Hello everyone,
In the last devlog, we talked about our vision for Volcano Watch. We are happy to announce that huge progress has been made in the past two months!
Here, we present the volcanic engine: a physically relevant volcanic cycle that drives all natural phenomena on the island.
The cycle
As in nature, the volcano in the game runs a cycle of phases: dormant, inflation, seismic crisis, eruption.
It starts quietly: the magma is deep, the mountain sleeps, and nothing on the surface says otherwise.
The reservoir under the island starts to fill from beneath… the ground swells imperceptibly, but the pressure accumulates… until the rock fractures. Magma rushes through the breach in the reservoir walls, cracking its way to the surface.
The ground shakes violently as an eruptive fissure opens, releasing superheated gases and molten rock. Lava flows from the vent, following the slope and burning everything in its path. Pressure decreases in the magma chamber as it drains, resetting the volcanic engine for the next cycle.
Eruption location and timing in the game vary according to physically accurate magma dynamics and volcanic rift zones observed on real-life shield volcanoes such as Kilauea, Piton de la Fournaise, Fogo and many others!
On the surface
The volcano does not wait for the eruption to show itself. Everything it does underground leaves a mark up here, and the island is covered in them.
Behind the green jungle curtain of Kareha, fumaroles vent wherever the ground is cracked and hot. Sulfur fields and their toxic air spread across wide slopes in yellow stains. The rivers host many hot springs, while some lakes, inspired by real-life locations such as Kawah Ijen in Indonesia, are not really suited for a swim…
The volcanologist
As a junior volcanologist sent on this field trip more or less willingly, you'll be dropped with a backpack and a geologist's hammer on one of the island's beaches.
You will have to exploit Kareha's resources to build your instrument network, read the volcanic signals, understand and anticipate eruptions, and locate the magma chamber.
If the premise speaks to you, a wishlist genuinely helps. It is how Steam decides to show the game to other curious players.
Thank you for being here, and we'll see you in the next log!
Meneztan Games