Greetings, explorer. If this is your first time checking Those Who Came on Steam, surely you will have a lot of questions. Let’s get started to solve them all!
GENERAL QUESTIONS
First of all, what kind of game is Those Who Came?
We define it as a sci-fi cooperative survival RPG. Players will follow the story of the Sainen, a strong and resilient species that nearly faced extinction after their planet collapsed. Hoping for their kind to survive this cataclysmic event, they sent forth a ship full of explorers frozen in a cryogenic state. You and your friends will become four young survivors called to explore a new planet: Solarus. The planet seems to be in danger, just as yours was, so it’s in the hands of your race, and your local allies, the healing of this land you expect to call “home” someday…
What is the game about?
In each mission, you will explore a new area of Solarus in search of different ways to help the planet: from researching the local vegetation to restoring some destroyed energy facilities. Every action counts, so the most important factor to achieve success is planned cooperation: decide your individual roles as a team, and never leave the rest behind!
What requirements must my PC meet to run the game under the best conditions?
Our recommended system requirements are:
- OS: Windows 10
- Memory: 16 GB RAM
- Storage: 15 GB available space
To play it under the minimum system requirements you just need:
- OS: Windows 10
- Memory: 8 GB RAM
- Storage: 15 GB available space
When did the development start?
By August 2020, the pandemic really awakened our game developer senses! We explored several ideas and this was the one we liked the most.
What else should I know about the development process?
Our main work tool was Unreal Engine 4 -- version 4.25.4. Plus, the game is developed with a mix of Blueprints (for environmental artists and game designers), and C++ (programmers). Most of our content is custom-made; we only use plugins to improve the connections to our servers and track data for game improvement.
EARLY ACCESS & FULL GAME VERSIONS
Why Early Access?
When we set out to develop Those Who Came, we wanted to challenge some of the foundations of the RPG genre, like its emphasis on combat. We want to create a refreshing experience, something that feels new and unique. Testing and honing these ideas with real players will allow the game to grow to its true potential.
How long will the game be in EA?
Our goal is to transition to full release during 2022 as soon as we feel the game is content-complete and polished, ensuring an engaging experience for all our players.
How is the full version planned to differ from the EA version?
The full version is planned to include new maps, more creatures, extra suits, and new special powers. The feedback of the community will be a key factor not just to polish these features, but to set the priorities and decide their final shape.
What is the current state of the EA version?
The core mechanics and features of the game are already implemented: you can create teams and add friends, craft and trade goods in cooperation with other players, explore the landing zone on Solarus, and compete at the Stadium in PvP. You can also use the 4 initial special powers, in combination with a varied set of suits and suit mods. We are working hard on balancing, as well as polishing the currently available maps. In terms of stability and performance, the game still has some bugs – but most of them are known and identified, and we are working to iron them out.
Will the game be priced differently during and after EA?
The price will increase on full release as the game receives more content.
Is the game coming to other platforms?
We’d love to ensure that there will be a console version, but Those Who Came is still in Early Access and our priority now is to make a game we can feel proud of.
GAMEPLAY
What kind of missions can you play in Those Who Came?
Travel to different areas of Solarus to follow the storyline, or join the Arena to have fun competing against other Sainen explorers -- of course, in a friendly, non-combat way! Both game modes require more players to join forces with you, so these teammates will be chosen by the matchmaking system unless you invite your friends. And yes, that means that a stable internet connection is required to play Those Who Came.
How does the Arena work?
Explore the map in search of charged generators to extract energy for your headquarters as you try to sabotage your enemy’s supply before you run out of time.
Will you add more story chapters over the course of the Early Access period?
Yes. We’re still figuring out how to blend the narrative aspect of Those Who Came with its gameplay. It will take some time, but our plan consists in updating the game little by little with new missions, features, maps, and characters. Just wait and see!
How many friends can I invite to join my party?
In Solarus, you’ll recruit three companions to complete the story missions. At the Arena, up to eight players will be able to join you as allies or rivals in 2v2, 3v3, and 4v4 “battles”.
What do you do to protect players against toxic behaviors?
According to the essence of Those Who Came, we expect to minimize the possibility of getting exposed to toxic behaviors and build a comfortable space for all kinds of players. That’s the reason why we refused to include chat features. Players can interact by using animated emotes, and talk via third-party apps like Discord or Teamspeak.
Are you planning a single-player mode?
Those Who Came reaches its full potential as a multiplayer game, given that we decided to focus on cooperation as the best way to save Solarus -- but yes, the single-player mode is in our roadmap!
USER SUPPORT
Am I allowed to customize my keyboard shortcuts?
We’ll enable the option at some point in the Early Access phase.
Will the game support controllers?
It will!
Where can I report bugs?
In the game, press ESC to open the Home Menu and select the bug icon at the bottom right corner of the screen. It will take you to our official Support form, where you can send us a detailed explanation and attach a screenshot. Also, we usually read the discussions here on Steam, so feel free to share your issues. But if you need a quick response, we recommend you to join our official Discord server or contact us via Twitter -- our DMs are always open!
How long do I have to wait before the issue is solved?
Our support team checks their inbox and the Discord server on a daily basis. Since not all bugs are of equal severity, we ask for your patience while we look for the best way to deal with each problem. If a bug significantly disrupts the gameplay experience, it will be given the highest priority and we will proceed to fix it immediately.
Can I suggest new features too?
Of course! We’re always happy to read what players think about our work and how do they think it can be improved -- but please remember that we need a reasonable time to determine whether the suggested feature fits within our design and the objectives set for the game.