Hardspace: Shipbreaker Tips

Having logged over 60 hours in space and wiped millions off of my debt in Hardspace: Shipbreaker over its Early Access period, I eagerly checked out the final release version. If not to finally free myself of debt to LYNX, then at least to pass along my “expert” knowledge so that you can pay off yours. With an additional 20+ hours in space, here's what I've come up with.

Look around the ship before you cut anything

Most of the ships you are going to encounter will have sealed airlocks. That means you’ve got plenty of oxygen since your personal supply won’t deplete while you’re inside the ship. So, make sure you take your time and plan ahead. Shut off fuel lines, locate any spare oxygen tanks for later use, and open all of the airlocks once you’ve depressurised the ship.

Almost anything will fit with enough tethers

There are some things that your cutting tool simply won’t damage, and that’s fine so long as you have tethers. Attach enough to something and it will fit into one of the processing areas. And if you can’t get the angle to make something fit, cancel the tethers and then make more tethers aiming to get it into the processing area opposite! That’s why there are two of each!

Take your time

I know this is technically a rehash of the first point, but so long as you’re clearing enough salvage to offset your debt, then you’re fine. If your debt is increasing by 800,000 credits per shift, just clear 1,000,000 credits worth of salvage! If it takes you three shifts to properly slice up a ship, then it takes you three shifts; cutting corners will just make your debt increase, because cloned spare bodies are not cheap!

The Guardian Cut

Something mentioned off-handedly by one of your team members is that you should “use a Guardian Cut” as it has saved them several times. However, you’re never told what that actually is! They offer to show it to you, but never follow through. So let me explain it: make an asterisk pattern with your cutting tool. When you cut into a pressurised area you get explosive decompression as air escapes through the hole you made. Whether done by accident or on purpose, as soon as that alarm goes off you need to make at least two more cuts at angles to the original one that intersect with it. If you can manage more, great, if not, then you’re probably going to have to repair your spacesuit or print a spare body.

Hopefully those help you get the most out of your shift. Now go out there and make LYNX Corporation’s profits soar!