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The No Man's Sky travel diaries

Misadventures in a procedurally generated sci-fi universe.

  • Andrew Webster

    Oct 30, 2018

    Andrew Webster

    No Man’s Sky travel journal: into the terrible abyss

    No Man’s Sky

    At various points over the last two years, I’ve been documenting my time with the sci-fi exploration game No Man’s Sky in a series of journal entries. And while that series came to a conclusion back in August, I decided to bring it back for a one-off story about my time with “The Abyss,” the latest No Man’s Sky update that adds depth to the game’s oceans and new, terrifying creatures to uncover. It’s the perfect thing to play before Halloween.

    It starts, as it usually does, with a call for help.

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  • Andrew Webster

    Aug 29, 2018

    Andrew Webster

    No Man’s Sky travel diary: the final entry

    No Man’s Sky

    Two years ago, when No Man’s Sky first launched, I wrote a journal that chronicled my adventures in the game’s sprawling, procedurally generated universe. Since then, the game has changed considerably, most recently with the No Man’s Sky Next expansion, which is the biggest update yet. It adds new styles of planets, proper multiplayer, and a third-person perspective, among other things. So it seemed like a great chance to dive back in and start the diary again. This will be my final entry, but you can catch up on my previous adventures right here.

    The beach is peaceful, and the view is perfect.

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  • Andrew Webster

    Aug 22, 2018

    Andrew Webster

    No Man’s Sky travel diary: journey to the center of the universe

    No Man’s Sky

    Two years ago, when No Man’s Sky first launched, I wrote a journal that chronicled my adventures in the game’s sprawling, procedurally generated universe. Since then, the game has changed considerably, most recently with the No Man’s Sky Next expansion, which is the biggest update yet. It adds new styles of planets, proper multiplayer, and a third-person perspective, among other things. So it seemed like a great chance to dive back in and start the diary again. You can catch up on my previous adventures — and follow along with my new ones — right here.

    A bulging to-do list and freeform space exploration aren’t really compatible.

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  • Andrew Webster

    Aug 15, 2018

    Andrew Webster

    No Man’s Sky travel diary: a dirty job

    No Man’s Sky

    Two years ago, when No Man’s Sky first launched, I wrote a journal that chronicled my adventures in the game’s sprawling, procedurally generated universe. Since then, the game has changed considerably, most recently with the No Man’s Sky Next expansion, which is the biggest update yet. It adds new styles of planets, proper multiplayer, and a third-person perspective, among other things. So it seemed like a great chance to dive back in and start the diary again. You can catch up on my previous adventures — and follow along with my new ones — right here.

    You’d be surprised how much a giant space crab shits.

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  • Andrew Webster

    Aug 8, 2018

    Andrew Webster

    No Man’s Sky travel diary: responsibility

    No Man’s Sky

    Two years ago, when No Man’s Sky first launched, I wrote a journal that chronicled my adventures in the game’s sprawling, procedurally generated universe. Since then, the game has changed considerably, most recently with the No Man’s Sky Next expansion, which is the biggest update yet. It adds new styles of planets, proper multiplayer, and a third-person perspective, among other things. So it seemed like a great chance to dive back in and start the diary again. You can catch up on my previous adventures — and follow along with my new ones — right here.

    I’m starting to hate the sound of my communicator.

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  • Andrew Webster

    Aug 1, 2018

    Andrew Webster

    No Man’s Sky travel diary: leaving the nest

    No Man’s Sky

    Two years ago, when No Man’s Sky first launched, I wrote a journal that chronicled my adventures in the game’s sprawling, procedurally generated universe. Since then, the game has changed considerably, most recently with the No Man’s Sky Next expansion, which is the biggest update yet. It adds new styles of planets, proper multiplayer, and a third-person perspective, among other things. So it seemed like a great chance to dive back in and start the diary again. You can catch up on my previous adventures — and follow along with my new ones — right here.

    It’s not much, but this place is starting to feel like a home.

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  • Andrew Webster

    Jul 25, 2018

    Andrew Webster

    No Man’s Sky travel diary: a new perspective

    No Man’s Sky

    Two years ago, when No Man’s Sky first launched, I wrote a journal that chronicled my adventures in the game’s sprawling, procedurally generated universe. Since then, the game has changed considerably, most recently with this week’s No Man’s Sky Next expansion, which is the biggest update yet. It adds new styles of planets, proper multiplayer, and a third-person perspective, among other things. So it seemed like a great chance to dive back in and start the diary again. You can catch up on my previous adventures — and follow along with my new ones — right here.

    I can see myself. It feels like the first time.

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  • Andrew Webster

    Oct 7, 2016

    Andrew Webster

    No Man’s Sky travel diary: the end?

    No Man's Sky

    No Man’s Sky is an almost impossibly huge game, an entire virtual universe filled with 18 quintillion planets, each one different from the next thanks to the powers of procedural generation. Instead of a typical review, I’m going to be writing regular dispatches from No Man’s Sky, giving a firsthand account of what the experience is like, and what you can expect if you choose to dive in. You can follow along right here. Spoilers below.

    For the last few days I’ve remained focused, and now I can feel it: the end is near.

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  • Andrew Webster

    Sep 30, 2016

    Andrew Webster

    No Man’s Sky travel diary: looks can be deceiving

    No Man's Sky

    No Man’s Sky is an almost impossibly huge game, an entire virtual universe filled with 18 quintillion planets, each one different from the next thanks to the powers of procedural generation. Instead of a typical review, I’m going to be writing regular dispatches from No Man’s Sky, giving a firsthand account of what the experience is like, and what you can expect if you choose to dive in. You can follow along right here. Spoilers below.

    Things are starting to look up.

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  • Andrew Webster

    Sep 23, 2016

    Andrew Webster

    No Man’s Sky travel diary: trapped on a boring planet

    No Man's Sky

    No Man’s Sky is an almost impossibly huge game, an entire virtual universe filled with 18 quintillion planets, each one different from the next thanks to the powers of procedural generation. Instead of a typical review, I’m going to be writing regular dispatches from No Man’s Sky, giving a firsthand account of what the experience is like, and what you can expect if you choose to dive in. You can follow along right here. Spoilers below.

    Things have been bad since the moment I arrived.

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  • Andrew Webster

    Sep 16, 2016

    Andrew Webster

    No Man's Sky travel diary: finding some peace

    No Man's Sky

    No Man’s Sky is an almost impossibly huge game, an entire virtual universe filled with 18 quintillion planets, each one different from the next thanks to the powers of procedural generation. Instead of a typical review, I’m going to be writing regular dispatches from No Man’s Sky, giving a firsthand account of what the experience is like, and what you can expect if you choose to dive in. You can follow along right here. Spoilers below.

    I’ve been spending too much time in the sky.

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  • Andrew Webster

    Sep 9, 2016

    Andrew Webster

    No Man’s Sky travel diary: turning to a life of space crime

    No Man's Sky

    No Man’s Sky is an almost impossibly huge game, an entire virtual universe filled with 18 quintillion planets, each one different from the next thanks to the powers of procedural generation. Instead of a typical review, I’m going to be writing regular dispatches from No Man’s Sky, giving a firsthand account of what the experience is like, and what you can expect if you choose to dive in. You can follow along right here. Spoilers below.

    This planet might just be the worst I’ve set foot on.

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  • Andrew Webster

    Sep 9, 2016

    Andrew Webster

    A look back on a month of No Man’s Sky, in pictures

    No Man's Sky

    On August 9th, a small game studio from Guildford, England released No Man’s Sky, a massive sci-fi exploration that spans 18 quintillion planets across a procedurally generated universe. Since then I’ve played the game nearly every day, exploring dozens of planets, discovering countless animal creatures, learning hundreds of alien words, and harvesting an ungodly amount of plutonium to fuel my travels.

    I’ve been writing regular dispatches from the game, but one of the joys of No Man’s Sky is actually seeing all it has to offer. As tedious and boring as the game can be at times, it can also be breathtaking, filled with awe-inspiring sites of strange alien landscapes and mysterious, ancient architecture. Because of this, I’ve taken a lot of screenshots while playing; my PlayStation 4 is currently storing more than 2GB of No Man’s Sky images.

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  • Andrew Webster

    Sep 2, 2016

    Andrew Webster

    No Man’s Sky travel diary: the joy of missing out

    No Man's Sky

    No Man’s Sky is an almost impossibly huge game, an entire virtual universe filled with 18 quintillion planets, each one different from the next thanks to the powers of procedural generation. Instead of a typical review, I’m going to be writing regular dispatches from No Man’s Sky, giving a firsthand account of what the experience is like, and what you can expect if you choose to dive in. You can follow along right here. Spoilers below.

    The more I explore, the more I realize how much I’m missing. And I’m finally OK with that.

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  • Andrew Webster

    Aug 26, 2016

    Andrew Webster

    No Man’s Sky travel diary: following the path

    No Man's Sky

    No Man’s Sky is an almost impossibly huge game, an entire virtual universe filled with 18 quintillion planets, each one different from the next thanks to the powers of procedural generation. Instead of a typical review, I’m going to be writing regular dispatches from No Man’s Sky, giving a firsthand account of what the experience is like, and what you can expect if you choose to dive in. You can follow along right here. Spoilers below.

    When I enter a new star system I pretty much always know what to expect.

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  • Andrew Webster

    Aug 15, 2016

    Andrew Webster

    No Man’s Sky travel diary, day five: searching for a purpose

    No Man's Sky

    No Man’s Sky is an almost impossibly huge game, an entire virtual universe filled with 18 quintillion planets, each one different from the next thanks to the powers of procedural generation. Instead of a typical review, I’m going to be writing daily dispatches from No Man’s Sky, giving a firsthand account of what the experience is like, and what you can expect if you choose to dive in. You can follow along right here.

    I’m exhausted.

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  • Andrew Webster

    Aug 12, 2016

    Andrew Webster

    No Man’s Sky travel diary, day four: living off the land

    No Man's Sky

    No Man’s Sky is an almost impossibly huge game, an entire virtual universe filled with 18 quintillion planets, each one different from the next thanks to the powers of procedural generation. Instead of a typical review, for the next week I’m going to be writing daily dispatches from No Man’s Sky, giving a firsthand account of what the experience is like, and what you can expect if you choose to dive in. You can get up to date with days one, two, and three.

    Finally, I’ve found a solution for my storage woes.

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  • Andrew Webster

    Aug 11, 2016

    Andrew Webster

    No Man’s Sky travel diary, day three: a very bad day in space

    No Man's Sky

    No Man’s Sky is an almost impossibly huge game, an entire virtual universe filled with 18 quintillion planets, each one different from the next thanks to the powers of procedural generation. Instead of a typical review, for the next week I’m going to be writing daily dispatches from No Man’s Sky, giving a firsthand account of what the experience is like, and what you can expect if you choose to dive in. You can find the first two entries here and here.

    The blue planet is not at all what I expected.

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  • Andrew Webster

    Aug 10, 2016

    Andrew Webster

    No Man’s Sky travel diary, day two: death comes for us all

    No Man's Sky

    No Man’s Sky is an almost impossibly huge game, an entire virtual universe filled with 18 quintillion planets, each one different from the next thanks to the powers of procedural generation. Instead of a typical review, for the next week I’m going to be writing daily dispatches from No Man’s Sky, giving a firsthand account of what the experience is like, and what you can expect if you choose to dive in. You can find the first entry right here.

    Let me tell you about the first time I died.

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  • Andrew Webster

    Aug 9, 2016

    Andrew Webster

    No Man’s Sky travel diary, day one: all alone on an alien planet

    No Man's Sky

    No Man’s Sky is an almost impossibly huge game, an entire virtual universe filled with 18 quintillion planets, each one different from the next thanks to the powers of procedural generation. Instead of a typical review, for the next week I’m going to be writing daily dispatches from No Man’s Sky, giving a firsthand account of what the experience is like, and what you can expect if you choose to dive in.

    Tall, thick, neon-green blades of grass bend and sway in the wind. Nestled among the field is a tiny spacecraft, smoke exuding from the roof, and bits of debris and wreckage. There’s a long flag bearing a symbol I don’t recognize. I look up and see a pleasant green-blue sky; my suit’s computer tells me it’s a chilly -10 degrees Celsius, but the cold weather doesn’t seem to affect me much. A robotic voice tells me that my jetpack is still operational.

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