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No Man's Sky

Settlements How Planetary Settlements Work

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How to Change Settlement Features

By
Scott Peers

There are a large number of settlement features that you can have associated with your settlement, but only 6 can be active at any given time. The way you select these is by making choices during settlement decisions related to citizen requests, citizen disputes, new arrivals, construction opportunities, and policy decisions. The tables below detail all of the known features associated with each settlement overview stat (population, happiness, productivity, maintenance cost, and sentinel alert level) which can be gained from these events. For a guide on how to respond to settlement decision choices, see our How to Respond to Settlement Decisions page.

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How to Change Settlement Features in No Man’s Sky

You’ll usually start off with more negative settlement features than positive ones, but as more settlement decisions present themselves, you’ll be able to customize your settlement features to eventually make all 6 of them positive. There are far more positive features than negative ones as you can see in the tables below, so each time you have to make a decision will likely present you with an opportunity to improve your settlement, although not all decisions will result in changes to settlement features.

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You should always favor increases in citizen happiness over increased production.
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You should always favor increases in citizen happiness over increased production.1
Most construction opportunities will increase productivity, so this won't be a problem so long as you can provide the materials.2

(1 of 2) You should always favor increases in citizen happiness over increased production.

You should always favor increases in citizen happiness over increased production.
View Full-size
Most construction opportunities will increase productivity, so this won't be a problem so long as you can provide the materials.
View Full-size

You should always favor increases in citizen happiness over increased production. (left), Most construction opportunities will increase productivity, so this won't be a problem so long as you can provide the materials. (right)

Population Features

Name Effect Type
Cosy berths +4 New Citizens Positive
Cosy habitats +3 New Citizens Positive
Cosy quarters +2 New Citizens Positive
Cosy sleep pods +3 New Citizens Positive
Full of parasitic eggs Occasional population loss Negative
Gravitational anomalies Occasional population loss Negative
Localised quicksand Occasional population loss Negative
Multi-use living capsules +3 New Citizens Positive
Multi-person space compressor +4 New Citizens Positive
Undrinkable water Occasional population loss Negative
Well-packed quarters +2 New Citizens Positive
Well ventilated sleep-husk +3 New Citizens Positive
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Happiness Features

Name Effect Type
Atmosphere of suspicion Reduces citizen happiness Negative
Atmospheric scent generator Increases citizen happiness Positive
Automated chef Increases citizen happiness Positive
Automated drink pumps Increases citizen happiness Positive
Automated jukebox Increases citizen happiness Positive
Automated music drones Increases citizen happiness Positive
Blessed by the Aerons Increases citizen happiness Positive
Blessed by the Atlas Increases citizen happiness Positive
Blessed by the deep Increases citizen happiness Positive
Blessed by the earth Increases citizen happiness Positive
Blessed by the Lost Ones Increases citizen happiness Positive
Blessed by the Mists Increases citizen happiness Positive
Blessed by the Moon Increases citizen happiness Positive
Blessed by the Old Ones Increases citizen happiness Positive
Blessed by the stars Increases citizen happiness Positive
Blessed by the titan worm Increases citizen happiness Positive
Blessed by the Tides Increases citizen happiness Positive
Blessed by the wind Increases citizen happiness Positive
Blessed by the writhing heart Increases citizen happiness Positive
Built on cursed ground Reduces citizen happiness Negative
Celebrated galas Increases citizen happiness Positive
Choking air Reduces citizen happiness Negative
Cursed by the Aerons Reduces citizen happiness Negative
Cursed by the Lost Ones Reduces citizen happiness Negative
Cursed by the Old Ones Reduces citizen happiness Negative
Dancing is banned Reduces citizen happiness Negative
Educated citizens Increases citizen happiness Positive
Free de-toxifiers Increases citizen happiness Positive
Free Laughing Gas Increases citizen happiness Positive
Frequent festivals Increases citizen happiness Positive
Gentle de-toxifiers Increases citizen happiness Positive
Gentle hormone injections Increases citizen happiness Positive
Gentle Laughing Gas Increases citizen happiness Positive
Gentle medical supplements Increases citizen happiness Positive
Gentle scent generators Increases citizen happiness Positive
Haunted Reduces citizen happiness Negative
High-speed chef Increases citizen happiness Positive
High-speed food service Increases citizen happiness Positive
High-speed jukebox Increases citizen happiness Positive
Localised gas outbreaks Reduces citizen happiness Negative
Many spiders Reduces citizen happiness Negative
Network of thought police Reduces citizen happiness Negative
No pets allowed Reduces citizen happiness Negative
Poorly decorated Reduces citizen happiness Negative
Professional Relic Hunter Increases citizen happiness Positive
Public air purifiers Increases citizen happiness Positive
Public chef Increases citizen happiness Positive
Public drinks machine Increases citizen happiness Positive
Public drinks pumps Increases citizen happiness Positive
Public jukebox Increases citizen happiness Positive
Pungent food cannery Reduces citizen happiness Negative
Repressive atmosphere Reduces citizen happiness Negative
Resident Flagbearer Increases citizen happiness Positive
Resident Town Crier Increases citizen happiness Positive
Robot butlers Increases citizen happiness Positive
Rude citizens Reduces citizen happiness Negative
Sentinel radar Increases citizen happiness Positive
Sinister AI overlord Reduces citizen happiness Negative
Soothing air purifiers Increases citizen happiness Positive
Soothing leisure bots Increases citizen happiness Positive
Soothing scent generators Increases citizen happiness Positive
Specialist Milliner Increases citizen happiness Positive
Synchronised drinks pumps Increases citizen happiness Positive
Synchronised music drones Increases citizen happiness Positive
Synesthetic chef Increases citizen happiness Positive
Synesthetic drinks machine Increases citizen happiness Positive
Synesthetic jukebox Increases citizen happiness Positive
Uncultured Reduces citizen happiness Negative
Unlucky Reduces citizen happiness Negative
Vibrant Dancing Increases citizen happiness Positive
Virtual jukebox Increases citizen happiness Positive
Well-groomed citizens Increases citizen happiness Positive

Productivity Features

Name Effect Type
Algae farm supplies food Increases productivity Positive
Automated bazaar Increases productivity Positive
Automated chef Increases productivity Positive
Automated maker Increases productivity Positive
Bounty Scanner Increases productivity Positive
Carbon extractor Increases productivity Positive
Carbon Chamber Increases productivity Positive
Carbon drill Increases productivity Positive
Carbon lab Increases productivity Positive
Carbon station Increases productivity Positive
Carbon Welder Increases productivity Positive
Cartography Drones Increases productivity Positive
Cobalt array Increases productivity Positive
Cobalt Compressor Increases productivity Positive
Cobalt extractor Increases productivity Positive
Desalination centre Increases productivity Positive
Desalination chamber Increases productivity Positive
Desalination lab Increases productivity Positive
Desalination station Increases productivity Positive
Di-hydrogen factory Increases productivity Positive
Di-hydrogen workshop Increases productivity Positive
Efficient propaganda Increases productivity Positive
Electrical centre Increases productivity Positive
Electrical core Increases productivity Positive
Energy core Increases productivity Positive
Ferrite core Increases productivity Positive
Ferrite drill Increases productivity Positive
Ferrite factory Increases productivity Positive
Ferrite generator Increases productivity Positive
Geothermal centre Increases productivity Positive
Galactic delivery agents Increases productivity Positive
High-bandwidth sales agents Increases productivity Positive
High-bandwidth trading floor Increases productivity Positive
Hostile spy suspected Decreases productivity Negative
HypnoDrones Increases productivity Positive
Ionisation centre Increases productivity Positive
Ionisation core Increases productivity Positive
Interstellar signal array Increases productivity Positive
Lazy citizens Decreases productivity Negative
Localized cognitohazards Decreases productivity Negative
Logistical array Increases productivity Positive
Logistical unit Increases productivity Positive
Long-distance exchange Increases productivity Positive
Long-distance trading floor Increases productivity Positive
Maintenance lab Increases productivity Positive
Many spiders Decreases productivity Negative
Nano-weave centre Increases productivity Positive
Nano-weave unit Increases productivity Positive
Neutron extractor Increases productivity Positive
Neutron generator Increases productivity Positive
Neutron welder Increases productivity Positive
Nitrogen Station Increases productivity Positive
Plasma facility Increases productivity Positive
Plentiful nanobots Increases productivity Positive
Poisoned water Decreases productivity Negative
Powerful control drones Increases productivity Positive
Powerful holograms Increases productivity Positive
Professional computationist Increases productivity Positive
Professional cybernetician Increases productivity Positive
Professional Food Technician Increases productivity Positive
Professional Medic Increases productivity Positive
Professional mercenaries Increases productivity Positive
Professional relic hunter Increases productivity Positive
Proton facility Increases productivity Positive
Proton welder Increases productivity Positive
Public jukebox Decreases productivity Negative
Quantum market Increases productivity Positive
Recreation array Increases productivity Positive
Resident AI Operator Increases productivity Positive
Resident Divinator Increases productivity Positive
Regular propaganda Increases productivity Positive
Resident Geneticist Increases productivity Positive
Resident relic hunter Increases productivity Positive
Resident spy Increases productivity Positive
Salvage drones Increases productivity Positive
Signal blackspot Decreases productivity Negative
Silicate chamber Increases productivity Positive
Silicate Compressor Increases productivity Positive
Silicate fabricators Increases productivity Positive
Silicate welder Increases productivity Positive
Sodium array Increases productivity Positive
Sodium compressor Increases productivity Positive
Sodium core Increases productivity Positive
Sodium fabricators Increases productivity Positive
Sodium factory Increases productivity Positive
Sodium processor Increases productivity Positive
Specialist Agronomist Increases productivity Positive
Specialist Interpreter Increases productivity Positive
Specialist Telepath Increases productivity Positive
Stirring public clocks Increases productivity Positive
Stirring stimulation gas Increases productivity Positive
Sulphurine factory Increases productivity Positive
Targeted by thieves Decreases productivity Negative
Trade network failing Decreases productivity Negative
Tritium compressor Increases productivity Positive
Tritium drill Increases productivity Positive
Tritium facility Increases productivity Positive
Tritium lab Increases productivity Positive
Very Thick custard Custard cannery Increases productivity Positive
Veteran Cybernetician Increases productivity Positive
Veteran Ice Engineer Increases productivity Positive
Veteran Interpreter Increases productivity Positive
Veteran Relic Hunter Increases productivity Positive
Veteran Researcher Increases productivity Positive
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Maintenance Cost Features

Name Effect Type
Accident-proof drones Decreases maintenance costs Positive
AI-controlled recycler Decreases maintenance costs Positive
Anomalous Tart synthesiser Decreases maintenance costs Positive
Anomaly scanner Decreases maintenance costs Positive
Automated climate shields Decreases maintenance costs Positive
Automated recycler Decreases maintenance costs Positive
Bread cannery Decreases maintenance costs Positive
Built on fault line Increases maintenance costs Negative
Built on sand Increases maintenance costs Negative
Cactus jelly plant Decreases maintenance costs Positive
Caramel Curiosity cannery Decreases maintenance costs Positive
Choking Monstrosity Cake synthesiser Decreases maintenance costs Positive
Cocoa Doughnut synthesizer Decreases maintenance costs Positive
Communal buildings Decreases maintenance costs Positive
Cooperative buildings Decreases maintenance costs Positive
Crystalline Soup plant Decreases maintenance costs Positive
Custard Fancy plant Decreases maintenance costs Positive
Earthy Pie synthesiser Decreases maintenance costs Positive
Efficient power generator Decreases maintenance costs Positive
Efficient recycler Decreases maintenance costs Positive
Ever-burning Jam Farm Decreases maintenance costs Positive
Frequent tremors Increases maintenance costs Negative
Foursome sauce farm Decreases maintenance costs Positive
Fungal omelette plant Decreases maintenance costs Positive
Furball Jelly plant Decreases maintenance costs Positive
Glowing pie cannery Decreases maintenance costs Positive
Geometric signal booster Decreases maintenance costs Positive
Gooey Caramel Cake cannery Decreases maintenance costs Positive
Gooey Custard Fancy synthesiser Decreases maintenance costs Positive
Intermittent lighting failures Increases maintenance costs Negative
Ionised foundations Decreases maintenance costs Positive
Itching, Creeping Honey Sponge Decreases maintenance costs Positive
Jam Curiosity farm Decreases maintenance costs Positive
Jam Oozers synthesiser Decreases maintenance costs Positive
Highly radioactive Increases maintenance costs Negative
Hexaberry synthesiser Decreases maintenance costs Positive
Intermittent lighting failures Increases maintenance costs Negative
Leaking pipes Increases maintenance costs Negative
Leathery Tart synthesiser Decreases maintenance costs Positive
Mutual recycler Decreases maintenance costs Positive
Omelette farm Decreases maintenance costs Positive
Partially-Liquid Cheese farm Decreases maintenance costs Positive
Polarised signal booster Decreases maintenance costs Positive
Processed meat synthesizer Decreases maintenance costs Positive
Processed sugar farm Decreases maintenance costs Positive
Proto-Beignet synthesiser Decreases maintenance costs Positive
Prototype building materials Increases maintenance costs Negative
Public art Decreases maintenance costs Positive
Resident Baker Decreases maintenance costs Positive
Resident Xenobiologist Decreases maintenance costs Positive
Shared heat pumps Decreases maintenance costs Positive
Shared power generator Decreases maintenance cost Positive
Smokey Meat Pie Synthesiser Decreases maintenance costs Positive
Soft and Spiky Surprise Plant Decreases maintenance costs Positive
Spacetime anomaly shielding Decreases maintenance costs Positive
Specialist Baker Decreases maintenance costs Positive
Specialist Cook Decreases maintenance costs Positive
Sweet Cream Dreams cannery Decreases maintenance costs Positive
Synthetic biosphere Decreases maintenance costs Positive
Synthetic microclimate generator Decreases maintenance costs Positive
Tangy Vegetable Stew farm Decreases maintenance costs Positive
Veteran Exterminator Decreases maintenance costs Positive
Worm infestation Increases maintenance costs Negative
Wriggling Jam plant Decreases maintenance costs Positive
Writhing Jam plant Decreases maintenance costs Positive
Caramel-Encrusted Cake Farm Decreases maintenance costs Positive

Sentinel Alert Level Features

Name Effect Type
Aeron suppressors Decreases sentinel attention Positive
Atlas cloak Decreases sentinel attention Positive
Atlas shields Decreases sentinel attention Positive
Citizens are all clones Increases Sentinel attention Negative
Legacy nanobots Increases Sentinel attention Negative
Professional Robotomancer Decreases sentinel attention Positive
Resident Bounty Hunter Decreases sentinel attention Positive
Sentinel turrets Decreases sentinel attention Positive
Specialist Bounty Hunter Decreases sentinel attention Positive
Veteran Divinator Decreases sentinel attention Positive
Resident Spy Decreases sentinel attention Positive
Resident Mercenaries Decreases sentinel attention Positive
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Guide Information

  • Publisher
    Hello Games
  • Platforms,
    PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, XB One, XB X|S
  • Guide Release
    27 April 2022
  • Last Updated
    11 January 2023
    Version History
  • Guide Author

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This ongoing guide for the amazing No Man’s Sky includes the following:

  • Tips and Tricks to get started
  • Technology Upgrades
  • Building a Base guides
  • Crafting Guides
  • Mission Guides
  • Encounters
    As well as this there is also information on the game’s numerous updates, as well as the forthcoming Nintendo Switch version of No Man’s Sky.

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