So when you’re scavenging various broken-down spaceships for parts and resources in Hardscape: Shipbreaker, you have other concerns beyond what parts you reclaim. Sure, you have to manage getting the most value from each salvage job, but you also have to worry about the two things that make your job possible, fuel and oxygen. Without fuel, you can’t move around space easily, and not having oxygen has a pretty obvious consequence.
This is the biggest challenge in the game, speed. You have to move quick and be able to break down the ship you’re tasked with salvaging efficiently. You shouldn’t get too bogged down with exploration, as it can be the death of you. If you run out of fuel you will not only be unable to move around, thus not being able to complete your salvage tasks, it’s just not fun.
So if you run out of fuel in the game, what’s left to do?
The key here is to use the retract beam that’s included with the grappler. Normally the grapple is used to grab onto items, and can either be used to fling them around the hub, or pull them closer. But there’s one particular function that can be useful if you run out of fuel in Hardscape: Shipbreaker.
For those playing a mouse and keyboard, it’s the right mouse button or the G key. If you’re using a controller, you’re going o need to use the LT button while you have the grapple attached to an object. This will trigger the retract beam and pull you toward where the object is tethered.
This will allow you to essentially pull yourself back into the central hub to continue salvaging.
It’s a slow and tedious method, with a lot less control over how you actually stop. Without fuel, you can’t reverse thrust to slow your momentum in one direction. There is another option as well, but it’s of limited use. f you’re stuck in a ship’s enclosed environment without fuel, you can use your hands. Use the X key for your right hand and the Z key for your left, which translates to RB and LB for controllers. Using this will let you attach to walls and try to get into spaces that you normally would be locked out of if you’re out of fuel.
If you’re stuck outside of the hub or outside of the ship, then you’re pretty much restricted to using the retract beam method. While doing all of this though, you need to be mindful of oxygen levels. There’s no trick for breathing in space.
