Your mobile base in The Alters is not only a base in the traditional sense—it’s your survival lifeline. Developing, maintaining, and maximising your base is essential as you progress through the story. This guide addresses everything you need to know about building and designing your rooms, maximising base weight, and keeping your operation running smoothly.
Understanding Base Layout & Room Management
Base Structure and Grid System
Your base on mobile is a grid of square tiles, and each level has a different width of layout. Because the base is made in a circular shape, fitting all your modules within the frame is an exercise in spatial puzzle, especially as you proceed and unlock more modules.
You’ll be able to unlock Base Expansions when you level up your Quantum Computer, which will allow you to build on additional levels and gain more space.
Room Connectivity Requirements
Any room must be joined to the others horizontally at their lower left and right corners. This means you can stack rooms, but vertical joins require Elevators. If a room is not joined to the main network through Corridors, Elevators, or adjacent rooms, it will show up as unconnected (staticky) on the build screen and prevent you from saving changes.
Adding, Moving, and Removing Rooms
You can manage your base layout via the left-hand control panel of the Command Centre. You can:
- Build: Build new rooms depending on available space and resources.
- Move: Shift the existing rooms to organise the layout.
- Remove: Destroy rooms to reclaim resources (dissolved rooms return fewer materials).
(Note: The slightly down-left from the centre of the base engine core is permanent and must be constructed around.)
Mass Management and Movement
Each room you build adds mass to your base. You will need to crank up the base engine at important junctures (e.g., completing Acts 1 and 2) in order to advance, using up Organics in an amount equal to your total mass.
If your base is too heavy to move because too much building has taken place, you need to disassemble some rooms or switch to a higher-tier base to expand fuel capacity.
Core Modules: Permanent Infrastructure
These rooms form the core structure of your base and cannot be deleted—although they can be moved. They get built during the tutorial or come in by default.
| Module | Size | Mass | Purpose |
| Airlock | 4×1 | 4 | Entry/exit point for crew. |
| Captain’s Cabin | 4×1 | 4 | End the day by sleeping. |
| Command Center | 4×1 | 4 | Access the construction interface. |
| Communication Room | 4×1 | 4 | Connect with Ally Corp. |
| Kitchen | 5×1 | 4 | Prepare and eat meals. |
| Machinery | 4×1 | 4 | Replace radiation filters and manage repairs. |
| Quantum Computer | 4×2 | 8 | Create Alters and research tech. |
| The Womb | 5×1 | 4 | Alters awaken here 8 hours after creation. |
Utility and Storage Modules
These rooms help with the functioning of your base and holding of your vital materials.
| Module | Size | Mass | Use |
| Corridor | 2×1 | 2 | Horizontal connection. |
| Elevator | 2×1 | 2 | Vertical travel between levels. |
| Radiation Repulsor | 2×3 | 16 | Slows filter decay; stacks. |
| Recycler | 2×1 | 2 | Generates 5 Organics/day per crew. |
| Small Storage | 2×2 | 28 | +120 storage. |
| Medium Storage | 8×1 | 65 | +300 storage. |
| Large Storage | 8×2 | 140 | +700 storage. |
| Rapidium Ark | 4×2 | 32 | Stores Rapidium permanently; affects ending. Limit 1 per expansion. |
Production Modules (Work Rooms)
These modules allow Alter or Jan to work on procedures that help with your survival and progress. Most can be operated by hand as well.
| Module | Size | Mass | Function |
| Greenhouse | 8×1 | 16 | Grows raw food; a Botanist excels here. |
| Refinery | 4×1 | 8 | Processes ALX/Metals; Refiner is ideal. |
| Research Lab | 4×1 | 8 | Develops new tech; only the Scientist can use. |
| Workshop | 4×1 | 8 | Crafts items; best run by the Worker. |
Wellbeing Modules (Health & Morale)
Keeping your crew’s minds and bodies healthy is crucial to long-term success.
| Module | Size | Mass | Purpose |
| Contemplation Room | 6×1 | 20 | Mood recovery (boosted with Guard or Shrink). |
| Dormitory | 6×1 | 8 | Beds for 4 Alters. No beds = morale loss. |
| Gym | 6×1 | 20 | Off-shift mood boost through exercise. |
| Infirmary | 6×1 | 16 | Speeds recovery; Doctor enhances healing. |
| Park With Bench | 6×1 | 20 | Leisure spot; requires a projector from Act 2. |
| Personal Cabin | 3×1 | 10 | Private room for one Alter; provides a mood boost. |
| Social Room | 6×1 | 14 | Group relaxation and events (e.g., beer pong). |
Room Damage & Repairs
Rooms deteriorate over time, especially without Radiation Filters or under exposure to Magnetic Storms. Damage may cause full malfunctions or poisonous side effects (e.g., sickness from a smoking air vent).
To fix a room:
- Do repairs by hand using Repair Kits or hire an Alter.
- The Technician Alter is 50% faster at repairs.
Ignoring too many broken rooms triggers base instability warnings. Letting the situation deteriorate further can result in total base destruction.
