Sylva

Sylva is the starting planet in Astroneer and the closest thing the game has to an Earth analogue. It has broad plains, forested regions, rocky mountains, ravines, and an extensive cave system that reaches down through the crust and mantle to the outer core. The surface has a green, heavily vegetated look, with clear atmosphere, a slight blue tint, and thick white clouds drifting above the ground.

The planet is rich in common early-game materials and is designed to support a new astronaut’s first steps. Compound and Resin are abundant on the surface, Clay can be found in the plains, Ammonium grows in the forests, and Graphite is found in ravines and mountains. Malachite veins also appear in the mountains, while deeper layers of the crust and mantle contain quartz, laterite, sphalerite, and additional malachite. Sylva’s cave layers and mountain regions are also notable for other resource deposits, and the planet’s forests can be searched for Research Items.

Sylva’s flora is especially dense. Plains, hills, and forests support trees, ferns, and grasses, while the underground layers include small mushrooms in the upper cave layers and giant fungi trees in the mantle. Hazardous plants are present as well: Bouncevine can be found on mountain slopes, while Popcoral, Daggeroot, and Hissbine appear underground, with Popcoral being the most common of the hazardous cave flora.

• Sylva has a transparent atmosphere with intermittent cloud cover.
• Power generation from the environment is moderate, with medium solar and medium wind conditions.
• Atmospheric resources are available on the planet at 75 PPU and 100 PPU.
• The planet contains six Gateway Chambers, each requiring 5U/s of power for 30 seconds to activate.
• At least one Gateway Chamber must be activated before the Gateway Engine in the core can be accessed.
• Once a chamber is active, placing a single core resource in a slot reveals the Geometric Triptych; placing it in the opposite slot activates the engine and reveals the Odd Stone, enabling teleportation to the core and exposing the Gateway Portal node if it has not yet been discovered.

Sylva is also the home of the unique Galastropod Sylvie. Completing the G. sylva: Terrarium mission by supplying an Empty Terrarium with Soil, Zinc, and a Bouncevine seed unlocks the next step toward obtaining her, and the recovery mission rewards Sylvie itself. When fed a seed, Sylvie grants an illumination effect for 10 minutes, functioning much like a Worklight. Feeding her a Mutant Hissbine Seed extends that effect to 30 minutes.

The planet’s name comes from a Latin word meaning “forest,” which fits its heavily wooded surface and overall green appearance.