Once we decided on Paleolith’s time period, the next big question was: where should the game take place?
Survival games explore all kinds of environments — some set their challenges in dense jungles, vast deserts, open oceans, or even deep space. Each setting brings its own unique hardships, from the relentless heat of the sun to the crushing pressure of the deep sea. But for Paleolith, we needed an environment that naturally supports our core gameplay loop.
Temper our expectations
Imagine Paleolith took place in the tropics. What challenges would the player face? Heat, monsoons, droughts — these are real threats, but they don’t provide the structured, escalating survival difficulty we were looking for.
Instead, we wanted something with clear seasonal progression, where the environment itself becomes an evolving challenge. A temperate continental climate was the obvious choice, with its four distinct seasons gradually increasing in difficulty — leading up to winter, the ultimate test of survival.
As we mentioned before, winter in Paleolith isn’t just a cosmetic change — it reshapes the way you play. Resources dwindle, animals migrate, temperatures plummet, and every decision you make can mean the difference between life and death. This natural survival curve makes for an experience that is both organic and relentless.
Branching out
With the climate set, the next question was: what kind of terrain would early humans seek out?
A lone survivor wouldn’t last long in open grasslands or barren mountains — they offer little protection, scarce resources, and few food sources.
A forest, on the other hand, provides natural shelter, abundant materials, and diverse wildlife. It’s the perfect setting for a game about primitive survival, offering a rich but dangerous ecosystem where you can thrive — if you learn how to use it.
Expanding the horizons
We’ve explored the idea of introducing other biomes, but each would require significant changes to the core survival mechanics. A desert, for example, would demand new systems for water scarcity and heat management, while an arctic tundra would emphasize clothing and warmth above all else.
For now, we’re focused on perfecting the default survival experience — but who knows? Maybe one day, Paleolith will expand beyond the forests into harsher, more extreme environments.
Would you like to see different biomes in the future? Let us know in the comments or on Discord!