Fort Solis News

[h2]🎉 Celebrate Erno Rubik's Birthday with the Fort Solis Rubik's Challenge! 🧩[/h2]

Hello Fort Solis Explorers!

We're excited to bring you a special challenge in honor of Erno Rubik's birthday tomorrow, July 13!

Erno Rubik, the brilliant mind behind the iconic Rubik's Cube, has inspired countless puzzle enthusiasts around the world, and now it's your turn to join the fun within the universe of Fort Solis.

[h2]🧩 About the puzzle in Fort Solis 🧩[/h2]

In Fort Solis, we've integrated a mini-game inspired by the classic Rubik's Cube. This puzzle is not just a test of your skills but also a tribute to the legacy of Erno Rubik. Whether you're a seasoned cube solver or new to the puzzle, our mini-game offers a fun and engaging experience. And of course, our cube is fully operational and 100% solvable — so you can finally prove it's not just your thumbs that are all thumbs!

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
[h2]🎮 Fort Solis Rubik's Challenge 🎮[/h2]

Challenge Dates:
July 12 - July 19

Objective:
Solve the mini-game puzzle in Fort Solis and prove your puzzle-solving prowess!

How to Participate:
1. Play: Launch Fort Solis and navigate to the mini-game inspired by Rubik's cube.
2. Solve: Complete the mini-game and take a screenshot of your solved cube (please make sure it captures your Steam nick, e.g. using Steam overlay [shift+tab]).
3. Share: Join our Discord channel and post your screenshot in the dedicated #Contest room.

Prizes:
We have 10 fantastic prizes to give away:

• 5x Fort Solis Original Soundtrack (OST)
  
• 5x Fort Solis Artbook

Winners: We'll randomly select 10 lucky winners from all valid entries. The winners will be announced on July 20 on our Discord server.

This is your chance to celebrate Erno Rubik’s legacy and show off your puzzle-solving skills within the Fort Solis community. Join us in this fun and rewarding challenge!

Good luck, and happy solving!

🔧 Fort Solis Team 🔧

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❓ Why No Achievement? ❓

We know many of you are wondering why there's no official achievement for solving the mini-game in Fort Solis.

At Fort Solis, we believe that certain experiences should be enjoyed purely for the fun and challenge they provide, rather than for external rewards. The mini-game inspired by Rubik's Cube is designed to be a relaxing and mentally stimulating activity, encouraging you to take a break from the main storyline and engage in a classic puzzle that tests your problem-solving skills. By not tying an achievement to this mini-game, we aim to foster a sense of personal accomplishment and satisfaction that comes from solving the puzzle on your own terms, without the pressure of chasing achievements.

We hope you find joy and fulfillment in solving the in-game cube, while immersing yourself in the Fort Solis universe.

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PS Stuck on our mini-game? No worries! Check out the solution here and get back in the contest for your chance to win:

https://rubiks-cube-solver.com/pl/solution.php?cube=0361255125664425234516213566213641341452365321644431532

[h3]Find out even more about Fort Solis [/h3]

Fort Solis Game Director - James Tinsdale - had a passionate interview with The PhotoMode magazine, and it's a must-read for all Fort Solis fans and virtual photography enthusiasts! The PhotoMode is the first free virtual photography e-magazine composed of team who share their love for digital art and everything related to it!

Check out the full issue of The PhotoMode magazine here and explore it's full content!

You can also read the interview with James down below (provided for your convenience).
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You could argue Fort Solis leans more towards an interactive film rather than a traditional gaming experience? Was this intentional from the outset or did it evolve over time? Additionally, what challenges does this approach pose compared to gameplay experiences?

From the outset we knew we wanted to make a game that blurred the lines between film and game. With great stories being told across many streaming networks we felt that creating an experience closer to that format would allow us to explore not only the format itself but different elements of Unreal 5 that could showcase fantastic performances.

This type of experience creates a new set of challenges that perhaps are more polarized. An example of this would be the narrative. Just like a show on TV, if the narrative isn’t for you then it can greatly impact your enjoyment. Here, the story of Fort Solis was something we knew people would love but was also completely ok for those that didn’t. Our answer to that was to make sure that the quality of everything that we did would be there so you could see the intent.


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When watching a movie, you watch the main character go through various emotions, but with a game you are the main character feeling those emotions. With Fort Solis especially you are living and exploring a sense of fear and panic on a desolate planet thousands of miles from Earth. Was capturing the sense of isolation and a constant state of anxiety a tough job to portray throughout the game?

When making a thriller, the challenge is always to make the player feel tension. This can be done in a number of ways but with game development, a short time after you have seen the content multiple times it becomes harder to know if you're on the right path of achieving that. You become reliant on external testing and reactions to inform your changes.

We had such fantastic performances from our cast that it created such a contrast when the player was alone. We simply didn't have the budget to make a 20 hour game so we had to really choose our impactful moments and use isolation as a tool to create intrigue and tell the story of the crew in creative ways such as video logs. This placed a lot of emphasis on our ability to edit facial data, choose our lines carefully and hope that it felt natural. Facial mocap is incredibly expensive and to the fidelity we wanted to achieve, it became hard to choose which logs to go with. I think the ones we went with added energy, humility to the crew in a way that felt like you knew these people. I think the team did an incredible job of delivering the quality of those moments to accompany the isolated exploration of the core story path.


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From concept to execution which ideas / visions of the environments changed the most drastically?

We had a couple of locations that we simply had to cut. One was a space for the crew to spend personal time in. Whether that was prayer, to watch a private video from a loved one such as a birthday message or anything else, we wanted this space to house a great moment for Troy's character Wyatt that I really wanted in the game. However, we simply couldnt make the space work in a way where it didn't feel like it was created specifically for that moment. We ended up turning that moment into a post credits scene.

In terms of concept through to creation the space that perhaps changed more drastically was the Greenhouse. It just kept getting bigger! We wanted it to be the hero item of the base and really have a presence over everything. However, when we first imagined the space, it was smaller and more of a makeshift space that Helen had put together. As the scene with Jess, Jack and Wyatt grew, so would the space that needed to house that scene. Once we completed the mocap for that scene we simply wanted to show the whole scene and extended the space accordingly.


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The hard work that goes into creating games is incredible. We believe photo mode allows gamers to see and appreciate the environment in more detail, is this something you and others like seeing from those who share in game images? How do you balance creative freedom within a photomode with the need to maintain the game’s storytelling integrity?

From the start I knew that we wanted to have a photo mode. Whilst we were creating a contained story, we wanted players to be able to showcase how they saw the story. Story is personal to everyone and how they interact with the story can be shown through images.

Photo mode allows players to notice elements and explore spaces that perhaps they normally wouldn't. This not only allows world building moments to occur outside the context of the gameplay but for people to feel empowered to share their story of Fort Solis. Which moments were important to them, moments they wanted to retain or showcase.

We had technical challenges to achieve the fidelity we wanted given how early in Unreal 5 we were; however, the team did an incredible job of persisting. I think everyone on the team knew that it was important for players to share their journey. The decision was easier given the format we wanted to make and how people digest TV content.

We actually made no real effort to balance the creative freedom and we wanted players to communicate their journey however which way they wanted. We live in a world where most people are respectful of spoilers but also there are many levers to not see those spoilers, so we didn't want players to feel limited when trying to be creative. Just as we were as developers, it was really rewarding to see players enjoy the game and share it. We actually joked in the office how well it actually shipped given the quality of photos people were taking! Ours were terrible compared to some of the ones shared. It was great to help inspire creativity in others.


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Do you have a favourite memory from the creation process?

I remember watching the final scenes before we sent the game to certification. The team didn't see me look out at them, but I was so incredibly proud of what we achieved. The journey we went on. My favourite memory was simply my team and how fortunate I felt to be working with them. I'm so proud of what we achieved as such a small indie team.
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And if you share passion for digital photography, we highly recommend to follow TPM and their social media, and maybe even join the VP community seeking the best possible shot in Fort Solis and other games.

Some of them already joined our Discord channel and shared some gorgeous captures of Fort Solis.

You wouldn't believe how exquisite they are! Feel free to join us here as well and see for yourself 👀

https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/37379/Fort_Solis_x_The_Invincible/

Thank you for reading. Until next time!

The Fort Solis Team

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PS Special thanks go to Malin for allowing us to use her brilliant shots from Fort Solis to illustrate the interview.

[h2]Hey, Fort Solis Community![/h2]

We’re back with the second installment of our Concept Art Series! Last time, we gave you a glimpse of the intricate interiors of Fort Solis. Today, we're excited to share some of concept arts featuring the characters and their unique outfits.

Discover Our Characters and Their Style:

[h3]🔍In-Depth Designs:[/h3] Dive into the detailed concept arts that showcase the thought and creativity behind each character’s outfit.



[h3]✨ Personal Touches:[/h3] Notice the unique elements and accessories that add depth and personality to each character's look.



[h3]🧥 Functional and Futuristic Look:[/h3] Explore the high-tech, utilitarian clothing that reflects the advanced environment of Fort Solis.



These concept arts are a testament to the world we're building, blending practicality with a stylish flair. We hope you enjoy this visual journey and feel the same excitement we did in bringing these characters to life. This is the final result:



Stay tuned for our next post in the series. Thank you for being part of our journey. Enjoy the art and let us know what you'd like to see in the future!



Best regards,
🚀 The Fort Solis Team

PS Feel free to share your thoughts and favorite designs in the comments below. We can't wait to hear from you!

[h2]*INCOMING TRANSMISSION FROM THE ASTROGATOR*[/h2]

Astronaut, can you hear me?

Headquarters just announced that a new collaboration treaty was signed between Starward Industries and Fallen Leaf.

As a direct result of this new alliance, it is crucial to inform you that you can now purchase two great Space Walking Simulators with an additional 10% discount in the bundle visible below:

https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/37379/Fort_Solis_x_The_Invincible/

Fear not if you already own one of the games, as the discount will still apply for the one you are missing out. You can even take advantage of the on-going Summer Sale and buy the bundle with an even greater discount!

We believe that this opportunity will further extend your knowledge about space and will come in handy during planet expeditions.

Make sure to share your findings with other astronauts in our Discord Community Center.


[h2]*TRANSMISSION OVER*[/h2]

[h2]🎉 Summer Sale Alert! 🌞[/h2]

We are bringing you a hot discount that can take you straight to Mars!

🔥 Fort Solis is now available at a sizzling 35% off on Steam! 🚀

🎮 Don't miss out on this limited-time offer! Grab your copy now and embark on an unforgettable adventure.

📅 Sale ends on 11th of July, so hurry and secure your discount today!

Keep in mind that you can also take advantage of our Collaborative bundles for an extra 10% discount resulting with the highest possible discount for Fort Solis right now!

https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/34109/Fort_Solis__Terra_Edition/