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Heading Towards The Galactic Hub – No Man’s Sky

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I’ve become aware of the Galactic Hub.  In short, it’s a region of space (no where near the center, so it’s not a hub in that sense) that, given a little bit of effort (unless you’re very close to the center), everyone in No Man’s Sky should be able to get to.  While there isn’t any “classical” multiplayer in the game, the Hub (in short) is where the ability to share discoveries and leave messages shines.

I’d seen hints/links to the subreddit for some time, but never really looked into it.  Then, @HelloGames tweeted about it:

So I looked into it a little closer.

(Roughly) Where my current base is, and where the Hub and the Center are

First, there’s a tool that can be useful for figuring out where you are compared to where the Hub (and the Center, and actually the Pilgrim Star, the first planet to be publicly circumnavigated on foot) is.  It just so happens that I had gotten to my 150th system, and that that system was directly between the Hub and the Center.

Next, there’s a “tagging standard” that can be useful for indicating notable things about a system or planet you’ve discovered.  This helps individuals looking for certain things (usually within the hub, where the density of discoveries by other players would be greatest) locate them more quickly.

The Hub is currently Euclid (the first galaxy you start in) only, and moving to the next galaxy, while a “goal” I guess, has never been a requirement (though I was headed that way).  But now, the idea of an area of space that people are exploring collaboratively appeals to me, so I’ll be starting the 175 jump or so journey in the next day or so (I still have a new home system to explore a bit, and a naming scheme to incorporate into my own).

UPDATE: June 13, 2017

The update below this one has been … superceeded? by the post So You Want To Go To The Galactic Hub In No Man’s Sky.  It’s been kept though for posterity.

UPDATE: January 18, 2017

Yesterday evening (after writing this post) I explored my new system (BF Wonfyto, my 152nd system) fully, trying to utilizing the GH labeling standard for the rest of the planets.  I then moved on to a jump in the general direction of the Hub (BF Wonfyftre).  Checking the coordinates, I wasn’t too far off, but still – 174 jumps to go.

It occurred to me earlier today that I still had three systems listed in my Terminus from when I first came back to No Man’s Sky after the Foundation Update (which was BF Lutetia, system 71).  When I founded that base, I did the base/specialist missions, which had taken me to those three other systems.  When I thought about it, I figured I should go to one of those systems and get the coordinates to see where it was in relation to everything else.

Turns out it was 165K LY or so away from the center, and not anywhere near the Hub.  It was, however, not too far away from what became “[V/BH] BF Wonfyfor” (a Vy’keen system with a Black Hole in it).  See, there’s a “game” you can play I call “Black Hole Roulette”.  When you travel through a Black Hole, it spits you out somewhere that’s closer (by about 1500 LY) to the Core, but randomly around it as well … so you could end up almost on the opposite side of the Core, but still closer to it than you were.  There’s even a “Draw Black Hole Ring” function on the Pilgrim Star App that shows you a circle that represents the myriad of places you could end up appearing after entering a Black Hole at your present location.  The trick is:

  1. Go to a Space Station with a Black Hole nearby.
  2. Get out of the ship (to set a save point up).
  3. Get in and go through the Black Hole.
  4. Land on a planet and check your location.  If it is close enough (within 50 hops or so), you can stop here.  Otherwise …
  5. Load up the save from when you were on the Space Station.
  6. (THIS IS IMPORTANT) get in to your ship after the old save is loaded.  Go back to step 2.
Much closer than before. Base hasn’t moved; this is just a planet I can use my Terminus to get to now.

I ended up 11 jumps away from the Galactic Hub.  Practically spitting distance (4080 LY).

Even dawdling a little bit, I should be there in two weeks.

EDIT 20170214: Why the “IMPORTANT” bit is so important:

Your goal here is to get as close to the Hub.  A single trip through a black hole even with a friendly Black Hole Ring is not likely to do you any good.

You get three saves: most recent (we’ll call “1”), and two after that.  These saves are independent of one another, so:

  • When you set up the initial save, it’s “1”.  But when you land on the planet, it becomes “2”.
  • If you load the save and don’t create a fresh one, the next landing you do makes that original save in the space station now “3”.
  • Do that again, and you won’t be able to load the save in the space station and will be stuck with three saves on three different planets that likely won’t do you any good.

It can take many attempts to get to a decently close system.  The general guideline is that, if you’re within 50 hops, you’re in a good position; however, those 50 warps might take you some time if you stop in every system and look around.  If you’re speed jumping, it shouldn’t take you too long.

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