Summary
Several MMOs feature player housing, especially the ones with a strong survivalist influence, so it makes sense that the desert landscape ofDune: Awakeningis already littered with bases of every size, shape, and design. It’s also possible to copy, move, and abandon these bases when a character changes their permanent location.
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when considering how the base should look, and there are a variety of possibilities, but the harsh natural environment and a constant search for resources are factors to consider. Players need to have a certain layout that includes space for storage, refining, fabrication, power, water collection, and a place to park the speedbike. Zanatar, the mysterious individual who walks characters through the tutorial and theirfirst base-building session, introduces the various machines and their uses but gives very little in the way of guidelines when it comes to floorplans or designs. Some are better than others, and each has distinct advantages depending on the player’s needs.
5Cliffside
A Sheltered Vantage Point
An ideal base should be off the ground to avoid attracting or being destroyed by worms, but it also needs to have a decent panoramic view. As the name implies, the “cliffside” design starts with this concept in mind and then works back into the cliff if the player needs to expand.
This layout is better for a starter base because it won’t get very big, depending on how long the player stays in this location, but extra floors can allow for more space when it’s time to expand. Resources can be found on both the ground and higher on the rocks, andthe most important resources at this pointare copper for fabrication and granite for building the structure of the base. Using this design, players won’t have far to go to find what they need. Plant life is also readily accessible with this option, which is more important at earlier levels when the character is less likely to have extra water storage.
4The Base Base
Mind The Wormsign
This layout is ideal for those who prefer making a longer, wider base with only one or two floors. The ground floor makes for a convenient garage for vehicles, and the player should put them inside to protect them from the elements anyway. Placed strategically, this structure also offers shade and shelterwhen the player is foraging nearby.
The main disadvantage to this design is its placement next to the volatile desert sands, and the player can disturb the sandworms if they build too close and make too much noise. That said, there is the advantage of having so much open space that can easily fit every appliance or machine the player requires. When more power sources are required, it’s easy to designate a section of the base to house the extra ones.
3Hoarding House
Close To Resources And Plenty Of Storage
These layouts are often made up of simple, geometric designs that don’t feature a lot of frills. Their main function is storage, which can also includebig-ticket items like vehicles, so this is another layout that can fit an ornithopter landing pad as easily as a multi-bike garage. Players can also combine this layout with the Base Base design to have a wide open main floor space to both build the toys and store them.
The first few storage units the player can build are fairly modest, but they’re easy to build with copper and iron, and with this kind of design, a whole floor can be used as a resource stash. It’s helpful to remember that the appliances and machines that the player requires for refining, repairing, and fabricating also have a small amount of storage space. It’s only three or four slots each, but mineral ore stacks, so the player can collect a lot of it.
2Integrated
Use The Natural Surroundings
This is more of a design than a layout choice because it lets the natural shape of the rock dictate exactly what the base looks like. For those who prefer multi-story bases, this is an ideal design because half of the walls are already finished, which can save the player a few slabs of granite.
A drawback to this design is that it makes placing machines and appliances slightly awkward. These additions prefer to be placed against straight lines. Thankfully, it’s possible to rotate these constructs to make them fit. This layout also might feel darker than others, since no adjustments can be made to the natural surroundings, such as adding windows or doors, so players shouldbe liberal with the placement of standing lightsand windows where possible. When the first floor runs out of room, players can build upward within the rocks, and one mustn’t forget a spot on the main floor for storing vehicles.
1Crow’s Nest
Ideal For Surveying And ‘Thopter Operation
This is a better layout for more advanced players with access to more and better transportation. Finding an ideal site at a high elevation isn’t that difficult, but simply getting there and leaving is more of a chore, especially when the player has to finish a quest or go hunting for resources.
On the other hand, it’s a better layout for Survey Probes, Binoculars, andother devices used for watching the desertor improving radio reception. It’s also a lot more isolated than any other location for players who would prefer not to have neighbors or visitors. The Crow’s Nest layout is typically smaller and is about observation instead of defense or storage, with the layout being high above the desert. As long as the player is willing to carry the granite, copper, and other resources to that great height, it can easily prove to be a great base layout option.
