ATMOSFAR News

[p]All in-game footage in this blog post is from an alpha build and may differ from the final game.[/p][p]‍[/p][p][/p][p]Ah, Vagabond! Step on in and board the Cloud Cruiser![/p][p]I hope that you’ve taken the necessary time and effort to become comfortable around the Cloud Cruiser, because today we’re going to build onto that knowledge and expand your mastery on the large vessel. It seems like you’ve familiarized yourself with the flying airbase since we last spoke. This is great news - knowing your inns and outs around the Cloud Cruiser is of utmost importance if you want to get around Tycos in a comfortable and smooth matter.[/p][p]Last time we spoke, we went through the foundations of managing the vessel, its very core functions and what basics you need to keep track of. Now the fun begins! Today, we’re going to brief you on what options you’ll have at your disposal to customize it to your taste, plans and voyages and to truly make it your home, given that you have the skills it takes, of course.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]Shaping your vessel[/h3][p]When it comes to designing your Cloud Cruiser, pretty much all options are possible, both when it comes to exterior as well as interior design. When possibilities are endless, it’s easy to become overwhelmed. Personally I find it helpful to focus on one thing at a time in order to pinpoint some sort of starting point or baseline, and that is exactly what we’re going to do today.[/p][p]At your disposal, you’ll have a range of different hull parts, all in varying shapes. These parts are yours to place however you see fit, creating an unique shape and style of your ship. The only thing you need to keep in mind when designing your Cloud Cruiser is that each component and hull part comes with a weight. As I’ve explained before, weight is countered by lift, which is relying on electricity, or Power Units (PU) as we call it. PUs are generated by nuclear cores, but each core has a maximum amount that they can generate… which essentially means that to be able to build a large Cloud Cruiser, you need to have enough resources for it.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Apart from sculpting your ship to your own liking, you also have the freedom to tint each separate hull part however you like. This really gives the opportunity for adding your personal style to the vessel. Maybe you’d like to take inspiration from an animal here on Tycos, or pay an homage to something close at heart? It’s all up to you! There are no blueprints or rules to what a Cloud Cruiser should look like. As long as you have enough scrap to create the pieces you want to use, you can place them however you like, wherever you like.[/p][p]It can be pretty difficult to get a view of your ship’s exterior from the inside. But guess what? There is a solution for that! When you are to shape your Cloud Cruiser, your jet pack will automatically tap into the Cloud Cruiser’s fuel reserves via a long hose, enabling you to stay indefinitely sustained in flight while constructing. Doing this means that you don’t have to worry about running out of fuel, allowing you to hover around the ship as long as you want to whilst building your base. The Cloud Cruiser allows for multiple jet packs to be plugged in at the same time, meaning that you and your squad mates can all build the vessel together simultaneously. A quick tip for when you’re multiple Vagabonds aboard the same ship is to make sure to build separate rooms for everyone. Otherwise, tension can get quite… strained. Also, make sure to discuss blueprints and design ideas with your fellow Vagabonds before you actually start building. Just some advice from someone with experience…[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]The hull parts are not the only way to customize the Cloud Cruiser to your liking: There is also a bunch of different items and modules to place on the exterior of the vessel.[/p][p]If you’re a thrill seeking Vagabond, I would advise you to place out turrets on the exterior of the Cloud Cruiser, and to equip the ship with armor. Armor plates can be placed on certain parts of the ship’s surface, making it more durable against weather and hostile animals.[/p][p]Turrets allows you to take defensive measures against hostile or attacking animals, and can be controlled both manually and automatically. Turrets run on PUs and are capable of firing stun projectiles at the surroundings at a fairly high rate. Animals and organic matter hit by stun projectiles do not die but rather become incapacitated for a brief moment. This neat invention thus allows us to neutralize threats without permanently damaging the natural life of the planet. If machines or anything running on electricity is hit, like a PACE drone for example, the reaction is similar to organic matter: The projectiles causes their circuits to go haywire for a limited time.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]Creating a home[/h3][p]Obviously, the exterior is not the only thing that you’ll have full creative freedom of. Once you feel content with the shape and exterior modules of the ship, it’s time to start working on the inside! Just like the exterior, customizing the interior both means to decorate and shape it to your visual liking and also to build the machines and modules you find necessary for your life and exploration style here on Tycos.[/p][p]Similar to the exterior hull parts, you’ll have a range of basic interior pieces that helps you lay out the  inner foundations of the Cloud Cruiser. This is pieces like windows, walls, doors, railings, ladders and stairs.[/p][p]However, the thought is of course not for you to fill the Cloud Cruiser with ladders and windows and be done with it. The Cloud Cruiser is your home, your sanctuary and your lab all at once! So, there are a lot of neat machines and gadgets you can build to make the ship optimal for your voyages. Most of the core functions and systems we went through last time we spoke are optional buildables. Just like the exterior hull parts, interior buildables and furniture can also be tinted to the colors that you like. Apart from the things we’ve already gone over, like the nuclear reactor, fuel tanks and fuel refineries, there are still quite a few machines and functions for you to learn about.[/p][p][/p][h3]Scrap n' extract![/h3][p]There is in fact two full systems that I’ve yet to go through with you, and first up is the extractor system. Just like the name implies, this functions as your extractor tool but at a much larger scale. When a piece of scrap  exceeds a certain size, the extractor tool can no longer make use of it, as it simply requires more power than the tool can store. That’s were the Cloud Cruiser comes in. The Cloud Cruiser has a buildable system that lets you extract large pieces of scrap, and that is the material processor. To be able to make use of a material processor you must first build it yourself, as it is not a part of the built in foundation of the vessel.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Sometimes you find floating fields of debris and scrap out in the world, or find large scrap pieces deep in caves, forests or other tight spaces. Getting close enough with the Cloud Cruiser to reach the scrap with the turret is an almost impossible task, and it’s during times like these when the Cargo Wasp really comes in handy. So, let’s say that you’ve found a large piece of scrap, and then transported it to the Cruiser. It is still intact, meaning that you can’t do anything with it just yet. What then?[/p][p]This is the exact reason as to why the Cloud Cruiser can be equipped with a material processor. This module is placed within the vessel, but can be accessed through the outside by an escalator. The thought behind this is that you can use your Cargo Wasp to get to the island and pick up the scrap, and then drop it by the outside entrance of the material processor. The processor then acts as a large extractor tool, allowing you to salvage all materials from the large scrap piece. Sometimes you can even find important clues, blueprints and historical remains from this process![/p][h3]A seed to grow[/h3][p]The final major system of the Cloud Cruiser that we have left, is the gardening system. I’m guessing you’ve stumbled upon one or two seeds on your voyages by now. I know for a fact that you can’t open or cook them, so have you figured out what to do with them yet? No worries! I didn’t care about them for the longest of time until my mentor once asked me why I didn’t pick them up as we passed them. Guess if I got an earful….[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Anyways, I’m not here to scold you. So, you can’t pry them open or use them in cooking. Nor can you plant them on planet Tycos, I mean good luck digging a hole on any of the islands… Yeah, that’s just not going to happen. But what you can do is to bring them to the Cloud Cruiser! On the ship, you have the option to craft and place out plant beds. These are filled with soil and makes excellent spaces for the various seeds that Tycos have to offer. Simply place the seeds in the plant bed and have patience. You don’t need to worry about watering or taking care of them: The plant beds run on PUs that does all the hassle for you! Each seed has the capability to grow into a unique plant. Many of the plants bear fruit that can be used in cooking or for temporary buffs. Other plants can provide certain materials that can be used in crafting. Large seeds require an entire plant bed each, while up to four smaller seeds can be planted together.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]All Wasps close at hand[/h3][p]On a planet where resources are scarce, and functioning Wasps are extremely hard to come by, it wouldn’t make any sense to leave them out of your sight. If you come by a functioning vehicle you should always keep track of its location, which means that you essentially would need to take it with you on the Cloud Cruiser. And you know what? You can![/p][p]In order to safely land and store your Wasps inside the Cloud Cruiser, you need to build Wasp landing pads. Each pad is located on the inside of the Wasp, and is attached to a gate that opens to the outside. To store your Wasp on the Cloud Cruiser, simply fly to one of the gates and open it and land inside. While docked, remember to give it some maintenance. You can use fuel from the tanks to refuel it and plug it into the Cloud Cruiser to charge it. Just remember that charging your Wasp requires PUs to do so.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]Maintaining the Cloud Cruiser[/h3][p]Just like your Wasps and tools, the Cloud Cruiser needs continuous checking and maintenance to function smoothly. The most important vital to keep track of is as you know the generation and consumption of Power Units. But even the great Cloud Cruiser can break down, become worn out and need some extra touch up.[/p][p]Since these vessels barely have any limits to how big they can get, it would take forever if one had to run back and fourth between all modules to check on their vitals. For this exact reason, another buildable module is the diagnostics unit. The diagnostics unit shows generation and consumption of electricity and fuel, total available fuel, amount of lift, number of nuclear cores and docked Wasps, and finally, how much damage the ship has sustained. Isn’t that something?[/p][p]If anything needs repairing, simply use your Welder tool and make sure that you have access to the required materials. If you change your mind regarding layout or placement of buildables, just enter build mode and choose “demolish”. Simple as that![/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]Parting ways[/h3][p]Well then, that’s the Cloud Cruiser in a nutshell for you. I know it’s been a lot of information to take in, but I have full confidence in you. You’ll tame the beast in no time! When you’ve finally mastered the vessel, and truly made it your own, remember to take a step back and reflect over you’ve learnt and your progress. Get yourself a nice cup of joe and greet the first rays of sunlight out on the balcony, watching the world wake up, or witness the shimmering streaks of aurora in an perpetual starry night sky. Maintaining a Cloud Cruiser isn’t just about maximizing PU usage or planning travel routes. The Cloud Cruiser is at its very core an extension of your freedom, your desires, a physical extension of you.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]I hope you haven’t forgotten too much from what I’ve taught you these last months. Do you remember what special functions the Scout Wasp has? Or the name of the equipment stored in the Utility Wasp? How big are Batgulls?[/p][p]Relax, I’m only joking with you. No one is expecting you to know all this by heart at this point in your training. Even though you can learn things intellectually, you won’t get a proper sense of the vehicles, machines and challenges until you actually try them out. And I think it’s time that you do exactly that. Get out there, on all the islands and caves, and explore! What can you figure out about this strange world? Is there more to uncover on this planet?[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]You know, Vagabond - that’s right, as of today, your training is concluded, and you now bear the Vagabond title. I know that you think that I hold all the answers of Tycos just because I’m somewhat of a veteran. But do you know what I think? I think that we’ve barely scratched the surface. I think there is countless of things, mysteries and truths to uncover here. We veterans, our glory days are over, and it’s time for us to move over and leave the controls to a new generation.[/p][p]Don’t worry, just remember everything I taught you, and you’ll be fine! And if you don’t remember everything, that’s fine too. I’ve compiled all our sessions into a compendium you can bring with you on your travels.[/p][p]Go on, get out there and enjoy your freedom! Each day is now yours to decide. I’ll make sure to keep an eye on you from ground control. Good luck, Vagabond![/p][p]‍[/p][p]And remember the most important rule: Keep the blue side up![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]// Apog Labs[/p]

[p]All in-game footage in this blog post is from an alpha build and may differ from the final game.[/p][p][/p][p]Welcome back to base camp, Vagabond![/p][p]A lot has happened since we last saw you. Whilst giving you and the other aspirants your essential training, me and some of the other veterans have been working on maintaining and repairing the old Cloud Cruiser over at the island to the East. Combining this with your training actually proved to be a good idea, since much of the scrap you and your comrades brought in could be used for mending the sky colossus![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Before we parted last time I urged you to seek out squad mates. I sincerely hope you’ve done so, or at least have the intention of doing it soon. As you’ve probably guessed by now, today’s training will consist of all the base systems and functions of the Cloud Cruiser. Sure, it is technically possible to pilot, build and manage the massive vessel on your own, but it is not something I would recommend for a relatively new Vagabond. The Cloud Cruiser consists of a range of intricate systems and mechanisms, all dependent and connected to each other, like an eco system. If you don’t know what you’re doing, changing something seemingly small can easily alter the most basic functions of the entire craft. On top of maintaining and understanding a highly complex system, you also have the freedom to assemble and stylize it all according to your taste, plans and preference![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]It is thus of the utmost importance that you understand all mechanisms, but also that you know how to alter, expand and maximize them. A task like this can be quite overwhelming for a new pilot, and there’s no shame in that! When I first sat at the helm in a Cloud Cruiser I was so nervous I didn’t even know my own name. It was quite obvious that it didn’t work out with the little to none training we got beforehand, which is why we decided to change the training to make it more thorough. But even with thorough training, it is quite the challenge and responsibility to take on to pilot a Cloud Cruiser, which is why I would advice you to team up with some of your comrades. You are of course free to do it on your own, but know that it might take you a while to get completely comfortable behind the helm.[/p][p][/p][h3][/h3][p][/p][h3]The heart of the Cloud Cruiser[/h3][p]The most foundational machine or mechanic of the Cloud Cruiser is the nuclear reactor. The best way to describe it is to compare it to the heart in any living organism. Just like a heart, the nuclear reactor distributes the necessary power to all other units in within the vessel to keep them functional and working. There are a few modules within the Cloud Cruiser that run on fuel rather than electricity, but nevertheless, without a nuclear reactor, you won’t get far.[/p][p]“But, where does the nuclear reactor get its power from?” you might ask. Splendid question! Inside the reactor, we have what we call the core, or the nuclear reactor core. This is essentially working in the same way as nuclear power plants on Earth: The core contains fuel rods filled with uranium or plutonium. Inside the core, nuclear fission occurs — atoms of the fuel split when hit by neutrons, releasing a large amount of heat energy. This heat is used to convert water into steam, which then drives turbines connected to generators to produce electricity. Control rods are inserted or withdrawn from the core to manage the fission rate and keep the reaction stable.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Just like with most vehicles and materials here on Tycos, the number of nuclear cores is limited. PACE assembled them long time ago, mainly in order to power the Cloud Cruisers. We have found more cores than we have Cloud Cruisers, so it is possible that PACE intended to use the cores to power something else as well. Nevertheless, we do not currently have an exact estimate on how many nuclear cores are left on Tycos. What I can say, is that these required a lot of time and resources for PACE to build. When spending that much supplies and materials it would only make sense to hide them if you weren’t to use them straight away. Not all cores are intentionally hidden though, some of them have disappeared into cracks and other hard to reach areas due to malfunctioning or crashing Cloud Cruisers. We had to work pretty hard to get our hands on this one, we found it among the remains of a crashed Cloud Cruiser. Scout Wasps usually come in handy when on the lookout for these cores, as they are equipped with Geiger counters.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Finding the core is just half the job. Getting it to your own vessel is the tricky part! Even though all of us are equipped with suits to protect us from radiation due to Tycos weak magnetic field, the cores emit such a strong amount of radiation that even the suits can’t withstand it. It is not deadly, at least not for a shorter period of time, but subjecting yourself to more radiation than necessary is a pretty bad idea. Remember that every second counts.[/p][p]So, you want to handle the core fast and efficient when you’ve found it. Don’t rush too much, as stress often results in recklessness and jolty movement. To state the obvious, you do not want to risk dropping or damaging the core. It may result in an explosion, and a quite big one that is. The cores are not only dangerous to be around, they’re also impossible to lift by yourself, as a single core weighs several hundreds of kilos. By now, you should know what to use in order to move an object like this. That’s right, a Cargo Wasp! With regards to the risk for devastating consequences, I urge you to make sure that you know how to pilot a Cargo Wasp properly and safely before heading out for nuclear core-hunting.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]Cargo Lift[/h3][p]Alright, let’s say that you get lucky enough and find a nuclear reactor core, and that you also have a Cargo Wasp at hand to transport it. You know that you want to get it into the Cloud Cruiser, but it doesn’t exactly fit through the door.[/p][p]To solve this problem, the Cloud Cruiser needs to be equipped with what’s called a cargo lift. The cargo lift is at its very essence, just like the name implies, a large lift covered by an aperture located on the top of the Cloud Cruiser. It is closed by default, but opens up automatically when a Cargo Wasp gets close too it. Situated below the aperture are conveyor belts, ready to transport whatever dropped scrap or cargo to their designated storage space. The Cargo Lift can also be used to eject things from the Cloud Cruiser. The process is the same, simply in reverse.  [/p][p]So, when you’ve gathered big large pieces of scrap or other items that won’t fit through the doors, make sure to use the cargo lift.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]Fuel or electricity?[/h3][p]All Wasp classes, as well as your jet pack, are running on fuel. As we’ve already gone through, what we refer to as fuel here on Tycos is actually liquid hydrogen, and not fossil fuels as on planet Earth.[/p][p]Almost all systems within the Cloud Cruiser are powered by electricity. For the time being, there is in fact only one mechanism that is powered by fuel, and that is the thrust system. The thrust system is what gives the Cloud Cruiser power to move forward. Higher thrust equals higher speed, and vice versa. The higher the speed, the more fuel is being consumed, so if you would want to preserve your fuel you’d have to fly at a lower speed.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]You do not need to preserve your fuel at all costs, the Cloud Cruiser allows for built in systems that allows for fuel generation. You can build hydrogen refineries within the ship, however, this solution requires you to gather hydrogen crystals from the islands of Tycos by using the Cargo Wasp. The refinery then transforms the crystals into liquid hydrogen which is stored in fuel tanks. This process requires quite a lot of planning and work, but gives of a high yield of fuel.[/p][p]The other solution is to build what’s called a Hydrogen siphon. These are attached to the Cloud Cruiser’s exterior and siphons hydrogen from the air, and transfers it into liquid hydrogen, stored in the same kind of tanks as the fuel from the refineries.[/p][p]Both siphons and refineries requires electricity to work, in fact, the fuel tanks do too. As we’ve talked about before, liquid hydrogen needs to be kept at a very low temperature, below -253°C (-423°F) in order to not evaporate into gas. It is thus the cooling system of the fuel tanks that consume electricity, rather than the tanks themselves, meaning that if you run out of power, your fuel will evaporate.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]Balancing the power usage[/h3][p]To keep all systems up and running, you need to make sure that you have enough electricity to power everything. To be fair, the nuclear reactors are quite small compared to ordinary reactors on Earth. The total amount of power a single nuclear core can generate is thus limited. As stated, most systems on the Cloud Cruiser run on power rather than fuel, which makes is obvious that power management is critical for keeping the giant ship up and running. To oversee and refer to the power usage more easily, we’ve created a system based around the notion of Power Units (PU).[/p][p]PUs are brokered (i.e. produced and consumed) on a per-seconds basis. For example, let’s say that a nuclear reactor produces 25 PUs (per second), and that a hydrogen refinery uses 1 PU. That would mean that a single nuclear reactor would be able to sustain 25 hydrogen refineries at once, given that nothing else on the Cloud Cruiser required power. But as previously stated, everything on the Cloud Cruiser makes use of PUs, except for the thrust system, which would mean that you need to make sure that a single module does not eat up too much of the total generated PUs. It is possible to upgrade the Cloud Cruiser’s PU production by using multiple nuclear reactors at once. Two reactors would for example give you 50 PUs. Expanding your PU production does however require you to have the right building materials to make additional nuclear reactors, as well as finding additional nuclear cores, of course.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Managing a Cloud Cruiser is thus not equivalent to just piloting it or to build useful machines. Managing a Cloud Cruiser takes a lot of planning, trial and error, maintenance and sometimes even calculations to get everything right. Don’t worry, the more time you spend on a Cloud Cruiser, the better sense you’ll get of how many PUs are generated and consumed. Before you know it, you’ll be able to plan it in your sleep![/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]Staying afloat[/h3][p]It’s easy and quite tempting to take the aerial buoyancy of Tycos for granted, but as we’ve gone over, the islands floating mid air is not due to the lack of gravity, but rather to the high amounts of hydrogen found around Tycos. A Cloud Cruiser is made out of various types of metals and plastics, and does not contain any hydrogen in itself. So how do we keep it in air?[/p][p]The answer is surprisingly simple: With balloons! That’s right, balloons![/p][p]The balloons are filled with hydrogen that’s collected from the air. This means that in order to keep your Cloud Cruiser afloat, you’ll need to have a hydrogen siphon that can direct the hydrogen into the balloons. To make the Cloud Cruiser float at a higher altitude, simply add more balloons![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]The lift of the Cloud Cruiser is thus directly affected by the relation between its total weight and the number of balloons. While we’re at it, I might also add that the lift is not the only thing that’s being affected by the vessel’s total weight. The thrust system also impacted by the weight: Instinctively, a heavier weight requires a higher impact of thrust to be set in motion.[/p][p]A Cloud Cruiser packed with heavy cargo, or filled with hefty machines, would require more balloons to stay afloat. If you ever override the maximum weight capacity, you will be aware. An alarm will start blaring and will not go quiet until you’ve balanced the weight by either adding more balloons or removing weight from the Cloud Cruiser.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]Piloting the beast[/h3][p]Well, now we’ve finally reached the part you probably thought we were going to start with: Piloting the darn thing![/p][p]All form of navigation is done via the helm of the Cloud Cruiser, which is commonly placed at the top or in the front of the ship, allowing for as good a view as possible. At the helm, you can thrust, reverse and turn the ship. Since the vessel requires much maintenance and planning, being bound to the control panel at all times would just not be feasible. To solve this problem, the Cloud Cruiser is equipped with cruise control, similar to an auto pilot feature, allowing the pilot to continue their journey without being present at the helm.[/p][p]To engage cruise control, use a periscope and simply mark which navigation point you’d like to travel to. Navigation points are most commonly marked on different kinds of maps or air cards. It’s quite uncommon with maps that contain all points of Tycos, so you’ll have to do a bit of scavenging and mark them out yourself as you go. If your Cloud Cruiser is not equipped with a periscope from the beginning, you can always build one yourself.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]The technology behind the cruise control system is fairly advanced. The Cloud Cruiser is usually smart enough to calculate the voyage to the navigation point on its own. The only time you might need to lend an extra hand is when the path is heavily obstructed by pieces of islands, for example. Then you would need to reposition the Cloud Cruiser to a site with less obstacles in the way.[/p][p]Another thing to keep in mind is that due to the size of the Cloud Cruiser, it has quite a bit of inertia, making it require more momentum to make a proper turn.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]More to come[/h3][p]Now that you know the basics of maneuvering the Cloud Cruiser, it’s time for the fun part - to make it your home![/p][p]Believe me, I’m as excited as you are, but it will have to wait for another day. The sun is already setting and it has been a long brief on all systems today. I’d suggest you get some rest and familiarize yourself with the base functions of the Cloud Cruiser. The more time you spend in the vessel, the faster you’re going to learn.[/p][p]I’ll contact you on the radio when it’s time for your next lesson. Good luck, Vagabond![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]// Apog Labs[/p]

[p]All in-game footage in this blog post is from an alpha build and may differ from the final game.
[/p][p]Vagabond! Nice to see you on this frequency.[/p][p]Seeing you tune back in again means you have successfully avoided being attacked by Batgulls or dragged away by a Larker. Well done! We’ve also noticed you’re getting better at understanding the fuel consumption of your Wasp and adjusting your voyages. You are on a good way to fully live up to your title as Vagabond. Keep up the good work![/p][p]Have you ever looked up towards the skies, and noticed the islands soaring above you? Or maybe you’ve stood by the edge, looking down the seemingly infinite heights and spotted luscious forests peeking through the clouds? Well, your eyes aren’t fooling you: There are in fact islands both above and below us.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]As we’ve already gone through, the soil of the islands here on Tycos seem to generate, contain and sometimes release hydrogen. This whole process is called hydrogenogenesis. It is firmly believed that this process is why the islands, despite gravity, are floating in the first place. There are a quite a few working theories as to what this process looks in detail, but none of them has been widely accepted yet. Here, I knew I saved those published articles. Take a look at them if you’re curious about the assumed processes behind it all. I reckon, that when those scientists can agree on one proper theory, they can probably start focusing on why most islands float at different levels. My focus, and that should be your focus as well, is however to stay alive. We’ll leave the science behind it all to someone more capable than us.[/p][p]So, the thing I want you to remember is that there are not only islands next to us, there are also islands above and below us. Most of these islands are as far as I know unexplored, due to the difficulty reaching them. Advancing to a new layer does not only require more fuel in your tank. If it only was that simple! No, unfortunately, a journey like that is regrettably a big strain on the Wasp, regardless of class. In order to successfully traverse in between layers you’ll need to upgrade your Wasp to at least have a stronger engine.[/p][p][/p][h3][/h3][p][/p][h3]Barren desert[/h3][p]What we’ve gathered this far, is that there seem to be a total of three major regions of islands spread across three distinct layers. Out of these three, we are currently located in the middle region. Each layer seem to have their own, original biome.[/p][p]The middle region, where we are right now, is the region that PACE has occupied the most. The islands at this altitude are characterized by great plains, dry rocks and barren landscapes. Here, both vegetation and animals are scarce, but don’t let that fool you. Among these islands are a lot of caves. Some of them were colonized by PACE, whilst others were left alone. One can only imagine what might hide in the abandoned ones…[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]When the PACE pioneers first arrived to Tycos, they probably chose this region for their colonies because of its accessibility and biome. You see, this particular region is the most forgiving to travel, and allows for a somewhat smooth base construction.[/p][p]It seldom rains in this area. Even though we’ve found some oases between the steep ridges, we are still not sure how animals and plants manage to stay alive and even thrive in this environment. In fact, we know very little about the Tycan wildlife in general. What we’ve noticed however, is that most of the vegetation here seem similar to typical succulents you’d find on Earth. The plants store water in their leaves, making them plump and almost a bit bouncy. Thanks to this clever evolution, they can go weeks and sometimes even months without water.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]‍Lush forests[/h3][p]Below us, hiding in the clouds, we have what we think is the lowest accessible region of planet Tycos. It is possible for us to travel to these islands, but it requires quite a bit from both the Wasp itself and the piloting Vagabond. In general, traversing in between regions is not for the faint hearted. Often surrounded by clouds, the lower region is naturally subjected to more moisture. Due to this, the biome of these islands is very lush and almost overgrown, especially compared to the middle region.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]The lower islands are covered in vegetation consisting of gigantic, spherical trees, bushes, fungi and a lot of moss. Make sure to scan your surroundings thoroughly before landing here: The dense verdure leaves a lot of crannies and hidden holes for various species to hide in. Some of the creatures that inhabit these forests are completely harmless and not very interested in us humans, whilst others… aren’t too fond of us.[/p][p]Below all moist foliage is solid stone. All the cracks and crevices were probably formed a long time ago, when the islands started to rise from the ground. Some parts seemed to float at a higher speed, making them break apart from the rest, creating deep ruptures and caves, and sometimes even forming into new islets.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]The unsettled isles[/h3][p]If you turn your gaze upward, I think you will be able to spot the islands above us. This is the third and highest region of islands here on Tycos. I’ve never reached these islands myself, in fact, I don’t think I know anyone who has. Going further up in the atmosphere than our current altitude has proven quite tricky, and requires you to have a upgraded and durable Wasp. So far, no one has been able to salvage enough parts to meet the requirements for such a journey. Long ago, PACE planned for a few expeditions to this region, but these projects got abandoned, as they had more pressing matters to attend to. Transformative events don’t leave much room for science and exploration, I suppose.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Since neither PACE nor the Vagabonds have managed to reach this region, we know very little about it. Honestly, I know about as much as you. The only things we are aware of are the things we can see from our spotting scopes. It looks rather barren, but not like a desert. Based on the color, it almost looks like snow or frost, but this being Tycos, it could also be something completely different.[/p][p]The rock formations sometimes look a little strange in certain lights, as if they were round, spherical almost. But I’m guessing it’s just a trick of the light, it’s only the silhouette that can be seen. If you, aspiring Vagabond, were to ever reach those parts of the sky, you must promise to inform me![/p][p][/p][h3]Weather phenomena[/h3][p]Tycos exhibits rain, thunder, fog, sunshine and hurricanes. While it’s nice to be able to recognize and interpret most of the weather changes, there are still some phenomena we still can’t quite put our finger on.[/p][p]Fortunately, it doesn’t happen very often, I’ve just encountered it a few times during my entire time on this planet. Most of the time it’s quite subtle, but it’s almost as if the sun… Was buzzing? I know it sounds strange, and if it weren’t for the changes in animal behavior or equipment breaking down at the same time, I would be fairly certain that I was just imagining it. But there seems to be something going on here. When the buzzing starts, animals seek shelter in various ways and electricity-powered equipment is going haywire. Whatever you do, do NOT try to fly your Wasp during the buzzing. Vehicles become extremely unpredictable and unreliable.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Sometimes the buzzing only lasts a couple of seconds, sometimes it can go on for minutes. As I said, it happens very rarely. I’m guessing that’s why we know so little about it: We don’t have enough time to study it. And trying to predict it has, at least with our current technology, proven impossible. The best chance you’ll have to take shelter in time is to be attentive to the behavior of wildlife and to try and keep your ears open for that strange buzz. Trust me, you’ll know when you hear it.[/p][p]Apart from this strange phenomenon, adapting to the the different weathers is pretty straightforward. Clear skies and a light breeze? You’re good to go. Heavy rain, cyclones and lightning? You should probably wait it out.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]Nature’s abundance[/h3][p]Aspiring Vagabond, I’m happy to inform you that not everything on Tycos is a challenge or something that wants to kill you! All regions here on Tycos offer their own, unique and useful resources that can both be used in crafting as well as in cooking. Intuitively, you’ll find a lot of wood and fruits and berries to eat on the lower islands. Natural to this biome is also the Solar plant! This little herbage has the remarkable ability to capture energy from the sun and store it during the daytime, only to release it in the form of bio-luminescence during nighttime. They light up the surrounding forest with their gleaming light, and also works as a charger for your backpack! As you well know by now, your backpack is running on solar energy. If you run out of power during night time, this might be a problem… but not if you’re close to a Solar plant! Just get close to it and your backpack will recharge. Apart from this, they also keep some hostile animals away. Some creatures only seem to be active during nighttime, and because of this tend to stay away from light sources in general.[/p][p]‍[/p][p]Luckily, the water here on Tycos doesn’t contain any toxins or odd bacteria, making it safe for us humans to drink. Isn’t that wonderful? While the lower regions contain a lot of moisture naturally, finding water in the middle regions can be a challenge. To bypass this problem, PACE built big rain water collectors. Imagine an umbrella turned upside down, and you get the idea of it. Even though most of these buildings were abandoned long ago, they still function quite well. In other words, it might be a good idea to use your backpack to have a look inside them.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]Scrap[/h3][p]Apart from natural resources such as wood and hydrogen, you will most likely find a lot of scrap during your voyages. Long ago, PACE was very industrious, with various big scale productions. They produced materials such as glass, textiles an plastic, and also combined these into various items, trinkets and equipment. Today, that production has stopped, but you will still find quite a lot of these modules out in the world, like traces of a past era. Most of these items are scattered around the abandoned PACE facilities and camps, but sometimes you might stumble upon these things out in the wilderness. I’m assuming some PACE engineer accidentally dropped them during transport, or an animal dragged them away and then decided they weren’t interesting anymore. Nevertheless, there is useful items and materials out there for those who seek it. Keep your eyes open![/p][p]There is actually even scrap to be found in the skies. It’s not too common, but there have been reports of clusters, or fields of debris floating in the skies. Mostly it’s discarded industrial equipment such as large tanks with discarded hydrogen stored or equipped with buoyancy balloons. This can be picked up with a Cargo Wasp, if you were to have one at hand.[/p][p]‍[/p][h3]Well done, Vagabond[/h3][p]This is only a sample of the wonders and challenges of Tycos. There is yet much to explore and overcome, which is why we’re training the new generation of Vagabonds. My time is soon over, and we need new, agile and durable comrades on our side.[/p][p]We can tell that you are a serious in your intention in becoming a Vagabond. Trust us, all the hard work and effort you’re putting in does not go unnoticed, we see it. I’ve spoken to the other veterans and we all agree that you are ready to meet your fellow aspiring Vagabonds. Thriving on Tycos requires much from you, and it does not become easier by being alone. I won’t be here forever, so get out there and find yourself some suitable squadmates![/p][p]As always, remember to stay on frequency and to report back to us. And to keep on the blue side, of course![/p][p]‍[/p][p]// Apog Labs[/p]

[h3]We're very happy to let you all know that ATMOSFAR will be released as an Early Access title in 2026![/h3][p][/p][p]We know that this means that you'll have to wait a bit more until our sky-high title is released, but trust us, it's going to be good. While we have the opportunity, the whole team would like to thank you all for all the hype, ideas, comments, likes and wishlists that we've been getting. We are just as excited as you are! We are truly looking forward to giving you a beautiful, mysterious and thrilling game.[/p][p]We are also very excited to finally be able to tell you that ATMOSFAR is published by Shueisha Games, a gaming divison of Shueisha Inc., who are the publishers of global manga hits such as One Piece, Dragon Ball and Naruto.[/p][p]In the meantime, make sure to join our brand new Discord server for exclusive news, inside information and chances to impact the game development itself![/p][p]Thank you all, Vagabonds![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]// Apog Labs[/p]

[p]Okay, we can't keep it a secret anymore...

We're very excited to announce that our upcoming title ATMOSFAR is to be featured in the PC Gaming Show June 8th, 21:00 CEST!

For this feature we have prepared a a teaser, showcasing completely new regions of the game, never seen before gameplay and intricate mechanisms, all accompanied by the tunes of our brand new soundtrack.

During the show we'll also finally drop some juicy details about the game and its future. We truly hope that you can join us during this evening, and that you'll enjoy what we've put together for you!

For more information about the PC Gaming Show, click here.

[/p][p]// Apog Labs[/p]