Overview
Emotes are expressive animations your character can perform in Starsand Island. They range from basic actions (waving, nodding, clapping) to full dance moves with music. Emotes are managed through the Emotes app on your in-game phone and assigned to an Emote Wheel for quick access during gameplay. The emote system unlocks after completing the "Decorate Your Home" Island Life quest and can be expanded by collecting emotes from Treasure Chests, shops, the Scenery Album, and DLC packs.
How to Unlock the Emote System
The Emote system is not available from the start of the game. You must unlock it by completing a specific quest:
Progress through the Island Life quest chain until you reach "Decorate Your Home".
Complete the quest by placing at least 6 furniture items inside your house. Furniture can be purchased from Lex Woodworks or crafted at a Worktable.
Upon completion, you receive several rewards:
Reward | Description |
|---|---|
Currency used for various island activities and upgrades | |
Crispy Mushroom recipe | A cooking recipe for a stamina-restoring dish |
Rustic Outdoor Bench blueprint | A furniture blueprint for outdoor decoration |
Emotes app | Added to your phone. Grants access to the emote system and a set of default emotes. |
Tip: To complete this quest quickly, buy 6 of the cheapest furniture items from Lex Woodworks and place them anywhere inside your house. You can rearrange or remove them afterward.
Emote Categories
All emotes in Starsand Island fall into two categories, visible in the Emotes app:
Category | Description | Examples |
|---|---|---|
Basic Actions | Simple gesture animations. Quick to perform and useful for general expression, multiplayer communication, and photo opportunities. | Wave, Nod, Clap, Point, Bow, Cheer, Sit, Shrug, Salute |
Dance Moves | Full choreographed dance animations, often accompanied by music. Includes standard dances and special ethnic-inspired traditional dances tied to specific outfits. | Standard dances, ethnic outfit dances (see below) |
The Emote Wheel
The Emote Wheel is the interface used to perform emotes during gameplay. It provides quick access to your favorite emotes without opening the phone menu.
Action | Control |
|---|---|
Open Emote Wheel | Hold Left Trigger (Xbox) or E key (PC) |
Select an emote | Use the mouse or analog stick to highlight, then release to perform |
Switch wheel pages | Navigate between three separate Emote Wheel pages |
Customizing the Emote Wheel
Open your phone and select the Emotes app.
Browse your unlocked emotes in the Basic Actions or Dance Moves tabs.
Drag emotes from the list into the available slots on the Emote Wheel.
You have three separate Emote Wheel pages that you can customize independently.
Recommended setup: Dedicate two wheel pages to Basic Actions (everyday gestures you use frequently) and one page to Dance Moves (for photo shoots and special moments).
How to Get More Emotes
After unlocking the system, you start with a set of default emotes. Additional emotes can be earned from several sources throughout the game:
Source | Details | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Default Emotes | Granted automatically when the Emote system unlocks after the "Decorate Your Home" quest. | Includes basic gestures like Wave, Nod, Clap, and a few starter dances. |
Found scattered across the island and in the Moonlit Forest. Some chests contain emotes alongside other rewards like blueprints and materials. | Not every chest contains an emote. Check behind buildings, along cliff edges, and in hidden corners. | |
Ethereal Styles | Emotes available for purchase with Coins from the cash register at Lunelle's clothing boutique (Ethereal Styles) in Starsand Town. | The shop may rotate stock. Check back regularly for new emotes alongside clothing items. |
Completing milestones in the Scenery Album (accessible via the Album app on your phone or through Photo Mode) rewards emotes at certain completion thresholds. | Photograph scenic points and Points of Interest across the island to fill the album and earn milestone rewards. | |
DLC Packs | The Classic European Furniture, Fashion and Vehicles DLC includes exclusive dance emotes. | After purchasing, complete "Return to the Cabin in the Woods" and claim rewards at the Self-Service Terminal in the Community Center. |
Ethnic Outfit Dances | Ten special dance animations tied to ethnic-inspired outfits in the base game (see section below). | Included in the base game. No DLC purchase required. |
Ethnic Outfit Dances
Starsand Island includes 10 outfits inspired by different ethnic traditions in China. Each outfit comes with its own matching traditional dance animation. These are separate from the standard emote collection and are tied specifically to wearing the corresponding outfit.
How to Use Ethnic Dances
Equip the ethnic outfit through the Wardrobe app on your phone.
Open the Emote Wheel (hold Left Trigger or E key).
The traditional dance associated with that outfit becomes available as a selectable emote while wearing it.
Select the dance emote to perform the choreographed traditional dance animation.
These dances only appear on the Emote Wheel while the matching outfit is equipped. Switching to a different outfit changes the available ethnic dance. All 10 outfit-dance pairs are included in the base game and do not require DLC Content.
Using Emotes Effectively
Photo Mode Combinations
Emotes pair well with Photo Mode for creative screenshots. Start an emote, then quickly open Photo Mode to freeze the animation at the perfect moment. Dance moves look especially striking at scenic overlooks, beaches, and festival areas.
Multiplayer Expression
In multiplayer sessions, emotes serve as a non-verbal communication tool. Waving, nodding, and pointing help coordinate with other players without needing voice or text chat.
Scenery Album Progression
Make it a habit to photograph new scenic points as you discover them. The Scenery Album rewards emotes at certain milestones, so consistent progress toward album completion unlocks new emotes over time. The Album app on your phone tracks your progress and shows which photos you still need.
Frequently Asked Questions
Question | Answer |
|---|---|
How early can I unlock emotes? | As soon as you complete "Decorate Your Home," which requires placing 6 furniture items. You can buy cheap furniture from Lex Woodworks very early in the game. |
Can I preview emotes before performing them? | Yes. Open the Emotes app on your phone to see all unlocked emotes and their preview animations before equipping them to the wheel. |
Do emotes affect gameplay? | No. Emotes are purely cosmetic animations. They do not provide stat bonuses, affect NPC relationships, or impact any game mechanics. |
Can I use ethnic dances without the matching outfit? | No. Each ethnic dance is tied to its specific outfit and only appears on the Emote Wheel while that outfit is equipped. |
How many Emote Wheel pages are there? | Three. You can customize each page independently with different emotes. |
Where can I buy emotes? | At Ethereal Styles (Lunelle's shop) in Starsand Town. Pay with Coins at the cash register. |
Tips
Unlock the Emote system early by prioritizing the "Decorate Your Home" quest. Buy 6 cheap furniture items from Lex Woodworks to complete it quickly.
Check Ethereal Styles regularly. Lunelle's shop may rotate its stock, and emotes appear alongside clothing items.
Explore thoroughly. Treasure chests with emotes are hidden behind buildings, along cliff edges, and in the Moonlit Forest.
Use Photo Mode with emotes for creative screenshots. Combine dance moves with scenic locations for the best results.
The Scenery Album rewards emotes at certain milestones. Make it a habit to photograph new scenic points as you discover them to progress toward these rewards.
Try on all 10 ethnic outfits to see their unique traditional dance animations. Each dance reflects a different cultural tradition.
Allocate two Emote Wheel pages to Basic Actions and one page to Dance Moves for the most practical layout during regular gameplay.