Star Citizen First Day Guide
A step-by-step Star Citizen first day guide: set expectations, learn your city, retrieve and fly your ship, run an easy first mission, and avoid early mistakes.
Quick Answer
A step-by-step Star Citizen first day guide: set expectations, learn your city, retrieve and fly your ship, run an easy first mission, and avoid early mistakes.
You just launched Star Citizen for the first time — now what? Your first day should be about learning, not making money or buying ships. This step-by-step guide takes you from your habitation room to your first completed mission, calmly and in order.
Last updated: June 13, 2026 Current game version: Star Citizen Alpha 4.8.1 (LIVE)
Haven’t created your account yet? Use a referral code for 50,000 free UEC first.
Short Answer
On your first day, focus on the basics: accept that the game is a buggy alpha, learn your starting city’s layout, retrieve and fly your ship, travel to a station, buy a little survival gear, and run one easy delivery or hauling mission. Don’t chase money or ships yet — just get comfortable.
Key Takeaways
- Take it slowly — your first day is for learning, not earning.
- Bugs and death are normal; most setbacks are recoverable.
- Set your medical respawn early.
- Don’t spend lots of real money — a starter ship is enough.
- Run an easy mission (delivery or hauling) to learn the loop.
- Have fun first; optimize later.
Step 1: Set Your Expectations
Short Answer
Star Citizen is in alpha. It’s ambitious and large, but unfinished — you will hit bugs, server hiccups, and occasional janky moments. Going in expecting that makes the whole experience smoother.
Patience is genuinely the most useful skill on day one. If something breaks, relog or try a different server rather than getting frustrated. For an honest read on what you’re signing up for, see Is Star Citizen Worth It.
Step 2: Learn Your Starting City
Short Answer
Spend your first few minutes learning your city’s layout — your hab, the elevators, your local inventory, and the route to the spaceport. New Babbage (microTech) is a beginner-friendly home.
Key locations to find:
- Hab — your habitation room, where you spawn.
- Elevators — used constantly; learn which ones go where.
- Local inventory — storage tied to this location.
- Spaceport / transit — how you reach your ship.
Required Table
| Location | Planet | Beginner Friendly |
|---|---|---|
| New Babbage | microTech | High |
| Area18 | ArcCorp | High |
| Orison | Crusader | Medium |
| Lorville | Hurston | Medium |
For more on choosing a home, see the Beginner Guide.
Step 3: Retrieve Your Ship
Short Answer
Use an ASOP terminal to spawn your ship, then take the hangar elevator to it. Your ship doesn’t sit waiting in the world — you call it up when you want it.
- Travel to the spaceport via city transit.
- Find an ASOP terminal.
- Select your ship and retrieve it to a hangar.
- Take the elevator down to the hangar.
Step 4: Learn Basic Flight
Short Answer
Power on the ship, raise the landing gear, and lift off after requesting clearance from ATC. The first flight is the steepest part of the learning curve — take it slow.
Basics to learn:
- Power and engines — turn the ship on before anything else.
- Landing gear — raise it after takeoff, lower it before landing.
- ATC — request takeoff/landing clearance at managed spaceports.
- MFDs — the cockpit screens that show ship status.
Step 5: Fly To A Space Station
Short Answer
Once airborne, leave the atmosphere, open your Quantum Travel options, select a nearby station, spool, and jump. Stations are good first destinations for shopping and missions.
Skills you’ll practice:
- Quantum Travel — fast travel between locations.
- Docking / landing — request clearance and set down gently.
- Refueling — top up fuel at stations if needed.
Required Table
| Skill | Difficulty |
|---|---|
| Takeoff | Easy |
| Quantum Travel | Easy |
| Navigation | Medium |
| Landing | Medium |
Step 6: Buy Basic Equipment
Short Answer
Pick up survival and utility gear: MedPens, a backpack, a multi-tool with a tractor-beam attachment, and cheap armor. Keep it simple and inexpensive.
Required Table
| Item | Priority |
|---|---|
| MedPens | High |
| Backpack | High |
| Multi-tool + tractor beam | High |
| Light armor | Medium |
If you used a referral code, your 50,000 UEC covers this easily — see What To Buy With 50,000 UEC.
Step 7: Run Your First Mission
Short Answer
Open the Contracts Manager in your mobiGlas and take a delivery or hauling contract. They teach the core loop — travel, land, handle cargo — without combat. Avoid bounties for now.
Required Table
| Mission Type | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Delivery | Excellent |
| Hauling | Excellent |
| Investigation | Good |
| Bounties | Avoid (for now) |
| Salvage | Later |
| Mining | Later |
More options: Best Star Citizen Beginner Missions.
Common First-Day Mistakes
Spending Too Much Real Money
A starter ship is enough. Don’t pledge for a big ship on day one.
Carrying All Your Gear
You can lose carried items on death. Leave spares in local inventory.
Getting Angry At Bugs
It’s an alpha. Relog or switch servers and move on.
Choosing Difficult Missions
Skip bounties and combat early. Start with delivery and hauling.
Trying To Learn Everything At Once
One system at a time. For the full list, see Common Beginner Mistakes.
What Should You Do On Day Two?
Short Answer
Build on the basics: start earning reputation with mission-givers, take slightly bigger contracts, try renting a ship to test a career, and begin working toward your first real income.
A natural progression: more deliveries and hauling → maintenance → easy mercenary/combat work once you’re comfortable. For the money side, see How To Make Your First 100k aUEC and continue with the Beginner Guide.
FAQ
What should I do first in Star Citizen?
Learn your city, retrieve and fly your ship, travel to a station, buy survival gear, then run an easy delivery mission.
What is the easiest mission?
Delivery and hauling contracts — low risk and great for learning.
Which city is best?
New Babbage (microTech) is a common, beginner-friendly choice.
Should I buy armor immediately?
Buy cheap light armor — you can lose it on death, so don’t overspend.
What should I buy first?
MedPens, a backpack, a multi-tool with a tractor beam, and light armor.
Is Star Citizen difficult?
The first day is the hardest part. After a few sessions the basics click.
How buggy is the game?
Noticeably — it’s an alpha. Expect occasional bugs and relog when needed.
What happens when I die?
You respawn at your medical location and may lose carried gear; ships and account are safe.
Should I buy a better ship?
Not on day one. Learn the game first; you can upgrade or earn ships later.
How much money should I spend?
As little as possible to start. The cheapest game package is enough.
Related Guides
- Star Citizen Beginner Guide — the full overview.
- Best Star Citizen Starter Pack — which package to buy.
- What To Buy With 50,000 UEC — your first purchases.
- Best Beginner Missions — what to do first.
- Common Beginner Mistakes — what to avoid.
- Is Star Citizen Worth It — setting expectations.
Sources
Official Sources
- RSI Patch Notes — current version (Alpha 4.8.1).
- RSI Comm-Link — official guides.
Additional References
- Star Citizen Wiki — locations, ASOP, and flight basics.
- r/starcitizen on Reddit — first-day advice from players.
Author Note
Almost everyone’s first day includes at least one moment of “wait, how do I even get to my ship?” That’s normal. Follow the steps in order, keep MedPens on you, and don’t be afraid to relog when the game gets weird. By the end of one good session you’ll have flown, traveled, and finished a mission — and the rest gets much easier from there.
Changelog
June 2026
- Updated to Alpha 4.8.1 and current starting cities.
- Adjusted first-mission advice toward delivery/hauling for the current economy.
Future Updates
- Re-verify the ASOP/retrieval flow and city layouts each major patch.
Fusion Thunder
Founder & EditorI'm Fusion Thunder, the founder of Beyond Max Level. I'm a lifelong gamer and content creator who doesn't just play games — I like to push them to their absolute limits. This site is the written extension of my YouTube channel, @BeyondMaxLevel, where I break down the open-world epics and big RPGs worth going deep on into clear, no-fluff guides you can actually follow.
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