Today is a big, big update, which is why it's going out so late! We've been doing last-minute bug fixing all day to make sure it's ready to go out to you all -- and now it's time!
The Holographic Environmental Life Observatory (H.E.L.O.)
H.E.L.O. Phase 1 is now in! This means that we've added the ability to create your own custom biodomes and add plants. Time will pass, and they can reproduce vegetatively, but they can't reproduce via pollination/fruiting yet since there are no pollinators to place in! This means that we've also added a Research Tree to unlock the species, and have reworked the level system to work alongside this. Read on below to learn more about all the new features.
To get started, first make sure you're Level 3 or higher and head over to Dr. Sandrine Reneau near Tyto Academy in the Student District. In coming weeks, we'll be adding some formal quests and interactions with her to introduce people to the H.E.L.O, but for now just chat with her to access the user interface.
Basic H.E.L.O. Gameplay
- Talk to Dr. Sandrine Reneau at Tyto Academy when you're Level 3 or higher to create your first HELO biodome.
- Players may create up to 10 biodomes across all 5 biome types (Mojave Desert, Great Plains Grassland, Amazon Rainforest, Himalayan Forest, Alaskan Tundra).
- Players regenerate impact points every week (five minutes while not fast forwarding) to spend on placing down plants.
- Players can put their biodome in fast forward to go five times faster.
- Players may also pause their biodome if they wish.
- Plant reproduction have been added. Most plants need pollinators to reproduce, but some plants are vegetative which means they generate some brood on their own. Those plants will be able to reproduce now, while others will have to wait until following weeks when pollinators and animals are added, so you can place those nearby to assist in reproduction.
- Plants have the following states in their life cycle: Stasis, Blooming, Fruiting. Only fruiting plants will reach the fruiting state; however, this will not successfully create fruit until you are able to add pollinators in coming weeks.
- Clicking on plants opens a UI that details information on that plant group.
- You can unlock additional zones in your H.E.L.O. biodomes by leveling up. The available space will automatically increase across all biodomes as you increase your Ecology Level.
Research Tree
- Players unlock species to place in their H.E.L.O by unlocking them in the Research Tree.
- Select the Research Tree Icon on your top bar when you are Level 3 or higher to start unlock species for your HELO.
- Players earn RP (Research Points) by doing ecology related quests and by leveling up. Each level up starting with level 3 rewards the player a significant amount of research points.
- Spend Research Points to purchase species in any of the five biomes to unlock species for that HELO biome.
- The Research Tree is organized in sets of species that must be unlocked together. Once a set is unlocked, you automatically progress and are able to unlock the next set until all species are unlocked. In the future, we will add a Custom mode that allows for more choice in the order of unlocking.
Reworked Experience and Level System
- The experience curve and levels were re-balanced.
- Definitions for how much experience is associated to which level has changed. Having your level changed during this process is expected.
- Level ups now have an animation!
- Leveling up rewards the player with Research Points.
- Quest experience reward changed across different quests.
- As noted above, some levels also award additional zone unlocks in your H.E.L.O.
Feedback!
We'd love to get your feedback! Please head to the discussion forums to let us know what you think of the H.E.L.O., report bugs, give suggestions on how to improve the gameplay, etc. We also have a list of current known issues there! http://steamcommunity.com/app/544290/discussions/0/135508489635246497/
Content & Additional Changes
We've also added additional content outside of the H.E.L.O. this week!
Baby Animals!
First, baby animals were added to the preset biodomes. We'll be adding additional quests in coming weeks that take advantage of the fact that we now have these adorable babies running around!
Furnish Store Added
We're also added our first walk-in store to the Marketplace in the Student District! Furnish is a furniture store that sells exclusive items on display in its showrooms.
Don’t worry—the other vendors in the Commons area haven’t gone out of business, and will still be more than happy to sell you items!
Additional Changes
- Dr. Sandrine Reneau was added by the Tyto Academy building.
- The Vendoring UI is now draggable and should pop-up correctly on all resolutions.