Lightyear Frontier News

Hey again, everyone! Back so soon, you might be asking? No worries, this one’ll be a quick one; we’re here to say that Lightyear Frontier will be at PAX East digitally as a part of an Indie Double Feature with the team over at DESTINYbit with their title, Dice Legacy!

[h3]A World in the Making[/h3]





We gave you a small snippet of behind the scenes info recently, touching on some of the core concepts of how Lightyear Frontier came to be! At PAX East, you’ll be getting some one-on-one time with the devs to talk about key aspects of the game: What the inspirations were, how the team has shaped the world, and early ideas that would come to form where the game is at now!

We’re really excited to give some insight into our new world, touching on the finer points of what drives the journey of the Frontier forward.

You’ll be able to check all of this out on PAX’s Twitch channel on April 23rd @ 4:30 PM ET/10:30 PM CET.

[h3]That’s My Q(&A)[/h3]

As a friendly reminder, we’re taking in-depth questions from the community to be answered in future content updates; if your question is chosen, you might see it answered here! Hop over to our #community-questions channel on our Discord and use the “/question” command there!

That’s all from us for now! From the Frontier to you, we’re signing off!

[h3]FRAME BREAK[/h3]
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Follow our social pages or join our Discord for the latest on Lightyear Frontier:

[h3]Twitter[/h3]
[h3]Instagram[/h3]
[h3]TikTok[/h3]
[h3]Discord[/h3]

Hey there, folks! We’re keeping our heads down and staying hard at work, but this update, we wanted to give you all a peek behind the curtain! This month, you’ll get to see how Lightyear Frontier is being made, where it all began, and a space to answer some common questions (as well as questions from the community)! Let’s get to it then, shall we?

[h3]Forming the Frontier[/h3]



From the earliest points, Lightyear Frontier was focused on the immediate experience first and foremost, which meant getting your ride right: The mech! In prototyping, the team looked at a variety of options with possible functions and tools the mech could have while maintaining the “frontier” aesthetic; if you’re building things from the ground up, it’s got to look and feel like it!

The mech’s design began in a low-poly style, and over time, the design changed to add more detail and share some inspirations from real-world automotive technology (diesel engine running/idle audio, exhaust design, etc.). This gave more weight to the grounded feeling the team was looking for in the design.



To add onto that, our belief is that Lightyear Frontier should FEEL like you’re interacting with the world around you. A lot of our earliest development was focused on not only what felt practical, but what a good pace was for the activities that the farmer does. Repetition is key to consistent harvesting, but we don’t want it to become too much of a chore or a slog.

Additionally, first iterations of the mech actually included the mech having hands! We worked to figure out how hands could best suit the interactions the mech would have with the world while still remaining committed to the unique feel of operating a mech. In the end, we chose tool modules instead to emphasize a mech-centric design, making Lightyear Frontier stand out from other entries in the farming genre.

[h3]Questions, Answers, and More Questions![/h3]



We’ve had our FAQ up for a bit (you can check it out on the Discord), but we know some of you are curious about the more in-depth questions about Lightyear Frontier! So now, with a little bit of testing and elbow grease, it’s ready: Our brand-new Question Command! Pop into the Discord, head over to the #community-questions channel, and use the “/question” command to ask your question, and it’ll show up in the team’s Codecks board!

For shorter questions, we’re still giving answers on the Steam forums and in Discord; for the quickest response, you can ask your question without the command or check out the FAQ on the Discord. The team will select some of the most popular questions from the Question Command-submitted list and include them in future content updates! You can vote on your favorite questions, as well!

For now, let’s briefly expand on some questions that you, the community, have asked us!

QUESTION 1: Can you speak to the type of progression or gameplay flow you're hoping for?

The best way we describe this right now is “semi-nonlinear design”; part of progression will be reaching specific tiers of research and technology, but how you, the player, navigate those tiers will be entirely your choice! This also feeds into another design concept that we’re looking to implement on a fundamental level, which is providing a variety of solutions to particular problems or roadblocks you might encounter while playing. You’re trekking through a new world, aren’t you? Then you should be able to solve problems your own way!



QUESTION 2: What kind of crops, products, and production methods will we see? Since this is an alien world, it'd be great to see a variety of weird and unique crops instead of the usual tomato/potato/carrot/etc earthen variety.

At the start of the game, we want the players to encounter plants and materials that are fairly familiar (with an added alien twist, of course) while they start to navigate the planet. As the game progresses, however, players will soon discover more and more wild, crazy, and weird crops and other resources the Frontier has to offer.

[h3]Ideally, Though[/h3]



(Jetskis are just as an example and NOT a current entry for consideration… Unless someone suggests it.)

On top of our brand-new question command, we also have a Suggestion Command on our Discord, as well! We know y’all have some really cool thoughts on what could be part of Lightyear Frontier, so much like the question command, the team will be checking out suggestions that have been submitted over time. If something seems like it would be feasible, you might see us talk about it in a future update! Hop onto the Discord, head over to the #suggestions channel, and use the “/suggestion” command before your suggestion, and it’ll enter it directly into their developmental overview.

[h3]Ex-seedingly Small[/h3]



Huh, a new plant seed? Let’s see what springs up! For now, though, let’s give our soon-to-be bud some rest and water! We’ll see what pops out of the ground in good time.

[h3]FRAME BREAK[/h3]
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Follow our social pages or join our Discord for the latest on Lightyear Frontier:

[h3]Twitter[/h3]
[h3]Instagram[/h3]
[h3]TikTok[/h3]
[h3]Discord[/h3]

It's planting season on the frontier, and we're here to sow a beautiful crop!

The FRAME BREAK team is hitting the ground running with updated foliage visuals and animations, as well as further tweaking and improvements to the HUD! Since the team is still getting back into the swing of things on their end, we're taking the time to get back up to speed before we'll have some even more in-depth views into how we're building Lightyear Frontier from the ground up!

[h3]New year? New gear![/h3]



There's nothing like a little bit of elbow grease and spit shine to make something look beautiful! We've recently been revamping our tool models to make each tool more distinct to match its function. Each model has new refinements made to them that make them immediately identifiable, such as an attached water tank, a wide-brim nozzle, and more.


[h3]Visual updates galore, plus a feature reveal![/h3]



It ain't going into orbit, but it'll do: Your mech comes with thrusters! A short hop can take you up and over difficult terrain, but manage your daily fuel carefully as you explore the planet vertically.



Alongside that, we've got some super lovely greenery updates that give the foliage a more vibrant but muted color, emulating the semi-reflective quality plant leaves exhibit.


[h3]HUD Overhaul[/h3]



Once is good, but twice is nice! We're leaning into an even better-looking HUD as you pilot your mech! Some of these new updates includes new cycling animations and 3D icons for resources so you know exactly what's loaded up in the hopper.



Our UI now features earth-based colors to better match the overall natural tone of your environment, as well as a fine balance between the minimalist UI elements and visibility as you pilot your mech.


[h3]Come say hi![/h3]



Want to talk to the team directly? Share what game you're playing? Maybe even share some pet pics? We've got a variety of ways to come say hello! Throughout development, we'll also have some key fun points where we ask you, the community, about certain features and assets that you'd like to see in the game! Who knows? You might even see a community-selected feature here in the future! *gasp*


[h3]FRAME BREAK[/h3]
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Follow our social pages for the latest on Lightyear Frontier:

[h3]Twitter[/h3]
[h3]Instagram[/h3]
[h3]TikTok[/h3]
[h3]Discord[/h3]

Happy Hayliday, Farmers! It's finally time to sit down and enjoy the polyberry fruits of our farming labour.
After a year of hard work out in the Frontier, gathering supplies and building a homestead to keep warm for the coming winter months, it's time to sit and keep ourselves toasty by the fire! (And try and keep the oil out of the floorboards, while we're at it.)

[h3]FRAME BREAK grows![/h3]

We're bringing more hands to the frontier as FRAME BREAK expands! We're lucky enough to be working with new developers bringing Lightyear Frontier to life, making sure your homestead and your mech have a whole bunch of tools and options to make your space your own!

[h3]Introducing the Merchant[/h3]



Late with gifts? Don’t worry a bit! Our space merchant is here! In addition to presents, you'll be able to build a spaceport for merchants in orbit to land and do a bit of buying and selling with you. Whether it's plant seeds or mech blueprints, the merchant's got a lot to offer you if you've got the cash!

[h3]Capping off the year[/h3]



Our team is winding down for the rest of the year, and looking forward to an exciting and eventful 2022! Warm wishes for the season from the team at FRAME BREAK and friends. The reception we've gotten for Lightyear Frontier has been an exciting and humbling experience, and we can't wait to show more in the new year. We'll be in the garage until then.

Remember to turn on the heater in the mech and scrape the windshield a bit before making your way out into the cold! Maybe bring some hot spiced polyberry juice with you!

Want to get a better look into the Lightyear Frontier? Look no further than our socials below for more art, gameplay footage and general updates!

[h3]FRAME BREAK[/h3]
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Follow our social pages for the latest on Lightyear Frontier:

[h3]Twitter[/h3]
[h3]Instagram[/h3]
[h3]TikTok[/h3]
[h3]Discord[/h3]

Hey there farmers! The day has arrived, and we're ready to show you a shiny, new look at the mech you'll be piloting! Shown at the MIX Next show, check out the trailer below and get a closer look at the fine piece of machinery you'll be tilling the cosmic fields with!

[h3]MIX Next Trailer: Mech Overview[/h3]

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

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[h3]First Look: The Mech[/h3]



Simple and sturdy is all it takes to get a good farm started! With your mech, you'll make your mark on this new and lush environment! Featuring a solid carrying capacity, an array of attachments to work the fields, and customizable parts, you'll get a solid crop going in no time.

[h3]Start with the Basics[/h3]



All farms start somewhere, and what better way to start with the staple crops? There'll be new alien life to discover, but first things first is getting your plot seeded and ready! Using seeds brought with you on the far journey from Earth, get your farm up and running!

[h3]Alien Crops & Growth[/h3]



The lightyear frontier is a far cry from home, and that means strange, new plants! Discover new crops to fill your fields with as you strike out on this new world, like the Chromaize shown here! Look at those colors!

[h3]Tend the Fields[/h3]



Different crops are planted and managed in different ways; nonetheless, the one thing all crops need is maintenance, especially in different environments and seasons! Using the resources found as you explore your new world, maintain your fields as needed.

[h3]Swappable Tools[/h3]



The great thing about farming with a mech? Your tools are always at your side. While your mech comes with four basic tools, you'll have a plethora of new tools to discover and use as you explore the planet! Use two of the same tool to make the job go faster, or swap them at will as you get into the groove of building your harvest!

[h3]New HUD/UI Elements[/h3]



You might have seen them in our previous post, but we're excited to share some early prototypes of the Heads-Up Display included with the mech! Keep an eye on your crop's status, active tools, and more to help you build your homestead.

We're happy to give you all a first look into what's coming! As always, Lightyear Frontier is a work in progress! The game is currently in its early stages, meaning some things might change later on, but if they do, we'll keep you posted. Thanks for joining us for this exciting update, we'll see you soon!

[h3]FRAME BREAK[/h3]
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Follow our social pages for the latest on Lightyear Frontier:

[h3]Twitter[/h3]
[h3]Instagram[/h3]
[h3]TikTok[/h3]
[h3]Discord[/h3]