Greetings scientists!
Last week, we announced that Early Access will launch on June 22nd 2023 via a fancy new trailer with never-before-seen footage. ICYMI, here’s the video:
Forever Skies - Official Release Date Trailer
With the latest trailer, we wanted the main focus to be on the “Underdust” biome and show the community a little more of what they can expect when they make the descent themselves in the game.
However, it was also just as important to show more of the game's core mechanics above the dust for players potentially seeing Forever Skies for the first time.
So let's break down some of the mechanics and concepts that we saw…
AIRSHIP BASE BUILDING
Your airship is fully customizable so we need to give you the tools to make your flying base unique to your tastes. The Airship will be at your side for most of your journey, and so we want you to be able to create something you love, for yourself or with friends further down the line when we add co-op.
In the trailer, you see the basics of Airship building. The player places the Engine and then starts to create the shape with the Airship Builder. From here, you can add walls, windows doors, add additional floors and Observation Rooms, paint the walls, floors and ceilings with The Paint Tools and fill your airship with interior decor, scientific equipment and more! We will be showing more of this in our next video!
SURVIVING ON A RAVAGED EARTH
The majority of you will be aware of the survival mechanics demonstrated in the trailer by now, especially if you played the demo.
However what you need to know is that players must maintain their food, water, stamina, health and immunity bars throughout their playthrough. The severity and punishment of these bars will be different depending on whatever difficulty you choose to play!
Among many different survival mechanics, you can see here the player purifying some water and boiling a Dust Moth they caught with their Insect Catcher (tasty right?!)
THE UNDERDUST
The player arrives at an ominous structure, surrounded by overgrown vines reaching into the sky. These large towers are Surface Lifts and are used to go under the dust.
This location will take some preparation from the player and a few Airship upgrades in order to get here and land. But once you do, it’s time to head down…
Aside from a few screenshots we shared in November 2022, this trailer is the first real glimpse the public have had of the Underdust biome.
The world below the toxic dust layer is night and day compared to the world above. The planet's surface has been completely overtaken by new species of flora (and lurking fauna) that now call Earth, home. Remnants of the world we once knew are still present, but have been reclaimed by nature.
Unlike the open sandbox above the dust, the world below is a tighter, more linear experience. Not only will you need to worry about the stats mentioned earlier, in addition, down here you will also need to maintain your oxygen, that is displayed with a blue bar at the bottom centre of your HUD. If it reaches zero it’s game over for you!
One way of replenishing oxygen is using an Oxygen Station. You will find these scattered around the level. Each station requires a specific and rare type of resource to power on, so be sure to look out for that blueprint!
In the trailer, you see the player using their Crossbow to knock down ladders and their knife to cut through vines. These and other tools, will be vital in order to navigate and explore the Underdust. With your oxygen depleting, you will need to use your tools to create shortcuts through the area so you can make it into the next section before the player suffocates!
Some obstacles will require a more scientific approach to pass. In the trailer, the player comes across an aggressive plant blocking their path. After scanning it, the we learn that the plant reacts to heat. Scientific problems require scientific solutions!
The player returns to their Airship base to use a new machine, the Virus Analyzer. The virus sample is reverse-engineered and using the sample, we’re able to create a Hypothermia Booster. When the player uses the booster, it lowers their body temperature meaning the plant no longer detects their presence and the player is able to pass. There will be other boosters and puzzles like this throughout Early Access.
In the closing scene of the trailer, you see a large creature on the floor that appears to be dead and another creature to the right, crying out.
Is it warning you not to get any closer? Is it in pain? I guess we will find out!
These are just a few things our game will offer at the start of Early Access - We hope you found this breakdown useful and interesting. Feel free to ask any questions in the comments, or join our Discord to chat with our devs regularly!
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That’s all for now, speak soon!
Team Far From Home.