11 Bit Studios' games are known for having tough decisions and nail-biting resource management, and The Alters is no exception. You can never quite do everything that you want to in the time that you have, mistakes pile up, and just when you think you have a handle on the situation, the game throws a curveball at you. The best thing you can do is be ready for anything - preparation is key.

Before you start your first run, give these tips a read; they'll help ensure that you get the most out of everything you have at your disposal.

Time Stops In The Menu

You'll quickly find that days go by fast in The Alters. Each second of gameplay is one minute of the in-game clock, and time speeds up even more when Jan is working so that you don't have to sit and watch a progress bar. That means that, quite literally, every second counts, so whether you're exploring the planet's surface or moving around the base, you need to have a destination and a goal in mind.

Luckily, the clock stops when you're in the menu. Any time you aren't actively doing something, bring up the surface map, crafting menu, or research tree while you plan your next move. That way, you won't lose any of your precious time while you figure out the best course of action.

Take Risks Occasionally

Walking the razor's edge all the time isn't recommended until you really know what you're doing, but you also don't want to play it too safe. The Alters is the kind of game where you can really benefit from taking calculated risks, especially if you pick a time when you can afford to fail.

Pushing yourself to explore a bit further from the base than is necessarily safe, making the Alters work extended hours for a day or two, or even mining Rapidium or Organics during a magnetic storm all have potential consequences, but also have extra rewards that make the risk worth it every now and then.

Enriched Metals Aren't Usually Worth It

Enriched Metals can be mined in highly radioactive areas of the map, meaning that any character who spends too long extracting them is at risk of suffering radiation sickness. The tradeoff is that these metals can be split into both Metals and Organics in the Refinery, theoretically making them very efficient.

In practice, though, It's usually better (and safer) to just extract normal Metals and drill for Organics separately. A small stockpile of Enriched Metals to refine in emergencies can be useful, but the risk and extra steps involved in using Enriched Metals makes them less appealing overall.

Use As Few Pylons As Possible

Speaking of Pylons, it's a good idea to be as efficient as you can when placing them. A basic Pylon has a range of 45 meters, and if you can manage it, it's worth taking a few extra seconds to place the next one at precisely the edge of that range. The fewer Pylons you use, the fewer you'll have to craft, freeing up both Metals and storage space for other things.

Use Uphold Production Even If You're A Micromanager

Uphold Production is The Alters' auto-craft system. It lets you set a minimum amount of an item that you'd like to have in stock at all times, and queues it for production if you fall below that quantity. Even if you meticulously micromanage your inventory in games like this, it's a good idea to use this feature for essentials like food, repair kits, and radiation filters.

Reassign Alters Throughout The Day

There are actually very few jobs that require a full day's worth of work from a single character. When an Alter runs out of things to do in their current assignment, they'll check in with you; you can either approve their auto-reassignment or manually go into the menu and move them to a different post of your choosing; otherwise, they'll remain idle.

It's best to start each day by assigning Alters to upkeep tasks; put the Technician on Base Maintenance, have the Worker craft replacements for yesterday's used resources, and send somebody to prep tomorrow's food in the kitchen. Once those are all done, they can move on to other things, like mining at Outposts or cultivating crops in the Greenhouse, which should keep them occupied for the rest of the day.

Keep The Scientist Researching At All Times

The exception to the above rule is the Scientist, whom you'll need to create early just to get through Act 1. He's the only character that can use the Research Lab, and the tech tree is expansive enough that it's a full-time job.

The Scientist should never, ever be without a research project. If you've finished every tech in your current tier, there's probably a qubit chip somewhere on the current map that you haven't found; look for it and upgrade the Quantum Computer to unlock more techs.

Expect Things To Go Wrong

Even if you play it safe and do everything perfectly, there's a level of randomness in the game that you can never account for. Sometimes, things just go wrong, and you'll have to figure out how to deal with it.

Maybe an Alter faints immediately upon reaching an Organics Outpost after taking a whiff of toxic fumes, or a Magnetic Storm knocks out the power to the Dormitory right at the end of the work day, impacting the entire crew's mood critically. As long as you have a stockpile of necessary items and sufficient facilities in the Base to fix problems as they arise, you can usually bring the situation back from the brink.

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