Getting Started in The Alters
If you're jumping into The Alters for the first time, you're in for a wild mix of survival, strategy, and some serious sci-fi storytelling. This guide is your go-to resource for navigating early gameplay, managing your crew, and making the most of your limited time in each cycle. After spending nearly a week testing the game, it's clear that mastering its mechanics early can make or break your first run.
At its core, The Alters blends several genres: base building, time-based survival, and character-driven decision-making. The twist? Every crew member is an alternate version of the protagonist, Jan. They're not clones—they're versions of you from different life paths, each with unique skills and personalities. These alters are the key to surviving in this hostile world.
Understanding the Time Limit and Daily Structure
One of the first things you'll notice in The Alters is the daily timer. Each expedition runs on a tight schedule, and if you're not careful, you might run out of time—literally. A full journey takes about 35 in-game days, and everything you do costs time. Exploring, gathering materials, and even crafting items back at your base all eat away at your day.
There are a few exceptions where time pauses—like when you're in the menu or placing base modules—but for the most part, your decisions need to be efficient. That’s where the strategic layer really kicks in.
🔑 Key Tip: Never ignore the day-night cycle. After 8:00 p.m., radiation spikes make outdoor activity dangerous. If you're still outside, Jan can collapse or even die—unless another alter rescues him.
Smart Resource Scouting and Extraction
The first thing you should focus on is securing critical resources. Metals, rapidium, organics, and minerals are your bread and butter. To find these quickly, craft and deploy polygon scanners—these highlight underground deposits.
Red glowing areas indicate you’re close to a resource node. When you see the glow intensify, that’s your cue to build a mining outpost. These outposts are essential for extracting large quantities over time without needing to do it manually.
🔋 Pro Tip: Connect mining outposts to your base using pylons. These serve a dual function—power delivery and fast travel.
Among the early resources, enriched metal is a top priority. It can be refined into both standard metal and organics, making it a versatile early-game target.
Building the Perfect Team with Alters
Managing your team in The Alters isn’t just about assigning tasks—it’s about picking the right version of yourself for the job. Each alter has a specialty and comes with a 50% efficiency boost in their own field, like mining, tech work, or research. You can assign any alter to most tasks, but sticking to their strength saves time and boosts results.
When you begin, you’ll have access to just two alters. That’s not much, but it’s enough to kick things off. You’ll want to unlock more alters as soon as you can, and that requires rapidium, a key resource found through mining and exploration. You’ll also need a damaged chip, which typically shows up in crashed cargo sites. Once you've got these, head to the quantum computer to create a new alter.
🧠 Recommended Starting Team:
Technician (given): Great for maintaining your base.
Scientist (make first): Needed for story progress and opens up tech trees.
Over time, you can unlock up to 11 different alters, but you won’t be able to use them all in one run. Choose your crew based on your short-term and long-term goals. For example, early on, it makes sense to go for:
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Miner – For harvesting resources quickly.
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Refiner – Converts enriched metal efficiently.
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Worker – Versatile and helpful in base operations.
🔄 Efficiency Tip: Use the alters' specialties for best results, but if you’re stuck, any alter can fill in temporarily. Just watch their morale (more on that soon).
Upgrading Team Capacity with Cubit Chips
Your initial alter limit is low, but you can expand it using a cubit chip upgrade. Here’s what you need:
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20 Metals
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20 Minerals
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1 Damaged Chip
Once you gather these, return to your base workshop to unlock additional alter slots. Managing more alters means you can get more done, faster—but also means keeping an eye on more personalities and morale levels.
🔧 Efficiency Stack: A well-rounded team reduces the need for micromanagement. You can focus on planning while they handle the day-to-day tasks like mining and refining.
Prioritizing Early Base Modules
Once your resource flow is steady and you’ve got a few alters on your team, it's time to build out your base. The two most important structures early on are the Refinery and the Workshop.
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Refinery: Processes enriched metals into usable materials like metals and organics. Without it, you’ll hit a wall in crafting and progression.
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Workshop: Handles all your crafting needs, from repair kits to radiation filters and tools.
🛠️ Quick Tip: Keep at least a small stockpile of repair kits and radiation filters. They’re used up quickly—especially during magnetic storms and high-radiation events.
The Technician alter, your default crewmember, is especially useful here. With a 50% bonus to all base maintenance tasks, assigning them to repairs and upkeep is a smart move.
Crew Morale: Why It Matters and How to Manage It
Unlike in many survival games, your team in The Alters isn't just a bunch of robotic helpers—they have personalities, histories, and emotional needs. Morale is a big deal here. Low morale doesn't just slow productivity—it can lead to rebellion, insubordination, or even mission failure.
😐 Warning Sign: Check the Alters Menu often to see each crewmember’s current mood.
To keep morale high:
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Build Leisure Rooms for relaxation.
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Use gifts (found in crashed cargo) to boost mood.
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Pay attention to each alter’s background and life path—this influences how they react to decisions and events.
There are also ethical choices to consider. Do you focus on mission progress, even if it upsets your crew? Or do you cater to their needs, potentially wasting precious time? The game lets you decide, and each path changes the story.
🛡️ Pro Strategy: If morale becomes unmanageable, you can create Guard alters to keep order. It’s a drastic solution but can prevent chaos in tight spots.
Boosting Productivity and Using Crunch Hours Wisely
As you progress, you’ll unlock features that help push your base’s productivity to the next level. One of the most useful—but risky—mechanics is Crunch Hours. This allows you to extend your alters’ work shifts from 8 to 12 hours, giving you more output from each day.
⚠️ Trade-Off: Crunch Hours come with a steep morale penalty. Use them sparingly and only when you really need a production boost.
You’ll also gain access to production queuing in the workshop. This feature lets you pre-plan crafting tasks, so your assigned alter can build multiple items in sequence without micromanagement.
🛠️ Quality-of-Life Tip: Always assign someone to the workshop if you’re queuing items—it won’t auto-build unless someone is working it.
Listen to hints from your Scientist alter or the game’s internal prompts. These often unlock new mechanics, such as Crunch Hours or advanced tech trees, that can dramatically shift how you play.
Final Tips for Smooth Progression
To stay on top of your playthrough in The Alters, keep these habits in mind:
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Scan first, mine second. Use polygon scanners to avoid wasting time wandering.
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Assign alters by specialty. That 50% bonus stacks up quickly over time.
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Keep everyone in shape. Morale impacts everything—don't let it slide.
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Build smart. Prioritize structures that boost efficiency and repair capabilities.
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Check cargo drops. They’re the best way to find rare items like damaged chips or gifts.
Conclusion: Survive and Thrive in The Alters
Surviving in The Alters isn’t just about gathering resources—it’s about how you manage your time, your team, and your base. With limited days, unpredictable weather, and a team of emotionally complex alternate selves, your choices matter. Build the right alters, expand strategically, and balance morale with progress. That’s how you not only survive—but thrive.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: What is the best first alter to create in The Alters?
A: The Scientist is the best choice after the default Technician. It unlocks crucial tech trees and is essential for progressing through major story missions.
Q2: How do you increase your alter team size?
A: You can expand your team by crafting a cubit chip using 20 metals, 20 minerals, and a damaged chip found in cargo drops, then upgrading at your base.
Q3: What are the most important early-game resources?
A: Enriched metal, rapidium, and organics are key. Enriched metal is especially valuable due to its dual conversion potential.
Q4: How do Crunch Hours affect gameplay?
A: Crunch Hours extend alter work shifts from 8 to 12 hours, increasing productivity but also lowering crew morale significantly.
Q5: Can you reassign alters outside of their specialties?
A: Yes, any alter can be reassigned to different tasks, but they'll work slower. Specialized roles provide a 50% efficiency bonus.
Q6: How do you improve alter morale?
A: Use leisure rooms, give them found gifts from cargo drops, and avoid overworking them with Crunch Hours to keep their mood high.
Q7: What happens if alter morale gets too low?
A: Low morale can lead to reduced performance and even rebellion. Managing emotional needs is as crucial as resource collection.
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