Survival Update - Dev Diary
It’s been a long time coming, but we finally finished a huge optimization pass, code clean up, and feature restore that went into this update. In addition to that, we took a look at at all the survival mechanics and felt that through our time in early access that the survival mechanics have been muted to the point of almost being non existent, which we felt muddied the feel of the game. After all, at its core, Osiris: New Dawn is a survival game.
Survival Gameplay
The survival aspect of the game has been constantly going through changes, since it represents the core gameplay and what the player is ultimately playing against. These mechanics come in many forms, and are all dynamic based on your position in the universe. For instance, your suit may gather some oxygen from the atmosphere while on a world that has this gas, while in space there is no oxygen which creates a very different survival strategy. While most survival games have one setting and location type, OSIRIS: NEW DAWN has many: world surface, underground, space, inside open structures, inside pressurized structures, inside open vehicles, and inside pressurized vehicles. All of these states are taken into full account when calculating these mechanics.
Also, over time, there has been a tendency to soften the survival aspect. This has pushed the core gameplay to the back of the player’s mind, allowing the player to focus on more gratifying things, like base building and hunting creatures. While this is what we want, the progression for the player was not earned, causing stagnation and holes in the gameplay. For instance, why build an airlock and habitat if you never have to worry about pressure, temperature, and oxygen? What we found is that by dialing up the survival mechanics we can add value to the structures and vehicles, and give the player more to look forward to, which creates clear goals. Creating clear goals is vital in an open world, sandbox-y experience.
Weather
The game has always had dynamic weather, and this has become something that players really enjoy in OSIRIS: NEW DAWN. However, until now the weather system was largely cosmetic. We added a host of features that make the weather meaningful and a force of nature that you will need to respect, since for the first time the weather alone can kill you.
Certain weather patterns are warmer or colder than others
Weather is no longer random but goes through patterns. Meaning that it’ll never go from a clear day to a dust storm. You will now have in between patterns that will clue the player that a storm is coming, or that the weather is getting worse. This will clue the player into seeking shelter at certain times.
Certain weather raises or lowers the air pressure. Air pressure affects the player’s stamina.
Certain creatures will only appear in specific weather, which further gives meaning and form to the weather system.
All plants respond to the weather dynamically, which is really just a visual/immersion element, but important in a survival game. It’s vital that you really feel that you are there.
A detailed detection system was added to allow the player to seek and have cover in a storm. This also holds true for structures and is a very detailed system. If the opening of a hut is facing the wind, for instance, the wind will still damage the player. We went far to ensure a very detailed, simulated feel.
There’s no weather in space.
Underground weather can and will be very different than the surface.
Temperature
The temperature was very muted in the previous versions, and has now become the primary source of player death. On Proteus 2, a moon in the Gliese solar system, the temperature range is very cold, similar to Mars. With the foliage and desert feel many players assumed the weather was a balmy 70-80 degrees. This is not the case and we took measure to show just how cold it is.
Temperature is now very dynamic. We sense if you are in the sun light or not, and adjust your suit temperature.
Temperature at night is now far more cold than the day.
Running, while it does use Oxygen and Stamina, actually increases your temperature, providing an interesting trade off.
Huts, vehicles, and structures all give warms the temperature.
Underground temperature is usually very different than the surface.
Space temperature can be extreme since there is no atmosphere to shield you.
Density Rising is a new weather pattern that clues the player that a storm may be brewing
Oxygen
In previous versions, oxygen was almost a non factor unless you had a suit breach. We found this to be limiting on the design side and looked at how to tackle it. Here’s what we came up with:
Your suit can still take oxygen from the atmosphere, and this is all based on the gases in the atmosphere and your altitude, just like here on Earth.
In space there is no oxygen and your suit will not create any oxygen.
Underground areas can be rich in oxygen and can actually replenish your oxygen.
Every action you take has an oxygen use now. Every swing of the chisel, running, walking, jumping, basically anything that exerts movement uses oxygen.
We made sure that hopping while running mutes the oxygen use while in the air, since it is inertia that is moving you.
Climbing Slopes
In previous builds, the player had no limits to slope traversal. While lots of players enjoyed this it was obviously a cheat, and we needed to go 180 degrees the other way here. What we’ve always wanted is for you to fear and respect the environment. You are an astronaut in a fragile space suit and should not be traversing taking no mind to your surroundings. We realize this is extremely unconventional, but is a necessary element to the feel of the game.
Traversal while running up a slope will cause you to slide, you’ll need to find another way up.
If you try to jump while on uneven ground there is a chance you’ll fall, or worse, have a suit breach.
Crouching will allow you to climb much steeper slopes.
Overall, this mechanic adds a very interesting element. Now you will need to chart a way around mountains and hills, not take shortcuts right over them. There’s consequences to traversal, as there should be for a near future space explorer.
Stamina
Stamina received the overhaul we conducted in the Beta Branch, which gave a far less muddy approach to how stamina works.
Stamina is impacted by every action.
Depending on pressure, stamina is recharged at a certain rate.
The penalty phase of the stamina meter is more parametric, meaning that if it goes to zero there will be a brief penalty, then it will raise back up to 100% very quickly, giving you a full replenish. We felt that after a penalty it makes sense to have a fresh start, and it feels pretty good.
When hopping over terrain, stamina does not diminish, as with oxygen, making stamina usage far more fair.
Climbing treacherous terrain is now a dangerous endeavor, and requires strategy and careful navigation
Overall Experience
A lot of these changes may be painful to some users, but it was needed to get the identity of the game back, which is a hard science fiction, near future survival game. With these changes the game now feels more dynamic and will add far more value to the structures and vehicles, while giving clear goals.
Obviously these dials will need to be adjusted, and probably will be for every release until we get it right. But hey! That’s what Early Access is all about!