What drew you to play No Man's Sky initially?

NMS was a Christmas gift from my husband. I wanted something that we could play as a family and also cross platform and NMS was the best choice!

Now that you're an experienced NMS player, what do you think of the game?

I love NMS - not only is it filled with lore and storylines for several different species, but you can choose how much (or how little) adventure you want to have. There is so much to do like hunting for items, building, or missions.

How did you get started building in NMS?

My love for building carried over from Ark Survival Evolved and when I realized we could build more than a circular prefab, I started watching and learning all I could.

What is it about building bases that you enjoy most?

My favorite part of base building is trying to decorate my creations to make them express the mood of the base - homey, scientific, industrial, etc.

How would you describe your design aesthetic?

I try to keep my build aesthetic mostly realistic and modest, nothing too outlandish.

Where do you find your design inspirations?

I get inspirations from other builders and sci fi movies

Do you usually have a clear picture of what you're going to build before you start?

I try to have an idea of what I want to build but mostly I just start building and see where it takes me.

How do you choose locations for your builds?

I like to find an energy hot spot because I don't like the solar panels, then I look for scenery or protection depending on the planet

Tell us a little about your thought process when you begin a build.

I like to survey the area I am building in, scenery, climate, animals, resources and then start placing pieces - kind of like a puzzle. It's not uncommon for me to tear a bunch of it down and rebuild.

What techniques and tools do you use?

I mostly use resizing glitches to make things small enough to fit nicely. I am learning other glitch styles of building and want to learn blender. Mods are great until you try to show them to other players who don't have them. Nothing is more disappointing than nobody being able to see or use your build!

How do these techniques and tools fit into your process?

I like shrinking the teleporter & large refiners because in their original form, the take up too much room. I also will shrink other items so that they are not so obtrusive.

What are the pros and cons you encounter by using these techniques and tools?

"Con: Sometimes it takes many attempts to get something placed correctly and I get frustrated or lose my patience.

Pro: It's beautiful when it works!"

What do you find most challenging about building in NMS?

the biggest challenge I face in building is my patience.

How do you deal with a design that just isn't working?

If something isn't working, I delete the base and start over, maybe even move to a different location.

Has there been any specific design type or style you've not found a way to create?

Nothing so far.

How would you recommend someone new to NMS begin learning to build?

For new players learning to build, I recommend to just get started and learn what can be done in vanilla first, then watch some YouTube videos, join some Discord channels, make friends with other builders and start learning more of the tricks.

What additional advice would you give to new Builders?

The most important advice I can give to new builders is to be respectful of other bases and don't build too close.

Anything else you'd like to add?

The point is to have fun, make friends, and be excellent to each other!