u/Sinhika

First, thing I did learn before it was too late:

• the starting area floods. It's mentioned in the Guide in the Steam Community area. I still had to deconstruct my early base and hump all those materials uphill before the liquid water => Lakes phase. Then I went around and removed all the huts and wind generators that were below flood level. I probably missed some, so we'll see.

Things I wish I'd learned earlier:

• There is a sprint mode. I didn't find that out until I got jetpacks and was looking at the keybinds to find out how to use the jetpack. I spent so much time slogging from point to point with a pack full of materials at walking speed!
• Someone mentioned holding CTRL down to select all of a material for transfer. Would have saved me a lot of mouse clicks.
• Rockets boost global terraforming multipliers. Also, loose materials from summoned asteroids do not seem to evaporate the way the big rocks do.
• Push food growers as fast as you can, unless you like starving to death repeatedly. Also, almost all loot boxes have food. Look for them if you are starving.
• I prefer 5-2-1 for huts, because they sit better on a platform, and can have a chest for dumping nearby loot into.

Things I figured out on my own:

• Survival huts.
• Wind generators make great cheap early way markers.
• If you have plenty of power, area lamps make wreck diving less of an exercise in reminding yourself that this isn't Alien, and no xenomorphs are waiting to jump you in the dark.
• Wreck diving is as dangerous in this game as it is in Real Life. Bring extra water & O2, because it's easy to get lost trying to find your way back out to the entrance.