Havent played it in years but thats pretty much the gameplay cycle. Every planet has some fuel resources, you’re never totally stuck, but its harder to find on some. Sometimes its a major hike and it sucks. Sometimes theres tons of good stuff every where. Its random.
Alien language is learned by finding monument things one word at a time, takes a long time to reveal and there are several languages.
How can you be independent of a publisher, and have a publisher? Its not indie, its just smaller studios.