Apprentice Trade it opens NoneCash vs. standard start -50Starting rent 0 New game · step one
Starting Scenarios Compared
Your scenario decides what is on the shelves, which machines are already plugged in and whether your first rent bill is higher than normal. Version 1.0 has nine starts: Apprentice is the developer's pick for a first run, seven hand you a trade on day one, and Rock Bottom gives you the lease and nothing else.
9scenarios in 1.0
7open a trade on day one
-450largest cash cut vs. a standard start
+50highest starting rent rise
All nine starts
Open a card for the full kit, the trade it unlocks and what that trade costs if you start somewhere else.
Apprentice Trade it opens NoneCash vs. standard start -50Starting rent 0 
Water Merchant Trade it opens Water TradingCash vs. standard start -200Starting rent 0 
Fence Trade it opens FencingCash vs. standard start -150Starting rent +50 
Rock Bottom Trade it opens NoneCash vs. standard start 0Starting rent 0 
Hydroponic Farmer Trade it opens Hydroponic FarmingCash vs. standard start -150Starting rent +40 
Gunsmith Trade it opens GunsmithingCash vs. standard start -450Starting rent +50 
Chemist Trade it opens ChemistryCash vs. standard start -300Starting rent 0 
Rat Wrangler Trade it opens Rat RanchingCash vs. standard start Not listedStarting rent 0 
Aquafarmer Trade it opens AquafarmingCash vs. standard start -450Starting rent +40 Kits side by side
Cash and rent figures adjust the standard opening: −450 means you begin with 450 Credits less than a plain start, and +50 raises your starting rent by 50 Credits.
| Scenario | Trade it opens | Cash vs. standard start | Starting rent | Core kit | Starting equipment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| None | -50 | 0 | Storage Bay × 1; Peat × 2; Tube of Toothpaste × 2 | Increased starting Credit count; Additional equipment (Storage Bay); Start with a stock of Household Goods and Food | |
| Water Trading | -200 | 0 | HydraTech Micro Water Purifier × 1; Bottle Printer × 1; Water Trading Manual × 1 | Water Trading Manual; Water Testing and Purification Equipment; Additional storage (Water Containers) | |
| Fencing | -150 | +50 | Smuggler's Bay × 1; Vial of "Dream Dust" × 2; 10mm Ammunition × 2 | Additional equipment (Smuggler's Bay); Start with a stock of Contraband; Increased starting reputation (Black Market); Decreased starting reputation (Security); Immediate access to the Janitor Underground Exchange; Increased starting rent | |
| None | 0 | 0 | — | None. | |
| Hydroponic Farming | -150 | +40 | Hydroponic System × 2; Nutrifruit Seed × 2; Fillerweed Seed × 2 | Hydroponic Farming Manual; Additional equipment (Hydroponic Systems); Start with a stock of Farming Supplies and Seeds; Increased starting rent | |
| Gunsmithing | -450 | +50 | 3D Printer × 1; Gunsmith Storage Bay × 1; .22 SR Ammunition (Non-Lethal) × 6; .22 SR Ammunition × 5 | Class I Weapon Permit; Start with a stock of Firearms and Gun Mods; Start with a stock of Ammunition | |
| Chemistry | -300 | 0 | Blender × 1; Heating Plate × 1; Evaporator × 1; Chem Finisher × 1; Composition Spectrometer × 1 | Chemistry Manual; Chemistry Lab Equipment | |
| Rat Ranching | Not listed | 0 | Animal Cage × 1; Rat × 6; Meat Cleaver × 1 | Animal Cage; Rats; Food | |
| Aquafarming | -450 | +40 | Recirculating Aquaculture System × 2; RAS Water Tank × 2; Industrial Fish Feed × 2 | RAS, fish, roe and aquaculture supplies |
Compare two starts
Pick any two scenarios to see what each one hands you and what you would pay to get the same trade later.
First start
Second start
| Compared | Apprentice | Water Merchant |
|---|---|---|
| Trade it opens | None | Water Trading |
| Cash vs. standard start | -50 | -200 |
| Starting rent | 0 | 0 |
| Core kit lines | 3 | 3 |
| Listed base value of the kit | 380 Credits | 450 Credits |
| Same trade bought later | — | Wild: Water Trading (300 Credits) |
Which start fits
All trades and unlock costs →First run
Apprentice
Apprentice is the start the developer recommends for beginners. You run a general shop with food and household goods, learn the counter and pick a trade later from Wild's Network.
A trade from day one
Water MerchantHydroponic FarmerChemistGunsmithRat WranglerAquafarmer
These six skip a Wild's Network purchase that costs 300 to 1,000 Credits mid-run, but most of them open with less cash, and three also raise the starting rent.
Hard openings
FenceRock Bottom
Fence trades Security standing and +50 rent for contraband stock and the Underground Exchange from day one. Rock Bottom is the maximum-difficulty start with nothing in the shop.
After the scenario
The new-game screens run in this order, and the next two choices change the same numbers your scenario does.
Sets your kit, opening cash, starting rent and the trade you can run straight away.
Spend or earn perk points on bonuses and drawbacks. A first run has no perk slots; later runs can fill up to four.
Perks →Price Gouge, Mark Up, Thin Margins or Red Ink set the retail markup, rent rises, permit cost and deed price.
Difficulty →Starts announced for later
Organ Trader, Junker and Street Food Vendor are planned post-launch scenarios. The Junker start is tied to Ruined Machine Scrapping, a trade that is listed but not playable in the launch build.