RimWorld is a massive sci-fi colony survival game that drops you on an alien Rimworld planet as one of the unlucky humans stranded far from home. It is an extremely complex simulation experience with many interlocking systems and quite a steep learning curve. However, we’ve got you covered with a few rimworld tips and tricks!
Getting Started
First up, choose the classic “Crashlanded” scenario when starting a new game. This gives you 3 colonists and some basic supplies—a solid “first game” experience.
For your AI Storyteller, pick Phoebe Chillax on Community Builder or Adventure Story difficulty. She’ll give you more time between events to learn the basics.
When picking your landing spot, aim for a temperate forest in the latitudes between 20-30 if possible. This gives you a nice year-round growing season without brutal heat or cold. Hills are great for defense and mining.
Assembling Your Colonist Crew
You’ll want a diverse crew with a mix of useful skills like Shooting, Plants, Construction, and even Medicine. Passions (shown as flames) are important too as they level up faster. Avoid colonists with bad traits like Pyromaniac!
Your First Shelter
As soon as you land, get building! Construct a simple 5×8 room with wooden walls and beds inside using the Architect>Structure menus. Unforbid your starting supplies so colonists can use them.
Next Priorities
Plant some basic crops; rice, potatoes, cotton, and healroot are great starter options. Build a campfire or stove for cooking, which reduces the risk of food poisoning.
Hunting is good for bonus meat but avoid predators! You can also gather wild plants by highlighting them in the Orders menu.
Research is vital too. Build a research bench and prioritize batteries and solar panels for steady power. Electricity allows things like sun lamps, freezers, and coolers.
Speaking of which, build a freezer room with an enclosed cooler set below 0C to preserve perishable food long-term.
Defenses
When that first raid inevitably comes, you’ll need defenses ready! Draft your colonists behind any natural cover like barricades or sandbags. Have your best shooter pick off enemies from range, with a melee colonist ready if anything gets too close.
Prioritize capturing downed raiders rather than killing them, as you can recruit them as new colonists later if they have good traits/skills.
Stone Age
Once you have steady power, start replacing those wooden walls with sturdy stone blocks from a stonecutter’s table. Make sure to replace walls section-by-section to avoid roof collapses!
Manage Work Priorities properly too, assigning growers, cooks, builders, etc. Keep an eye on your colonists’ mental health in their Needs tab; rec time, proper bedrooms, and no eating off the floor all help boost moods.
That covers the absolute basics of getting started in RimWorld! It’s a huge game with tons of deeper mechanics to explore, but for new players, following these beginner rimworld tips and tricks should let you get a foothold on the planet and start building your colony story! Good luck!
