Stranded: Alien Dawn
What's Next for Stranded: Alien Dawn?
We can hardly believe it's already been two months since the Jungle Update! Time sure does fly. It's been so great to see everyone thoroughly enjoying the latest addition to Stranded: Alien Dawn, and we've been having a lot of fun keeping up with your discussions on the Steam forums, the Discord, and social media. Your feedback and suggestions helped us out a lot with the latest patch as well. It was thanks to you we were able to identify and solve critical bugs and issues after the Jungle Update.
As you can probably tell from the title, it's time to look ahead at what's to come for Stranded: Alien Dawn. Not only are we planning another free update, we're also working on the game's first paid DLC! We are super excited to be adding even more content to the game and making it even bigger than it is now! Both will release at the same time in Q4 of this year.
While we're not quite ready to reveal what the free update and DLC is all about, we can share one thing we're working on with you... It's been quite the topic among the community, and we know it's going to be a huge boon to your survivors' ability to make it on the alien world. That's right it's...
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...
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Resource transportation!
We'll share a lot more when we're closer to launch and we can't wait to tell you more about both the free update and the new DLC.
Until then, good luck out there survivors!
Stranded: Alien Dawn - Patch v1.10.230712 Out Now
A new patch for Stranded: Alien Dawn has just landed on Steam. Thank you again for all your feedback and suggestions since launch.
Keep on reading for the full changelog:
Stability and Performance
- Adjusted memory management/allocation to prevent crashes, especially when saving/loading and autosaving games
- Fixed a graphics issue that sometimes occurred during the opening landing sequence, after starting a new game
- Fixed rare freeze issue during which the sun disappears
- Optimised framerate stability, especially for Saltu
- Survivors can now climb carbon towers
- Survivors with activities set at priority level 1 or 2 are no longer prevented from relaxing, eating or sleeping during times when their schedule is also set to "Anything"
- The EM umbrella now activates even if equipped by a survivor after the rain has started
- Survivors now take the temperature outside into consideration, and can now venture outside during a Cold snap or Heat wave if the temperature is within their tolerance levels
- Adjusted pathfinding so plants don't obstruct access when they don't appear to do so
- Production devices now have the option to 'Change Area', allowing them to be set to the Global area for example, so that survivors allocated to a different specific area would still then use them
- The alignment of the area flag to the construction grid has been revised to improve positioning/placement
- The Health bar for animals that were previously injured now disappears from the UI over time
- Increased the maximum temperature tolerance of the Dandelion Tree
- Minor adjustments to visual effects for the EM umbrella, the grenade, snow and rain
- Added the option on the main menu to opt-in to the Frontier Newsletter
- PC/Steam: Fixed an issue that would sometimes cause the Mod Editor to freeze and not respond
Simfest 2023 has begun and Stranded: Alien Dawn is 20% off!
We are incredibly excited to announce that Stranded: Alien Dawn is part of this year's Simfest, which is now underway.
From today to 24 July, 18:00 BST, you can pick up Stranded: Alien Dawn at a 20% discount (maybe for a friend looking to experience a new planet survival game), in addition to plenty of other amazing simulation titles.
Check out the event right here on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/simfest
New Tracks Have Been Added to the Soundtrack
The Stranded: Alien Dawn soundtrack on Steam just got an update! If you've been enjoying the bluegrass-inspired vibes of the game's music, there's even more of it available for you to listen to. We've recently updated the soundtrack on Steam with 16 additional tracks. Think of it like a Disc 2 to the original release's Disc 1.
If you've already purchased the soundtrack, the new tracks should be automatically downloaded for you via Steam. If you pick up the soundtrack after this, you'll get all the additional tracks at no extra cost.
The soundtrack is also on sale now for 20% off the full price:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2395740/Stranded_Alien_Dawn_Official_Soundtrack/
Stranded: Alien Dawn - Jungle Update Out Now!
We are incredibly excited to let you know that the free Jungle Update is out for Stranded: Alien Dawn! Break out the mosquito net, pack your sunscreen and watch out for Swarm Fever, because the tropical Saltu region is now available. This new environment is teeming with unique wildlife, flora, and challenges for both you and your survivors. There are also new gameplay features coming in this update, as well as several quality of life changes and bug fixes.
Saltu's distinctive weather and climate requires a different strategic approach to ensure the group's survival, so remember to keep a close eye on your resources and plan accordingly! New hazards like diseases and Xenoflora Blight will test your capabilities to their limit, while the heat and humidity will have an adverse effect on the shelf life of your food and crafting ingredients. The new region's divided into wet and dry seasons, each of which will have an impact on the weather you'll experience. Heavy rains will be a common sight during the wet season, while the dry season can become unbearably hot. You'll need to work your hardest to keep your survivors cool under the scorching sun.
To combat Saltu's dangerous diseases, we recommend bringing along Melody Adeyemi, the new survivor added to the game in this update. Her astounding healing skill will keep the rest of the group in tip top shape.
Area Flags and Work Areas
Using the new Area Flags and Work Areas, you'll now have greater control over where your survivors live and work. After completing the Camp Management Research, you'll be able to place down special flags to designate work zones for the survivors. All resources, work objects, and devices within the range of an Area Flag are assigned to the flag's Work Area. Survivors assigned to a specific area will only interact with things found inside their zone. They won't eat, relax, or execute tasks outside it.
The new Work Areas mechanic lets you effectively set up and manage multiple outposts across the map. You can also restrict your survivors to remain indoors during dangerous events like Toxic Ash or thunderstorms.
Survivor Tools
With the Jungle Update we're also adding an exciting new addition called Survivor Tools. These special pieces of equipment can aid your survivors in carrying out specific tasks, or aid them on their journey. All Tools are available in all regions and scenarios, and can be crafted at Workbenches. You can even use them for trade in the Trading Outpost scenario!
Let's take a look at some of the new Survivor Tools and the different ways they will aid your survivors:
- Survival Kit: A small bundle with a bedroll and a pack of emergency rations that will ease the burden of long journeys. The Survival Kit will allow your survivors to sleep relatively comfortably outside of your base, and also enjoy a quick meal if they get hungry
- Harvesting Tools: This set of tools will reduce the amount of time it takes to harvest crops, cut down trees, and mine stone
- Respirator Mask: Sometimes your survivors need to venture outside during Toxic Ash events or Dust Storms. The new Respirator Masks will make that less of a burden on their bodies as it helps them breathe a little easier
- Signal Flares: It's difficult to see at night, so these new signal flares will light up the area of impact, making it easier for your survivors to hit enemies during the night. There may also be other ways to help your survivors see better at night, but we'll let you discover that on your own
Meet Melody Adeyemi
As with previous updates, there is a new survivor coming to Stranded: Alien Dawn with this free update. This former expert in naturopathic medicine has suddenly found herself completely cut off from any means to contact with her home planet.
Her impeccable healing skills will come in handy in the new Saltu region, as she'll never fail a healing task. Definitely helpful if your entire group is infected with Swarm Fever! Melody also has the Natural Leader trait, which will help others improve their Manipulation efficiency.
Quality of Life Additions
Your survivors can now use some leisure items to not only improve their moods, but also level up specific skills and abilities! The Bench Press will help them gain physical strength, while the brand new VR Set will boost skills based on which game they decide to play on it. This is definitely one for the survivors who are in it for the long haul, but it's the perfect tool to fill in any skill gaps they might have.
Last, but certainly not least, we're adding Super Sampling Support for NVIDIA, AMD and Intel graphics cards to Stranded: Alien Dawn. The new Photo Mode will allow you to take breathtaking screenshots, with several tweakable settings to get that one perfect shot. Adjust motion blur, exposure, depth of field and more, and unleash your inner photographer!
Don't forget to join the Stranded: Alien Dawn Discord and you'll never miss any news! You can also follow the game on TikTok, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, or join the discussions on Steam and the Frontier Forums.
Now onto the changelog:
All console versions are v1.10.230626
PC/Steam and PC/Epic are v1.10.230627
Key new features & content
- Saltu region - A new jungle-inspired biome, featuring new plants, animals, swamps, rivers and beaches
- A new survivor, Melody Adeyemi, a talented healer and natural leader
- New expeditions and adversity, including crop disease, tropical diseases and extreme heat/humidity which makes perishable resources decompose faster while cooling devices will consume more power
- New core gameplay features include Area flags, Tools, new relaxation devices and more
- New photo mode
- New Super Sampling support for PC versions of the game
- Additional music
- Three new achievements/trophies
- Bug fixes and more
Camp management & Area flags
Researching camp management unlocks the ability to construct, place and name an area flag. Survivors can then be assigned to, and will reside and work within, the area of the flag.
- The survivor that constructs an area flag is automatically assigned to that flag after the construction is complete
- Each survivor's assigned area is displayed in their info panel, which also provides buttons for "Go to flag" and "Change area"
- When applicable, survivor portraits are now colour-coded, and sorted by assigned areas
- Survivors are also sorted by area in the activities menu and in the schedule menu
- A direct order to "Assign to Area X" is available when interacting with a device that is located within an area that the applicable survivor is not assigned to
Each survivor's inventory now includes a dedicated tool slot, allowing for one tool to be equipped and used automatically in most cases when needed. Research toolsmithing to unlock the ability to craft basic tools, and in turn reveal research topics necessary to unlock the ability to craft advanced tools.
Basic tools
- Survival kits contain a bedroll and emergency rations, enabling survivors to venture further afield without needing to return to base to eat and sleep
- Harvesting tools reduce the time taken to harvest, cut, and mine
- Good luck charms are a small trinket that grants their carrier a happiness boost
- Respiratory mask allows survivors to breathe easier during dust storms and toxic ash
- Electromagnetic umbrella, a personal force field that prevents its carrier from getting soaked by rain and/or being struck by lightning
- Night goggles improve the survivor's vision and aim in the dark
- Signal flares* can be thrown to illuminate the area of impact, making it easier to aim and hit a target in the dark
- Grenades* can be thrown by survivors to deal damage to the area of impact, stun, and potentially take out multiple enemies with each Grenade
New adversity that survivors can encounter in the Saltu region
- Monsoon rains and violent thunderstorms make it very likely for survivors to be soaked when outside, and/or for lightning to strike survivors, animals, and devices
- Heat and humidity cause perishable resources to decompose faster, and cooling devices to consume more power than they will in other regions
- Xenoflora blight is an airborne silent assassin that kills healthy plants and spreads like wildfire if the diseased plants are not cut down to keep it under control
- Swarm fever is a new disease unique to the Saltu region, which can only be cured with antibiotics
- Gut worms are a new disease that survivors might encounter after eating raw foods, which can only be cured with antibiotics
- Blood infection - Bleeding survivors can develop a blood infection, which causes pain and increases their rest loss. Left untreated, blood infections can become mild anaemia or worst of all, chronic anaemia
- Insect nests - The Saltu region features huge mantis/scissorhands nesting areas that yield Silicon and are unique to this territory
- Players that are used to acquiring carbon nanotubes from Shrieker nests, may find it more challenging to acquire this resource in Saltu, but valid strategies include using the 3D printer or taming a Broodmother Shrieker
Photo mode
- When pausing the game, you will now be able to select 'Photo Mode', where it is possible to freely place the camera control and set a variety of graphic settings and photo filters to take beautiful screenshots. Be sure to take note of all the controls that are noted in order to get to grips with them
- For PC versions of the game, popular Super Sampling algorithms; FSR 2, DLSS 2 and XeSS are now supported. See Options > Video > Antialiasing
- If electing to enable Super Sampling, please ensure you have the most recent video card drivers and if you are using older drivers be aware that the option for DLSS 2 might not be unlocked
- In addition to enabling Super Sampling, it is also possible to adjust the render scale to balance visual quality and performance. See Options > Video > Resolution Percent
Improvements & revisions to existing features & content
Survivors
- Adjusted looping animations and cooldowns when survivors are shooting a firearm
- Survivors can now shoot through force field barriers
- Adjusted animation when survivors are aiming upwards or downwards
- Survivors no longer get the "Slept next to my love +9" happiness bonus when the two beds are separated by a wall
- Reduced research time for solar panels, wind turbines, diesel generators, refrigerators and energy storage
- Brick fence is now unlocked after acquiring bricks, instead of after researching "Brick rooms", making it consistent with the way that other fence types are unlocked
- Emergency rations can now be made using any cooked meals, instead of requiring tasty meals
- Adjusted consistency of placement for hydroponic racks and fortifications, so they are less likely to penetrate the ground and cannot be placed on top of spaceship debris
- Improved consistency of obstruction logic when placing wall lights
- A landing spot can no longer be placed on a weak-support floor that is marked for reconstruction with a strong-support material
- When placing the food fabricator and material fabricator, the direction they are oriented towards is now indicated
- The 'Repair' logic for buildings now factors in doors and windows that might also be destroyed when a wall is damaged
- Energy crystals can now be grown in hydroponic racks
- After a survivor has been assigned to a mech, the applicable survivor's info panel now features a "Board Mech" button
- Various improvements on mechs' behaviour when leaping
- Survivors no longer get "Soaked Wet" after they have boarded a mech
- A mech operator's health is now indicated via a red coloured health bar in their info panel, and a blue-coloured health bar is shown below the applicable survivor's portrait and over the mech, indicating the health of the mech
- For PC versions of the game, the construction buttons for 'Move", "Copy", "Reconstruct", and "Deconstruct" have been moved from the right side of the info panel to the bottom of the info panel
- When possible, tamed animals will run when they are drafted, just as survivors do
- Broodmother shriekers remain pacified for a little longer, providing more time for survivors to attempt to tame them
- Female Tecatli now interact correctly with and eat from feeders
- After taming a Juno demolisher, they now receive a health bonus for being tamed, which is consistent with other animals being tamed
- Fixed logic that occasionally resulted in some animals sleeping instead of attacking
- Survivors that travel to discover the "Burning cruise vessel", "Security signal" and "Distress signal" expeditions only have the possibility to find other survivors if taking place in the crash landing scenario
- Fixed an issue that caused a missing outcome in the "Loud bang" expedition, after electing to "Search the place thoroughly"
- Expedition notifications no longer remain active after the survivor returns with the balloon
- If a tutorial is invoked from within a scenario that is being played out after electing to Pause, a new "Return to scenario" button has been added to the Pause menu
- Within activities, switching from advanced priorities to simple priorities now resets the priorities to 3 for everyone
- Adjusted the consistency of the icons displayed when a survivor is planting crops
- All resources that are reserved to be picked up by a survivor are now correctly indicated as "Reserved by"
- Loading screens are now specific to the applicable region
- Other minor UI fixes
- Added electronics to the starting resources
- The trading GUI now provides the ability "Buy all" and "Sell all"
- When resources are no longer available to complete a trade, a "Can't trade" notification is shown
- Adjusted the crafting cost of the pulse rifle and pulse rifle 2.0
- Fixed rare issue that caused save files to become corrupted and unable to load
- Additional optimisations to improve performance & stability
- Adjusted consistency of unlocking the achievements/trophies named "True Solo", "Four walls, a floor and a roof", "Getting the hang of it" and "Millionaire in the making"
- Fixed a rare blocking issue in the "Rooms" tutorial
- Adjusted FOV to better fit 21:9 and 4:3 screen resolutions.
- Minor improvements to various art, animation audio and text
- Revised entities blending to improve overall performance for players using mods
- Cheat overlays now close automatically after quitting the modding test map, or after starting a new game
- Author name now uses the creator's Steam username, instead of displaying as "unknown"
- Localisation IDs no longer change when mods are updated
- Mod items with reciprocal properties (character relationships, traits and health condition incompatibility) are now automatically set
- Improved the function for copying from original presets in the mod items
- Mod preview images are now required to be in .png format, ensuring the source image is correctly displayed
- Fixed issues with mods sorting order and sorting persistency
- Added a cheat on the modding test map: cheatLightRange, to enable the light overlay
- Added a cheat on the modding test map: Template (in the object's info panel). When selected, the editor is invoked and the original game values for the desired preset will open
- Added new mod items named 'ModItemFont' and 'ModItemTextStyle' that enable the ability to add new fonts and replace existing ones
- Implemented improved error handling for the blender exporter
- Adjustments on SearchLight preset to add custom light FX
- Fixed the "Sing" relaxation activity sample mod
- Uploading mods to the Steam Workshop does not edit the mod visibility in the Steam Workshop
Stranded: Alien Dawn Developer Journal – Work Areas
The new free Jungle Update is just around the corner!
We're here with a new developer journal, featuring our friends over at Haemimont Games, to talk about the new survivor tools and how your survivors use them.
Let's dive right in:
Hello! We are absolutely thrilled to have you here with us. Could you please introduce yourself to everyone reading?
Greetings, fellow survivors! I'm Ivan Grozev, the lead game designer of Stranded: Alien Dawn.
Area Flags and Work Areas are a brand-new addition to Stranded: Alien Dawn - could you briefly talk about what they are and how they work?
Certainly! Work Areas are designated zones where survivors live and work. When a survivor is assigned to an area, they will focus solely on tasks and resource gathering within that specific zone.
The creation of Work Areas is facilitated by placing Area flags, which become accessible after researching the new Camp management technology. Each constructed Area flag establishes a new Work Area. The size of the area can be adjusted and survivors can be assigned or unassigned to it directly from the flag. Additionally, survivors can be assigned to any area from their info panel.
At the start of the playthrough, all survivors are automatically assigned to the Global area, which covers the entire map. Survivors in the Global area have the freedom to carry out tasks both within and outside of existing areas. This can be useful for resource transportation between areas or for allowing certain survivors to explore beyond the base camp.
What made you decide to add this new feature?
Since our Early Access release, we have received numerous requests for a feature that would enable players to establish smaller camps and areas where tasks could be allocated and completed. We wholeheartedly agreed that such a feature made perfect sense given the expansive nature of Stranded: Alien Dawn’s maps.
It sounds like this can effectively allow players to build and operate multiple bases and outposts - even splitting up their group of survivors into multiple sub-groups!
Absolutely! We designed this feature with various scenarios in mind. One of our main objectives was to provide players with the ability to divide their survivors into several independent camps, witnessing their struggle for survival on their own. Additionally, players can establish mining or harvesting outposts by assigning a single survivor to live and work independently.
Can this be an effective method of splitting up survivors who don't get along during a playthrough?
This feature offers a great solution for separating survivors who may not see eye to eye. By creating separate areas, you can provide space for wounds to heal or even foster unexpected relationships.
Interestingly, I hadn't considered this particular application until I started answering this question, but indeed, it's a possible use of the work areas feature.
What happens if a survivor manages to move outside their assigned area?
Survivors who are assigned to a specific area generally tend to stay within its boundaries. However, they are allowed to venture outside if a task requires them to do so. For example, if a survivor is hunting prey, they will complete the entire chain of subtasks, including hunting, butchering, and delivering the meat. Afterward, they will return to their area and continue with other tasks.
Can Work Areas overlap? What happens of multiple Work Areas overlap?
Yes, Work Areas can indeed overlap. This feature can be utilized to divide your camp into a larger work area encompassing outside farms and a smaller area where cooks and crafters reside. Survivors assigned to the larger area will have access to and utilize all construction sites, relaxation devices, and resources within the smaller area.
However, production devices such as campfires and workbenches are assigned to a single work area and will not be accessible to the survivors from both overlapping areas. Nevertheless, it is possible to assign these production devices to the larger area if desired from their info panel.
How will direct orders work? Will they override your Work Area setup?
Direct orders can always be given to a survivor assigned to a specific area, allowing them to perform tasks outside of their designated zone. The survivor will complete the requested chain of subtasks and then return to their assigned area.
For instance, if you send a survivor to harvest bushberries, they will fulfil that task and then bring the collected harvest back to their area.
How are Work Areas visualized? Are they easily distinguished?
Each newly placed flag is assigned a unique colour, which is displayed on the flag itself. A coloured square corresponding to the flag's colour is then drawn on the terrain, visually indicating the area covered by the flag. You can toggle the visibility of this square by enabling or disabling the Orders overlay.
Furthermore, each area is assigned a unique number and is referred to as "Area X," with X representing the area's number. Each area can be renamed from its flag, and the assigned name will be displayed above the flag, making it visible from a distance.
In the portraits bar at the top of the HUD, the portraits of survivors are rearranged according to their assigned areas, with each area's colour indicating the group. This grouping is also reflected in the survivors' names in the Priorities and Schedule UI, as well as in the Expeditions UI.
Thank you for joining us for our final dev journal! The free Jungle Update is out tomorrow. If you'd like to learn even more you can join our livestream on 28 June at 4:00pm BST. The community team will be joined by developers from Haemimont Games for a run-through of the new region, and the rest of the new update on Twitch and YouTube. We'll see you there!
Stranded: Alien Dawn Developer Journal – Survivor Tools
The new free Jungle Update is just around the corner!
We're here with a new developer journal, featuring our friends over at Haemimont Games, to talk about the new survivor tools and how your survivors use them.
Let's dive right in:
Hello! We are absolutely thrilled to have you here with us. Could you please introduce yourself to everyone reading?
Greetings, fellow adventurers! I am Ivan Grozev, the lead game designer of Stranded: Alien Dawn.
The new Survivor Tools are a valuable addition to Stranded: Alien Dawn - could you briefly talk about what they are and how they work?
These small handy gadgets are crafted and equipped by the survivors and come in various forms. Some, like the Good Luck Charm, provide passive bonuses, while others, such as the EM Umbrella and Grenades, have active effects that can be triggered by players.
What made you decide to add these new Survivor Tools, and the Tools equipment slot?
We wanted to take the survivors' equipment to the next level and explore the vast potential of tools in the survival genre. It was a natural progression to introduce tools as items and create a dedicated equipment slot for them.
How many tools can someone carry?
Survivors can only carry one tool at a time. Choosing the right tool for each situation adds an exciting layer of complexity to the game. It's like deciding between bringing a Swiss Army Knife or a portable black hole—maybe not that extreme, but you get the idea.
There are a lot of Survivor Tools to choose from for players! Was it difficult deciding on which tools you were going to add in this update?
Selecting the tools for this update was indeed challenging. We had to carefully consider how they would integrate with existing game features. For instance, we wanted tools that could counter weather disasters, such as the Respirator Mask for protection against Toxic Ash and Dust Storms. We also aimed to fulfil player desires, like adding manually-triggered weapons for increased player control in combat.
Through researching Toolsmithing, you can unlock the Survival Kit, Harvesting Tools, and a Good Luck Charm. Could you talk a bit about how the survivors use these tools?
Certainly! Toolsmithing is a new tech that allows survivors to craft basic tools on workbenches. As their knowledge expands, they can unlock more advanced tools by obtaining the necessary ingredients.
The Survival Kit includes Emergency Rations and a portable bedroll. When equipped, it enables survivors to satisfy their needs while away from the camp, without having to return.
The Harvesting Tools increase the speed of mining, cutting, and harvesting actions.
Finally, the Good Luck Charm provides a permanent happiness boost to its carrier, which is especially useful for isolated survivors.
There's a new Respirator Mask being added to the game, which offers protection against Toxic Ash and Dust Storms - what made you decide to add this to the game?
We felt that players needed more control over the negative effects of disasters.
The Respirator Mask grants survivors the ability to venture outside during Toxic Ash and Dust Storms without suffering adverse health conditions and lowered happiness. However, while wearing the mask, they won't be able to use any other tool, striking a balance between safety and utility.
Similarly, you will now have the ability to produce EM Umbrellas, which are pocket force-field generators that repulse water droplets while keeping survivors dry in the rain. This is my most favourite tool, as we made a nice FX that communicates well when it’s used.
Signal Flares will let survivors see at night - are there other Survivor Tools to help them see better at night?
Signal Flares are throwable light-emitting rods that illuminate dark areas. They assist in combat by improving everyone’s visibility and allowing better aim.
Additionally, we're introducing Night-Vision Goggles as another tool in this update. These goggles enable survivors to shoot accurately at night, ensuring they don't miss their targets in the darkness.
Last, but certainly not least, you're adding throwable Grenades - what should players watch out for if they decide to deploy someone equipped with grenades?
Ah, the explosive addition to our arsenal! When players equip someone with grenades, they should exercise caution and avoid using them all at once. Grenades have a limited number of uses and can be thrown upon player command. They deal significant damage in a semi-wide area and even stun enemies, making them ideal for crowd control.
Remember, in the challenging world of Stranded: Alien Dawn, the right tools can make all the difference between triumph and defeat. Choose wisely and adapt to the ever-changing circumstances as you strive to overcome the alien menace!
Stranded: Alien Dawn Developer Journal – The Saltu Region
We know you're all incredibly excited for the free Jungle Update and everything in it!
We're here with a new developer journal, featuring our friends over at Haemimont Games, to talk about the new Saltu region and some of the new challenges you can expect to run into there.
Let's dive right in:
Hello! We are absolutely thrilled to have you here with us. Could you please introduce yourself to everyone reading?
Greetings, fellow survivors! My name is Ivan Grozev, and I have the honour of serving as the lead game designer for Stranded: Alien Dawn.
The Saltu region is incredibly unique, and very different to Sobrius and Desertum. For the very top level, what can players expect from this new region?
Saltu provides a unique and captivating experience distinct from Sobrius and Desertum. It is a lush and vibrant biome with dense jungle forests, a wide variety of plant species, and abundant wildlife. The region is characterized by the presence of swamps, rivers, and lakes, further enhancing its allure for exploration.
What ultimately sets Saltu apart is its abundance. There is so much more to observe and research. Clearing farmland requires more time and effort, and humans are more susceptible to encountering new diseases. Disasters have a more pronounced impact, posing greater challenges to survival. Food spoils at a faster rate, necessitating careful management. Larger herds in Saltu exhibit a heightened propensity to defend against hunters in greater numbers. These factors combine to create a uniquely challenging and dynamic environment in the region.
Players will have to contend with temperatures in a different way than before. How does humidity and temperature work on Saltu compared to Sobrius and Desertum?
The Saltu region is known for its high humidity, frequent rain, and hot weather.
Players will notice that resources decay at an accelerated rate. Thunderstorms are more common and pose a greater danger to the survivors. Additionally, to combat the humidity, devices such as fans, air conditioners, fridges, and freezers consume more power.
How are seasons represented in Saltu?
Saltu experiences a long Wet season and a shorter Dry season. During the Dry season, temperatures rise, and the lush greenery transforms into a drier yellowish landscape. Heatwaves and rainless thunderstorms become prevalent, and crop diseases occur more frequently, presenting a new challenge for the players.
How will plants and crops fare with all that heat and humidity?
While wild plants and crops in Saltu have adapted to the environment, the heatwaves during the Dry season can hinder their growth and cause withering.
Additionally, recurring outbreaks of Xenoflora Blight in farm fields can spread to wild plants, decimating farm plants and entire patches of nearby forests.
Saltu isn't just warm and humid, it's also full of new and dangerous diseases - what made you decide to add them?
The addition of new diseases in Saltu is a reflection of the region's unique ecosystem, influenced by various parasites, insects, and bacteria found in the humid environment.
Players will encounter new diseases, such as gut parasites acquired from consuming uncooked food, resulting in increased hunger. Untreated wounds can develop into blood infections, leading to fatigue and potential chronic anemia. The occasional outbreak of lethal swamp fever further intensifies the survival challenges.
Can you tell us something about the new plants that players can discover?
In Saltu, players will encounter both familiar and new plant species. While some plants like Mulchtube, Synthplant, and Energy crystals may already be known from other regions, there are several unique discoveries awaiting players.
The Sausage palm tree bears meat-like fruits, and another palm variety yields coconuts suitable for wine fermentation. Towering dandelion-like plants provide medicinal spores, and the Purpleleaf plant, with its large purple leaves, can be harvested for sticks and leaves to construct various structures such as shelters, sleeping spots, roofs, and fences.
What can you tell us about the new wildlife players will encounter?
Saltu introduces several distinct animal species specifically adapted to the region. The Noth, a colourful and passive creature, forms large herds that roam the map. Additionally, players will encounter the Shogu, a more aggressive animal resembling a wild boar. When tamed, the Shogu has the ability to dig out chew roots.
You've made some interesting changes to insect nests: Shrieker Nests are replaced by Scissorhands nests, making Carbon Nanotubes more difficult at acquire. What made you decide to make this change?
The decision to introduce Scissorhands nests in place of Shrieker nests stemmed from a desire to create a different experience in Saltu. We wanted hostile territorial insects that blend seamlessly with the jungle environment, reminiscent of Earth's jungles. These nests are tougher to destroy compared to Shrieker nests, providing an increased challenge.
Additionally, we opted for Silicon-based nest structures instead of Carbon nanotube ones, adding a built-in challenge for obtaining Carbon nanotubes within this region.
What was the most challenging part of creating Saltu, and how did you overcome it?
Developing Saltu presented unique challenges as we aimed to differentiate it from Sobrius and Desertum. The lush jungle biome provided us with exciting opportunities. Unlike other regions where grain-producing plants and clothblossom play crucial roles, Saltu offers a diverse range of resource chains.
Players can extract vegetable oil from palm meat, craft cloth from purple leaves, and even ferment tasty kimchi from typically inedible plants.
There are more details to come about the new update, so don't forget to join the Stranded: Alien Dawn Discord and you'll never miss any news! You can also follow us on TikTok, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, or join the discussions on Steam and the Frontier Forums. On 28 June at 4:00pm BST, the community team will be joined by developers from Haemimont Games for a run-through of the new scenario, and the rest of the new update on Twitch and YouTube. We'll see you there!
Free Jungle Update Coming 29 June to Stranded: Alien Dawn
We are incredibly excited to announce a free leafy update coming to Stranded: Alien Dawn on 29 June 2023! The Jungle Update will add the colourful and exotic Saltu region to the game, a region featuring unique plants and animals, as well as new challenges you will have to help your survivors overcome. It's going to get both hot and humid, so you'll have to think a little differently in your approach.
This update will also expand Stranded: Alien Dawn with new gameplay features and mechanics, with new work area mechanics, survivor tools, new research, recipes and expeditions.
As always, we want to give a huge shoutout to everyone who's been sharing feedback and suggestions on our forums, on social media, or on our Discord server. We really couldn't do this without you! Don't forget to join us in our upcoming livestream on 28 June, where we'll be showing you all the new additions coming to Stranded: Alien Dawn in this update.
Before we do that, let's take a quick look at what you can expect:
Saltu Region
Saltu is a new tropical region covered with dense jungles, swamps and rivers. Your survivors are likely to find a good amount of palm trees, and the rich soil will allow a wide variety of flora to thrive in this hot and humid region. You'll also find new and exotic animal wildlife that are especially adapted to the region's environment and weather.
Much like Desertum, a year in Saltu is divided into Wet and Dry seasons, with each having an impact on weather. The Wet season is marked by heavy rains and violent thunderstorms, so you'll want to keep your survivors indoors! An interesting feature to note about Saltu is the lack of cold temperatures. It's a sweltering place, so any food or materials left to the elements will decompose quicker due to the heat and humidity. The only way to stave off the heat is via powered cooling, so don't forget to generate some extra electricity for your AC units! On the other hand, there's no need to craft winter clothing, and crops will continue to grow all year round. Be mindful of the Xenoflora Blight, which can absolutely devastate your crops if you don't deal with it quickly.
Your survivors will also be susceptible to new tropical diseases like Swarm Fever, Gut Worms, and Blood Infections. These can be cured with Antibiotics, so make sure you keep up that grain production!
Last, but certainly not least, you'll likely find that there are fewer Shrieker nests than you might be used to from Sobrius and Desertum. Saltu features Scissorhands nests that yield Silicon, replacing Shrieker nests, so acquiring Carbon Nanotubes might prove a little more challenging this time around.
New Gameplay Features
Area Flags and Work Areas
A new feature that we're really excited about in the Jungle Update is the ability to add Area Flags and Work Zones to your bases, giving you more control over where your survivors can and can't go. After researching Camp Management you'll be able to place down flags that designate areas of 50-250 meters. All resources, work objects, and devices within the range of an area flag are assigned to that flag's work areas. From there you can assign survivors to specific areas, and restrict them to live and work within the given area only.
Your survivors will see and interact with devices and buildings that belong to the same area as themselves, and won't eat, relax, or execute tasks outside of their given area. You can still assign them direct orders without changing their assigned area, and you'll also know at a glance where someone is assigned. Using the new Work Areas mechanic, you can effectively set up and manage multiple bases across the map, or restrict your survivors to remain indoors during Toxic Ash or thunderstorm events.
Survivor Tools
With this update we're also adding an exciting new mechanic called Survivor Tools. Your survivors' inventory now includes a new dedicated slot for carrying Tools, special pieces of equipment that will prove helpful in their survival journey. All Tools are available in all regions and scenarios and can be crafted at Workbenches. You can even trade Tools in the Farming Outpost scenario!
Let's take a look at some of the new Survivor Tools and the different ways they will aid your survivors:
- Survival Kit: A small bundle with a bedroll and a pack of emergency rations that will ease the burden of long journeys. The Survival Kit will allow your survivors to sleep relatively comfortably outside of your base, and also enjoy a quick meal if they get hungry
- Harvesting Tools: This set of tools will reduce the amount of time it takes to harvest crops, cut down trees, and mine stone
- Respirator Mask: Sometimes your survivors need to venture outside during Toxic Ash events or Dust Storms. The new Respirator Masks will make that less of a burden on their bodies as it helps them breathe a little easier
- Signal Flares: It's difficult to see at night, so these new signal flares will light up the area of impact, making it easier for your survivors to hit enemies during the night. There may also be other ways to help your survivors see better at night, but we'll let you discover that on your own
A New Survivor
As with previous updates, there is a new survivor coming to Stranded: Alien Dawn with this free update. This former expert in naturophatic medicine has suddenly found herself completely cut off from any means to contact with her home planet. Her impeccable healing skills will come in handy in the new Saltu region, as she'll never fail a healing task. Definitely helpful if your entire group is infected with Swarm Fever! You'll get to meet her very soon, so stay tuned to our social channels!
Super Sampling Support and Photo Mode
Last, but certainly not least, we're adding Super Sampling Support for NVIDIA, AMD and Intel graphics cards to Stranded: Alien Dawn. The new Photo Mode will allow you to take breathtaking screenshots, with several tweakable settings to get that one perfect shot. Adjust motion blur, exposure, depth of field and more, and unleash your inner photographer!
As we mentioned before, there are more quality of life updates, and bug fixes, coming in this update, so keep an eye out for the full patch notes coming on 29 June. We want to thank everyone in the Stranded: Alien Dawn community for all your support, feedback, suggestions, and bug reports.
There are more details to come about the new update, so don't forget to join the Stranded: Alien Dawn Discord and you'll never miss any news! You can also follow the game on TikTok, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, or join the discussions on Steam and the Frontier Forums.
On 28 June at 4:00pm BST, the community team will be joined by developers from Haemimont Games for a run-through of the new scenario, and the rest of the new update on Twitch and YouTube. We'll see you there!
The Sci-Fi Inspirations Behind Stranded: Alien Dawn
We are incredibly excited to share a conversation with Haemimont Games about the sci-fi inspirations behind Stranded: Alien Dawn, and the work that went into crafting the game’s incredible world. They’ll also provide additional insight into the process of creating gameplay mechanics and systems that combine survival with city-building.
Read on to learn more:
Hello, thank you so much for joining us! The community has noticed a lot of sci-fi references in Stranded: Alien Dawn. Could you share a little about the game's science fiction influences?
There is not a single flick to point out, but if we had to choose, the episode “Suits” from Love, Death & Robots is probably the best example of inspiration source. Raised by Wolves is another title that should be mentioned.
Also, kudos to the modders that created the crew from “Firefly” in the game – there is a stable crowd of browncoats over at Haemimont Games that got a kick out of that!
The "Suits" episode has been brought up a ton by the community as well! Your survivors are not just fighting bugs in mech suits, there's also an element of city-building games as well. What was the thought behind marrying all these different elements?
Re. the setting, our studio always wanted to explore the survival genre. The team has solid experience with city-building games, we are all interested in sandbox modes, and have ventured in that direction with our earlier titles (Surviving Mars). It was our desire to do a sim game at the intersection of the survival and city-building, and thus Stranded: Alien Dawn was born. We’ve been enjoying seeing everyone take to the game as we flesh out its potential after release.
The alien planet is both alien and familiar at the same time. Was it the plan from the beginning to combine these design directions?
Right from the start there was a discussion on how to portray the environment on the alien planet. The question was whether to go into exploring completely alien environments or keep the familiarity and add alien elements for key experiences. We decided to go with the later for several reasons: Our goal is always to put gameplay first. There is a lot to learn, and a lot to track in Stranded: Alien Dawn. We wanted to make the gameplay situations recognizable, not put additional difficulty for the player to figure out what is what.
The second reason is that by borrowing from the real world, what you get is authenticity – there is an inherent complexity in everything around us, which we get to know as we grow and mature. Going into the “full alien” direction sometimes simplifies things to the point that the setting may become too shallow and unconvincing.
Then there are the points where we wanted to go “alien” – the flora and especially the fauna that will give the specific threat to the survivors. This is the point where we used recognizable archetypes like giant insects but decided that would be enough. Some of our favourite examples are the Drakka and the Glutch in this regard.
We are driven by the belief that gameplay comes first, and as such the environments were designed with specific gameplay implications in mind. Meaning that we did not aim to recreate a specific environment in the “most realistic” way possible, but instead to figure out which parameters mattered most for the gameplay, and then create the environments around variations in these parameters.
Our goal at Haemimont Games is to make different games, and to challenge ourselves with every game we make. While we learn a lot from every project, there is no ready-made solution to the creative process for each game. What we believe in is iteration. The more iteration, the better the game. Rinse and repeat – until it clicks.
While the setting and theming is definitely sci-fi, the soundtrack is more akin to a modern western. Can you tell us anything about the music and sound design in Stranded: Alien Dawn?
The sound effects are there to create a convincing reaction to the player’s action, expected environmental immersion, and in the case of aggressive fauna – the sense of threat lurking beyond the base.
The music, on the other hand, is a more complicated challenge – especially in a sandbox game where a single playthrough will often go over 40 hours, and then it has its own dynamic with specific pressure points, which timing is unique in every game. The music needs to be entertaining, not repetitive, not too dramatic as to keep the focus on the gameplay, and then thematic. Getting back to “Firefly”, we are happy to say that the space western theme of the music was a very satisfying solution for us, and, hopefully, the players.
Was it difficult to create the progression systems and building player motivation?
In sandbox games where you tend to open more and more options as you progress, giving the player a sense of progression is a noticeable challenge. We try to make sure that no solution is permanent, and really depends on the scale of progress. The player should always have a bigger problem to solve. While a permanent solution to any one of the player’s problems has an immediate sense of achievement, in the long run it basically eliminates parts of the gameplay, and makes the game more trivial as the players progress.
Crafting is crucial in surviving games and Stranded: Alien Dawn is no exception. Every resource in the game was designed with the idea behind its usage, and re. crafting possibilities. Of course, the resources also depend on their environment – for example wood is the prevalent construction resource in the Sobrius environment but is hard to come by in Desertum. This, by itself, leads to some considerable gameplay changes, and in turn make the structures built by the survivors different in those environments – as it is in real life.
It must have been challenging to balance the game's difficulty and pace? How do you avoid the game becoming overly frustrating for the players?
Stranded: Alien Dawn is a complex game, and we hope that it is and will be enjoyed by a multitude of players. There is no one-difficulty-fits all approach here, and we added variables from difficulty, to moons, to survivor selection, and ultimately, game rules, that allow the players to chose the difficulty that they find interesting and engaging long-term. In this respect, having the players perspective is invaluable, and having the game in Early Access ang getting that feedback early on was the right thing to do.
What were some of the challenges or lessons learned during the process of creation and how did the team overcome them?
While in development we experienced an interesting challenge – the game was looking good on paper, we created all the elements in the game, but something was missing. The game wasn’t fun, even though it should have been. Something was missing.
At the end, that something was balance – we iterated on it, until at some point the game just clicked and started “working”. Team members started staying late at the office, just playing the game. They did not want to let go. At this moment we knew we had something on our hands. The lesson we learned, is that if we believe in an idea, we should keep getting at it. As we mentioned above, nothing can replace iteration. Again and again – until it clicks.
Thank you all for joining us!