Building Starfield Outpost is essential if you want to hang out or use it to extract resources. In either case, for many players, their very first outpost can become a little tricky to build as they deal with button greyed-out issues.
If you are also it and you are stuck in a Starfield outpost button grayed-out issue then this article is for you. Here we have explained what to do if you are unable to build an outpost in Starfield.
How to Build Your First Outpost in Starfield
Choosing a planet for your outpost can be a bit tricky. Here’s how to do it step by step:
- Explore the solar system by flying around and looking at different planets.
- Hover your cursor over them to check their information and scan them to learn more about them.
- For your first outpost, try to find a planet with aluminum or iron and helium-3. Make sure it doesn’t have extreme conditions like scorching heat that would make it impossible to build on.
- If all of this seems like a lot to handle, you can check out a list of the best planets for your first outpost.
Once you’ve found the right planet:
- Choose a landing zone while in orbit, using the “A” button on Xbox or left-click on PC.
- After landing on the planet, open your scanner and explore to find the perfect spot for your base.
- It’s easier to build your outpost if you use the top-down camera view, which you can activate by pressing the back button on Xbox or the “V” key on PC in build mode.
- To place your beacon and mark where your outpost will be, pull out your scanner and press the “X” button on the console or the “R” key on the PC. If the outpost button is grayed out, it means you’re in a restricted area, and you can’t put down a beacon there.
How To Fix Starfield Outpost Button Grayed Out Issue
The grayed-out outpost button on the screen indicates that placing the beacon in that location is not possible due to:
- It’s a restricted area
- It’s a hostile environment with extreme weather conditions
- There is an existing outpost there already
- It’s a bug
Restricted Area
In Starfield, if the outpost button is grayed out, it signifies that you cannot deploy a beacon in a restricted building area. To identify these restricted zones, utilize your scanner to explore the vicinity.
Once located, steer clear of such areas and search for alternative spots to optimize resource extraction. These restricted zones are often situated in proximity to Points of Interest (POIs) such as landmarks, ship landing spots, or buildings.
Hostile Environment
Another circumstance that may prevent you from constructing an outpost in a specific location is the hostile environment, which is contingent upon the planet’s conditions.
However, acquiring the Planetary Habitation skill enables you to mitigate hazardous conditions and temperatures such as Deep Freeze and Inferno while expanding your maximum allowable number of outposts by an additional four.
By continually advancing this skill, you can even establish outposts on planets characterized by extreme pressure, toxic or corrosive atmospheres, and extreme gravitational forces.
No Outposts Near Existing Ones
You can’t put a new outpost where there’s already one. So, go to a different spot, make sure they don’t touch, and the button to build the outpost will work again when you’re far enough away from the first one.
What to Do If It’s a Bug
If all the required conditions are fulfilled but the outpost button is still grayed out, it may be a bug. To work around it, close the game, relaunch it, and reload an autosave close to the time you tried to build an outpost.
