It's been a big week for all of us here at tinyBuild and Hologryph as we revealed the first footage of gameplay for SAND last Tuesday at the tinyBuild Connect! And obviously, after such a major milestone, we were always going to see a lot of discussion and speculation around the game... So today, we're answering some of the most common questions about SAND that we've seen asked over the last week!
What is SAND?
SAND is a vast, open world PVPVE game where you explore the fallen planet of Sophie. Build gigantic Tramplers to conquer this hostile environment, filled with mystical anomalies, monuments, and other players. Find out what happened in this fallen world, once ruled by the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
How can I sign up for the beta?
You can sign up to take part in the beta on the Steam page now
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1431300/Sand/
Scroll down to “Join the Sand Playtest”, click Request Access and we’ll add the game to your account as soon as the playtest begins!
When will the playtest start? And how long will it last?
The playtest will start at a to be announced date this summer, and the duration is yet to be decided.
What are the minimum and recommended system specs to run SAND?
While these will change as the game continues to develop, the current minimum specs are as follows:
| Minimum: |
|---|
| OS *: 64-bit Windows 7, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, Windows 11 |
| Intel Core i5-3330 3.0 GHz, AMD FX-8300 3.3 GHz |
| 10 GB RAM |
| NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760, Radeon R9 270 |
| DirectX: Version 11 |
| Storage: 10 GB available space |
When will the full game be released?
We have not yet finalized a date for release, but as soon as this has been decided, we will announce it on all of the relevant channels.
I am a content creator, is it possible to get access before the beta?
You can contact our Community Manager TinyBuild-Jay on Discord or via a DM on the community hub with a link to your channel and we will see what we can arrange! No promises however.
How many players are in the team?
At this time, the maximum number of players per team is 6, players can obviously play solo or in smaller teams however.
How many players per server?
We are running intensive tests to ensure an optimal experience. As such, we will share the max players per server closer to start of Beta
The name of the genre has "extraction". Does this mean that matches have a time limit?
No. Despite the fact that we taken a lot of cues from some of our favourite "extraction shooters", we do not limit players in how much time they can spend on the expedition on the surface. The players themselves decide when to finish and return to the extraction point to protect what they were able to find.
Will it be possible to ally with other crews?
Our design is based around ensuring that the game revolves around the struggles, successes and experiences of individual Crews, and not larger factions, which matchmaking will of course contribute towards. We are doing everything we can to ensure that the game does not devolve into battles of large groups/factions of regular players against beginners and solos.
Will the game be free?
No, SAND will be a paid game, with the pricing to be announced at a later date.
Will it be possible to play solo?
Absolutely. We have designed and balanced the game specifically to ensure that players can enjoy it solo or alongside their friends.
Will it be possible to create private servers?
There are no plans for private servers at this time, however we are open to the idea, should we see enough demand from players.
Will other languages be supported?
We are in the process of deciding the supported languages for launch and of course following that, if there is enough demand we are open to adding more on a case by case basis.
Will it be released for consoles?
We are focusing on the Windows version for the time being, but we hope to allow as many players as possible to enjoy the game, regardless of platform, so we’re not ruling anything out.
Is PVP the focus of the game? If so, is there a PVE mode?
Sand has been envisioned and designed specifically as a PvPvE game from its conception. Its systems, gameplay, gameloop and direction are built around a combination of player to player / player versus player interactions and PvE experiences. There is no single player/PvE planned for SAND, because fundamentally, that is not the game we set out to make, nor would it suit the design of or our vision of the game.