Region

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In Astroneer, each planet is split up spatially into several unique Regions, that each have their own distinctive appearance and characteristics. Regions may differ from each other in their soil types, flora, available resources, and Research Items/Research Samples.

On the surface of a planet, many diverse regions can be found, and these are distributed at random upon creation of a new save. Though regions on different planets may have similar names, each planet consists only of its own unique set of regions. (E.g. Sylva's 'Mountains' region is not the same as the one on Vesania.) Below ground, all planets are divided into the same three regions: Caves, Mantle and Core. These are defined solely by their depth below the surface, and as such, they can be found in the same places on all planets, although the characteristics of these regions vary greatly from planet to planet. As opposed to the more densely distributed regions on the surface, a single of the interior regions can be large, spanning several cave layers as well as going all around the planet.

Icon Sylva.png Sylva

  • Forests: Sylva's Forests scatter the surface of the planet, marked with hills of blue and purple Soil and tall trees with feather-like leaves. They are also a good source for early Ammonium. Research Items are green or blue organic leafy galls found in forked trees.
  • Plains: The flat, verdant plains of Sylva span the entire planet, with a mix of green and brown soil. The flat open areas make the perfect location for players to set up and expand their bases. Research Items are green-on-brown mineral crystals atop boulders. Leisurely Cauldrangeas and their guardian plants spawn here during the EXO B.O.O. and EXO F.A.R.M. events.
  • Crevasses: Occasionally a deep crevasse would crack through the surface of the planet, creating a natural way to see directly into the first underground layers. They can be hard to traverse early on, and hard to see with a risk of the player falling in before seeing them due to the small hills that surround them. The surrounding areas can contain small amounts of Graphite.
  • Caves: The caves of Sylva begin beneath the surface. They lie between the surface and the Mantle region, filled with Laterite, Quartz, Sphalerite, and research items worth more bytes.
  • Mantle: Sylva's mantle region is a vast Mushroom Forest, with red soil spanning the entire layer. From small, short fungi to tall mushroom trees, the Mantle can contain many surprises, also being the best source for large deposits of Malachite and Ammonium on Sylva. Research Items here are brightly glowing organic mushrooms resembling miniature versions of the mushroom trees. Beneath the main, large cavern lies smaller caverns of green soil, with smaller mushroom plants.
  • Core: The core of Sylva lies at the center of the planet. It begins with the outer Core, an area filled with Astronium, Clay, Graphite and Quartz. The pillars from the inner Core reach through this layer, allowing players an access point to the very center of the planet. The inner Core contains the Gateway Engine.

Icon Desolo.png Desolo

  • Grey Plains: Desolo is covered in these flat plains that are situated above the craters, the soil is grey as the name suggests, and there are occasional spikes and rocks dotting the landscape. There are generally Compound and Resin and rarely Ammonium deposits located near to or next to the small craters, but apart from this there are very few other resources.This is the arguably the best biome to set up solar power, as there are no crater walls to obstruct the sun at certain angles, which is important as Desolo has an extremely short Day-Night cycle. The Apollo Lunar Module is also commonly found in this biome. Research Items are blue-on-purple mineral crystals atop rock columns.
  • Small Craters: This is one of the most common biomes on Desolo, they have a yellow soil with orange streaks on the floor with grey from the Grey Plains seeping into some of the crater. There are generally small plants that can be harvested for organic growing in these craters, while Sphalerite, Compound and Resin are also commonly found in this biome. This is also one of the main biomes to find small wrecks and EXO Dynamics Research Aids.
  • Large Craters: These are similar to the Small Craters, with the same small plants and the same coloration as the Small Craters . They are larger than the small craters and often contain Resin and Compound. They also generally have small wrecks and EXO Dynamics Research Aids. With their many resources and smooth ground, they make excellent places to build a base, particularly since their rim-walls may be over the horizon from their centers, thus allowing full use of solar power. This is also the main biome that the Gateway Chambers on Desolo are located. Research Items are red-on-white mineral crystals on the sides of rock spikes.
  • Orange Cap Mountains: These mountains are few and far between with dark grey soil at the base ( with spikes that are also found in the grey plains biome and the tundra on Glacio) and an dark orange-yellow cap. They generally have a deposit of Resin, Compound, or Sphalerite located near or on the top of the mountain. You will notice that the signal from the Probe Scanner will direct you here, just as it seems to direct you to biomes that have the highest elevation on all other planets as well. Research Items are black-on-blue mineral crystals atop rock mushrooms.

Icon Calidor.png Calidor

  • The Great Desert: The Great Desert, (or "Dunes" as named in-game) is the largest biome on Calidor, and is the best place to find Resin and Compound. It has a light orange soil, similar to Earth's desert sand. There are many cacti and other desert plants scattered about, with many dunes that vary in height and shape. This is the best biome to build a rover in, as the land is smoother than any other biome. The only disadvantages to building a base here are that there are a few hazardous Flora living in this biome, (such as the Spinelily in the foreground of the second picture) and that the mesas sometimes obstruct the sun at certain angles, blocking off the most reliable power source. Research Items found here are generally purple-on-brown organic crystals or orange, pumpkin-looking organic melons in cactus like cradles.
  • The Mesas: The Mesas, (or "Mountains, as named in-game) are the highest terrain on Calidor, and have a dark orange soil. They often have Wolframite on the top of the mesa, and other resources on the base of the mesa. They also have strange flora resembling banded cubes on stalks. As they are the highest elevated land on Calidor, it is advisable to place your solar panels here, as they will not be obstructed by any other terrain. As they have very few hazardous flora and have the advantage of maximum solar power, it is advisable to build a base here and have a ramp to the Great Desert nearby so that you get the best of both worlds. The Probe Scanner will direct you towards this biome. Research Items are yellow mineral cubes atop the smaller flora.
  • Folded Forest: This biome is generally located near the mesas, and generally has the same soil coloration as the Great Desert. It generally also has some Resin or Compound nearby. It is known for its odd organic trees, which look vaguely like folded umbrellas (this is why it is called the folded forest), and the air is filled with the screeching sounds of branches rubbing together. There are sometimes small research samples located on the trees.
  • Cuboid Caves: This biome is located in Calidor's Mantle layer and has a dark reddish-orange soil and have cubelike flora similar to that on The Mesas, along with strange rectangular Obelisks with square cutouts in them. This biome has the highest value research samples on Calidor, at roughly 200 bytes apiece. This biome occasionally has some Wolframite, Laterite, and Malachite. Research Items are brown mineral cubes set in the cutouts of some of the obelisks.
  • Dark Canyons: These Canyons (or "Fissures," as named in-game) have a dark blue soil at the bottom and reddish soil on the surface level ground ( and on rare occasions yellow soil in some very low clefts of the canyon as shown in the pictures).This biome does not generally have many resources, but does have some research samples along the sides of the canyons as shown in the second picture. Research Items found here are orange-and-pink mineral crystal columns atop boulders.

Icon Vesania.png Vesania

  • Bubble Tree Forest: This forest is known for it's interesting trees that look vaguely like the blue colored trees that used to be found exclusively underground before patch 1.0, and appear to have a fruit resembling bubbles. There is also a flora that appears to be a variant of this plant found much more rarely in this biome, which has a thinner stem, is a bit smaller, and has the same fruit, which has a curious flashing pattern when it falls. The soil is a deep fuchsia color, with some darker shades of purple mixed in (very rarely orange soil forms as well on the absolute highest terrain). This forest has a decent amount of underbrush, but not as much as the asparagus forest, being a more open type of forest. It is almost always located on the highest elevated land on the planet, and as such is relatively rare. This is also the biome that the probe scanner will direct you to on this planet. Research Items are purple organic onions atop bubble-tree snags.
  • The Flower Caves: This biome is located at the mantle layer of Vesania. The soil is a dark blue, and there are many flower like plants located throughout the cave system, including trees seemingly growing in gigantic pots. When venturing into this biome, you'll probably want a floodlight or preferably a worklight, because light is very limited in comparison to most other mantle layers. Research Items are orange leafy galls in small pots.
  • The Snailshell Slopes: This biome spans almost the entire planet, and the soil has a fuchsia tint. There are many "snailshells" found in this biome which in all actuality are just rock formations. This biome is similar to the Great Desert on Calidor, with various dunes and slopes. Compound and Resin are commonly found in this biome, although rarer resources also exist on occasion. Horizontal caves wander just below the surface here, forming treacherous trenches. Because of these resources and the relatively flat terrain, this is one of the best areas to build a base on Vesania. Research Items are red mineral crystals set in hollows in some of the snailshells.
  • The Floating Islands: This biome is relatively rare, the soil is dark purple or blue, with occasional patches of orange as well. It is one of the most unique biomes in the solar system, with this being the only biome with these sorts of gravity defying "islands". Resources are not very common on the ground below the islands, with the islands themselves having occasional deposits of Resin and Compound. This is a hard biome to build a base in, since the space on the islands is very limited and the ground (while relatively smooth) has few resources and the islands can block off solar panels at certain angles. One interesting thing to note is that the formations on the islands look very similar to the trunks of Asparagus trees, which could imply that something (such as a space snail) dug out the islands and the trees died due to lack of a proper root system. Research Items are pink-on-yellow mineral crystals atop boulders.
  • The Purple Ravines: These are large valleys and ravines that rarely contain resources. The soil is generally fuchsia with patches of light purple. This area should only be explored on foot, with thrusters, or with a buggy, since the terrain is particularly harsh.
  • Asparagus Tree Forest: This biome is located at about the same elevation as the Snailshell slopes, and is populated by this trees that vaguely resemble Asparagus. Its Soil is colored the same as the snailshell slopes. There is much more Flora here than in any other biome on the planet, and it is much denser than the Bubble Tree forest. This biome does not have as many resources as the other biomes, but you may occasionally stumble upon Resin and Compound. It, along with the snailshell slopes, cover more of the surface than the others biomes combined. Research Items are bright yellow organic lumps growing on the sides of trees.

Icon Novus.png Novus

  • The Great Polka-Dot Craters: These large craters are fairly rare on Novus' surface, and generally contain a decent amount of resources such as Resin and Compound. It's soil is primarily colored light pink, and because of their circular shape can look like large pink polka dots from a great height or orbit. At least one Gateway Chamber is generally located in this biome, due to it being pretty flat overall. Research Items are pink-on-gray mineral crystals atop rock columns.
  • The Pink-Tipped Mountains: This is some of the most dynamic terrain in the solar system, with extremely steep mountains and canyons, The soil is generally a light pink, with small patches of fuchsia on the peaks. Most valleys are very thin and have almost no driveable terrain, some valleys are slightly larger, and are generally more flat, and these areas also generally have more resources, however it is not advised to make any major base here due to the terrain surrounding them. This is also the biome that emits the signal for the Probe Scanner on Novus. Research Items are pink-on-gray or bright-pink-on-brown mineral crystals atop rock columns.
  • The Foggy Forest: This biome covers most of the moon, and has a purple colored soil. The forest is actually more of a woodland, with small patches of asparagus trees much like Vesania's scattered around what could be very small water reservoirs. This is a relatively good biome to build a base, with there being good resources such as Resin, Compound, and occasionally some graphite or ammonium, as well as wind power working very well here. As long as you are careful to avoid the small craters, this is one of the best areas to drive a buggy as well. Research Items are pink organic lumps growing on the sides of trees.
  • Lesser Polka-Dot Craters: These craters are quite similar to the small craters biome on Desolo and also has a pink colored soil. They generally contain few resources, but sometimes you may find resin and/or some compound. They often function similarly to potholes, keeping your rovers from going as fast as they normally would.

Icon Glacio.png Glacio

  • Ice Plains: Broad plains of snow, broken into a jigsaw of very flat areas separated by minor stair-step elevation changes, the terrain occasionally steepening near Glaciers (see below). Patches of long, thin ice spikes with small pointy flora are scattered around. Features large amounts of wreckage as well as frequent deposits of Hematite and Graphite, but few other resources. There are clusters of Volatile Cataplants and on foot, Boomalloons make some areas dangerous. Bases here can be dug into the ground or cliffs to avoid the constant howl of wind. Large wrecks can also be found here, which often contain Titanium Alloy and Steel, making for quick production of Nanocarbon Alloy if the player also has Helium. Research Items are black-and-white or blue-and-white mineral rocks.
  • Glaciers: Giant ramps in the midst of the flat Ice Plains terrain, leading to steep, sudden cliffs. Large chunks of ice and big ice spikes cover the surface, and as with Ice Plains, the player should watch out for hostile flora here. At times, it may be difficult to distinguish this region from Ice Plains, as the terrains of the two blend smoothly. The Glaciers region is filled with Hematite, as well as being rich in Ammonium deposits, the surfaces of which can be seen glistening from far away. Additionally, Compound and Resin deposits may be found on Glaciers, together with wreckage lying around. Research items similar to those of Ice Plains are found here, along with Research Samples worth around 130–150 bytes each.
  • Tundra: Broad, deep depressions with dark gray and red soil, dotted with geysers. Tall, crooked pillars of red soil extrude from the surface. Features lush plant growth, frequent Resin and Compound deposits, as well as an abundance of EXO Research Aids. These valleys may be deep enough to cut into cave-layer resource deposits, such as Titanite, Laterite, and Quartz. It can be a good idea to make a base here, due to the flat terrain and easy access to many resources. This is the only region on Glacio with natural caves leading downward. Research Items are knobby blue organic spheres atop cactus-like plants, and the Research Samples growing are worth around 60–70 bytes each.
  • Rock Garden: Small rugged mountains of rock and snow, with narrow canyons winding between them. The howl of the strong winds in this region can be heard constantly. Plant life thrives in Rock Gardens, and as such, this region might be a good source of Organic. This is also the region that the Probe Scanner points to on Glacio. Research Items are purple organic bristly spheres resembling Attactus roots, found atop small trees.
  • Caves: The caves of Glacio contain frequent deposits of Titanite, with Research Items being gray mineral rocks with cyan crystals. Research Samples growing here yield 300–400 bytes each. Scattered around are also chunks of Frozen Argon, which are needed for the Cooler Runnings mission. It is recommended for the player to have at least a Drill Mod 1, as the blue rock floors covering most of these caverns cannot normally be excavated. The player is also to watch out for Boomaloons and on lower levels, Hissbines.
  • Mantle: These blue and cyan caverns are filled with crystalline plant/mineral growth and "cage trees", angular polyhedral cage-like plants with small pulsing spheres inside. These plants, if big enough, may also bear "fruits". Down here, glowing cyan organic Research Items of high byte value can be found, together with occasional conic Research Samples yielding 400–500 bytes each. This region is made dangerous by the many offensive flora also found on the surface, although on lower layers, the gravity is so low that the Volatile Cataplant's bombs will often explode far overhead. As with Caves (see above), it is recommended for the player to have at least a Drill Mod 1.
  • Core: The outer core of Glacio consists of dark blue rock, which requires at least a Drill Mod 2 to excavate. The hostile flora are similar to those of the Mantle layers (see above). Purple and red mineral Research Items can be found down here, and Research Samples growing yield 750–900 bytes each. The resource composition is that of other planet cores, and like other cores, the inner core's large, glowing pillars lead down into Glacio's Gateway Engine.

Icon Atrox.png Atrox

  • Canyons: Steep-walled lowlands with hard yellowish soil, forested with funguslike trees with bulbous rootballs and tall glowing-green stalks. This biome is very smooth making it easy to explore with small rovers. The main hazards here are clusters of Daggerroots, which are easy to spot due to their white coloration. Resin and Compound can be found here, but there is little Organic cover. Research Items are yellow mineral cubes atop glowing lumpy plants on the surrounding cliffs. Sturdysquash are found down here during autumn, which were used for the EXO Biofuel Obtainment Operation and EXO F.A.R.M. events.
  • Dunes: Flat grassy highlands littered with bulky acorn-shaped flora. The ground here is black, liberally splotched with shallow green depressions resembling scummy ponds. Volatile Attacti are common here, making exploration quite dangerous even by Rover. It is very common that a Gateway chamber will spawn in this biome, often overlooking the pits. Research Items are yellow organic lumps atop some of the giant acorns. Swift Cauldrangeas and their guardian plants can be found here during the EXO B.O.O and EXO F.A.R.M. events.
  • Hills: This biome has steep but smoothly rounded rolling hills with yellow soil. This biome has few dangerous flora, but hard to drive on and lacking many resources (with only graphite commonly being found here). They are generally the highest terrain in the nearby area (the Shattered Peaks are taller, but very rare). Research Items are yellow organic bulbs resembling Thistlewhip roots, but found exposed.
  • Error//Load: Great sheets and swirls of hard yellow rock, so heavily shot through with tunnels that it resembles swiss cheese. Floating shards of rock are common, though resource deposits are not. This biome is almost impossible to navigate, short of boring a tunnel through it with a Paver/Drill Rover or flying right over it with a VTOL. The Wrecks in this biome are well worth a visit if you have either one of the aforementioned vehicles, due to them often containing QT-RTGs and Nanocarbon alloys. This is the biome that the Probe Scanner points to. Research Items are yellow mineral pebble-clusters, atop glowing lumpy plants.
  • Cauldron Caves: This biome is located in the mantle of Atrox, and is scattered with large Flora resembling giant cauldrons full of yellow tendrils. This biome is also very dangerous, as it contains many noxious spewflowers. The soil here is dark red, and is also extremely hard, requiring a top-tier drill or drill mod (or massive quantities of dynamite or other explosives) to make progress through this biome. Research Items are red mineral bristly spheres with glowing yellow tips, resembling Attactus roots.


Outer Space

The Great Void: This biome is only accessible with a rover equipped with thrusters, although shuttles can also technically pass through it on the way to other planets. It has no malleable terrain to speak of, although certain structures such as the unidentified satellite can be found here and interacted with. The sun and the orbital space station (seen on the main menu) can also be found here, though neither are physical objects. Stepping out of the vehicle while it is traveling to another planet/object is ill advised, as you will most likely remain in the same position you start in, (the jetpack will not work in this biome) and you will be forced to respawn at the starting shelter. It is assumed that certain Flora spread through this biome to other planets, based on the fact that many hazardous Flora can be found on multiple planets. It is highly likely that this biome is located within a star cluster, due to the massive amount of visible stars in the system.

Notes

  • Most biomes can overlap, creating unique terrain and making it seem like resources that spawn in one biome can spawn inside of another. In some cases this affects what certain Flora looks like, such as the pine-like trees on Sylva, which become a more tan-like color in the Gray Mountains, and a blueish-purple color on the Flat Plains.
  • The names of the biomes listed are not official and have been chosen for easy identification.