Greetings scientists
A few weeks ago, we announced an upcoming dev AMA and asked for your questions. We’ve compiled a selection of your questions and have answered them below.
It’s also available on YouTube
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DEVELOPER AMA
“Can we expect further games in the same IP?”
From: Lord Admiral Revol - Steam
FFH - Right now, our biggest priority is to make sure that Forever Skies meets the expectations many players had for it. So we don't want to talk about any future projects just yet, while our main focus is on improving Forever Skies.
“Can we expect a creative mode or a way to build airships without restrictions?”
From: Derpy WaterMelon - Steam
FFH - Yes, a creative mode is planned for post-launch support. We want to get some of the larger issues with the current game fixed first, and then we can start working on exciting additions like Creative Mode.
“Will sticky notes return? What about making sticky notes that show pictures of resources as well (sorta like the screens on the filtering deck extractor)?”
From: suikodudeman007 - Steam
FFH - Sticky Notes will return, but not in their previous form. One option we’re considering is a Sticky Note, which displays icons instead of text, as seen in your inventory or as you mentioned, on the auto-deck extractors. We want players to be able to organise their storage, whilst also keeping younger players safe online.
“Are there plans to get a Steam Deck verification?”
From: AUTHORITAAHHH - Steam
FFH - It’s on our minds with every update we do. Our primary objective is to enhance the overall quality of Forever Skies, and one key factor that also hinders its performance on Steam Deck is optimisation. But we're getting closer and closer with each update and patch. Not long ago, we reached a milestone where Forever Skies required less than 10 GB of RAM, which opened the first major door to Steam Deck verification. But there is still more room for improvement.
Another major point to ensure the game runs well on the device is to address UI scaling. Forever Skies has a lot of tiny texts, which we tried to improve by adding a UI scaling slider in the settings. But for Steam Deck, we need to go even further. We need to improve the overall UI scaling system and make edits to quite a bit of our texts, especially in localized languages that are a lot more “wordy”. So that's just some of the work we need to do to have something that is actually fun and playable on the device. But rest assured, we're just as keen to get this working as are all our players who are asking for this.
“Area layout needs more massively randomization, its severe lacks of variety, the Underdust needs randomization too”
From: Leziropav - Steam
FFH - One of the key points we're working on is how we can increase diversity in the world. Since our 1.0 release, we have prepared an action plan, and I think that soon we will be happy to share and show you in detail what we want to achieve. Today, however, we can try to outline the direction we are taking.
So the key areas we want to focus on are:
Diversifying the motivation/reason for visiting locations
The appearance of the world/locations
Environmental storytelling
The believability of the world
We want to achieve the first point by making the basic locations not only a source of basic resources, but also a place where the player can learn about new devices, locations, and the people who used to live there. Secondly, we have added and are testing special workbenches within Radio Towers where players can modify and upgrade the Extractor tool. Since the extractor tool is the central core of the FS gameloop, we want to make it more flexible. Players would be able to visit Radio Towers and upgrade their extractors, speed, charge, reach, etc. Thirdly, these locations will become an even greater indication that people lived there and what they did to survive. Among other things, we plan to move away from the very generic appearance of the current “sheds” and entire buildings in favor of more elaborate ones with specific types of rooms, such as living rooms, kitchens, bedrooms, etc, with appropriate loot within. So it feels like actual people resided here. In addition, we plan to increase the number of notes and scenes that will allow players to uncover more lore secrets of Forever Skies. We are also considering adding additional activities or side quests, but it is a little too early to talk about that at the moment.
We want to emphasize this once again - we take the feedback about a lack of diversity very seriously, and apart from technical and performance issues, our primary focus right now is on this problem. We just need a little more and everyone's patience here. We plan to update the game regularly and deliver content, and these changes are going to be a core part of that.
“Not everyone can/wants to use a mic 24/7 so is a text chat planned?”
From: Retrogon - Steam
FFH - Because our game is rated and accessible to a younger audience, certain rules in certain countries state that we should ensure we do not expose them to situations and content that can be harmful. This is a very complicated field, and we want to try to solve this issue in a slightly more modern way than typical text chats, but for now, we have to let players use external tools for voice comms while we figure this all out.
“Could we get a solution for completed items in the Database being illegible? Green on something not quite green is next to impossible to read. Contrasting colors would be greatly appreciated”
From: dcy665 - Steam
FFH - We've heard a few comments about our database not being 100% intuitive, so changes are coming there already. We'll consider your suggestion here too, as it's a very valid point.
“Any chance for a custom difficulty mode?”
From: NoClip - Steam
FFH - Yes, this will soon be in development. We want players to have more control over their experience than simply easy, normal or hard. We're looking to introduce sliders for consumption of food and water, combat, items lost on death, etc. That sort of thing.
“Will tanks ever be able to store anything other than dirty water? Maybe liquids besides water and fertilizer have uses for being piped?”
From: Saronin A. C. Jayhart - Steam
FFH - Clean water is one of the most anticipated QoL improvements. We'd like to rework the whole gardening system in the future, so you can assume this will be happening. Nothing to tell about other liquids for now, although it’s something we should consider!
“Are you planning to add more combat content to the game?”
From: Keta - Steam
FFH - We are considering adding a few more threats to locations or in the skies, but there may also be additional optional challenges in the game that will allow players to test themselves against more dangerous versions of the mantises. However, it is important to emphasize that Forever Skies is not a game in which combat is or will be a key mechanic. Our inspiration is largely in line with games like Raft, where combat is never a key focus.
“Are you going to add better movement control? (Especially when jumping)”
From: Defrost - Steam
FFH - Possibly, it's a request we've seen quite a few times. But there are certain considerations here that matter that aren't immediately obvious. Such as the existing level design that would require reviewing.
“Are you going to add more technology? e.g. a radar type video display that shows your entire ship and it's distance to objects. Maybe a jetpack? Some weapons?”
From: Defrost - Steam
FFH - More technology is very likely. However, the specific examples you list, are rather unlikely as many of them have already been tested and tried previously and it created too many diversions and loopholes in our existing systems.
“It takes a long time to read some of the entries in the Database so is it possible to pause (or slow down) game progression while the Database is open?”
From: PJCham - Steam
FFH - We are planning to add that option at some point but we're just still not sure how its gonna work in coop if at all.
“Will the underdust performance be improved? That is the only real complaint i have about this game. As soon as i step into the underdust the performance and frame-rate drops get super awful, borderline unplayable.”
From: Potassium - Steam
FFH - Overall performance is a big priority for us. Hopefully, you have noticed, we try to release hotfixes regularly, around one patch per month, and each of these always has some element of fixes aimed at optimization. A large part of our development team's work is focused on performance. The underdust is quite a challenge here because it is a completely different set of models and textures than the world above, which is a big challenge for us, especially since we wanted to ensure a smooth transition between them during the elevator ride. We realize that on some hardware, this is not yet the final experience, and we are constantly working on improvements.
“What inspired you all to make this game?”
From: {CIA}_JT_{AS} - Steam
FFH - This is a story we've told a few times. Our studio is based in Poland, and air pollution is quite a serious and regularly discussed issue here, especially in the winter. There are times in winter when official government messages are issued telling people to stay indoors and keep their windows shut if they can, because the air quality is bad. The most infamous smog is or was Kraków. It's gotten a bit better now, after a lot of money, effort, and uproar but it used to be so thick that scientists found that in theory you need to go 140 meters above ground just to breathe clean air.
So our game is a kind of dramatization of that very idea and threat. It's set in a version of the future where Earth has lost the fight against climate change. We also knew we wanted to make a survival game, and from there, the premise naturally came together.
That said, we’re not out to preach some heavy-handed “humans are the problem” message. The environmental collapse is more of a backdrop than the main focus. At its core, the story follows a scientist searching for a cure to the Gray Plague.
“What games did your team take inspiration from while making the game (if any)?”
From: {CIA}_JT_{AS} - Steam
FFH - In terms of Forever Skies’ gameloop and world design, our biggest influence was probably Raft. Taking that feeling and loop, and adding a more sci-fi and serious spin on it. But equally, we also took inspiration from other games like Subnautica, The Long Dark and Green Hell.
“What are some things that your team thought about cutting from the game (for any reason), but are now glad you didn't remove?”
From: {CIA}_JT_{AS} - Steam
FFH - While adding the cooperative mode, we noticed that some mechanics of the basic loop didn't work under the new conditions and needed to be rebuilt.
It was quite a challenge because we had already gotten used to the flow of the game, and quite a few of us reacted negatively to proposed changes. This meant stepping far outside our comfort zone and questioning why we were doing this in the first place, if it was working. After several weeks of testing, balancing, and iterating, we managed to reach a point where it clicked, and what's more, it opened up the possibility of developing the game and exploring directions that were not possible before. The extractor has become a part of our player that is always at hand, allowing for the creation of exploration, level design, and puzzles that were not possible before.
“Any chance of introducing the Recycler earlier in the game? Currently, it is found at the very end when it isn't even needed anymore. Gear like storage boxes that become obsolete have to be tossed overboard or stored long-term until the Recycler is found.”
From Zenthar - Steam
FFH - We are indeed facing a problem where players are finding some devices later than we planned. Interestingly, it's not that these devices can only be found in later stages of the game. Many of them can appear in locations in the first few minutes, but unfortunately, we don't provide enough motivation to actively look for them. This is one of the issues we plan to change so that players are more aware of what they can find and where.
“Is there going to be an option to deal with excess seeds from gardening? They pile up very quickly and the only thing to do with them is toss the extras overboard, as there's no other way to use/get rid of them.”
From Zenthar - Steam
FFH - We'll consider this. Some time ago, we thought about changing it into Biomass.
“Are there plans for an upgraded cooking station? Cooking food for several people gets very tedious, having to manage several individual boilers one by one.”
From Zenthar - Steam
FFH - This is actually a good example of the issue some players have, that the game can get rather repetitive. The food loop and preparation method are practically the same from the tutorial to the endgame. So yes, we want to change this so that the player feels that they are getting better and better, while producing better food and drink in a more optimal way as they progress.
“Forever Skies works by providing a procedurally-randomised experience, instead of a curated experience like some similar games... this means that the amount of non-essential events and non-essential assets (sounds, visuals, et cetera) has a much, much heavier impact on immersion, replay value and fulfilment... Have you got any plans to triple (or an even greater increase) your current "stock" of content that is not craftable or story-related?”
From: Tenziel - Steam
FFH - We'll be supporting Forever Skies by adding additional content for as long as it needs it and it makes sense.
“Will there be modding support for the community?”
From: aazertix - Steam
FFH - We wish to treat all players equally. We are constantly looking for a solution that will allow modding on both PC & PS5. Additionally, we still face the challenge of easily being able to join sessions where the host or client has mods. I don't want to say that these issues are impossible to solve, because they certainly are not, but at the moment, our focus is on providing the best possible experience with Forever Skies without mods. From time to time, we hold internal discussions and meet with companies that have modding technologies to find a way forward for Forever Skies. I would very much like to be able to announce in the future that Forever Skies is moddable. We have a fantastic community, and we believe that the ideas and their implementation regarding the content of Forever Skies could often surprise us in a very positive way and even show us directions for development that we had not thought of before.
“Thank you all! Loved the game (have 100s of hours in so far) My question is, are you planning on making it more clear on how to obtain all the patterns in the endgame? This is due to the fact I was able to unlock some patterns in one clear, while in the next play through I wasn’t able to find them?”
From: MediocreRazzmatazz13 - Reddit
FFH - Our current plans include removing Data Cards completely and introducing some other ways of obtaining paint skins or pets' accessories. We'd like to make this experience more user-friendly, allowing you to acquire all these blueprints along the quest path. We're thinking of some side quest activities.
“Love the game! However I feel like once you complete the story there is no more real purpose to keep playing apart from re-building the ship. Is there any plans for late game content? Procedural generated missions, side quests, something like that? Felt like the game's story ended earlier than I wanted to. Cheers!”
From: T-A-R-K-A-T-A - Reddit
FFH - First and foremost, we plan to place greater emphasis on building in the endgame. We are thinking about challenges that will motivate players to build their ships in a certain way, but also about special locations or places that will require players to prepare their ships in a specific way before setting off on a journey. Unfortunately, these are just loose ideas at the moment, but we want to make sure that the endgame is enjoyable so that players can enjoy the world and the possibilities of the game for longer. We are also planning to add Creative Mode, as was mentioned earlier.
“Was curious about the biome walls? Are these a permanent addition or is it subject to change in the future based on feedback? Personally, I am not a huge fan of the walls. I much preferred the immersion and openness of a world truly devastated by the dust. As always, thanks for your hard work!! I adore Forever Skies!”
From: Plum_Berry_Delicious - Reddit
FFH - Something in between! We’re considering leaving them, but providing tools that will allow them to be turned off completely or opened automatically so that they become virtually unnoticeable to players at a later stage of the game. They play an important role until you can enter New Nature (biome 3). After that, not so much.
“Has the FS Brain Trust given consideration to a reworking the gardening system in general? Specifically, pot to pot piping that would allow us to forgo the use of sprinklers all together? Of everything in the game, I feel that this is the biggest area in game where my time hasn't been respected. due to glitchiness and inconsistencies in game play.”
From: polomarkopolo - Reddit
FFH - Reworking the gardening mechanics is high on our list of plans for post-launch support. We're not necessarily looking to remove elements of it, but simply make it easier and simpler to set up and connect it all together. The current piping system is unintuitive and frustrating to set up and takes up most of the player's time.
“Has there been a consideration to adding different styles of ship walls? For example, giving us the ability to create walls in a room on a diagonal angle rather than on the edge of a room?”
From: polomarkopolo - Reddit
FFH - There has been consideration for quite a long time, to be honest. Nothing precise yet, unfortunately. We have to deal with the more important things players want first, then we can focus on cool new cosmetics.
“Will there ever be crossplay?”
From: NeverMidnightGames - Reddit
FFH - No current news to share on cross-play, I'm afraid.
“Why did you guys stop making devlogs?”
From: inconspicuos-user - Reddit
FFH - Honestly, they take quite a long time to make, and the views they generated didn't justify the time spent on them. Plus, many of our players seem to prefer receiving their news in text form. Either via a blog, social media post, Discord or Reddit announcement, etc. But never say never, we might start them up again in the future if there is a high demand for them to return.
“Has Forever Skies broken even?”
From: SirAccomplished799 - Reddit
FFH - Yes, it has. Forever Skies has regained what it cost to produce and has generated profit. But regardless, since development started, we announced that we wanted to support Forever Skies even after the full release, which we’re now doing. This applies to both game fixes and its further development with new content.
“Are you planning a PS5 Pro enhancement update?”
From: @Erik-lr5hd - YouTube
FFH - There are already some implemented. On the PlayStation 5 Pro, there is better resolution, texture quality, and runs smoother. However, this is not the end, and we hope that with future patches, we will be able to further improve the Forever Skies gaming experience on consoles, both on the standard edition and on Pro.
“Will there be story DLC?”
From: @paulbagleyjr451 - YouTube
FFH - That’s to be decided, but we do want to develop Forever Skies for as long as the game remains popular with existing and new players. A few of us previously worked on games that had literal years of post-launch support, and we would love for Forever Skies to have something similar. At the moment, though, our focus is on addressing the most pressing issues we talked about here. After that we will be able to sit down and see if there is room for something that can be made into story DLC and how it could fit in the world. And there are definitely areas we can look into. One of the mysteries we haven't answered yet for example, is what the egg remains are that players can find in the colossal life form-related locations.
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That is all the questions we have time for for now. Thank you to everyone who sent questions to us, we appreciate it!
Now is the time for us to get our heads down and continue to work on the improvements to Forever Skies. We can’t wait to start sharing our progress with you.
Have an awesome day,
Team Far From Home