Honeycomb News

[h3]Hello, Explorers![/h3]

Today, we’re excited to take you on a short journey through the uncharted territories of the planet Sota7. Zuma is ready – are you?



What potential dangers and mysteries await us in this unknown land?
Today, we will unveil some of the secrets hidden within this new world and give you a glimpse of what lies behind the curtain.

So far we’ve only shown you the rough map sketches and blockouts. Now we're pumped to give you a sneak peek of the actual spot where the adventure's gonna go down.

A lot of effort goes into crafting an entire world – and even more into making it fun to traverse. Drawing inspiration from different media and real-life phenomena, our concept artists work tirelessly to create unforgettable places for your adventure on Sota7.

[h3]Nenu Grove[/h3]

This quiet place was inspired by mangrove forests and Japanese gardens. Combining the wild overgrowth of mangroves that occur primarily alongside the equator with a more manicured appearance of Japanese gardens, this region is the only one of its kind on the map. With a giant waterfall at its heart, it shouldn’t be too difficult to find – just follow the river upstream! The challenge lies in evading its dangers and staying under the radar. The local fauna can be far from friendly. Another curious thing – for an area this resemblant of tropical regions of Earth, this place sure feels a little colder than what you’d expect…



[h3]Ash Woods[/h3]

The intimidating basalt pillars surrounded by volcanic sand tower over the entire area, casting a stark shadow on the lush grass. Against the dramatic backdrop of a blue sky and plantlife thriving thanks to the fertile soil, they create one of a kind environment for water-loving creatures. The surrounding waters are way warmer than they appear - and one can only wonder what mysteries are carried within their currents. Dark sandy beaches neighboring these woods were inspired by the volcanic beaches of Iceland.



[h3]Stem Sanctuary[/h3]

A deep sense of calm envelopes this quaint corner of Sota7. The trees here might look familiar, but scientifically they don’t have much in common with bamboo. Sometimes their lightweight trunks form a seemingly impenetrable wall, isolating it from the entire world. It’s a sanctuary for more than one reason - not only does it have a uniquely serene atmosphere, predators seem to steer clear of it. This makes it a safe haven for prey animals that inhabit Sota7 - expect to see a lot of friendly snouts… After they’ve warmed up to the visitor from the stars.



[h3]Biome Design[/h3]

Designing a world is a complex and challenging task that requires developers to engage in a multi-layered and multifactorial creative process. To illustrate this process we’re going to use a timelapse of three distinct biomes as they rose from the blank canvas and evolved into regions that you will get to explore in-game..

We begin by shaping the landscape on the map blueprint. Here, we gradually transition into the creative process and can start sculpting the terrain, creating rivers, lakes, or mountains - nothing is impossible.

Next stage is to place simple models of rocks, mountains, stones, and cliffs that will be exchanged for more detailed ones.



To make the world vibrant, we add grass and diverse trees to create different environments like forests and meadows. Game designers and concept artists design the plants, trees, and flowers, while 3D artists create and texture the models based on these designs. These models are then scattered throughout the world for a realistic look.

Our goal is a consistent and unified design throughout the entire world, optimizing for smooth gameplay.



[h3]Air Pollution[/h3]

In the undiscovered world of Sota7, dangers lurk not only on the ground but also in the very air you breathe. Take heed and ensure your character's well-being, as neglecting them can have dire consequences. This toxic fog makes you extremely dizzy - and if you aren't careful, you might end up passed out far away from the safety of your base... Take care to prepare appropriately before venturing out. Oxygen is non-negotiable! Stay vigilant, for your survival depends on it!



[h3]Hoverboard[/h3]

Moving in such diverse terrain can be more challenging than it seems, so we came up with a way to make it easier. To replace walking and save time, we decided to introduce the Hoverboard into the game. Not going to lie - the cool factor was a thing. We couldn’t resist a bit of “Back to the Future” flavor.



[h3]New sky[/h3]

As we embark on our mission to infuse our world with lifelike weather, we’re aiming for gradual implementation. Our focus starts with the sky itself! We invite you to witness the transformation of the clouds as they shift and evolve. Observe the interplay of light and shadow, the formation of different patterns, and the dance of atmospheric phenomena. Your feedback is very important for us, so please take a moment to share your thoughts.



[h3]Keep up to date[/h3]

Well, that's all for today's devlog, explorers! Now you have delved deeper into the mysteries of our world, unraveling its secrets bit by tantalizing bit.

We hope you feel the rush of adventure as much as we do when we bring you new content. As always, we invite you to wishlist us on Steam and also follow our social media channels, or visit discord server to stay updated.



Science is an art!

Honey Team~


https://store.steampowered.com/app/1510440/Honeycomb/

Hello, Explorers 🧭

It’s time for another development update, and today we’ve got a pretty cool pack of news for you. As always, I’d like to thank you for your comments here on Steam, on our social media, and Discord server. Before we proceed to the world of Sota7, I'd like to mention one significant thing. As you may know, a few months ago we announced co-op mode for Honeycomb. In this devlog, I have an important announcement to make on this subject, so be sure to read till the end to know all the details.

[h3]Hennessy[/h3]

To start today's development update with a high note, let me introduce you to our heroine. She’s a real bioengineer, skillful and brave enough to take part in the operation Honeycomb. Say hello to Hennessy!


[h3]Biomes[/h3]

It’s time to reveal more about the world where our adventure will take place. As you probably know, Sota7 is a vast planet full of diverse biomes, each full of character. Dive into exploration and experience plenty of new plants and animal species waiting around the corner.


[h3]Fauna and animations[/h3]

On Sota7, you’ll find various species of bizarre animals. Today, I’d like to show you how some of them come to life with our little animation showcase. Shall we start our journey through wildlife?

Say hello to our Striders, they’re very relaxed fellows who like to chill and enjoy calm days. Don’t get too close: they may run away!

Okay, Explorers, now try to keep quiet. This feline animal is swift and not too fond of company. Don't try to lure it with “here, kitty, kitty”. It won't work.

The next resident of the Sota7 is this big, bearish-looking boy. As you can see, he likes to relax and enjoy his rest, so let’s not disturb his peace.

His commanding presence belies his docile temperament. He might look angry, but he is a member of a very peaceful species.

In our first ever development update, you might have seen an image showing one of our first animals. Now It's time to present how they move, run, walk, and lie down. Aren’t they super cute?

Now let’s move on to another cute animal from the world of Honeycomb. Let me quote our compendium to give you a better perspective on its character profile:

These adorable critters belong to the Mustelideae family, the same as weasels and otters. They’re somewhat elusive creatures – they certainly don’t wait around to find out your intentions! They feed primarily on fish and as such can be found near water sources”.

[h3]Flora
[/h3]
I could say “Welcome to the Jungle”, but truthfully, it’s more like a Japanese cold forest. I invite you to explore the world of Sota7 vegetation.

That's the very first stage of the growing process of our two plants: Antus and Succulent.



Antus: In the image below, you can see 3D models presenting 2 plants from the same family and the effect of the allogamy process (for more information about crossbreeding mechanics, you can check our previous devlogs). Colobantus is the effect of mixing Diantus and Amantus, however the final look still remains a mystery 🤫


Succulents – As we’re still working on our plant database, this succulent doesn't have a name yet, but its crossbreeding process is the same, as for the previous one. How would you name them? Feel free to give your suggestions in the comment section.


As if this wasn’t enough, we’ve prepared two more Flora representatives. Those trees are two varieties of the Filoy, which you can find on our planet. Its fruits are a little sour and crunchy, not that tasty… Wouldn’t recommend it.

[h3]Co-op mode[/h3]

After extensive discussions about how the implementation of co-op could affect the player experience, we’ve made the difficult decision to stop the development of co-op features for Honeycomb. We came to the conclusion that ultimately we care more about exploring more ideas in-depth instead of spreading ourselves thin working on both single player and co-op, especially in a new engine. This is all to ensure that you get the most fun out of our game – which is why I am certain you’ll understand this decision. Our priorities remain the same – listening to your feedback and answering your questions. Please leave them in the comment section or join our Discord channel by clicking HERE.

[h3]Keep up to date[/h3]

Okay, we’ve come to the end of this development update, Explorers. I hope that you’ve enjoyed today’s news and understand our decision towards Co-op mode. We really care about your opinion, so don’t hesitate to share it in the comments section below. If you want to keep up to date, wishlist us on Steam and follow our social media. See you in the next devlog!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1510440/Honeycomb/

Honey Team~

Hi there, Explorers! 🧭

It’s been a while since we let you in on the latest in Honeycomb. That’s because we’ve been toiling away like a bunch of busy bees! In fact, our Technology Designer needs a break… And would like to tell you about the fruit of our efforts and how we got where we are. There’s plenty to learn, so without further ado - let’s delve into the world of tech design and find out how one comes up with what trees should look like… You can also look forward to a small surprise that awaits you at the end of this devlog - we’re hosting some visitors from above, and it’s not what you think it is!



Tech design isn’t all about numbers - technology has a feel and an aesthetic to it. We all know a chunky computer from the 80s gives a very different vibe than a MacBook - and video games are all about feeling. So we decided on a unique style from the get-go, and we’re working to incorporate it into every piece that appears in-game. A futuristic take on Art Nouveau doesn’t mean just throwing in some sci-fi elements into existing designs, however. Our designers work in accordance with tenets of the art movement - putting emphasis on fluidity of lines, flowing and sinuous motifs, and floral shapes.



Our Technology Designer translates his ideas into 3D right away, no sketches required. Above you can see the effects of an exercise he did when we just started working on defining the style of our game.. He transformed the look of a typical chair from IKEA and designed its sci-fi and Art Nouveau counterparts, drawing attention to the most characteristic structural elements. The next step was to blend these extremes until he felt like he had the perfect model. After that, we had a solid base for any future designs and could just follow a similar workflow. Easy-peasy!



Above are presented a few stages of base development. You can read more about it in our previous development update.

FACILITIES

Soon after we’ve created the base, we shifted our focus to base operation(s). All that tech (...and the bioengineer) has to run on something!



Silo consists of a water container and a power accumulator. It’s how you’re going to conserve these precious resources for a rainy day. We tried to make it blend in with the base while also giving it a distinct look by drawing inspiration from the Tesla coil - you can see it in the glowing sphere on top!



At first, solar panels were supposed to look like ship sails but over time their shapes started looking more and more flower-like. In the end, they are very similar to blossoms. Solar panels will supply energy to your base… Talk about flower power.



Another one of our facilities is the Antenna. In this project, our Technology Designer used organic design motifs, which he considers to be a contemporary version of Art Nouveau. The Antenna will create a radiolocation area, allowing the players to use crucial mechanics such as the Drone Hive.

DRONES

A lot of mysterious places and valuable materials are waiting on Sota7 to be discovered by you. You need to expand your base to find them all! Thankfully you won't have to rely only on yourself.



Drone Scout is a companion which will support the Explorers as an extra pair of “eyes”. With its help you can observe a diverse world of Sota7 from a bird’s eye view and explore uncharted territories. The design of this device is based on flexible and flowing shapes. Openworks structures and magnetic engines replaced conventional drive mechanisms.



Drone Builder is a gadget which allows the player to construct the base on a basic level. When working our Technology Designer was inspired by car keys. Drone Builder’s form is closely related to the style we used for the base.



Drone Engineer is the biggest and most functional drone in the game. It works in cooperation with the Drone Hive. Engineer lets the player construct a base in planning mode, while the Hive contains two smaller constructing drones that build it. A source of inspiration was of course the beehive. 🐝 In a way, the Engineer is like the queen bee who orders the worker bees from the Hive around.

VEHICLES / MEANS OF TRANSPORT

Sota7 isn’t just a planet - it’s a planet that needs to be thoroughly explored. You can go where your feet take you or sit back in one of your vehicles and enjoy the trip through remarkable areas.



Hoverboard is the smallest available vehicle. It allows you to move quickly from one place to another. Its construction was heavily influenced by organic design. We wanted to design something that would incorporate openwork elements, an electromagnetic engine and would still look like something that could be transformed into a smaller device. That’s how we landed on this branch-like model.



Buggy is a medium size vehicle with cargo space. During development the concept of the Buggy went through a lot of metamorphoses. All of this ultimately contributed to the creation of this vehicle with an electromagnetic drive and openwork supporting structure. Our Tech Designer disclosed that he looked at a lot of fish pictures while designing this thing. We decided not to question him further.

AN ASSORTMENT OF ODDITIES

If that’s not enough to convince you that we’ve been pretty busy, we’d like to show you some more odds and ends. We can’t really put them in their own neat categories, but they are indeed pretty neat. Just take a look:



Vertical Farm is a device which allows you to breed plants in laboratory conditions. As for functionality, the concepts don't differ from each other. As you can see, this apparatus has a double structure and a UV lamp. Like the previous ones, this project was inspired by the base design as well, especially in terms of its supporting structure.



Shhh, it’s alright… Just sleep. Yes, this is exactly what it looks like. The injector is a tranquilizer dart gun. Killing or hurting the animals isn't part of your mission on Sota7, but that doesn’t mean that you’re supposed to stay far away from them… or that they’ll always be friendly. Thanks to the injector you can obtain samples from dangerous species without harming them, or them harming you. Our Technology Designer considers it one of his favorites. He said this design went through a lot of changes, but he ended up really liking it… Which isn’t always how it works out.



If you’re still craving more after all this excitement, you can take a look at our friends’ devlog about their game, Aloft - a sandbox survival indie where you have to survive in a world threatened by an eternal hurricane.

Steam Base Builder Fest. As you might expect we’ll participate in Steam Base Builder Fest. Look at the stream we’ve made for this occasion! We hope that you’ll like the new mechanics we presented.



KEEP UP TO DATE

Alrighty, that’s it for today, Explorers. We hope that you found this devlog interesting. We are all looking forward to your comments! Your opinion means a lot to us.
Once again, we want to invite you to Honeycomb’s Discord Server, because it’s important for us to stay in touch with you. You can also follow us on our social media outlets to keep up to date.

Finally, we’d like to encourage you to add Honeycomb to your wishlist and to follow the game, so that you’ll be kept informed about future updates of the game.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1510440/Honeycomb/?l

[h3]Hey there, Explorers 🤠[/h3]

How are y’all doing? It's been a great time of creative experimentation for our team lately, and today we'd like to show you the fruit of our efforts. Last devlog was full of building-themed stuff, and now I’ll take you on a journey to the world of bioengineering.



Before we start, I’m curious how you liked our new trailer. If you haven’t seen it yet, you can watch it HERE ⬅️

Without further ado, let’s get to the lab!

[h3]MECHANICS[/h3]

We’ve already introduced you to crossbreeding plants and animals. Today, I’d like to bring you even more details and show unique experiments for Honeycomb. First of all, I’d like to show you three growing stages of plants and trees.



As a bioengineer, we’ll use three mechanics: Allogamy for flowering plants, Grafting for trees, and Environmental Changes for fungi. We must focus on the right conditions. Without them, the process won’t go well. Prepare your seeds, samples, and keep the water supply close at hand. We want our little ones irrigated, don’t we?

[h3]Allogamy[/h3]

Now let’s focus on Allogamy – the most basic form of experiment in Honeycomb. It’s almost impossible to mess it up.
Why is that so? You could ask. Have you heard of bees and the amazing work they do! They fly from flower to flower, carrying heavy stuff on their little legs - they're the key agent in this process! Pollen, transferred between plants, can make new variations or species. In our game, it will look a little similar, but it'll need your assistance.

What you see in the picture below is a hybrid called the former. Formers change not only their shape but their pigment, parameters, and even their behavior as well. On the other hand, you have fillers - hybrids that only change pigment or parameters.



Here’s an example of the animation – work in progress! — and how the experiment will look. Let us know what you think of it.

But even here there are some restrictions. Allogamy only occurs in plants that produce flowers and are currently in bloom. That's your task to find the right one.

[h3]Grafting[/h3]

Okay, guys, we've made it this far. With the basics out of the way, I can show you the next challenge. The following experiment won’t be that simple, though. This time, we’ll have to observe the results on our own. Your job is to place a branch on a tree grown in the lab and make a compatibility check. If it’s the right branch it will grow mutated fruit, but if it’s incompatible, the fruit will stay the same, and you’ll have to start all over again. Let’s assume everything went fine and jump to the final step. It’s time to break the mutated product into seeds from which new species can develop.



Also, enjoy our work-in-progress animation of the grafting process:

[h3]ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE[/h3]

Okay, now that the verdant world of plants is behind us, we can focus on fungi. Now it's time for and adventure. Gather some environmental samples, you’ll need them to make changes to the fungi’s growing process. That's the most challenging type of experiment you’ll do in Honeycomb. It depends on a few conditions, and you’ll have to focus on completing it correctly. Before you start, you need to change the parameters of experimental chambers for your sample to mutate. Otherwise, the mutation won’t begin – risk is an inherent part of change, after all. Let’s see how far your imagination can take you.



[h3]EXPLORE OUR MEDIA[/h3]

Aaand that would be it for today's development update, Explorers! I hope you felt the vibe of what being a true bioengineer entails and liked our experimental showcase. Last but not least, we’d love to invite you to our discord server, which gives access to exclusive content we don’t publish anywhere else. Just click HERE or on the banner below to join! ⬇️



We’re very excited to hear how you feel about our work, so share your thoughts in the comments and let us know if you enjoyed the devlog! Remember to follow us on our social media and wishlist us on Steam for upcoming updates.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1510440/Honeycomb/

Leave the cradle and start exploring!

~Team Honey

Hello, fellow Explorers!

It’s been over a month since our last update, and we’re back with unexpected NEWS! We’d like to announce that The Honeycomb will release in Q4 of 2023! If that isn't enough, we also want to share a fresh and new trailer that is all yours!

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

However, before we go any further, it’s time for the second announcement of a crucial matter. Honeycomb Official Discord Server is NOW LIVE! If you've ever felt like joining the community, we think this is the time. We always wanted to connect people and create a place where they could discuss our game and become closer to us. We’ve thought sharing our concepts and development stage through the Discord server is a first-class idea. Furthermore, we wanted to invite you to take part in making the game. We want to hear your voice quicker than before.

So, what’s left is to click the banner below and say hello, because you're all welcome!


Steam Page News

Moving ahead, we have another BIG NEWS. As you may know, we’re constantly in the development phase, and it’s consuming most of our time. During last month, we challenged ourselves to redesign our entire steam page: starting from a capsule through descriptions to the screenshots. So, take a look at the new capsule, and feel free to join us by clicking HERE or on the graphics below, and share your opinion of how you find the changes in the comments.



Without further ado, let’s get to the building, shall we?
In this devlog, we’d like to introduce you to our base mechanics. That also includes our inspiration for its style, some aspects you can use during the planning mode, and much more. Are you ready? Then let’s go!

INSPIRATIONS

As we’ve mentioned in the last development update, our game is set in the distant future, and the Earth is going through an Eco–Apocalypse. That’s why we’ve wanted to create a unique style for our buildings. We’ve decided to mix classic sci-fi and the early XX century french design, Art Noveau. We’ve thought that those two opposites will create the perfectly combined style, where high-tech and domination of floristic details will show humanity yearning for nature.



PLANNING MODE

The planning mode is something fresh and new. As you can see, it allows you to plan your base - structures locations, possible connections and all modifications. Apart from that it gives you all the information about the building process (f. ex. Building order, time) and resources that are required to build it. The hologram shows you what it’ll look like when it's ready so that you can design your dream base

THE CREATION

Ready with your resources? Now you can sit, watch, and trust the process. That’s the power of automated building.

The base is not the only thing you can plan and have built automatically. We still work on different parts of the design, such as doors, stairs, windows, or furniture.

You can click the video below if you'd like to dive into a more detailed analysis of our inspirations for the style, planning mode, and automated building. Our devs, Bartek and Marko, will be pleased to know that you’ve checked it out.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

FEEDBACK NEEDED

Because our creations are significant to us, and we believe you deserve a part in their development, we need your opinions and feedback, Explorers.



We'd like you to share your thoughts about our planning mode and automated building process. Have you ever seen something like this before?
We'd also want to know what possibilities, as a player, you can see while looking at these mechanics.
Your ideas are much anticipated, the comment section is yours!

KEEP UP TO DATE

As additional info, we’d like to announce that we’ll participate in PGA – Poznań Game Arena. If some of you don't know, that’s a polish gaming event in Poznań between the 7th-10th of October. You can visit us there, say hello and play our first ever build for players. We’re also wondering how many of you we’ll meet, so let us know.

So, that would be it for today, guys. We hope that you liked our base-themed devlog so as the big announcements. We'd like to remind you, that Honeycomb will release in Q4 2023, so stay tuned. We also want to invite you to join our Discord Server once again to stay with us closer than before. You can also check our social media to keep up with the date.

Last but not least, you can add Honeycomb to your wishlist as well as follow the game if you want to get notifications about future updates.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1510440/Honeycomb/

PS: Explorers, here’s a little sneak peek for you! Your opinion about the cooperation mode in Honeycomb would be an asset, so let us know, what you think.

~Team Honey