant,” not the usual “water” or resources. Jump to a dissonant system and scan the planets. At least one will have corrupted sentinels, perfect for hunting Interceptors.
Space Anomaly Missions: Anomaly for Opportunity
The Space Anomaly is more than a show-off spot for starships. It’s a mission hub, where some missions grant ships. Watch the mission board for any ship quests. Free ships delivered to your anomaly door? Yes, please!
Ancient Ruins: Digging Up History (and Maybe a Ship)
Exploration can lead to ancient ruins from lost civilizations. These sites may hold more than just history. Rumor suggests you can find crashed ships near ruins. It’s worth exploring if you’re into archaeology and want a new ride.
Normal Exploration: The Serendipitous Stumble
Sometimes the simplest method works best. Just fly around. Crashed ships appear as red dots on your scanner while you move above a planet’s surface. It’s like cosmic window shopping, except the storefront is the entire planet and the goods are dented starships. You may find one without much effort.
2. Decoding the Wreckage: Types of Crashed Ships You Might Find
Not all crashed ships are the same. There’s a range of wrecks, each unique with different rewards.
Crashed Freighters: Titanic Treasures on Planetary Surfaces
Imagine discovering a massive freighter, wrecked on a planet. That’s a crashed freighter! Usually found via Transmission Towers or exploration. When you find one, prepare to dig in.
Crashed freighters are like giant loot chests. Grab your Terrain Manipulator or Plasma Launcher to start excavating! Under the debris are storage units filled with Nanite Clusters and Units. Think of it as a planetary piggy bank waiting to be opened.
Crashed Sentinel Ships (Interceptors): Corrupted and Coveted
Sentinel ships, or Interceptors, are unique. These sleek ships are connected to corrupted sentinel activity. To claim one, take out a Sentinel Dreadnought first. This ship is powerful, but destroying it gives you a Dreadnought AI Fragment.
Now for the fun: go to a corrupted planet. Use the Dreadnought AI Fragment there, and it will guide you to the nearest crashed Sentinel Interceptor. It’s a tech treasure hunt with an exciting ending.
3. Venturing into the Void: Derelict Freighters and Spooky Space Encounters
Crashed ships belong on planets. What about the deep space? That’s where Derelict Freighters matter. These are abandoned freighters in space, waiting to be explored (and scavenged).
Finding Derelict Freighters: Pulse Drive and Scrap Dealer Secrets
While cruising in Pulse Drive, you may find a Derelict Freighter with your radar. It’s random, a pleasant surprise! But there’s a more reliable way.
Visit a Space Station and talk to the Scrap Dealer. This shady character sells Emergency Broadcast Receivers. Buy one and you can hunt Derelict Freighters actively. It works like a signal for abandoned ships, but be careful; these freighters can be dangerous…
Nature of Derelict Freighters: Procedural Spookiness Awaits
Derelict Freighters are unlike anything else in No Man’s Sky. They are randomly generated, so each one is different. Every freighter has a unique layout, filled with challenges and dangers. Bring a weapon! Expect tight spaces, creepy atmospheres, and some surprises lurking around corners. It blends exploration with a hint of horror.
4. Ship Shopping Spree: Finding Specific Ship Types
You may want a specific ship type. Let’s discuss finding particular starship classes:
Sentinel Ships: Dissonant Systems are Your Hunting Ground (Again!)
As said before, dissonant systems are ideal for Sentinel ships. Check the galaxy map again for “dissonant.” Corrupted planets in these systems are ideal for Sentinel hunting. Go forth and claim your Interceptor!
S-Tier Ships: Patience and Trading Posts are Key
S-Class ships are the best. Want to increase your chances of finding one? Install an Economy Scanner in your ship. Use it to locate a Trading Post on a planet. Land, then wait. Ships will start appearing for purchase. Scan them as they arrive to check their class. If no S-Class ships show after some time, reload the game at the Trading Post. The ship pool resets, giving you another shot at an S-Class.
Living Ships: Organic and… Alive?
Living Ships are entirely different. These organic vessels require specific steps for acquisition.
questline. First step: Space Anomaly. Buy a Void Egg with Quicksilver (earned through Anomaly missions). Now you have the Void Egg. Begin the Living Ship quest. Follow the prompts until you reach a crashed ship site. Here’s the trick: restart the Living Ship quest in your log. Ta-da! The crashed ship becomes a Living Ship. Space magic!
Exotic Ships: Jack-of-All-Trades, Master of… Most
Exotic ships rank among the best all-arounders. They have impressive stats and show remarkable versatility. While Interceptors are quick and have good storage, Exotics pack power.
- High Stats: Exotics boast high damage, shields, and warp range right away. Ready for anything.
- Supercharger Slots: These slots boost specific stats, tailoring your Exotic to your playstyle.
- Good Storage: After the 4.0 update, Exotics hold more cargo. They are practical.
- Versatile: Whether fighting pirates or exploring galaxies, Exotics excel at both.
5. Bonus Intel: Need-to-Know Ship Salvaging and Finding Facts
Here are extra nuggets about ships:
Number of Crashed Ships per Planet: Variety is the Spice of Wreckage
Planets are generous with crashed ships; expect several on each planet. There’s a catch, though. Once you find ships with a specific inventory slot size, that’s all you will see on that planet for *crashed* ships. Need a bigger ship? You must hop to another planet. Think of planets like tiers for crashed ships.
Salvaging Crashed Ships: Scrap for Fun and Profit
Scrapping crashed ships goes beyond getting rid of metal. It is a surprisingly profitable way to earn Units and Nanites. Transform space junk into space cash!
Finding Lost Ships: Freighter to the Rescue
Lost a ship? Don’t worry. Ships not in use stay in your freighter’s hangar. If you claimed a crashed ship and lost your other ship, try warping your freighter once after claiming. This usually brings your other ship into the hangar by some magic (or freighter warp tech).
Emergency Broadcast Receiver and Abandoned Systems: Deep Space Secrets
The Emergency Broadcast Receivers from the Scrap Dealer help locate Derelict Freighters. They also connect to abandoned systems. Abandoned systems only show their status *after* you visit. Before that, they appear as normal systems on your galaxy map. If you have a Conflict Scanner and Economy Scanner, you can spot abandoned systems by their low economy rating and unavailable conflict rating. It’s a secret handshake to find desolate galaxy corners.
Now you have it, a guide to finding crashed ships, derelict freighters, and ship types in No Man’s Sky. Get out there, explore, and build your dream fleet with salvaged ships!
