Hi there!
This day has been a long time coming for me and I am very excited to finally show off Fargone.
With the release date approaching fast, I wanted to take this time to discuss where the game is currently at, future updates, and the overall long-term vision for the game.
Discord: https://discord.gg/BYWHzGa4JK
What to expect on December 23rd
Currently, the game has a large open world filled with unique locations and biomes that hide 100's of items to scavenge. The world is also populated by multiple factions as well as a variety of undead types. The idea was to create a dynamic sandbox experience as the core gameplay loop. You can work with the factions, completing missions or assisting them in any engagements you may encounter. You can even take their badges and hand them in for a reputation boost with the other factions.
Fargone also features a camping/building system. I have called it the camping system, as currently the idea was not for the player to build an immense fortress of safety but simply to create just enough of a safe area to be able to rest and store gear. This system can also be used to fortify existing locations around the world.
Weapons & Equipment
In terms of weapons, the exact count is still growing right up until release. As it stands there are 23 weapons in the game including guns, melee weapons, and grenades (grenades do not add to the total weapon count). These weapons are hard to come by out in the world; however, there are numerous stores located around the map that refresh every 2 days in the game. Most of these weapons have a selection of customisation options to allow the player to tune a weapon to a specific engagement; like putting a long-range scope on an AK. To add to this, there are several unique/legendary weapons in the game that are extremely rare, so keep an eye out! Guns specifically also need to be maintained to function properly, done by acquiring a variety of cleaning items.
You are also able to loot or purchase a variety of equipment pieces; these include items such as gas masks, helmets, clothing, armour pieces and backpacks. Each of these will have a range of stats and bonuses.
Survival
At its core Fargone is a survival game and as such a big focus has been placed on loot and making the loot immersive to use. Nearly all items in the game will have an animation attached to them (due to be expanded) so gone are the days of clicking instantly on an item and gaining the benefits immediately without visual feedback. You will need to find a safe spot to bandage yourself up or take an adrenaline shot. Sit by a campfire with other survivors and cook up some food to recover or retreat to your tent to end a hard day's work.
Adding to this is the dynamic buff & debuff system. Your character can gain a variety of effects based on actions and overall health. For instance not eating for long enough can cause sickness to arise which will lower your overall wellness rating and can make carrying equipment harder. Taken a big hit from a brute zombie? You might find yourself with a broken leg. These effects can be managed through the use of items such as bandages, splits etc... as well as maintaining your character's stats. There are many more effects and items that can be used but I will leave that to be discovered! The Barrens are a dangerous place and you must always be prepared.
Progression
This is a broad area but is still currently an early feature. Fargone is built to contain RPG elements. This feature has been slightly stripped back before launch to make sure only stable features make the release however a levelling and stats system is still present within the game. Gaining experience comes from just about any activity and levelling up will grant a skill point that can be used currently to level up one of several core skills. Internally a full talent system is being worked on and will be released very soon.
Besides levelling up, progression in a survival game also comes from building up your character's inventory and equipment and as such the world is built to accommodate that. The Hazzard zone is a prime example of this, although accessible at any time, the Hazzard zone contains a layer of toxic air that requires a degree of protection to enter safely, of course, you can down alcohol to try to make it through but this isn't the best choice! In addition to this, the Hazzard Zone also contains unique enemies that are much tougher. You will need to be well prepared to enter safely.
Progression and death
Dying in Fargone works slightly differently from other survival games. You will not lose everything! You will wake up in the last place you slept however will most likely be looted while passed out. This means the items you may or may not lose is random each time so be careful! You will also find your overall wellness to be very low upon waking up and will need to nurse yourself back to health, you can't expect to get shot up and walk it off as if nothing happened!
The future
There is so much more to talk about currently in the game but I don't want to spoil every item and feature in one post! So I will end this by leaving some bullet points for future content that is planned and being worked on. I really hope you enjoy Fargone, this has been a passion project of mine for some time and I am so excited to see others finally jump in and try it out, thank you!
- Multiplayer coop (currently scheduled for Q2 '23 subject to change)
- Deeper AI system
- More activities such as fishing, farming and gambling opportunities
- End-game events such as bosses and survival modes (currently lightly in the game already)
- Settlements, claim a large base and recruit members of your current current faction to join your settlement
- Much more to be announced very soon!