Here's a comprehensive list of all the gameplay features we know about. You can explore, name your discoveries this earns you money which you can then use to buy new gear from traders. You need to learn alien languages in order to trade effectively. You can mine resources and craft items. You can trade those resources and items for money. You can attack convoys to get resources for crafting and selling, alternatively you can defend convoys from pirates and be rewarded with money and faction rep. In interviews Sean has confirmed the existence of puzzles of various kinds being hidden on planets leading to rewards.