Sand News

Hello everyone. Maksym here, head of studio at Hologryph, to share some updates on the SAND playtest with you all.

[h3]We’ll start things off with some news regarding dates:[/h3]

We've been working hard and diligently on this build since spring, but in our efforts to make sure that you all had the best possible first experience with SAND, we found ourselves going much further in scope than we had planned and creating a lot more work for ourselves than we had initially prepared for. As a result, the playtest build will be much larger in scope than anticipated but we will be slightly delaying the playtest beyond summer to early in the 4th quarter of 2024.

However, to tide you over in the meantime, we've released a Devlog giving you an exclusive first look at the new trampler editor, featuring some new gameplay footage 👇

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

For an additional little bit of good news: Almost everything has come together. In its current state, the game is playable, fun and a good representation of our vision and direction for the game. If it weren't for the risk of losing hours of progress due to bugs, we would already be inviting players, but we are working on that now and confident that we will have it fixed soon.

[h3]Now for some information about the playtest itself[/h3]

For the Playtest, we've prepared a build that focuses primarily on PvP, removing the planned PvE elements for the time being. We need your help to ensure that player combat works properly, to find and fix all the bugs, and to take your feedback into account before we use that feedback to integrate alongside the PvE aspects of SAND.

Playtest details:

• You can team up with friends on Steam.
  
• Server worlds are fully procedurally generated (with pre-made POI’s randomly spawned throughout)
  
• We have introduced a full, robust Trampler Editor where you can completely customize the layout, equipment, storage, size, maneuverability and fortification of your vessel.
  
• The Trampler Editor is fully functional, allowing the captain to build and choose a Trampler for the expedition.
  
• You can also choose a pre-made trampler for your expeditions
  
• On the moon, you can gather resources and search for equipment to complete contracts (missions/tasks) for even more valuable rewards.
  
• Some resources are only accessible through contracts that can be found on the map.
  
• All of this is on a server with a dozen other teams.
  
• Once you feel like you've had enough, head to the extraction point and try to secure the resources you've gathered.
  
• Upon reaching orbit, you can modify your Trampler with use of the resources extracted and your battle experience.
  
• Then, embark on a new expedition.
  

As soon as we achieve and are confident in our client and server stability, we will announce the Playtest dates. Initially, we will invite a limited number of people, and once we’ve got the initial growing pains and prevalent issues resolved, we will open access to everyone who has applied.

Thank you for your understanding, we can’t wait to see you in the realms of Sofia!

Come and join us on our social media pages to keep yourself up to date with all the news and updates for SAND or join the discussion over on Discord now!

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- Hologryph & tinyBuild Games

[Quote] Welcome back to the second in our series of SAND Dev Diaries!

Today, we're diving into the world of SAND as we detail the pivotal events that shaped this universe, reveal the circumstances that led to the colonization of the moon Sophie, unveil exactly why our characters are so eager to return to this unforgiving moon and more...

Read on to find out more

[hr][/hr]

[h3]The Story of Sand:[/h3]

The Austro-Hungarian Empire, known for its multiculturalism and traditions, discovered a new energy source in the 19th century. Accelerated technical progress led to the creation of a space portal to the Ursae Majoris star system. High construction costs led to the empire seeking alliances with other empires, which, in a tale as old as time, also led to territorial divisions and quarrels based on investment. Ultimately, Austria-Hungary colonized the planets which they later named Franz, Rudolf, and the satellite moons of the gas giant (having invested the most money into the project at the time), while allies like Great Britain, USA and Germany settled upon more distant regions.

To appease growing demands for rights and space territory, the Emperor instructed his heir (Franz Ferdinand) to develop a project of a new system for space colonies. The project was named “the United Star States of Great Austria”, dividing planets among different national groups. As a result, the satellite moon “Sophie” was allocated to Eastern and Western Galicia. However, before the colonization project had been completed, an ecological disaster rendered Sophie almost uninhabitable, whereby the Kaiser abandoned further funding for its restoration, and froze the project.

However, the Galicians, driven by promises of land, persist in claiming what was once offered to them to this day...



[h3]The Setting:[/h3]

Sophie, a satellite moon intended to become a paradise rich in resources and resorts, was the subject of a catastrophic disaster 30 years into its colonization, where a mysterious, and still as yet unexplained cataclysm turned its oceans into vast deserts of sand, wiping out swathes of the population and all but destroying any hope of the prosperous future that had been promised to its colonizers. The authorities managed to evacuate much of the existing population, but in doing so were forced to abandon most of their equipment and property.

Massive sandstorms and scorching heat made the moon almost uninhabitable for 20 years, leaving Sophie a desolate, desert expanse and its formerly bustling cities as ghost towns, filled with valuable items and resources that lay as remnants of the life that once was.



[h3]Tramplers:[/h3]

Tramplers, large ship-like vehicles with movable chassis, were initially used to transport construction materials during Sophie’s colonization. Designed to move both on land and water, they became invaluable post-disaster. Operated mainly by laborers from poorer regions, tramplers have evolved over time into highly customized machines. The ability to modify them for specific tasks, improving their capabilities, size, durability and more with available modular enhancements making them the perfect vehicle for enduring the many dangers posed on Sophie.

Battles involving tramplers are highly strategic, and in order to succeed, a strong focus must be put on destroying or disabling integral parts of an enemy's vehicle. The player's understanding of their trampler's mechanics significantly impacts their combat effectiveness, making the bond between player and machine crucial.



[h3]The Characters:[/h3]

Players assume the roles of Galicians, primarily Ukrainians from a region of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Promised land on Sophie by the Kaiser, they initially volunteered as laborers for its colonization. Despite the disaster, their dream of owning space land and living in luxury endured, a fact that was not overlooked by a Viennese Space Travel Agency who illegal deployed recruitment agents to the impoverished regions in order to spread word of the prospect of quick riches for those who dared return to the desolate moon that was once promised to them.

Due to the high cost of space travel, these illegal schemes require travelers to give a portion of their loot to the agents to cover ticket costs, with each space station having an "authorized" individual who issues return tickets only after debts are paid on the spot.



[hr][/hr]

Thanks for reading! Let us know which aspects of the game you'd like to hear more about in the comments thread and we'll see if we can fit it in for a future Dev Diary!

This summer, we invite you all to join us in the first beta for SAND, which you can sign up to participate in now on the Steam page 👇

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1431300/Sand/

Come and join us on our social media pages to keep yourself up to date with all the news and updates for SAND or join the discussion over on Discord now!

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- tinyBuild Games

Welcome to the first of our new Dev Diaries series!

Over the next few weeks, we'll join members of our development team to provide you with an exclusive peek into the world of SAND, delving into its development journey, future plans, world, art and upcoming content as we progress towards future playtests and the game's eventual release!

In this initial Q&A, Development Lead Maksym will introduce the fundamentals of SAND and address some of the most pressing questions from our community about the strange and hostile world players will soon find themselves fighting for survival in.

So let's get to it...

[hr][/hr]

[h3]What Exactly is SAND?[/h3]

SAND is an open-world multiplayer extraction shooter where players explore the vast, fallen satellite moon named Sophie, with the aid of gigantic walking mechs known as Tramplers.

The game is set during the colonization of space by the Austro-Hungarian Empire on the eve of the First World War. Players will find themselves in the middle of the deserts on an unknown planet, beginning their journey in search of resources and valuables. To aid in their journeys, players can design and modify their personal Trampler – a machine essential for efficiently navigating the vast desert plains and surviving encounters with enemy factions.



[h3]Tell me more about the history of this moon “Sophie”?[/h3]

Sophie is a satellite moon on which the Austro-Hungarian Empire had hoped to build a colony, granting land to Ukrainians and Poles from the Galician region. Initially, the colony thrived, with cities and factories being constructed and a growing population flocking to the moon in hopes of a prosperous future.

However, a mysterious catastrophe occurred, which resulted in an urgent evacuation (the details of which players can uncover) before eventually the Kaiser ordered the moon's complete closure.
Over time, as Sophie began to “heal”, adventurers and scavengers returned, driven by the belief that treasures and valuables left behind during the evacuation could offer them a chance at a luxurious life which the Empire could no longer provide.



[h3]What makes the game stand out from other similar titles?[/h3]

The central feature of SAND is the Tramplers, which allow players to explore the remnants of the Austro-Hungarian Empire's luxury in the post-apocalyptic world of Sophie. Not only used for traversal however, equipping your trampler with weapons and fortifications is essential, as players will have to survive encounters with opposing players/their tramplers and an array of creatures that roam the planet that are more than capable of dismantling an ill equipped team.

Additionally, SAND's approach to alternative history is something we haven't seen replicated in any similar titles. The game balances real events with imaginative twists, exploring intriguing historical possibilities that were hindered by events such as the deaths of key historical politicians or scientists.



[h3]What kind of challenges and dangers can we expect in this world?[/h3]

After the mysterious catastrophe, Sophie became an extremely hostile environment. Players will face the challenge of surviving the scorching daytime heat and the bitter cold that sweeps the planet after sunset, endless deserts and sandstorms while battling native inhabitants that somehow survived the ecosystem's collapse. More hazards are planned in the form of additional NPCs, weather events and more, but we’ll talk more about them at a later date.



[h3]What is the Goal of the Game?[/h3]

The primary goal of SAND is to explore the world, survive engagements with competing scavengers, locate valuable items left behind after the disaster, extract them, and sell them to fund future expeditions and improvements for your tramplers and starting equipment.

Make yourself rich, make yourself powerful, make yourself famous

Obviously, everything and everyone in the world will be doing what they can to obstruct you in this mission and achieve their own goals, so keep your wits about you...



[hr][/hr]

Thanks for reading! Let us know which aspects of the game you'd like to hear more about in the comments thread and we'll see if we can wrangle some information out of the devs for a future Dev Diary!

This summer, we invite you all to join us in the first beta for SAND, which you can sign up to participate in now on the Steam page 👇

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1431300/Sand/

Come and join us on on our social media pages to keep yourself up to date with all the news and updates for SAND or join the discussion over on Discord now!

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• Discord
  

- tinyBuild Games

It's been a big week for all of us here at tinyBuild and Hologryph as we revealed the first footage of gameplay for SAND last Tuesday at the tinyBuild Connect! And obviously, after such a major milestone, we were always going to see a lot of discussion and speculation around the game...

So today, we're answering some of the most common questions about SAND that we've seen asked over the last week!

What is SAND?

SAND is a vast, open world PVPVE game where you explore the fallen planet of Sophie. Build gigantic Tramplers to conquer this hostile environment, filled with mystical anomalies, monuments, and other players. Find out what happened in this fallen world, once ruled by the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

How can I sign up for the beta?

You can sign up to take part in the beta on the Steam page now

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1431300/Sand/

Scroll down to “Join the Sand Playtest”, click Request Access and we’ll add the game to your account as soon as the playtest begins!



When will the playtest start? And how long will it last?

The playtest will start at a to be announced date this summer, and the duration is yet to be decided.

What are the minimum and recommended system specs to run SAND?

While these will change as the game continues to develop, the current minimum specs are as follows:



When will the full game be released?

We have not yet finalized a date for release, but as soon as this has been decided, we will announce it on all of the relevant channels.

I am a content creator, is it possible to get access before the beta?

You can contact our Community Manager TinyBuild-Jay on Discord or via a DM on the community hub with a link to your channel and we will see what we can arrange! No promises however.

How many players are in the team?

At this time, the maximum number of players per team is 6, players can obviously play solo or in smaller teams however.

How many players per server?

We are running intensive tests to ensure an optimal experience. As such, we will share the max players per server closer to start of Beta

The name of the genre has "extraction". Does this mean that matches have a time limit?

No. Despite the fact that we taken a lot of cues from some of our favourite "extraction shooters", we do not limit players in how much time they can spend on the expedition on the surface. The players themselves decide when to finish and return to the extraction point to protect what they were able to find.

Will it be possible to ally with other crews?

Our design is based around ensuring that the game revolves around the struggles, successes and experiences of individual Crews, and not larger factions, which matchmaking will of course contribute towards. We are doing everything we can to ensure that the game does not devolve into battles of large groups/factions of regular players against beginners and solos.

Will the game be free?

No, SAND will be a paid game, with the pricing to be announced at a later date.

Will it be possible to play solo?

Absolutely. We have designed and balanced the game specifically to ensure that players can enjoy it solo or alongside their friends.

Will it be possible to create private servers?

There are no plans for private servers at this time, however we are open to the idea, should we see enough demand from players.

Will other languages be supported?

We are in the process of deciding the supported languages for launch and of course following that, if there is enough demand we are open to adding more on a case by case basis.

Will it be released for consoles?

We are focusing on the Windows version for the time being, but we hope to allow as many players as possible to enjoy the game, regardless of platform, so we’re not ruling anything out.

Is PVP the focus of the game? If so, is there a PVE mode?

Sand has been envisioned and designed specifically as a PvPvE game from its conception. Its systems, gameplay, gameloop and direction are built around a combination of player to player / player versus player interactions and PvE experiences. There is no single player/PvE planned for SAND, because fundamentally, that is not the game we set out to make, nor would it suit the design of or our vision of the game.

Servus, allies!

The day is finally upon us, and the sands of Sophie beckon. Cast your eyes upon the very first gameplay footage of SAND, revealed today at the tinyBuild Connect!

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

"SAND is a PvPvE game where players operate mechanical walkers called Tramplers to explore the remnants of a once prosperous planet, now left in ruin. Explore a massive, procedurally generated world, survive encounters with rival scavengers, engage in massive scale Trampler battles, and make it off the planet with any valuables found throughout the world."

This summer, we invite you all to join us in the first beta for SAND, which you can sign up to participate in now on the Steam page 👇

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1431300/Sand/

Come and join us on on our social media pages to keep yourself up to date with all the news and updates for SAND or join the discussion over on Discord now!

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• Discord
  

- tinyBuild Games