Introduction
The No Man’s Sky Beacon update added a sleek new feature—Autophage Settlements. With their sharp, cyberpunk design and exclusive tech, they’re among the most exciting additions in the game. But before you can start customizing your own Autophage base, you’ll need to unlock access through a specific questline and a bit of exploration.
This guide breaks down everything you need to do—from completing the main story arcs to locating Harmonic Camps and using an Echo Locator. If you're ready to tap into the secretive world of the Autophage and claim your own outpost, this walkthrough has you covered.
Unlocking the Autophage Faction: Where to Begin
To unlock access to Autophage settlements in No Man’s Sky, your first objective is to complete the ‘They Who Returned’ questline. This won’t show up right away—it only becomes available after progressing through a good chunk of the main story, particularly the Artemis Path. This path starts with the Awakenings quest, which serves as the game's introduction. Unless you chose to skip the tutorial in a custom game, you're likely already on this path or have finished it.
The Awakenings mission teaches you the basics—how to repair your ship, build a base, and warp to another system. Once you’re past that, the next mission is ‘Alone Amidst the Stars’, which focuses on locating Artemis and introduces you to the Space Anomaly. Following this are ‘Ghosts in the Machine’ and ‘A Leap in the Dark’, which bring Apollo into the story and guide you through the use of Portals, base expansion, and more.
Questline Progression: What You Need to Complete
After Apollo’s intro, the questline continues with ‘The First Traveller’, which dives into gathering, crafting, and introduces another important character. That’s followed by ‘Patterns in Time’, where you engage more directly with the Gek, Korvax, and Vy’keen races. You'll run errands and gain rep, all essential for the path ahead.
Eventually, you’ll hit ‘16/16’, a short but impactful quest, and then move into ‘The Purge’, which requires multiple warps and a major decision at the end. For best results, many players choose the Reset (Green Option), as it tends to offer the most useful benefits. Finally, there’s ‘New Beginnings’, an epilogue that wraps things up depending on your earlier choices. Completing all of this unlocks eligibility for ‘They Who Returned’, and that’s the key to seeing the Autophage.
Finding Harmonic Camps and the Echo Locator
Completing the story is only half the job. The second requirement to unlock the Autophage is accessing a Harmonic Camp. These camps are found on specific planets within Dissonant Systems. To locate one, open the galactic map and look for a system with "Dissonant" in the subtext. Warp there, then scan the planets from space until you spot one with the tooltip “Dissonance Detected.”
Once on the correct planet, activate your Analysis Visor and search for Dissonance Resonators. These are tripod machines scattered around the surface. Approach them closely and check their potential loot. You're looking for one that drops an Echo Locator—not all of them do. When you find the right one, destroy it to collect the locator. Be prepared, though: Sentinels will attack the moment you engage.
Unlocking the Harmonic Camp Terminal
After obtaining the Echo Locator, activate it from your inventory. This will place a waypoint on your map leading to a Harmonic Camp. Fly there, and once you arrive, find the central terminal and interact with it. Unlocking this terminal is the final requirement needed to trigger the ‘They Who Returned’ questline.
While you're there, make the most of your visit. Harmonic Camps contain lootable items like wheelbarrows that can drop valuable gear. The terminal also lets you unlock a multi-tool cabinet—Sentinel-type tools work best with staff weapons for bonus damage. You can also use the terminal to scan for crashed Interceptor ships, which are considered among the top-tier standard ships in the game.
Starting the ‘They Who Returned’ Questline
Once you've completed both requirements—the Artemis Path questline and unlocking a Harmonic Camp—the game will unlock the ‘They Who Returned’ quest. To trigger it, simply warp to a new star system and start a pulse jump in open space. After a short while, you’ll get a hail that launches the questline. Accept the incoming transmission, and you're on your way.
You won’t need to go far into the quest to gain Autophage visibility. Early steps introduce you to their presence and tech, letting you start spotting Autophage Camps. These feature cyberpunk-themed structures and access to unique terminals. Keep going with the questline if you want to access more missions, currency opportunities, and eventually gain the ability to build Autophage-themed settlements.
How to Get Invited to an Autophage Settlement
There are two ways to access an Autophage Settlement. The first is through a one-time invitation after completing ‘They Who Returned.’ Once you've progressed far enough, an Autophage character will reach out and offer you control of a settlement. However, this is location-based, and you won't have control over where the camp is placed. Many players find themselves managing a settlement on a hazardous or unpleasant world.
This method works, but it’s not ideal if you're looking for something specific—like a paradise biome or easy access to resources. Thankfully, there's a better way to choose your location: using a planetary chart.
How to Use Autophage Planetary Charts
To find your own preferred Autophage Settlement, you’ll need a special planetary chart—but these aren’t available from normal Cartographers. Instead, you can buy them from terminals found in Autophage Camps or Autophage Settlements. These are the same terminals used for staff weapon crafting. Each chart costs around 1,500 Void Motes, so you’ll need to stock up.
The best way to earn Void Motes is by doing missions for the Autophage, which become available after advancing through ‘They Who Returned.’ You could try looting Harmonic Camp wheelbarrows, but mission grinding tends to be more efficient and reliable. Plus, completing the questline is required to access Purple Star Systems, which are tied into endgame content.
Making a Restore Point Before Using the Chart
Before you use the Autophage Settlement Planetary Chart, make sure to create a restore point. These charts are expensive, and they don’t guarantee the settlement will be in a location you like. After you use the chart and see the planet it directs you to, evaluate the biome, weather, and terrain. If it looks like a poor fit, reload your restore point and try again.
You can either use another chart or warp to a different system and then try again later. This gives you control over where your settlement ends up, helping you avoid toxic worlds or extreme hazard planets. Once you find a good spot, head over and prepare to claim it.
Claiming and Building Your Autophage Settlement
Once you’ve found a suitable Autophage Settlement, fly down and interact with the central console. You’ll need to pay 300 Atlantidium to officially claim it. Once you do, a small quest will start that tasks you with building the Overseer’s Building. This part only takes a few minutes and requires some basic resources.
After setting up the Overseer structure, you’ll unlock the ability to start upgrading your settlement. From here, you can place new structures, use themed base parts that match the Autophage aesthetic, and take part in ongoing missions and events. It’s also worth checking the camp terminal regularly for access to additional staff weapons and unique upgrade opportunities.
Key Takeaways for Unlocking Autophage Settlements
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Finish the full Artemis Path storyline to unlock quest eligibility.
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Find and unlock a Harmonic Camp using an Echo Locator from a Dissonance Resonator.
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Complete early steps of ‘They Who Returned’ to perceive Autophage tech and structures.
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Buy an Autophage Settlement Planetary Chart from camp terminals using Void Motes.
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Always create a restore point before using the chart to avoid wasting it.
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Pay 300 Atlantidium to claim a settlement and begin your build.
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