If you’re a fan of No Man’s Sky, there’s some potentially exciting news. A newly launched experimental branch on Steam is now open for players to test out. The focus is to address several multiplayer and performance hiccups, and though these adjustments are relatively minor, they could still significantly enhance the gaming experience for those entering the universe of No Man’s Sky in 2024.
No Man’s Sky’s journey is truly remarkable. Despite its rocky debut back in 2016, Hello Games has persistently rolled out updates that have steadily improved the title. Their dedication has transformed it into one of gaming’s great redemption stories. Just this year, they have introduced several free updates, like Worlds Part 1, which revamped environmental features with striking enhancements like volumetric clouds and realistic water effects. Fresh types of planets bursting with new fauna also await explorers eager to discover them.
As 2024 transitions into its final phase, Hello Games is pushing the envelope once again. On November 28, they opened up a fresh experimental branch for Steam users, featuring fixes aimed at improving multiplayer connectivity on PS4 and preventing crashes on PS5 while playing the PS4 version. Additional tweaks include addressing a glitch causing ship inventories to merge and enhancing Mac performance by fixing focus issues. They are also fine-tuning wind calculations to craft richer environmental experiences.
How to Access No Man’s Sky’s Experimental Branch
Interested in exploring this experimental branch? Here’s a quick guide for you:
- Go to your Steam Library and right-click on No Man’s Sky.
- Select ‘Properties’ from the dropdown.
- Navigate to the ‘Betas’ tab.
- Input the access code "3xperimental" and click ‘Check Code’.
- Choose the experimental option from the list.
While diving into this experimental realm, Hello Games urges participants to create backups of their save files. They advise making a local copy of the st_[userid] folder located at %appdata%\HelloGames\NMS\ on PC and ~/Library/Application Support/HelloGames/NMS/ on Mac. Moreover, if you’re planning to opt out of testing later, it’s best not to migrate experimental save files back to the main branch, as these updates aim to hit other platforms at the earliest opportunity.
It’s pretty impressive how Hello Games maintains their commitment to bettering No Man’s Sky, reflected in the game’s "Very Positive" reviews on Steam, indicative of the profound advancements since its original release. Thousands continue to explore its vast universe, validating its lasting appeal.
Not stopping there, Hello Games has also sketched out a festive roadmap. Over the upcoming holiday season, players can expect the reappearance of five expeditions, each rolled out in two-week phases, with Omega already in progress.
No Man’s Sky Experimental Branch November 28 – Patch Notes
Here are the updates being tested in the experimental branch:
- Resolved a rare ship inventory integration bug.
- Optimized the calculations for wind.
- Fixed multiplayer connection issues on PS4.
- Addressed a crash that occurred when playing the PS4 version on PS5.
- Solved a focus issue on Mac leading to subpar performance.
In conclusion, No Man’s Sky invites you to an expansive sci-fi adventure through a universe that’s both breathtakingly infinite and procedurally generated. Whether you’re mining rare resources, battling space pirates, or just unraveling the mysteries of endless galaxies, the game’s ambition never ceases to amaze. From creating your fleets to building sprawling bases, exploration knows no bounds. So why not set out on this never-ending journey? The universe, with its much-improved charm, eagerly awaits.
