Starbound is a popular sandbox game that allows players to travel between procedurally generated planets and build anything they can imagine. One of the key resources in Starbound is pixels, which serve as currency that can be used to purchase weapons, furniture, materials, and other items from merchants across the universe. Many players accumulate a large stash of pixels during their adventures and may wonder if there is a way to safely store their hard-earned wealth. In this article, we will explore the options for storing pixels in Starbound and how players can protect their valuable currency.
What are Pixels in Starbound?
Pixels are the main form of money in Starbound. They are obtained by killing enemies, completing quests, selling items to merchants, and mining precious ores. Pixels can be used to:
- Purchase weapons, armor, furniture, decorations, building materials, and rare items from merchants
- Upgrade equipment at crafting tables and anvils
- Rent spaceships and travel between planetary systems
- Pay entrance fees for dungeons and challenges
- Unlock rare blueprints and recipes
Pixels essentially fuel progression in Starbound. The more pixels a player collects, the more gear, items, and capabilities they can unlock. However, pixels are lost when a player dies. They will drop some of their pixels at the location of their death. Therefore, protecting your pixel stash is imperative.
Storing Pixels in Your Inventory
The most straightforward way to store pixels is to keep them on your character by not spending them. All collected pixels are located in the currency tab of your inventory. As you amass more pixels, you will see your count steadily rise. Pixels held in your inventory will remain there permanently until spent or lost upon death.
The main advantage of keeping pixels in your inventory is simplicity. The pixels are readily accessible whenever you need to purchase something from a merchant or pay for services. You don’t need to withdraw your funds from any other location. The downside is the risk of losing a portion of your pixels if you die and being unable to recover them.
There is no limit to how many pixels a character can hold in their wallet. Veteran players often accumulate hundreds of thousands or even millions of pixels over the course of their adventures. Keep in mind though that your on-hand balance will drop if you die and respawn.
Storing Pixels in Storage Containers
For more secure pixel storage, you can deposit extra pixels into storage containers like chests, lockers, and storage tanks at your base or on your spaceship. This prevents you from losing all your currency if you die while exploring a planet.
To deposit pixels:
- Open the storage container’s interface.
- Click the “Deposit” button in the top right corner.
- Type in the amount of pixels you want to deposit or click the “Deposit All” button to store your entire pixel balance.
The pixels will then be safely tucked away until you need to withdraw them later. You can withdraw pixels by opening the container’s interface and clicking the “Withdraw” button.
The main advantage of storing pixels in containers is security. If you die, the pixels left in storage at home will be preserved. You will only lose the pixels in your inventory. The downside is the inconvenience of having to return home to retrieve more funds from storage every time you need to spend pixels.
Ideal Pixel Storage Containers
While any storage container can hold spare pixels, some are better suited than others:
- Storage tanks – These have the largest capacity and can hold millions of pixels in a single tank.
- Safes – Safes are armored and will keep your coins protected even if your base comes under attack.
- Refrigerators – Refrigerated storage prevents pixels from being stolen if intruders beam into your base.
- Registered chests – When linked to a teleporter, registered chests let you quickly summon your pixel reserves anywhere.
For optimal results, funnel your pixels into high-capacity and secure containers rather than common chests or lockers. This way you can stockpile vast wealth while minimizing risk.
Banking Pixels at the Penguin Bay
For players who have unlocked the Penguin Bay space station, storing pixels in your Penguins Savings account is advised. The Penguin Bay provides secure banking services in the Starbound universe.
To bank pixels:
- Travel to the Penguin Bay via your spaceship navigation console or a teleporter.
- Speak with the Banking Penguin near the vault entrance.
- Select “Deposit Pixels” and enter the amount you want to deposit.
The pixels will be transferred from your wallet into the Penguin Bay vault for safekeeping. You can return anytime to withdraw pixels by speaking with the Banking Penguin and selecting “Withdraw Pixels”.
Key advantages of banking with Penguins:
- Your bank balance is retained even if you die. You don’t lose any pixels.
- Banked pixels are shared across all characters on your account.
- High level banking perks like interest accumulation.
- Instant teleporter access for quick pixel withdrawals as needed.
The only real downside is getting started with the Penguin Bay can be slow until you unlock the space station. But once available, it offers the most secure and convenient pixel banking in Starbound.
Automatic Pixel Deductions
When renting certain services in Starbound like spaceship crews or colony deeds, the rental fees are automatically deducted from your pixel balance on regular intervals rather than paying upfront.
For example, naming a spaceship crew member costs 10,000 pixels upfront but their weekly salary is only 100 pixels. These small recurring pixel withdrawals happen in the background without any input needed from the player.
The main advantage of automatic deductions is streamlining payments for ongoing services. You don’t need to manually pay your crew or tenants every week. The pixels are simply removed at a specified interval. The downside is forgetting about automatic payments and suddenly being low on funds if you’re not monitoring your balance.
It’s recommended to check your active crews, tenant agreements, and other services occasionally to remember what automatic deductions to expect. When your balance drops mysteriously, automatic payments are likely the culprit.
Investing Pixels in a Colony
Once you acquire a colony deed for an Outpost settlement, you can invest your excess pixels into upgrading and expanding your colony. Actions like building new houses, upgrading existing buildings, hiring guards, and establishing shops all cost a hefty amount of pixels.
Investing your wealth into an Outpost helps transform it into a thriving town that provides resources, buffs, gear, and tenants. This gives your surplus pixels a purpose beyond just accumulating in storage.
Be warned that investing pixels into a town is an ongoing process. Construction, upkeep, guards’ wages, and other expenses will regularly drain your reserves. Make sure to keep earning pixels through quests and resource harvesting to fund your growing colony.
Also, any pixels spent on buildings and town upgrades are permanent investments. The pixels can’t be recovered if you decide to relocate your colony. Manage your investments wisely as you expand your intergalactic township.
Exchanging Pixels for Other Currencies
In addition to plain pixels, several other currencies exist in Starbound that can serve as stores of value:
- Essence – Can be used to purchase items at The Infinity Express shop.
- Moneybags – Contain a set number of pixels that can be redeemed.
- Replicated coins – Duplicates of rare or extinct alien coins.
- Legendary Hunter Medallions – Earned by completing the Hunter’s Lodge quests.
These alternative currencies can be earned through certain game activities or purchased from merchants in exchange for your pixels. Some players convert a portion of their pixel hoard into special currencies to diversify their funds or gain access to exclusive goods.
For example, exchanging 1,000 pixels for a Moneybag containing 10,000 pixels allows you to transport larger amounts of wealth securely. Make sure to evaluate the exchange rates before converting your main pixel supply into specialty money though.
Should I Store Pixels or Spend Them?
With so many pixel storage options available, you may be wondering if it’s better to stockpile your coins or spend them freely as you earn them. Here are some factors to consider:
- If dying causes you to lose pixels frequently, save them in storage containers or banks.
- Spend pixels if you have sufficient combat gear and just want convenience items.
- Let your balance accumulate to afford expensive merchant purchases like crew members or bridges.
- Invest spare pixels into your colony once established on a planet.
- Holding pixels long term earns interest if banked with Penguins.
In most cases, finding a balance between spending and saving is optimal. Use enough pixels to steadily improve your equipment and capabilities, while storing excess amounts to enable big future purchases. Your ideal pixel hoard amount depends on your stage of advancement in the game.
As a beginner, spend pixels freely on basics like armor and weapon upgrades. In the mid-game, boost your storage and focus on amassing pixels for colonies or spaceships. End-game players can let their immense pixel wealth accumulate for prestige. Find a strategy that aligns with your current progression.
Safe Pixel Storage for Casual vs. Hardcore Players
More casual Starbound players who are still learning the game may favor conveniently accessible pixel storage methods like keeping all pixels in their character’s inventory. Don’t worry about optimal storage security early on while you’re still gearing up and exploring procedurally generated planets.
Hardcore players who sink dozens or hundreds of hours into Starbound worlds will want to utilize the most secure banks and containers to protect their accumulated wealth. The loss of millions of pixels would be devastating at higher tiers of gameplay. Prioritize storage methods like Penguin banks, registered chests, and safes to prevent pixel tragedies.
Here is a comparison of casual vs hardcore pixel storage habits:
| Casual Players | Hardcore Players |
|---|---|
| Keep most pixels in personal inventory | Store pixels in banks and safes |
| Only use common storage like chests | Link secure chests to teleporters |
| Carry large pixel amounts while exploring | Only carry what’s needed, leave wealth at home |
| Spend pixels freely without much saving | Collect millions of pixels over time |
| Don’t worry much about pixel loss on death | Devastated by pixel loss, avoid at all costs |
| May not visit Penguin Bay frequently | Always banks spare pixels with Penguins |
Determine whether you have a relaxed or serious gameplay style, then adopt pixel storing and spending habits to match. Your stage in the game also determines what methods may work best at a given time. Adapt your strategy as you progress.
Conclusion
Pixels are the precious lifeblood of progression and prosperity in the Starbound metaverse. Safely storing your hard-earned pixels is critical to avoid losing them to untimely deaths or theft. Players can keep pixels in their personal inventory, place them in storage containers, invest in colonies, bank with Penguins, and exchange them for other currencies.
More casual players can be relaxed with inventory and container storage early on. End-game characters will want to utilize the most secure pixel banking options available. Finding the right balance of spending versus saving can ensure you always have enough pixels on hand for purchases while building toward major investments. With so many options for safekeeping, your valuable Starbound currency can be preserved no matter what perils you encounter on your spacefaring adventures.
