Hello folks, it is that time of year again. We are leaving for a traditional summer break today and coming back in August. We’ve been hard at work with Dysplaced for a couple of years now and especially after the Early Access release. If you want a full(ish) rundown, then the patch notes for 0.7.5 (View game page) will have a list of stuff added since the initial Early Access release. There is a lot. Anyhow, what I’m saying is that we could really use a breather.
But before that we will have a look at the next island, which is scheduled for release sometime in August/September depending on how fast we can finish it. Island 5, or Iakara henceforth, is the “hot island.” It is a combination of vast, grassy savanna lowlands and scorching hot deserts of the sandy and cragged kind. The already tough to live in island faces more peril, as the Lord of the Shifting Sands has either destroyed or captured most of the towns on the island. Worst of all, the Lord is a shifty (heh) sort and has hidden herself, so the player is tasked not only with rebuilding what has been lost, but also finding what has been hidden.
Temperature and controlling your resistances to it is of course a big part of the journey. Players will have the basic temperature resistance potions unlocked in the alchemy tree with leveling, while more potent solutions must be obtained via side quest. Of course there will be new equipment, but as a stop gap solution, a certain trusty old hat will offer a modicum of heat resistance. Going over the heat limit will not only damage you, but also stop you from building while affected.
Besides temperatures, you can expect to find new enemy types, such as offensive casters and area hazards such as gas pipes leaking toxic fumes. The inclusion of any kind of poison also necessitated the inclusion of a small swamp area as poison and swamps are a match made in heaven. There is also a new type of wildlife that actively hates the player, called the Oxebeast. These grazing giants will supplant the venerable boar in making sure you don’t get to run around without a care in the world. Who knows, perhaps there is also a pack leader variant…
On the resource and equipment side of things, this island will introduce Coal, which is used to create steel. There is a new tier of equipment waiting for you as well as the expansion of the material arsenal to use for crafting, alchemy and meals. All in all, Iakara is shaping up to be an exciting addition to the game with lots to do and lots to smash (cars, finally!). So with this, I bid you adieu until August.
-Haz & the rest of 10tons