Base-building in No Man’s Sky has limits — but PC players can get around them

The latest version of No Man’s Sky contains far more features than the basic release, including the ability to find and develop bases across the universe. In the Foundation Update’s patch notes, developer Hello Games suggested that base-building is meant to tap into players’ unlimited creativity — but those same players have discovered that, when it comes to bases, there are limits.

Many players report that they’re hitting height and range limits midway through building structures and other features within their bases. That’s disappointing for master builders who want to create infinite towers or deep basements inside the abandoned bases they find on their home planets.

These limits are beyond the restrictions imposed upon players by the game. In Normal and Survival modes, players begin with a small set of construction tools. That increases as they complete missions for local aliens, who in turn unlock more options. But after doing so, and from the get-go in the so-called unlimited Creative mode, there’s still only so far a player can go with designing their base.

The video below shows what is possible under the game’s defined restrictions, which is still impressive, but may be a letdown for anyone who still hopes for No Man’s Sky to be a game where the infinite is possible.

One Reddit user, Sogemplow, has posted a workaround for those bumping into the building limit. (It’s only applicable to the Windows PC version of No Man’s Sky, so PlayStation 4 players will have to make do with what the game allows.)

The full set of instructions is below, and the trick requires a simple browse through the game files. Players can then remove the base-building limit, which is set to “2,000,” in a text editor. That allows them to build in areas previously blocked off.

Sogempow uploaded pictures of their unlimited base, although it’s hard to grasp a difference in size without walking around it yourself. It sounds like Sogempow is only just getting started with the feature too, but disabling the building restrictions should bring PC players one step closer to creating whatever they want, no holds barred.