Devlog #1.2 — Why Do Survival Sandboxes Always Start with Chopping and Mining
Hi everyone! I’m the developer of The Apocalypse.
After my last devlog where I asked if you’d like to see a quest system, I received tons of valuable feedback from players. Thank you so much—your enthusiasm is what keeps me going!
Today, I want to talk about something almost every survival sandbox fan has gotten used to: the classic early game routine of punching trees, mining rocks, and hunting small animals like deer or rabbits. Nearly every survival game treats this as the “first step.”
I’ve played a lot of these games myself, and usually the very first thing I do is collect wood and stone. From a design standpoint, it makes sense: these materials exist in any environment, they’re instantly recognizable, and they require no learning curve. The progression from wooden tools → stone tools → iron tools also creates a simple and intuitive upgrade path. And let’s be honest—punching your first tree or rock isn’t just an action, it feels like a primitive ritual: crafting your first tool with bare hands carries a real sense of accomplishment.
[h2]But here’s the downside:[/h2]
It’s repetitive. Almost every survival sandbox starts with the same loop—chop trees, mine rocks—so it lacks freshness.
It’s fatiguing. Players have gone through this opening in dozens of games already, and it can feel stale.
In The Apocalypse, wood and stone will still exist as basic resources, but I want to mix things up at the start. Players don’t always have to begin with chopping trees—maybe you’ll scavenge materials from ruins, or jump straight into special gameplay without gathering or crafting. On top of the classic resources, we’ll also introduce some unique ones.
What I really want is for the opening moment to feel like a choice for survival, not just “grab wood and make tools.”
[h2]So I’d love to hear your thoughts:[/h2]
Classic start — Chop trees, mine rocks. Familiar and simple.
Alternative start — Loot ruins, or fight enemies for drops.
Hybrid design — A mix of both: gather if you want, or dive straight into other options.
Share your ideas in the comments! Who knows—your favorite approach might end up in a future version of The Apocalypse!
And if you want to be among the first to try these new ideas, don’t forget to add us to your Wishlist on Steam!
After my last devlog where I asked if you’d like to see a quest system, I received tons of valuable feedback from players. Thank you so much—your enthusiasm is what keeps me going!
Today, I want to talk about something almost every survival sandbox fan has gotten used to: the classic early game routine of punching trees, mining rocks, and hunting small animals like deer or rabbits. Nearly every survival game treats this as the “first step.”
I’ve played a lot of these games myself, and usually the very first thing I do is collect wood and stone. From a design standpoint, it makes sense: these materials exist in any environment, they’re instantly recognizable, and they require no learning curve. The progression from wooden tools → stone tools → iron tools also creates a simple and intuitive upgrade path. And let’s be honest—punching your first tree or rock isn’t just an action, it feels like a primitive ritual: crafting your first tool with bare hands carries a real sense of accomplishment.
[h2]But here’s the downside:[/h2]
It’s repetitive. Almost every survival sandbox starts with the same loop—chop trees, mine rocks—so it lacks freshness.
It’s fatiguing. Players have gone through this opening in dozens of games already, and it can feel stale.
In The Apocalypse, wood and stone will still exist as basic resources, but I want to mix things up at the start. Players don’t always have to begin with chopping trees—maybe you’ll scavenge materials from ruins, or jump straight into special gameplay without gathering or crafting. On top of the classic resources, we’ll also introduce some unique ones.
What I really want is for the opening moment to feel like a choice for survival, not just “grab wood and make tools.”
[h2]So I’d love to hear your thoughts:[/h2]
Classic start — Chop trees, mine rocks. Familiar and simple.
Alternative start — Loot ruins, or fight enemies for drops.
Hybrid design — A mix of both: gather if you want, or dive straight into other options.
Share your ideas in the comments! Who knows—your favorite approach might end up in a future version of The Apocalypse!
And if you want to be among the first to try these new ideas, don’t forget to add us to your Wishlist on Steam!