Summary
Dune: Awakeningcan be hard, especially for those who are not used to survival crafters. With a huge open-world to explore, dangerous sandstorms, deranged scavengers, and the mighty sandworms lurking around every corner, it’s a challenging experience for even the most gritted veterans of the genre.
For those who are thinking about diving into the world of Arrakis, here’s a list of varioususeful beginner tipsto make their experience traversing through the world of Dune a little bit easier. From some basic survival advice to how to understand some of the ‘hidden’ mechanics in the game. Learning about them will give players the extra edge to dominate the world ofDune: Awakening.
9Always Remain Close To The Shade
The Sun Is Your Enemy
InDune: Awakening, losing water means risking dying from exhaustion and dehydration. Water Discipline is one of the first things players learn when they arrive in Arrakis, a place so harsh and hot, with a merciless sun that can kill a man in only a few minutes of exposure. But, there’s a trick to remaining safe from the sun, and that is to stick to the shade. Insolation can be prevented by remaining in places where the sun doesn’t reach, then exploring when the night falls.
If players are not able to find shelter, look around for crevices in the rocks, where they can climb and take shelter until the sun goes down. This will help players preserve water and explore for longer, getting more loot and avoiding falling into the hands of the main enemy in the game: Canopus (aka, the Sun of the system).
8Never Run In Open Sand
You’ll Die And Lose Everything
Alongside the scorching sun and the dangerous and unpredictable sandstorms, the other main enemy in the game will be the titanic Sandworm that roams the sands of Arrakis. These creatures are basically everywhere in the game, and players will be able to notice a titillating red dot in their HUD (above the screen)anytime a Sandworm breaks from the undergroundto eat another player. If players are eaten by worms, they will lose all their equipment and gear, so be extremely careful not to die this way.
This will give them an idea as to how close or far these creatures are patrolling the area where they are. But the problem is: The worms that cannot be seen. Players must assume that there are worms everywhere in the Open Sand areas, and tread carefully each time they need to step from one rocky island to the other. Players will be able to see a bar indicator near their sights that indicates the vibrations they make by running, spamming abilities, or simply standing in an open sand area. The more agitated these waves are, the more chances for worms to notice them, so be careful.
7Always Carry A Respawn Beacon
Use Them To Save Your Progress
Respawn Beacons can be set almost everywhere on the map, and if players fall due to NPCs, enemy players, or regular sandstorms, they will be able to recover their gear sooner if they have a Respawn Beacon with them. Crafting them costs only 20 salvaged metal and 4 seconds, so there’s no excuse for not having enough materials or time to craft it, as this basic resource is almost everywhere in the map.
Putting a Respawn Beacon near a PoI is a good way to prevent losing precious loot if players are caught off guard by a respawn spree. Enemy NPCs resurrect in bulk and attack all at the same time if players are in sight. So, plant a Beacon, and explore leisurely.
6Watch Out For Your Hydration Levels
Water Discipline Needs To Be Your Main Concern
The Water Discipline gimmick will force players to keep themselves hydrated, or lose Stamina regeneration and risk dying a horrible death. Players might have noticed by now, but the hydration mechanics are not as simple as they might appear at first sight. The first bar can be filled with the flower beds that grow near rocks and inside caverns, and it will save their lives in case of extreme need. The other two hydration bars can only be filled with filtered water that comes from hydration stations that can be found inside PoIs like Scavenger Camps, and Wreckages of ships.
When players unlock their own bases, they can also build a Purifying Station that will allow them toextract water from the blood of their fallen enemies. This is one of the most gruesome and incredible details ofDune: Awakening.Players will have to carry their Blood Extractors and Blood Bags around to collect every bit of moisture from enemies. Using a Stillsuit will also allow them to drink the water that comes out of their bodies. When they unlock their first Water Container unit, they will be able to explore longer distances from their bases, and the game pace changes significantly.
5Rush Your Sandbike As Soon As Possible
Collect Sandbike Wreckages By Following The Smoke Trails
While completing the Main Quest inDune: Awakening,players will come across the technology unlock for the Sandbike, but this requires players to complete a series of quests guided by Zandara (the main Fremen contact during the adventure). Once players have investigated the wreckage of the Alcyon, the next step will be to craft their new weapons and Scavenger Set, and after that, they will be able to unlock the Sandbike Schematic by completing one more quest.
Needless to say, unlocking this first vehicle is critical for players, so keep it as the main objective during the first chunk of the adventure and rush the quests to get mobility. Exploration will be much simpler after this, and, of course, faster.
4Don’t Build Near PoIs Or Open Sand
Certain Resources Stop Spawning If There Are Player Bases Nearby
A common mistake of many survival game beginners is to bring themselves as close to PoIs as possible, because they think that this way they will have quick access to some resources like containers and wreckage. But that’s a terrible blunder, since the territory claim beacon will cause nearby resources like Sandbike Wreckages to disappear, never to respawn again.
There are many places to build behind the rocky islands and flat surfaces, away from sandworms, scavengers, and other dangers of Arrakis. And these also offer more space to build leisurely, instead of having a cramped 6x6 small camp tucked between a wreckage and a scavenger camp.
3Pay Attention To Intel Spots
Explore Everything And Look For The Compass Holograms
Intel Spots provide extra Intel needed to research new schematics and unlock more advanced technologies, and these can be spotted easily when using a Survey Beacon. So, once players have unlocked this tool, they can scout around for more Intel points.
To find Intel pickups, players need to pay attention to their characteristic humming noise, and to the Green Light with a Holographic Compass Symbol these collectibles emit. In each of the PoIs that hold Intel, there will be an indication of completion that players can check to know if they have already gathered the Intel available in the location.
2Stay Away From Sardaukar Patrols
They Will Paralyze You And Murder You On The Spot
Players might have already noticed that there are small ships patrolling the skies, using reflectors to scout the sands. If players are detected by the light of one of these ships, they will be immediately paralyzed by a beam of energy, and a Sardaukar Patrol will drop to kill them.
These troopers are equipped with dangerous Dart Rifles, which can snipe the players at a long distance. If they are only carrying their Makeshift Maula Pistol, they will not be able to deal with these enemies. So, be careful in the early game and avoid these patrols at any cost.
1Pay Attention To The Environmental Clues
Lights Will Guide You To Treasure
Most containers and special lootables (and also water sources) have their own environmental clues to guide players toward the best loot in the game. For example: lootable bodies are often displayed in open spaces or carry a rescue beacon with them (that will make it visible in dark spots or at long distances using the Binoculars). Containers have lights that vary from light blue to fluorescent green, and they are often well hidden in corners and, in some cases, even among the vegetation.
Paying attention to these luminous clues will help players get all the necessary loot to craft some of the best items in the game. Exploring certain dungeon-like PoIswill often yield Spice Infused materialsand Unique Schematics, so it’s always worth taking a look.
