Step 1: Select Expedition

Step 2: Customize (Optional)

Note: You may undo these customizations and replace the JSON file at any time during your expedition.

Notice

  • Some player inventory tech modules and ship inventory tech modules are in the wrong spot. You’ll need to move them.
  • UNTESTED
  • For the “Sightseer” milestone, make sure you do NOT use your freighter’s scanner before landing on the required planets.

Notice

  • Some player inventory tech modules and ship inventory tech modules are in the wrong spot. You’ll need to move them.
  • An update changed the system from a yellow star system to a green star system. A patch has been created to start players in a nearby yellow star system.

Notice

  • UNTESTED

  • The final system is hard-coded to be the one from the 2024 redux, which will be FAR away. A patch has been created to give portal glyphs as a reward. For the final milestone you must find a Portal

    Final location glyps:
    21ACFD6FCF52

Notice

  • UNTESTED

  • The final system is hard-coded to be the one from the 2024 redux, which will be FAR away. A patch has been created to give portal glyphs as a reward. For the final milestone you must find a Portal

    Final location glyps:
    21ACFD6FCF52

Notice

  • The 2024 re-redux changed the rewards to some that are already available through this tool. A patch has been created to restore the old rewards.

Notice

  • If you start the expedition with BlockStormsAtStart set to true you will not be able to complete all the milestones. Simply set it to false below and re-download the json.
  • A recent patch caused all rendezvous milestones to complete when entering the system. Since you start in the rendezvous system, it automatically completes. A patch has been added to replace the rendezvous milestone.
  • UNTESTED
  • This version of the expedition has the wrong type of hazard protection. A patch has been added to provide the correct hazard protection.

Notice

  • If you start the expedition with BlockStormsAtStart set to true you will not be able to complete all the milestones. Simply set it to false below and re-download the json.
  • A recent patch caused all rendezvous milestones to complete when entering the system. Since you start in the rendezvous system, it automatically completes. A patch has been added to replace the rendezvous milestone.
  • UNTESTED
  • This version of the expedition has the wrong type of hazard protection. A patch has been added to provide the correct hazard protection.

Notice

  • If you start the expedition with BlockStormsAtStart set to true you will not be able to complete all the milestones. Simply set it to false below and re-download the json.
  • A recent patch caused all rendezvous milestones to complete when entering the system. Since you start in the rendezvous system, it automatically completes. A patch has been added to replace the rendezvous milestone.
  • The 2023 redux version of this expedition changed some rewards to those from expedition 1, 4 and 5. A patch has been created restore the original rewards.

Notice

  • UNTESTED
  • Once you have the Visceral Synthesiser it seems infested planets/Titan Worm Burrows become difficult to find. Go back to the original planet in the Koyziylsrus system.

Notice

  • UNTESTED
  • The second and third worm hunt milestone seems to be undoable. A patch has been created to replace those milestones.
  • For some reason you cannot get to the rendezvous 4 and 5 planets. A patch has been created to replace milestones requiring those planets.
  • Some player inventory tech modules and ship inventory tech modules are in the wrong spot. You will need to move them.
  • To find Atlas stations, ask Polo for Black Hole coordinates. That will show BOTH Atlas stations AND Black Hole systems on your galaxy map.
  • Once you have the Visceral Synthesiser it seems infested planets/Titan Worm Burrows become difficult to find. Go back to the original planet in the Elusuu system.

Notice

  • UNTESTED
  • For the “Sightseer” milestone, make sure you do NOT use your freighter’s scanner before landing on the required planets.
  • Phase 5, Milestone 7 (Recognisable Life) will bug out if you meet a gaseous sentience without using a lure and you will be unable to complete the milestone. If this happens to you, check the optional patch and replace your SEASON_DATA_CACHE.JSON.

Notice

  • UNTESTED
  • For the “Sightseer” milestone, make sure you do NOT use your freighter’s scanner before landing on the required planets.
  • Phase 5, Milestone 7 (Recognisable Life) will bug out if you meet a gaseous sentience without using a lure and you will be unable to complete the milestone. If this happens to you, check the optional patch and replace your SEASON_DATA_CACHE.JSON.

Notice

  • UNTESTED
  • To leave the galaxy you need an Atlantid drive (and possibly to do the Atlantid quests), which is not possible. A patch has been created to replace the leave-galaxy milestone (ignore the text about Utopia).
  • Freighters are very buggy in this expedition and they can be hard to acquire. A patch has been created to start you off with a freighter. This patch also rewards you with the first part of the pirate map as the P1M3 reward, since that can also be very buggy.
  • If you have an existing save in this expedition and need the pirate map fragment 1, use a save editor to give yourself the PIRATE_MAPPROD0 item.

Notice

  • UNTESTED
  • To leave the galaxy you need an Atlantid drive (and possibly to do the Atlantid quests), which is not possible. A patch has been created to replace the leave-galaxy milestone (ignore the text about Utopia).
  • Freighters are very buggy in this expedition and they can be hard to acquire. A patch has been created to start you off with a freighter. This patch also rewards you with the first part of the pirate map as the P1M3 reward, since that can also be very buggy.
  • If you have an existing save in this expedition and need the pirate map fragment 1, use a save editor to give yourself the PIRATE_MAPPROD0 item.

Notice

  • UNTESTED
  • The community milestones cannot be completed offline. A patch has been created to replace them with other milestones (ignore the message about Vile Spawns, you can collect them at any time). Unfortunately the Memory Fragments never upgrade.
  • This expedition breaks a lot, in particular the “reset save on death” mechanic. It seems to be working now, but if it breaks you can use the patch to disable it.

Notice

  • UNTESTED
  • The community milestones cannot be completed offline. A patch has been created to replace them with other milestones (ignore the message about Vile Spawns, you can collect them at any time). Unfortunately the Memory Fragments never upgrade.
  • This expedition breaks a lot, in particular the “reset save on death” mechanic. It seems to be working now, but if it breaks you can use the patch to disable it.

Notice

  • UNTESTED
  • Something can cause your freighter captain to not have the Access ship's log option. If this happens, save, exit to desktop, and start your game again. You may need to do this multiple times and/or load a different save in-between.
  • The multiplayer milestone to visit another player’s freighter cannot be completed offline. A patch has been created to replace the milestone.

Notice

  • UNTESTED
  • Something can cause your freighter captain to not have the Access ship's log option. If this happens, save, exit to desktop, and start your game again. You may need to do this multiple times and/or load a different save in-between.
  • The multiplayer milestone to visit another player’s freighter cannot be completed offline. A patch has been created to replace the milestone.

Notice

  • The base-building/uploading milestones can only be completed online. A patch has been created to replace those milestones (ignore the milestone hint about needing a Visceral Synthesiser).
  • The “Beacon” update made all rendezvous milestones auto complete when you enter a system, and since you are already in the system with all the rendezvous locations, they all auto complete upon starting the expedition. Also it seems like some planet-specific milestones no longer work properly. Patches have been created to replace all rendezvous and planet-specific milestones in this expedition.
  • When starting this expedition from an existing save, The Anomaly will not show up after the expedition is completed. A patch has been created to fix this issue.

Notice

  • The base-building/uploading milestones can only be completed online. A patch has been created to replace those milestones (ignore the milestone hint about needing a Visceral Synthesiser).
  • The “Beacon” update made all rendezvous milestones auto complete when you enter a system, and since you are already in the system with all the rendezvous locations, they all auto complete upon starting the expedition. Also it seems like some planet-specific milestones no longer work properly. Patches have been created to replace all rendezvous and planet-specific milestones in this expedition.
  • When starting this expedition from an existing save, The Anomaly will not show up after the expedition is completed. A patch has been created to fix this issue.

Notice

  • The community milestones cannot be completed offline. A patch has been created to replace them.
  • UNTESTED

Notice

  • The community milestones cannot be completed offline. A patch has been created to replace them.

Notice

  • Many planets have changed, so most guides are no longer going to have correct information.
  • UNTESTED

Notice

  • Many planets have changed, so most guides are no longer going to have correct information.

Notice

  • Community milestones cannot be completed while offline. A patch has been created to replace them with offline milestones.
  • UNTESTED

Notice

  • Community milestones cannot be completed while offline. A patch has been created to replace them with offline milestones.

Notice

  • HG changed how abandoned galaxies work. There is no longer any way to find synthetic life forms in them. A patch has been created to replace the “scan synthetic life forms” milestone.
  • UNTESTED

Notice

  • HG changed how abandoned galaxies work. There is no longer any way to find synthetic life forms in them. A patch has been created to replace the “scan synthetic life forms” milestone.

Notice

  • Community milestones cannot be completed while offline. A patch has been created to replace them with offline milestones.
  • UNTESTED

Notice

  • Community milestones cannot be completed while offline. A patch has been created to replace them with offline milestones.

Notice

  • Some planets mentioned in milestones no longer have water. For any milestones that ask you to “Land a message from the Angler,” fish on any planet with water in the system and make sure to have the milestone selected when catching/opening a Message in a Bottle.
  • For the “Ice Cold” milestone, you must catch 5 uncommon frozen fish on a frozen planet.
  • UNTESTED

Notice

  • Some planets mentioned in milestones no longer have water. For any milestones that ask you to “Land a message from the Angler,” fish on any planet with water in the system and make sure to have the milestone selected when catching/opening a Message in a Bottle.
  • For the “Ice Cold” milestone, you must catch 5 uncommon frozen fish on a frozen planet.

Notice

  • UNTESTED

Notice

  • As of the Beacon patch all rendezvous milestones seem to complete as soon as you warp to the designated system. To complete the photograph milestones, simply go to the designated planet and take a picture anywhere.

Notice

  • The latest NMS patch seems to have broken the bone collecting milestones, there does not seem to be a way to turn them in. A patch has been created to replace the milestones.

Notice

  • The multiplayer and comunity milestones cannot be completed offline. A patch has been created to replace them.

Warning

  • If you block storms at the start of this expedition, you will not be able to complete all milestones.

    Please change BlockStormsAtStart in the General section below.

Warning

  • If you block storms at the start of this expedition, you will not be able to complete all milestones.

    Please change BlockStormsAtStart in the General section below.

Warning

  • If you block storms at the start of this expedition, you will not be able to complete all milestones.

    Please change BlockStormsAtStart in the General section below.

Warning

  • This expedition CANNOT be completed on Permadeath. If you make it to the end, your primary save will be wiped. Note: Your primary save mode does not matter.

    Please change GameMode in the General section below.

Warning

  • This expedition CANNOT be completed on Permadeath. If you make it to the end, your primary save will be wiped. Note: Your primary save mode does not matter.

    Please change GameMode in the General section below.

Presets

Click a button below to load a customization preset.

  • Property Default Override

    AbandonedFreighterHazardProtectionMul

    Turn this down for more challenge?

    BlockAggressiveSentinelsInStartSystem

    BlockStormsAtStart

    CarnageMode

    Makes Biological Horrors pop up at every location you go to

    DefaultToPvPOff

    DifficultySettingPreset

    This won’t actually set you to Permadeath if you select it, see GameMode below.

    DistanceFromShipAtStartOfGame

    EnergyDrainMultiplier

    Turn this up for more challenge?

    Expedition End Date

    FarmPlantsTimerMul

    Turn this up for more challenge?

    ForceStartSystemAbandoned

    GameMode

    Note: Setting this to “Creative” may make some expeditions impossible to finish. You may need to adjust your difficulty settings for certain milestones.

    Warning: If you choose Permadeath and die in the expedition, your main save will be deleted as well.

    HazardProtectionDrainMultiplier

    Turn this up for more challenge?

    MustCraftInBases

    ResetSaveOnDeath

    Resets your expedition milestones, equipment and items when you die, like the Leviathan expedition.

    Warning: This mechanic breaks from time to time and can lock your save file. To fix this you can use a save editor to edit the raw JSON of your save file and change `ActiveContext` from `Season` to `Main`.

    ShipStartsDamaged

    Warning: If you set this to true and start on a freighter, you will be stuck

    ShipType

    StartAboardFreighter

    StartingSuitSlots

    StartingSuitTechSlots

    StartNextToShip

    StartWithFreighter

    TechCostMultiplier

    Increase this to make Technology modules cost more

    UseRandomPet

    UseSpookHazardOnly

    Replaces all hazards on planets with the ghost effect from The Cursed

    PurpleSystemsUnlocked

    Start with purple systems unlocked

    ForceAllSentinelsAggressive

    OnlyCorvettesSpawnWhenPlayerTeleports

    OnlyCorvetteLauncherCanBeRepaired

    Starting ship (and other ships?) cannot be repaired

    AllowOnlyCorvetteShipPurchases

    Cannot trade, buy, or claim and other ships

    AllowSaveContextMultitoolTransfer

    Allow Multi-Tool to be transfered TO expedition

    AllowSaveContextShipTransfer

    Allow Ship to be transfered TO expedition

  • These settings only affect the minimum setting that can be selected in the options menu, you will still need to set the difficulty options after you start the expedition.

    Property Default Override

    Survival Elements

    Survival Difficulty

    Natural Resources

    Sprinting

    Scanner Recharge

    Damage Levels

    Damage taken from environment

    Technology Damage

    Liklihood of suit modules breaking when recieving damage

    Death Consequences

    Fuel Usage

    How much it takes to recharge stuff

    Crafting

    Purchases

    Goods Availability

    How common items are in shops

    Enemy Strength

    On-Foot Combat

    Space Combat

    Creatures

    Inventory Transfer Range

    Hyperdrive System Access

    Base Power

    Fishing Timing

    Reputation & Standing Gain

Import/Export

These buttons save/load the above customizations only. See Step 3 to download the actual expedition file.

Step 3: Download

Save to the appropriate directory:

Steam logo Steam PC:
%APPDATA%\HelloGames\NMS\{steam id}\cache
Steam logo Steam Mac:
~/Library/Application Support/HelloGames/NMS/cache
MS Store logo MS Store / GOG logo GOG / PC Gamepass logo PC Game Pass:
%APPDATA%\HelloGames\NMS\cache
Steam Deck:
/home/deck/.steam/steam/steamapps/compatdata/275850/pfx/drive_c/Users/SteamUser/AppData/Roaming/HelloGames/NMS/{steam id}/cache
Nintendo Switch:
Thanks to gusklein for figuring this out: Using DBI.nro (or similar), open game saves, look for the No Mans Sky SD.Cache folder

Note: These directories may be somewhat different on your machine.

Note 2: The file MUST be named exactly SEASON_DATA_CACHE.JSON (names like SEASON_DATA_CACHE (1).JSON will not work).

You must be OFFLINE (meaning Steam needs to be in offline mode, or you need to disconnect from the internet, or you need to block NMS via a firewall) when you start NMS for this to work. For more information see When Can I Go Online? below.

Debug Info/Tools

Sort
Expedition Overrides/Patches
Expedition Patch Creator


Expedition Notes

General

  • Some expeditions start with tech in inventory slots. You need to move them.
  • If you need Polo to show you Atlas stations, he won't do it UNLESS you also ask him to show you black holes. Then you will see both on your galaxy map.
  • To summon the Anomaly after your first warp jump you must now enter then exit the space station (this may be a bug).
  • If you feel we should all be able to replay expeditions online at any time, please tell Hello Games.

When Can I Go Online?

  • If NMS is not running, you can go online without any consequences.
  • If you start NMS in online mode, you may play NON-expedition saves, however you will need to close the game, go offline and re-download the appropriate expedition SEASON_DATA_CACHE.JSON file before loading your expedition save.
  • If you start NMS in online mode and load an expedition save, you will be taken to the Anomaly and the expedition will end. If you do not save before closing the game, you may be able to go offline, re-download the expedition JSON and resume the expedition.

News

  • Fixing Beachhead (Original and Redux 1) -

    Beachhead (Original and Redux 1) can now be reasonably completed by using portal coordinates. They have also had their encryption fixed.

  • Fixing Patching Bug -

    Fixed a bug that could cause patches to not apply properly when changing global patches.

  • Fixes for Cartographers, The Blighted and Utopia -

    The Blighted encrypted milestone is fixed. Cartographers has correct gear. Utopia milestones fixed.

More News...

Replaying/Restarting Expeditions

You can replay expeditions you've already completed, however you cannot play the same expedition twice in a row (without a little work). If you want to play the same expedition again, or if you need to restart an expedition, you must do the following:

  1. With NMS closed, download the SEASON_DATA_CACHE.JSON for a different expedition and put it in your cache folder (make sure to override the old one if it's still there)
  2. Open NMS, load your game and start the new expedition from the terminal
  3. Save (either by entering and exiting your ship or waiting for an auto save to happen), then close NMS
  4. Download the SEASON_DATA_CACHE.JSON for the expedition you want to play and put it in your cache folder

You should now be able to replay/restart your desired expedition.

Note: If you are familiar with save editing, you can just remove the ExpeditionContext entry from your save file (that's how the game knows which expedition you played last).

How to Find Portals

  1. Purchase Alien Cartographic Planetary Charts from a space station using Navigation Data
    • Buy extra Alien Cartographic Planetary Charts in case you fail the monolith's riddle
  2. Find Gek Relic, Korvax Casing, or Vy'keen Dagger depending on the type of system.
    • These can be found in green containers or
    • You can purchase Commercial Cartographic Data and use them until you find a Trade Outpost where the NPC's will sell you the necessary item.
  3. Use the Alien Cartographic Planetary Charts until you get a Monolith
  4. Go to the monolith and solve the riddle (Steam guide with solutions)
  5. After successfully solving the riddle, interact with the monolith again and ask it to find a portal (this will cost one Gek Relic, Korvax Casing, or Vy'keen Dagger)

How Do Rewards Work? Can I Send Them To My Main Save?

Rewards you earn by completing all the milestones in a phase are usually account-wide unlocks that can be collected at the QuickSilver vendor on any save once unlocked.

If you started the expedition from an existing save via the expedition terminal on the Anomaly, other rewards and items you collect during the course of the expedition can be sent back to your primary save via the expedition terminal once you have completed all the milestones but before you click End Expedition. Once the items have been added to the terminal, you can either click End Expedition to end the expedition and return to your primary save (can only be done once) OR you can save and switch to your primary save via the pause menu and collect your items from the terminal (this can be repeated multiple times). Not all items can be transferred (such as eggs). You will NOT keep anything you learned during the course of the expedition, but you will keep any bases you made. When you are on your primary save, you can copy your active expedition multi-tool and ship to your primary save for nanites.

If you started the expedition from the new game screen, you will keep everything you collected.

Static Expedition Config Files for Developers

This GitHub repository now has static SEASON_DATA_CACHE.JSON files with all the recommended patches. I don't require anything if you want to use these files, but credit is always appreciated.

You can access these files with Git or, you can link to them using the "raw" github links (Example link for Expedition 1, Pioneers).

You can find all the patched expedition config files in my GitHub project.

Obtaining Expedition Unlocks/Rewards Without Playing Expeditions

If you want to skip actually playing the expeditions and JUST want the rewards unlocked on your account, you have a number of options:

  1. Using a save editor: You can use either NomNom or the GoatFungus NMSSaveEditor to unlock expedition rewards on your account.
  2. Manually editing your account file: You can manually edit your accountdata.hg file in a simple text editor to unlock all the expedition rewards. Please refer to this guide on Steam, or do a search on your search engine of choice.
  3. NoMansApp: The NoMansApp Service Bot can deliver items to you and even unlock rewards on your account. To unlock expedition rewards, after following their Patreon you can get a certain number of free deliveries.
  4. Other methods: If you are on console, you can work with other players to get ships, eggs and packaged technology items (possibly more).

01: Pioneers

  • Some player inventory tech modules and ship inventory tech modules are in the wrong spot. You’ll need to move them.

Original - Mar, 2021

  • UNTESTED
  • For the “Sightseer” milestone, make sure you do NOT use your freighter’s scanner before landing on the required planets.

Redux - Nov, 2021

  • An update changed the system from a yellow star system to a green star system. A patch has been created to start players in a nearby yellow star system.

03: Cartographers

  • If you start the expedition with BlockStormsAtStart set to true you will not be able to complete all the milestones. Simply set it to false below and re-download the json.
  • A recent patch caused all rendezvous milestones to complete when entering the system. Since you start in the rendezvous system, it automatically completes. A patch has been added to replace the rendezvous milestone.

Original - Sep, 2021

  • UNTESTED
  • This version of the expedition has the wrong type of hazard protection. A patch has been added to provide the correct hazard protection.

Redux - Dec, 2021

  • UNTESTED
  • This version of the expedition has the wrong type of hazard protection. A patch has been added to provide the correct hazard protection.

Redux - Dec, 2023

  • The 2023 redux version of this expedition changed some rewards to those from expedition 1, 4 and 5. A patch has been created restore the original rewards.

05: Exobiology

  • UNTESTED
  • For the “Sightseer” milestone, make sure you do NOT use your freighter’s scanner before landing on the required planets.
  • Phase 5, Milestone 7 (Recognisable Life) will bug out if you meet a gaseous sentience without using a lure and you will be unable to complete the milestone. If this happens to you, check the optional patch and replace your SEASON_DATA_CACHE.JSON.

06: The Blighted

  • UNTESTED
  • To leave the galaxy you need an Atlantid drive (and possibly to do the Atlantid quests), which is not possible. A patch has been created to replace the leave-galaxy milestone (ignore the text about Utopia).
  • Freighters are very buggy in this expedition and they can be hard to acquire. A patch has been created to start you off with a freighter. This patch also rewards you with the first part of the pirate map as the P1M3 reward, since that can also be very buggy.
  • If you have an existing save in this expedition and need the pirate map fragment 1, use a save editor to give yourself the PIRATE_MAPPROD0 item.

07: Leviathan

  • UNTESTED
  • The community milestones cannot be completed offline. A patch has been created to replace them with other milestones (ignore the message about Vile Spawns, you can collect them at any time). Unfortunately the Memory Fragments never upgrade.
  • This expedition breaks a lot, in particular the “reset save on death” mechanic. It seems to be working now, but if it breaks you can use the patch to disable it.

08: Polestar

  • UNTESTED
  • Something can cause your freighter captain to not have the Access ship's log option. If this happens, save, exit to desktop, and start your game again. You may need to do this multiple times and/or load a different save in-between.
  • The multiplayer milestone to visit another player’s freighter cannot be completed offline. A patch has been created to replace the milestone.

09: Utopia

  • The base-building/uploading milestones can only be completed online. A patch has been created to replace those milestones (ignore the milestone hint about needing a Visceral Synthesiser).
  • The “Beacon” update made all rendezvous milestones auto complete when you enter a system, and since you are already in the system with all the rendezvous locations, they all auto complete upon starting the expedition. Also it seems like some planet-specific milestones no longer work properly. Patches have been created to replace all rendezvous and planet-specific milestones in this expedition.
  • When starting this expedition from an existing save, The Anomaly will not show up after the expedition is completed. A patch has been created to fix this issue.

10: Singularity

  • The community milestones cannot be completed offline. A patch has been created to replace them.

Original - Jun, 2023

  • UNTESTED

11: Voyagers

  • Many planets have changed, so most guides are no longer going to have correct information.

Original - Aug, 2023

  • UNTESTED

12: Omega

  • Community milestones cannot be completed while offline. A patch has been created to replace them with offline milestones.

Original - Feb, 2024

  • UNTESTED

13: Adrift

  • HG changed how abandoned galaxies work. There is no longer any way to find synthetic life forms in them. A patch has been created to replace the “scan synthetic life forms” milestone.

Original - May, 2024

  • UNTESTED

14: Liquidators

  • Community milestones cannot be completed while offline. A patch has been created to replace them with offline milestones.

Original - Jul, 2024

  • UNTESTED

15: Aquarius

  • Some planets mentioned in milestones no longer have water. For any milestones that ask you to “Land a message from the Angler,” fish on any planet with water in the system and make sure to have the milestone selected when catching/opening a Message in a Bottle.
  • For the “Ice Cold” milestone, you must catch 5 uncommon frozen fish on a frozen planet.

Original - Sep, 2024

  • UNTESTED

17: Titan

  • As of the Beacon patch all rendezvous milestones seem to complete as soon as you warp to the designated system. To complete the photograph milestones, simply go to the designated planet and take a picture anywhere.

18: Relics

  • The latest NMS patch seems to have broken the bone collecting milestones, there does not seem to be a way to turn them in. A patch has been created to replace the milestones.

19: Corvette

  • The multiplayer and comunity milestones cannot be completed offline. A patch has been created to replace them.