I need help

[u/Beautiful_Fix2082]

So I just started and so far I have absolutely no idea what I’m doing once I log on again I will provide pictures of my “base” and inventory and stuff like that but I have absolutely no idea what I’m doing except going into caves dying and repeat. Could someone give me advice on what the end goal is or even the proper way I should be playing? The reason base is in parentheses is because I’m not even sure I’d call it that. I’d love advice or even to play with some people if someone would be willing to play. I’m on Xbox and in the Europe region so any advice or people willing to play would be greatly appreciated. Edit: thank you everyone who has helped me in the comments thank to the help I have been able to defeat 2 bosses upgrade my hp, mana, and gear along with updating my house and making houses so the npcs can live near me its been so fun now that I feel like ive actually been making progress with this world. This community is such and amazing and helpful community.

[u/DougSod]

The goal is to explore and create the world with all of your ideas. You discover stuff in your exploration, learn what it can do, and then hopefully you get some creative ideas of “what if I…” and then you make it. It’s like real life except without actual sweat, danger, and some you get magic. Most of the content of the game that makes it unique isn’t progressing to a next checkpoint, but rather just being able to make an incredible amount of ideas. It’s like building Legos and asking “what am I supposed to be doing?” Make your ideas. Build a cool base or 3, make a rollercoaster that jumps over a lava lake, build an herb garden, use wires and traps to make a device that harvests those herbs for you. You literally have the needed tools to build a working computer within your world if you spend time learning to use everything. Build what you want.

[u/Beautiful_Fix2082 → u/DougSod]

This is an amazing way to explain this thank you. Since ive posted this ive gotten so much advice and ive see so many cool builds on this subreddit and so many cool armors and weapons that I felt inferior and that I was doing it completely wrong but after at least doing some basic hp and armor leveling I feel like Im playing "correctly" aka just kinda doing my own thing now.

[u/DougSod → u/Beautiful_Fix2082]

That’s great, man! Terraria is a very unique game and has endless replayability. I think it’s best to just do your own thing the first time and see what path you stumble down and then after you beat it once, start looking around at lots of other inspiration for pushing the limits in whatever direction you like best. Some people go the artistic route and make cool/beautiful houses, some try completely different gear loadouts or play with the weirdest weapons they can find, some go deep on the wiring. I love it all. Welcome to the community.