Useful Tools for New Players

New Player Guide

Useful Tools for New Players

Star Citizen does not explain everything well.

Sometimes it explains things poorly.

Sometimes it does not explain them at all.

Sometimes the answer exists, but it is hidden behind a shop terminal, a patch note, a community spreadsheet, a third-party website, or one deeply sleep-deprived player in Discord who knows exactly where to buy coffee ice cream on three different planets.

This is where external tools become incredibly useful.

You do not need to use every tool on day one, but knowing where to look will save you a lot of time, credits, and confusion.

This guide covers some of the most useful tools and resources for new players, including:

  • SCANZ.SPACE tools
  • Erkul
  • Star Citizen Wiki / Star Citizen Tools
  • Universal Item Finder
  • Community Discord help
  • When to use each tool
  • What not to overcomplicate too early

The goal is simple:

Spend less time being lost, and more time actually playing.

Why Tools Matter

Star Citizen is big, detailed, and constantly changing.

There are thousands of items, ships, components, locations, shops, missions, weapons, commodities, and systems to learn.

You will eventually ask questions like:

  • Where do I buy this weapon?
  • Which station sells this quantum drive?
  • What shield fits my ship?
  • Can my ship carry this cargo?
  • Where is the nearest repair station?
  • What does this component do?
  • Which ship should I buy in-game?
  • Where can I sell this commodity?
  • How do I find a hospital?
  • Is this mission bugged or am I missing something?

The game itself can answer some of this.

External tools answer a lot more.

Used properly, tools make Star Citizen much less painful.

Used badly, they can turn your first week into a spreadsheet cult.

So use them, but do not drown in them.

Do Not Overdo It Early

Before we list tools, here is the warning:

You do not need to optimise everything immediately.

As a new player, your first goals should be:

  • Learn to fly
  • Learn to land
  • Learn to use your MobiGlas
  • Learn to buy and equip gear
  • Complete basic contracts
  • Understand death and ship claims
  • Learn how to recover when things go wrong

You do not need the perfect quantum drive before your first flight.

You do not need to compare every shield generator before your first cargo mission.

You do not need a fully min-maxed combat loadout before your first low-risk bounty.

Tools are there to help you solve problems.

Do not use them to create new ones.

The spreadsheet rabbit hole will find you eventually.

No need to sprint toward it.

SCANZ.SPACE Tools

SCANZ.SPACE has a growing set of tools built to help Star Citizen players find useful information faster.

These are especially handy for AU/NZ players and members of the SCANZ community, but anyone can use them.

SCANZ.SPACE Find Nearest

Useful for: finding the closest useful location.

Find Nearest helps you locate nearby services or commodity locations.

You might use it to find:

  • Repair
  • Rearm
  • Refuel
  • Hospitals
  • Commodity buy locations
  • Commodity sell locations
  • Useful nearby facilities

This is especially helpful when you are stuck somewhere and need to know where to go next.

For example:

  • Your ship is damaged and you need repairs
  • You are low on fuel
  • You need a hospital or clinic
  • You want to sell cargo
  • You want to find the closest place that handles a specific commodity

Instead of guessing, use the tool and get moving.

SCANZ take

This is one of the most practical tools for new players.

When in doubt, find the nearest useful place and go there.

Preferably without crashing into it.

SCANZ.SPACE Haul Planner

Useful for: planning cargo and hauling routes.

Haul Planner helps you organise hauling runs and routes.

You might use it to:

  • Plan cargo pickups
  • Plan delivery routes
  • Work out multi-leg hauls
  • Share hauling plans
  • Track what needs to be moved
  • Coordinate group hauling

For new players, this becomes more useful once you understand basic cargo missions and want to start thinking about routes more seriously.

You do not need it for your very first box mission.

But once you start hauling with intent, it becomes very handy.

SCANZ take

Use this once cargo starts becoming more than “I picked up six boxes and prayed.”

When you are planning routes instead of reacting to them, this tool starts to shine.

SCANZ.SPACE Ship Builder

Useful for: planning and sharing ship loadouts.

Ship Builder helps you inspect ships, plan loadouts, and compare builds.

You might use it to:

  • View ship stats
  • Change weapons
  • Compare components
  • Plan combat builds
  • Save your own builds
  • Browse community builds
  • Share loadouts with other players

As a new player, do not over-optimise immediately.

But once you start asking questions like:

  • Should I change my quantum drive?
  • What weapons fit my ship?
  • What shield should I use?
  • Can this build handle beginner bounties?
  • What are other players running?

Ship Builder becomes useful.

SCANZ take

Great once you understand the basics of your ship.

Do not start here before you know how to land.

A perfect loadout does not help if you still enter hangars like a meteor with a pilot seat.

SCANZ.SPACE RediMake Assistant

Useful for: crafting and blueprint planning.

RediMake Assistant helps with crafting-related information.

You might use it to:

  • Search blueprints
  • Check required materials
  • Adjust material quality
  • See how crafted stats change
  • Decide whether a craft is worth the resources
  • Understand item outputs before committing materials

This is more advanced than basic beginner gameplay, but it becomes useful once you begin exploring crafting, blueprints, materials, and item quality.

SCANZ take

You probably do not need this in your first hour.

But once you start touching crafting systems, this is exactly the kind of tool that stops you from wasting good materials on bad decisions.

Or at least lets you make informed bad decisions.

Which is better.

Erkul

Useful for: ship loadouts, components, weapons, and performance comparison.

Erkul is one of the most widely used Star Citizen ship loadout tools.

You can use it to:

  • Select a ship
  • View ship stats
  • Change weapons
  • Compare DPS
  • Compare alpha damage
  • Test shield options
  • Test power plants
  • Test coolers
  • Test quantum drives
  • See component compatibility
  • Find where some components are sold

This is very useful once you start upgrading ships.

For example, you might use Erkul to answer:

  • What guns fit my Avenger Titan?
  • Is this shield better than my current one?
  • Which quantum drive is faster?
  • Where can I buy this component?
  • How does this loadout affect damage?
  • What happens if I swap weapons?

When Should New Players Use Erkul?

Use Erkul when you are ready to start modifying ships.

Good times to use it:

  • After you understand your starter ship
  • Before buying expensive components
  • When planning bounty hunting upgrades
  • When comparing weapons
  • When looking for a better quantum drive
  • When asking other players for build advice

Bad times to use it:

  • Before your first flight
  • Before you understand basic controls
  • Before you know what problem you are solving
  • When you are just panic-upgrading because someone said your ship is bad

Erkul is excellent, but it can be overwhelming.

Use it with a goal.

Do not open it and try to solve the entire game.

Star Citizen Wiki / Star Citizen Tools

Useful for: looking up ships, items, locations, systems, and general game information.

The Star Citizen Wiki, often known through Star Citizen Tools, is a very useful reference site.

You can use it to look up:

  • Ships
  • Vehicles
  • Weapons
  • Components
  • Locations
  • Planets
  • Moons
  • Stations
  • Organisations
  • Game systems
  • Lore
  • Item availability
  • In-game purchase information

It is especially useful when you want general information about something.

For example:

  • What is this ship?
  • Where can I buy this ship in-game?
  • What role is this vehicle designed for?
  • What system is this location in?
  • What does this item do?
  • Is this ship available to purchase with in-game credits?

When Should New Players Use the Wiki?

Use the wiki when you want background or reference information.

Good uses include:

  • Learning about a ship before buying it
  • Checking whether a ship can be purchased in-game
  • Understanding item types
  • Looking up locations
  • Reading about game systems
  • Checking broad information before asking a more specific question

The wiki is less useful when you need immediate “where is the closest place to buy this exact thing right now?” information.

For that, an item finder may be better.

Think of the wiki as the reference book.

Not always the fastest answer, but often the deeper one.

Universal Item Finder

Useful for: finding where to buy specific items.

Universal Item Finder is one of the most useful tools for new players.

You can search for an item and find where it is sold.

This is helpful for:

  • Weapons
  • Armour
  • Ammo
  • Ship components
  • Quantum drives
  • Food
  • Drinks
  • Clothing
  • Utility items
  • Random objects you suddenly need for reasons only Star Citizen can explain

If you need a specific item, search for it.

The tool can show locations and prices, depending on available data.

This is extremely useful when you know what you want but not where to buy it.

When Should New Players Use Universal Item Finder?

Use it when you ask:

  • Where do I buy this gun?
  • Where is this ammo sold?
  • Where do I get this armour?
  • Where can I buy this quantum drive?
  • Which shop sells this food or drink?
  • Where do I find this multi-tool attachment?
  • Is this item sold near me?

This tool is a lifesaver when you are trying to build a kit or upgrade a ship.

It prevents the classic Star Citizen shopping experience of wandering around four planets looking for one specific item like a confused interstellar dad at Bunnings.

SCANZ Discord

Useful for: real-time help, group play, questions, bugs, and learning from other players.

Tools are great.

People are better.

Sometimes you do not need a database.

You need someone to say:

“Yeah, that mission is bugged this patch. Do this one instead.”

SCANZ Discord is useful for:

  • Asking beginner questions
  • Finding people to fly with
  • Joining group activities
  • Getting help after a bug
  • Learning missions
  • Asking for ship advice
  • Getting rescued
  • Finding out what is currently broken
  • Avoiding bad contracts
  • Laughing at disasters

Star Citizen changes constantly.

Community knowledge is often the fastest way to keep up.

Especially when the game is doing something weird and you cannot tell whether it is a bug, a feature, or your fault.

The answer is sometimes all three.

Ask Before Spending Big

Before spending a lot of credits or real money, ask someone experienced.

This applies to:

  • Ships
  • Components
  • Weapons
  • Armour
  • Cargo
  • Major upgrades
  • Gameplay loops you have not tried yet

A five-minute conversation can save you from buying something that does not fit your playstyle.

This is especially true for ships.

Many ships look amazing.

Some are genuinely useful.

Some are niche.

Some are waiting for future gameplay.

Some are cool but awkward.

Some are basically vibes with landing gear.

Ask first.

Your wallet deserves community support.

YouTube Guides

Useful for: visual learning and step-by-step demonstrations.

Some things are easier to learn by watching.

YouTube guides can help with:

  • First flights
  • Ship reviews
  • Mission walkthroughs
  • Cargo loading
  • Bunker tactics
  • Bounty hunting basics
  • Mining
  • Salvage
  • Crafting
  • Patch changes
  • Bug workarounds

The downside is that Star Citizen changes often.

A guide from an older patch may be outdated.

Before following a video, check:

  • When was it published?
  • What patch was it made for?
  • Are the comments saying it still works?
  • Does it match what you see in-game?
  • Has the system changed?

Video guides are great, but always check freshness.

A perfect guide from two years ago may now be a historical document.

Patch Notes and Roadmap Updates

Useful for: understanding what changed.

Star Citizen changes with patches.

Ships, missions, locations, item availability, flight systems, economy, combat, and bugs can all change.

Patch notes and roadmap updates are useful when something feels different.

You might check them when:

  • A mission type suddenly behaves differently
  • A ship component no longer works the same way
  • A location changed
  • A system was added or removed
  • New ships or items appear
  • A bug is fixed or introduced
  • Rewards change
  • Events begin or end

As a new player, you do not need to read every patch note in detail.

But if something feels weird, the answer may be “the patch changed it.”

This phrase explains a worrying amount of life in the ‘verse.

In-Game Global Chat

Useful for: quick questions and local server help.

Global chat can be useful.

It can also be cursed.

Use it wisely.

Good questions for global chat:

  • Is this mission bugged?
  • Where is the nearest repair station?
  • Is anyone near my location?
  • How do I request landing?
  • Is this station working?
  • Can someone help with a rescue?
  • Where do I buy a basic item?

Bad uses for global chat:

  • Arguing for an hour
  • Asking something with no location context
  • Trusting every answer blindly
  • Reading it while trying to land
  • Letting it ruin your session

Global chat can help, but SCANZ Discord is often better if you want reliable community help.

Global is a public radio.

Discord is your crew.

In-Game Journal and Tooltips

Useful for: basic reference, when available.

Your MobiGlas may include journal entries, tooltips, tutorials, or reference information.

These can help explain some systems.

However, they may not always be complete, updated, or detailed enough for new players.

Use them as a starting point.

If they do not answer your question clearly, check a community guide, tool, or ask someone.

The in-game help is improving over time, but Star Citizen still relies heavily on community knowledge.

This is not ideal.

But it has created a very strong culture of players teaching each other.

Which is nice.

Also mildly necessary.

Which Tool Should You Use?

Here is a simple breakdown.

I need to find where an item is sold

Use:

  • Universal Item Finder
  • SCANZ.SPACE tools, if relevant
  • Ask SCANZ Discord

I need to plan or compare a ship loadout

Use:

  • SCANZ.SPACE Ship Builder
  • Erkul
  • Ask experienced pilots

I need to find the nearest service

Use:

  • SCANZ.SPACE Find Nearest

I want to plan cargo routes

Use:

  • SCANZ.SPACE Haul Planner

I want to understand a ship, item, location, or system

Use:

  • Star Citizen Wiki / Star Citizen Tools
  • SCANZ guides
  • YouTube guides

I want to understand crafting or blueprints

Use:

  • SCANZ.SPACE RediMake Assistant

I am stuck right now

Use:

  • SCANZ Discord
  • Global chat
  • Nearby players
  • A patient friend with a larger ship

Do Not Trust One Source Blindly

Star Citizen changes often.

Data can become outdated.

Tools can disagree.

Patch behaviour can differ from expected behaviour.

Before spending big or making a major decision, cross-check information.

For example:

  • Check a tool
  • Check the wiki
  • Ask in Discord
  • Confirm in-game if possible
  • Look for recent patch context

This is especially important for:

  • Expensive ship components
  • In-game ship purchases
  • Commodity trading
  • Mission rewards
  • Crafting materials
  • Event rewards
  • Anything tied to a recent patch

The more expensive the decision, the more you should verify it.

Trust, but verify.

Then blame the patch anyway.

Do Not Let Tools Replace Playing

Tools are there to help you play Star Citizen.

They are not the game itself.

It is easy to spend hours comparing ships, components, DPS numbers, cargo routes, and item prices before actually doing anything.

That can be fun.

But if you are brand new, get into the game and learn by doing.

Your first few goals should be practical:

  • Fly your ship
  • Land safely
  • Complete a cargo mission
  • Try a bounty
  • Try a bunker
  • Set your respawn
  • Claim your ship after death
  • Ask questions
  • Join other players

Tools help you make better choices.

Experience gives those choices meaning.

Suggested Beginner Tool Path

If you are completely new, use tools in this order:

First session

Use SCANZ guides and Discord help.

Focus on getting into the game, finding your ship, taking off, landing, and completing simple missions.

After your first few missions

Use Universal Item Finder to find gear, ammo, med pens, and tools.

Use Find Nearest if you need services.

Once you start upgrading ships

Use Ship Builder or Erkul to compare weapons, shields, quantum drives, and other components.

Ask experienced players before spending too much.

Once you start hauling or crafting

Use Haul Planner and RediMake Assistant to plan more complex gameplay.

Do not rush.

Each tool becomes more useful when you understand the problem it solves.

Common Tool Mistakes

Trying to Min-Max Too Early

Do not optimise before you understand the basics.

Learn to fly first.

Then chase numbers.

Using Outdated Information

Check whether the tool or guide is current for the patch you are playing.

Star Citizen changes constantly.

Buying Something Without Checking Location

Finding an item in a tool is good.

Make sure you can actually reach the shop selling it.

Ignoring Compatibility

Not every component fits every ship.

Check size, type, and compatibility before buying.

Forgetting In-Game Availability Changes

Shops, stock, prices, and systems can change.

If something is not where a tool says it should be, ask the community or check another source.

Letting Tools Overwhelm You

You do not need to understand everything today.

Pick the tool that answers your current question.

Leave the rest for later.

SCANZ Recommendation

For new players, start simple.

Use:

  • SCANZ guides to learn the basic path
  • SCANZ Discord when you get stuck
  • Universal Item Finder when you need to buy specific gear
  • Find Nearest when you need nearby services
  • Ship Builder or Erkul when you are ready to upgrade your ship
  • Star Citizen Wiki when you want broader information
  • Haul Planner once you start doing more serious cargo
  • RediMake Assistant once you start exploring crafting

Do not try to use everything at once.

The best tool is the one that solves the problem in front of you.

Not the one that turns your evening into a research thesis with thrusters.

Final Advice

Star Citizen is easier when you know where to look.

The game is huge, unfinished, and full of systems that are not always explained clearly.

External tools and community knowledge make the learning curve much less brutal.

Use tools to find items.

Use tools to compare ships.

Use tools to plan routes.

Use tools to understand what changed.

Use SCANZ when the tools are not enough.

But do not forget to actually play.

The best knowledge in Star Citizen still comes from doing the thing, making the mistake, recovering from it, and slowly becoming the person who helps the next new player.

That is the real progression.

Not just better ships.

Better instincts.

Better questions.

Better recovery.

And eventually, the sacred ability to answer someone in Discord with:

“Yeah mate, I know where that is.”

That is when you know you are becoming dangerous.

In a helpful way.

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