
No Man's Sky is a popular sci-fi adventure game set in a vast, procedurally generated universe. Players can explore star systems, trade with aliens, and search for rare materials. The game has a dedicated fan base that has expressed a desire for more ship customization options, specifically the ability to paint their ships. While some players enjoy the challenge of hunting for ships with their desired colour scheme, others want the ability to repaint their ships without having to resort to third-party save editors or workarounds. The developers have recently expanded ship customization options, but it's unclear if direct ship painting will be included in future updates.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Customizing ship colour | Players can customize the colour of their ship by using a save editor to swap seeds or by buying a ship of the same model in a different colour |
| Customizing ship appearance | Players can customize the appearance of their ship by swapping out the core body, wings, boosters, and nose cone of eligible ships, unlocking different silhouettes |
| Customizing ship functionality | Players can select from various parts to enhance their ship's performance, including engines, shields, and weapons |
| Ship Customizer | Players can find the Ship Customizer at any space station to start the customization process |
| Ship parts | Players can acquire ship parts by scrapping unwanted ships or trading with other players or at trading posts |
| Customization options | Players can customize their ship's colour, decals, and other parts |
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What You'll Learn

Ship customisation in No Man's Sky
Prior to the update, players had to rely on workarounds to customise their ships. Some players used save editors to modify their ship's colour by swapping seeds, but this method required purchasing a ship of the same model in a different colour. Additionally, players could collect colour sets and designs from dismantled ships to apply to new ones, maintaining the game's Easter egg hunting aspect. However, these methods were considered time-consuming and cumbersome.
With the Orbital update, Hello Games introduced the Ship Customizer, accessible at every space station, which offers a range of customisation options for players to create their dream ships. Players can now customise their ships' parts, colours, decals, and more. They can swap out core body components, wings, boosters, and nose cones, unlocking different silhouettes. Each scrapped ship provides customisation blueprints for its specific parts, encouraging players to explore and hunt for exotic ships to find unique parts.
In addition to aesthetic changes, the Ship Customizer allows players to enhance their ship's performance with technology upgrades. These upgrades include shields, weapons, hyperdrive enhancements, and different ship classes like Fighters, Explorers, and Haulers, ensuring a smoother and safer journey through the galaxy.
While the Orbital update has improved ship customisation in No Man's Sky, some players still desire more options, such as the ability to change their ship's colour after finalising their customisation choices. The absence of certain colours, like black, has been a point of disappointment for some players, who wish for a broader colour palette to create their ideal ships.
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Players' desire to paint their ships
Players of No Man's Sky have expressed a strong desire to paint their ships, with some even calling the inability to do so “silly” and “horrible game design”. The desire to paint ships stems from a wish to customise and personalise their in-game experience, with players wanting to make their ships unique and reflective of their own tastes and identities. This is especially true for players who spend a lot of time in their ships and want to feel more invested in the game.
Some players have suggested that the ability to paint ships could be implemented through a “Ship Master” or “Starship Engineer” NPC, who could offer a questline that unlocks upgrade modules for purchase. Others have suggested that ship painting could be tied to the quicksilver currency, allowing players to earn and use this currency for customisations.
Prior to the Orbital Update, players had to resort to various workarounds to change the colour of their ships. One method involved using a save editor to swap the seeds of two ships of the same model but different colours. Another method involved manually editing the save file, as it was discovered that the game already had the allocation for ship painting customisation. However, these methods were not ideal as they required players to go outside of the game or use third-party tools.
With the Orbital Update, Hello Games finally responded to community feedback and introduced ship customisation, allowing players to alter their ships' appearance and functionality. Players can now access the Ship Customizer at every space station to personalise their ships' colours and add decals. However, it is worth noting that some players still desire more colour options, as the current palette lacks certain colours like black.
Despite the introduction of ship customisation, some players still prefer the Easter egg hunt aspect of finding ships with their desired colours. They enjoy the excitement of discovering a “perfectly gorgeous ship” and believe that the ability to fully customise ships would detract from this experience.
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Workarounds to change ship colours
No Man's Sky is a fantasy science-fiction game set in an infinite, procedurally-generated universe. While the game does allow for some ship customisation, players have expressed disappointment at the limited colour palette and the inability to change a ship's colour once it has been selected.
Use a save editor
You can use a third-party save editor to manually edit your save file and change the colour of your ship. This method requires you to buy a ship of the same model in a different colour and then swap the seeds using the save editor. Websites like nomansseeds.com provide databases of ship/colour combinations. While this method allows for full control over recolouring, it may be considered a game mod and some players may prefer not to use it.
Hunt for a new ship
You can search for a ship with a colour that you prefer. This can be done by exploring the universe within the game or by checking online forums and communities where players share information about ships they have found. Once you find a ship with your desired colour, you can purchase it and either keep both ships or trade in your old one.
Scrap ships for parts
With the Orbital update, No Man's Sky introduced the Ship Customizer, which allows players to alter the appearance and functionality of their ships. To access this feature, players must first unlock the Starship Outfitter by completing initial missions in the game. The Ship Customizer can then be found at every space station, usually near where players scrap their ships. Players can scrap unwanted ships to obtain various parts and then rebuild their perfect ship piece by piece. This method allows for customisation beyond just colour, as players can swap out the core body, wings, boosters, and nose cone of eligible ships.
Use a game mod
While No Man's Sky does not officially support ship painting, players can choose to mod the game to have ships look different. This method may not be preferred by those who want to avoid modifying the core game files.
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The Ship Customizer tool
To access the Ship Customizer, players need to head to the nearest space station and locate the Starship Outfitting terminal. Here, players can interact with the Starship Fabricator to begin customizing their ship. The customization options include altering the ship's parts, colors, decals, and more. Players can swap out core body components such as wings, boosters, and nose cones, as well as enhance performance with technology upgrades like shields, weapons, and hyperdrive enhancements.
The key to extensive customization is collecting ship parts, which can be acquired through scrapping unwanted ships or trading with other players. Each new ship scrapped provides customization blueprints for its specific parts. Additionally, players can refer to YouTube tutorials and the No Man's Sky Wiki for visual walkthroughs and browsing ship types.
While the Ship Customizer offers a wide range of options, some players have expressed disappointment with the limited color palette, especially the absence of black. There have also been requests for more fine-tuned customization options, such as adding wear and tear to ships. Despite these criticisms, the Ship Customizer tool in No Man's Sky provides players with a rich experience, allowing them to create unique and personalized ships that match their identities within the game's expansive universe.
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Hello Games' response to feedback
Hello Games has responded to player feedback about ship customisation in No Man's Sky by releasing the Orbital update, which allows players to customise their ships' colours and decals. This update was released on 27 March 2024 and has revolutionised ship customisation in the game.
Prior to the update, players could only customise their ships by hunting down a system that had a ship with their desired colour or by editing their save game file. Some players enjoyed the Easter egg hunt aspect of searching for a ship with their desired colour, but others found it frustrating that they couldn't change the paint job of their ship, especially since they could customise their character and freighters.
The Orbital update allows players to access the Ship Customiser at every space station, where they can customise their ship's parts, colours, decals, and more. Players can also swap out core body parts, wings, boosters, and nose cones, unlocking different silhouettes. To unlock these parts, players must find and scrap ships to obtain various customisation blueprints.
While the Orbital update has improved ship customisation in No Man's Sky, some players still desire more options, such as a rust material option to make their ships look older and more lived-in. It is possible that future updates will further expand the customisation options, as Hello Games has been supportive of the game with updates responding to community feedback.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can now paint ships in No Man's Sky.
You can change the colour of your ship by using the Ship Customizer, which can be found at any space station.
No, once you've finished customising your ship, you can't alter its colours.
Yes, you can change the colour of your ship in-game by using the Ship Customizer.
No, it seems that you need to pay in-game currency to change the colour of your ship.











































