Introduced as part of the recent Sentinel update to No Man’s Sky is a new mission called A Trace of Metal. The first part of the mission will lead to you unlocking a Sentinel Drone to add as an AI companion, so you’ll need to start there if you haven’t already. If you follow the coordinates given to you by the Drone upon activation, you’ll be directed toward another new addition: a Sentinel Pillar. These act as a hub for nearby Sentinels. If you’re willing to venture into the lion’s den, you can come out with a series of hugely powerful Sentinel Hardframe upgrades for your Minotaur Exocraft.
We’ve previously covered the upgrade to turn the Minotaur into a companion by installing the new AI Pilot, but the Hardframe upgrades really can take it to the next level, offering sizeable increases in damage, defense, and even an AI capable of leading fights or gathering resources on its own. Best of all, you can have the upgraded Minotaur AND the Sentinel Drone by your side together, creating a No Man’s Sky dream team and giving you a real advantage in your future adventures.
How to unlock the Sentinel Hardframe in No Man’s Sky
Those initial coordinates can be a little vague, so use the Analysis Visor to guide you to the large red Pillar formation. You’ll notice a number of Sentinels in the area, including a large Hardframe mech, but there should be a nearby save point you might want to use before you dive in. Before you can interact with the Pillar’s terminal you’ll need to destroy the nearby nodes, which will draw the wrath of the locals, so you’ll have to put them down. The new Cloaking Device can give you a handy breather if you need to recharge your shields, and be sure to target the Repair Drones that can top up those enemy health bars if you’re not careful. If you don’t already have a Hardware Engine, be sure to loot the drop where the large mech fell, as you’ll need one later on.
Once you’re free to interact with the terminal, let it run its course and you’ll be rewarded with the first key upgrade: the Sentinel Hardframe Right Arm. Don’t worry if it doesn’t appear in your inventory, you’ll still find it ready to install as soon as you’re reunited with the Minotaur. You’ll need 30x Ionised Cobalt, 40x Pugneum, and 1x Hydraulic Wiring to build it ― if you need the latter you’ll want to stock up with a few at your next visit to a trading terminal.
You’ll be prompted to interact with your Drone who’ll alert you to a citizen dispute back at your settlement. Reassure the locals and send them out on one of the expedition options (it doesn’t matter which one), after which the Drone will offer up some new coordinates in a neighboring system. Plot a course in your Galaxy Map and go to Warp speed. You’ll be guided to a manufacturing facility that also has a few Sentinels in close proximity, so clear the area (or cloak and stealth it) to head inside and interact with the terminal to find the blueprints for the Sentinel Hardframe Legs.
Head back to your Minotaur (if you use the teleporter on that system’s Space Station, you’ll be able to buy an Exosuit inventory slot upgrade there if it’s your first visit) and you can install the upgrade with 120x Pugneum and the Hardframe Engine you should have picked up earlier. Conveniently, you’ll return to the settlement at the same time as your adventuring citizens, who’ll bring back the blueprints for the Sentinel Hardframe Left Arm, which you can add for the cost of 50x Chromatic Metal, 40x Pugneum, and 1x Hydraulic Wiring.
Finding a Radiant Brain for your Sentinel Hardframe
Once that’s installed you’ll be told that to give your Minotaur a more advanced AI. For this you’ll need a Radiant Brain, along with 1x Antimatter and 1x Life Support Gel in order to build the Sentinel Hardframe Body. This begins by taking down a tough Sentinel Walker mech to pick up a Pristine Brain. Before following the new coordinates, if you haven’t already installed the Paralysis Mortar for your Multi-Tool, you’ll be prompted to do so, as it gives you an Alt-fire mode that launches stun grenades and gives you a crucial few moments to take down these larger mechs. Target the legs first to keep the Walker stationary and keep lobbing in those stun grenades to make the fight a whole lot easier.
With the Pristine Brain in your inventory, you’ll need another stopover at the Space Anomaly to speak with Tethys in the teleporter room, who’ll point you to an Atlas Beacon. To find it just fly into space and hit the Pulse Engine for around 10 seconds until you get the alert to stop. Then interact with the Beacon and you’ll be rewarded with the final upgrade component ― ready to install the Hardframe Body into your Minotaur to complete its transformation into an incredibly powerful Exocraft, or an even better ally with the AI Pilot in place.
There is still one final trip needed to complete the quest, with another Sentinel Pillar (and suitably angry natives) to interact with in order to erase the Drone from the Sentinel network and set it free. Once that’s done talk with the Drone to wrap things up, unlocking yourself the title of ‘Drone-Friend’, and leaving the three of you to live happily ever after.
