This update improves the progression system in the current game to be closer to our goal.
There are now 6 biomes with the locations spread out between them. The 4 new biomes are copies of an existing one with different colour schemes. We will replace these temporary versions with the real ones as we develop them. Keep an eye out for the title that appears as you fly into each biome for a hint about what it will eventually become!
We have also changed the beacon system. Locations you have not visited yet will now have a green beacon, while ones you have visited will still be gold. By visiting each of the locations in a biome you will unlock the next biome with a green beacon - so basically keep looking for green beacons to keep progressing forwards. Existing saves have had their beacons reset so it can drive you forwards into the new biomes.
We've also more than doubled the amount of desert you can see at a time, from 1 to 2.6 miles! To help you spot things in the new distance we've added a squint zoom - just hold down right mouse or left trigger to zoom in. In the crafting update we'll be adding a spyglass for even more zoom.
Other changes:
- Locations with essential items will not let you leave if you haven't looted the item.
- The Seeker now retreats if you stand on your airship for a short time.
- New graphics settings for Terrain Range, Content Range and Content Density. Lower them to improve your framerate or increase them for a larger denser desert.
- Added 3 new points of interest appearing in the new biomes.
- All locations now have campfires and lamps which you can activate to help you see at night.
Check the forum for our Plans and Previews post about our next update - Crafting - and follow us on twitter @DesertSkiesGame for dev updates about what we're working on next.