Boats and ships

Building boats

Boat construction in Light No Fire uses the same underlying technology as No Man's Sky's Voyagers update (August 2025). In that update, players build fully walkable ships room by room, adding components like med-bays, sleeping quarters, war rooms, and teleporters. The interiors are physically modeled; you can walk around inside your ship while it moves.

Sean Murray confirmed the connection explicitly: "Much of the technology we're introducing with Voyagers is shared with our next game, Light No Fire." He also acknowledged the engineering difficulty: "The technical challenges have been immense. Almost every part of the game has had to be reworked to accommodate these relative spaces."

Why boats are necessary

The planet has real oceans that separate continents. Swimming is not a viable option for ocean crossings. Flying mounts may have range limitations over water. Boats are the intended method for crossing large bodies of water, and Murray specifically said they require "large boats and crews."

Crew mechanics

The emphasis on "crews" means boats are multiplayer vehicles. Multiple players operate a single ship together. In No Man's Sky's Voyagers update, crews can man different stations aboard a ship. Light No Fire likely adapts this for nautical roles, though the specific crew positions have not been announced.

Customization

If the boat system follows the Voyagers template closely, players will have significant freedom in how they design their vessels. Room-by-room construction, modular layouts, and personalized interiors would all carry over from the existing technology. The fantasy setting probably replaces high-tech components with wood, sails, and magical elements.

Unknown details

• Whether smaller solo watercraft exist (rafts, canoes, rowboats)

• Naval combat mechanics

• Specific materials required for construction

• Whether boats can be damaged or destroyed

• How boat physics handle storms and waves