Seabases (Below Zero)

Seabases are installations created by the player through the use of the Habitat Builder. A Seabase provides an area where the Player can return for oxygen, and serves as an alternative to the Drop Pod as a base of operations. Within a seabase, the player can construct additional storage space, grow food, access appliances not available in the Drop Pod, and add aesthetic options. Thus Seabases provide safe havens away from the Shallow Twisty Bridges the player starts in.

In all Game Modes except Creative Mode, entering a Seabase secures the player's inventory, so if the player dies, they will return to the last Seabase they visited and keep all the items in their inventory that they had when they were there (unless they later enter the Drop Pod).

The player will start out with most of the blueprints they need for a basic Seabase; at bare minimum one needs an I Compartment, a Hatch, and a power generator (the Solar Panel is unlocked by default). The initial compartment must be built on or near the ground (or on a Foundation, which is not necessary but provides greater hull integrity and a flat surface to work with), but any additional compartments can overhang without any issue, allowing bases to be built over cliff sides. The player can expand once they've gathered more Blueprints.

Despite their name, Seabases can be built on land. When on land, Hull Integrity is not a factor, and can be built without the need of additional Reinforcements, Foundations, or Bulkheads. Power is still needed for them to operate, however.

Hull Integrity

Hull Integrity refers to the ability of the player's Seabase to withstand the pressure of the surrounding water. The majority of the modules will lower the integrity once added but the amount will vary by module. As Seabases are built at a greater depth the integrity reduction caused by each module will increase. Hull integrity can be increased by constructing Reinforcement panels, placing a Seabase on or near a Foundation (foundations built on top of rooms will still provide their benefit), or installing Bulkheads on the ends of Compartment modules.

When the hull integrity of a Seabase is less than or equal to zero, it will begin to form hull breaches. Any corridor or room that is connected to the breach will begin flooding with water. Bulkheads can compartmentalize the base and prevent floodwaters from moving between compartments, but if the integrity remains below zero then eventually every compartment will develop a leak and the base will fill completely with water. To avoid this, quickly increase the base's integrity (by either adding strengthening components or removing weak components) and fix all hull breaches in the base using a Repair Tool.

A Seabase that receives damage to its exterior (or even a knife hit from inside) will also spring leaks, but the hull integrity will be unaffected. Therefore, bulkheads are more effective at sealing off flooding if the base comes under attack.

Energy Usage

Energy can be provided to a Seabase by building various types of generators near or inside the Seabase. Any number or combination can be used. Appliances such as the Fabricator will drain energy from the Seabase.

There are currently four generators available to power Seabases:

• Solar Panels: Work best near the surface.
• Bioreactors: Consume any organic matter for power.
• Thermal Plants: Collect heat energy (use near Lava Geysers and Black Smokers).
• Nuclear Reactors: Consume Reactor Rods made from Uraninite Crystals.

Bioreactors and Nuclear Reactors are built inside a Multipurpose Room or Large Room. Solar Panels and Thermal Plants are built outside, and can be directly attached to the base or connected via Power Transmitters if the distance is too great.

Seabases do not require energy to operate in Creative Mode.

The following appliances and rooms draw power from the Seabase:

• Fabricator
• Battery Charger
• Power Cell Charger
• Modification Station
• Water Filtration Machine
• Spotlight
• Floodlight
• Scanner Room (passively, along with fabricator and with recharging the Camera Drones)
• Control Room

Oxygen

Seabases automatically produce Oxygen as long as there is power supplied. If the power is depleted, the Seabase will slowly lose oxygen, until it is completely gone.

How to Build a Seabase

1. Find a suitable piece of land.
2. Equip the Habitat Builder and press RMB to bring up a crafting menu.
3. In the Habitat Compartments tab, select the desired module.
4. Aim at the desired building place (the outline of the module will become green if the location is valid).
5. Adjust the rotation with Mousewheel Up and Mousewheel Down or [ and ].
6. Place the module with LMB.
7. Once placed, hold LMB to add the required materials to finish the building process.
8. Go to Step 2 and repeat for each room you want to build.

To deconstruct a Seabase module, equip the Habitat Builder and hold Q while facing the module. If enough inventory space is available, the module will be deconstructed and all materials used to create the module will be returned to the player's inventory, one item at a time. Note that everything inside the module and attached to the outside of the module must be deconstructed before the module itself can be deconstructed.

Base Parts

Base Pieces

Exterior Modules

Interior Pieces

Interior Modules

Miscellaneous Items