Population, Crew Vitals & Cloning - Developer Blog #3
Greetings Overseer!
Today we will be discussing the population & cloning systems in Surviving the Abyss.
[h2]Crew members[/h2]
You begin with a crew of 12. These workers are just enough to set up a base of operations and begin establishing the power, oxygen, and food production infrastructure.
In the early stages of the game, the only way to get more crew is to complete the goals set out by the command station above the surface, a number of these objectives result in a new group of crew members being sent down to aid the mission.
As the base expands, you will quickly find yourself having to juggle the crew between different roles to keep the power on and the oxygen flowing. To continue expanding the base, and grow your crew you must turn to the task at hand. Human cloning.
[h2]Cloning[/h2]
Human cloning is a fledgling scientific field, fraught with danger and failure. This experimental process requires DNA from various forms of wildlife to be fused with that of humans.
First, however, you are tasked with locating and capturing a variety of rare wildlife for use in the cloning system.
[h3]Aquatic Life[/h3]
The genetic material required for cloning can be found in great abundance on the seafloor. The highly adapted species of the deep sea are perfect specimens for our experimentation.
Habitats are located throughout the map, they vary in rarity from Abundant, Uncommon, Common, and Rare. Habitats are distributed throughout the different biomes in Surviving the Abyss, and the player will need to locate many to fuel the cloning process.
Once discovered, habitats can be used as a source of Power, Food, or Genetic Material, depending on the type of building constructed on it. In this blog we’re concerned with cloning; a Fauna Trap will begin to capture genetic samples from the species within the habitat.
[h3]The Cloning Process[/h3]
With genetic material harvested, the next step in the puzzle is combining them into a sequence, which can be used to produce clones.
Each genetic sample has 4 properties:
The genome effects stack, so the genetic sequence you produce has an overall Potency, number of Uses, and Mutation level.
[h2]Crew Vitals[/h2]
[h3]Health[/h3]
Crew members' physical health needs to be a top priority in the research facility. Injured crew cannot work, so the efficiency of your base depends on your crew’s health.
[h3]Hunger & Food Quality[/h3]
There are two types of meals, high and low quality. Higher-quality food will be harder to produce, but more beneficial to your crew. Eating only low-quality food will eventually lead to your crew becoming malnourished and at greater risk of becoming incapacitated or dying.
[h3]Oxygen & Air Quality[/h3]
Your crew must be provided with a consistent supply of clean oxygen. Lack of oxygen will cause the crew to suffocate and low-quality oxygen will negatively impact their health.
[h3]Recreation[/h3]
Everyone needs some rest and a distraction from their daily routine. Providing your crew with some recreational activities will ensure their stable and healthy mental state.
[h3]Housing & Employment[/h3]
Providing crew with a place to sleep, and a job that fits their specialist type will keep them happier and healthier.
[h3]Light[/h3]
When buildings fall into darkness, the crew inside will become distressed. Do NOT let this happen!
[h3]Crew Relations[/h3]
Your responsibility as Overseer means providing as much as possible for your crew to ensure they can work efficiently, and happily. Your ever-expanding roster of crewmates requires consistently increasing amounts of clean oxygen, quality food, living quarters, and recreational facilities all within lit areas to maintain their health and contentment. However, in the desolate depths, can the cost of providing be reconciled with the cost of progress?
The crew relations bar allows you to measure your performance, from the perspective of the crew. This is influenced by a myriad of factors, from the completion of milestones in the journey to perfect cloning to the decisions made in settling disputes and requests. Your choices are scrutinised by those who live under them, and your crew will have little trouble letting their feelings be known.
Should relations with the crew fall low enough, they may offer an ultimatum - meet their demands or prepare for a revolt. A successful mutiny will see you removed as Overseer, having failed in your mission. It is imperative that this does not happen, so a careful balance is required while overseeing your mission on the seabed!
That's all from us for this week's developer blog, but be sure to come back same time next week for more deep-dives into the mechanics of Surviving the Abyss, and be sure to wishlist on Steam ready for our Early Access release!
Next time on Surviving the Abyss:
In the next developer blog, we’ll be discussing Buildings & Grids. Sea you there...
Today we will be discussing the population & cloning systems in Surviving the Abyss.
[h2]Crew members[/h2]
You begin with a crew of 12. These workers are just enough to set up a base of operations and begin establishing the power, oxygen, and food production infrastructure.
In the early stages of the game, the only way to get more crew is to complete the goals set out by the command station above the surface, a number of these objectives result in a new group of crew members being sent down to aid the mission.
As the base expands, you will quickly find yourself having to juggle the crew between different roles to keep the power on and the oxygen flowing. To continue expanding the base, and grow your crew you must turn to the task at hand. Human cloning.
[h2]Cloning[/h2]
Human cloning is a fledgling scientific field, fraught with danger and failure. This experimental process requires DNA from various forms of wildlife to be fused with that of humans.
First, however, you are tasked with locating and capturing a variety of rare wildlife for use in the cloning system.
[h3]Aquatic Life[/h3]
The genetic material required for cloning can be found in great abundance on the seafloor. The highly adapted species of the deep sea are perfect specimens for our experimentation.
Habitats are located throughout the map, they vary in rarity from Abundant, Uncommon, Common, and Rare. Habitats are distributed throughout the different biomes in Surviving the Abyss, and the player will need to locate many to fuel the cloning process.
Once discovered, habitats can be used as a source of Power, Food, or Genetic Material, depending on the type of building constructed on it. In this blog we’re concerned with cloning; a Fauna Trap will begin to capture genetic samples from the species within the habitat.
[h3]The Cloning Process[/h3]
With genetic material harvested, the next step in the puzzle is combining them into a sequence, which can be used to produce clones.
Each genetic sample has 4 properties:
- Type: What type of crew this genome produces, Generalist, Scientist, Engineer.
- Potency: The chance of a clone being produced.
- Uses: The number of clones this genome can produce.
- Mutation: Affects the lifespan of the clones produced. A higher mutation rate reduces the lifespan of the clones produced.
The genome effects stack, so the genetic sequence you produce has an overall Potency, number of Uses, and Mutation level.
[h2]Crew Vitals[/h2]
[h3]Health[/h3]
Crew members' physical health needs to be a top priority in the research facility. Injured crew cannot work, so the efficiency of your base depends on your crew’s health.
[h3]Hunger & Food Quality[/h3]
There are two types of meals, high and low quality. Higher-quality food will be harder to produce, but more beneficial to your crew. Eating only low-quality food will eventually lead to your crew becoming malnourished and at greater risk of becoming incapacitated or dying.
[h3]Oxygen & Air Quality[/h3]
Your crew must be provided with a consistent supply of clean oxygen. Lack of oxygen will cause the crew to suffocate and low-quality oxygen will negatively impact their health.
[h3]Recreation[/h3]
Everyone needs some rest and a distraction from their daily routine. Providing your crew with some recreational activities will ensure their stable and healthy mental state.
[h3]Housing & Employment[/h3]
Providing crew with a place to sleep, and a job that fits their specialist type will keep them happier and healthier.
[h3]Light[/h3]
When buildings fall into darkness, the crew inside will become distressed. Do NOT let this happen!
[h3]Crew Relations[/h3]
Your responsibility as Overseer means providing as much as possible for your crew to ensure they can work efficiently, and happily. Your ever-expanding roster of crewmates requires consistently increasing amounts of clean oxygen, quality food, living quarters, and recreational facilities all within lit areas to maintain their health and contentment. However, in the desolate depths, can the cost of providing be reconciled with the cost of progress?
The crew relations bar allows you to measure your performance, from the perspective of the crew. This is influenced by a myriad of factors, from the completion of milestones in the journey to perfect cloning to the decisions made in settling disputes and requests. Your choices are scrutinised by those who live under them, and your crew will have little trouble letting their feelings be known.
Should relations with the crew fall low enough, they may offer an ultimatum - meet their demands or prepare for a revolt. A successful mutiny will see you removed as Overseer, having failed in your mission. It is imperative that this does not happen, so a careful balance is required while overseeing your mission on the seabed!
That's all from us for this week's developer blog, but be sure to come back same time next week for more deep-dives into the mechanics of Surviving the Abyss, and be sure to wishlist on Steam ready for our Early Access release!
Next time on Surviving the Abyss:
In the next developer blog, we’ll be discussing Buildings & Grids. Sea you there...