Space Box

Learn how to get started in The Universim! This guide covers placing your Epicenter, managing resources like water and food, and building essential structures for a thriving civilization.

Alright, let's get you started in The Universim! This guide will walk you through the initial steps of building your first civilization. It's not the *only* way to play, but it's a solid foundation.

The Tutorial

When you first boot up the game, you'll have the option to run through a tutorial. It's a good idea to do this, as it'll cover the basics of camera controls and introduce you to your main objectives.

The Mother Planet

After the tutorial, you'll be presented with your starting planet. Each planet is randomly generated, so yours will look unique! It'll have familiar features like water, greenery, and weather, similar to Earth. This is where your civilization will begin.

The Epicenter

Your very first building is the Epicenter. This is the heart of your colony. Once placed, it will spawn your initial four Nuggets: two adults and two children. It's super important to place this strategically. Try to find a spot near a body of water, a forest, and some loose rocks. These are your starting resources, and having them close by means your Nuggets won't waste precious time traveling back and forth.

To place the Epicenter, just left-click on your chosen spot. A confirmation prompt will pop up, so click it to finalize.

Construction: Water is Life

With your first four Nuggets, the adults will start gathering resources while the kids wander. Your immediate priority is water. Click the hammer icon in the bottom-left corner to open the Buildings menu. Under the 'Epicenter' category, you'll find the Well. Select it, and its silhouette will appear under your mouse.

Place the Well near a good water source – the game will show you numbers indicating the source's quality; aim for higher numbers. While the Well is building, think about your other water sources. If you have multiple bodies of water, you can use them for more Water Pumps or for Fisher Piers to get food. More water sources mean faster resource gathering.

Once the Well is done, build a Water Pump. Most other buildings need one to function.

Construction: Feeding Your People

After the water situation is stable, it's time to think about food. You have two main options: fishing with Fisher Piers, or building Farms. If you go with Farms, you might need another Water Pump to ensure your crops get enough water to grow. Different crops have different needs – some prefer specific biomes or temperatures, and some take longer to harvest but yield more food. For a start, it's often best to pick a crop that doesn't need a ton of water.

Construction: Keeping Things Running

By now, you should have more adult Nuggets. Your next crucial building is the Engineer's Hut. This allows your Engineers to repair buildings. If buildings fall into disrepair, they can collapse, forcing you to rebuild them from scratch, which is a huge waste of resources. You should also consider building a Hospital or a Cemetery. Injured Nuggets lose health over time if not treated, and unburied corpses can spread illness. Preventing mass illness and injury is key to survival.

Construction: The Extras

With the basics covered, you can start adding conveniences. Building an Eatery lets you convert raw food into prepared meals, which is more efficient. A Forecast Tower will give you valuable intel on upcoming weather and seasonal changes, helping you prepare.

Repeat and Grow

As your population grows, you'll need to build more of everything: more Water Pumps, more Farms, more Fisher Piers, more Hospitals. The game currently has a population cap, but that's expected to change as development continues. Keep expanding and managing your resources, and your civilization will thrive!