PLEASE NOTE: This news post is outdated and Survival Mode has now changed, please see this post for more details: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/979120/view/3180113694795024770
Hello! It's been a while since our last formal update, but only cos Aaron and I have been such busy little bees beavering away on Survival Mode.
In case you missed the August announcement, Survival Mode is a new way to play Autonauts, which won't affect the existing modes. That said, any added features we feel enrich the overall game - like Bots able to subscribe to scripts in the Bot Database - will be used in all modes :)
Out of all the possible Autonauts expansions we could've pursued, we chose Survival Mode first because it's the very opposite of the established chill experience. We figured the contrast of automated robotic conflict would most likely stimulate new ideas. And it did!
We've been trying out all sorts of survivally things, taking on board first-hand feedback from Betanauts to help shape this new way to play. We've ended up with automatable action that's part Realtime Strategy, part Tower Defence and even part overland Dungeon Crawler!
The idea is that the Dread Pirate Robot and its Scurvy Bots have taken over colonised planets, captured Autonauts and set up robust fortifications around their spoils. You could say it's a bit like picking up from where Colonise Mode leaves off :)
Standing between you and the ultimate showdown are dozens of Space Pirate Outposts to liberate from hundreds of Space Pirates commanded by the Dread Pirate Robot’s four trusted Quartermasters. You also need to automate defences to fend off raids as the Space Pirates take more interest in your growing presence in the world.
We'll let you know as soon as we have a firm release date for this (free) Survival Mode update. In the meantime, check out the two snaps taken from the latest version. Here you can see Aaron's automated a direct attack on a small Space Pirate Outpost, with the aim of reclaiming essential technology.
Stay safe! Stay Autonauty!
Gary and Aaron