Nature And Life - Drunk On Nectar News

Good news for DoN's Linux players!

The Linux build has been updated with the game's latest spectacles and now also runs on a new graphics renderer - Vulkan Graphics API.

It's a lot faster, smoother and more fun now to play!


This is a request for Steam Deck owners to try out DoN's new Linux build and provide your feedback!

The game's previous Steam Deck build was based on OpenGL, while this new "Vulkan" version should be a much better experience graphically.

Presently I am not able to test with a Steam Deck myself, so I'd be very grateful for your feedback to learn about its current state :)

Note: Official Steam Deck support is highly desired and will hopefully come soon!

"Mantis Tree World" rendered using the new Vulkan Graphics API (on Ubuntu 24)


This update brings the Linux build on par with Windows after gap of several years.

The game's long absence on Linux was due to a combination of technical issues as well as a lack of dev resources to address those.

Resolving these issues proved challenging and required many late hours, but now that it's finally done, regular updates on Linux platform will now resume again!

Jumping Spider Lifecycle rendered with Vulkan (on Ubuntu 24)


Personally I'm finding the latest Linux update to be the most enjoyable version of the game in terms of smoothness and fun.

Playtesting on Ubuntu 24 was an amazing experience for me and I highly encourage all Windows players to give the Linux version a try too.

Dragonfly Survival screenshot from the latest Linux build :)


Thanks to all the game's players as always!

Additionally, a special thanks to the game's Linux players for putting up with the lack of updates all these years.

I hope you will find this latest update to be fun and rewarding!

As a reminder, if you have a Steam Deck please give this new Linux update a try on your device :)


With Love,
Venugopalan Sreedharan
Developer of Nature & Life - Drunk On Nectar

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Dear players,

The 2024 video trailer for DoN is now out!

This video summarizes the key offerings of Nature & Life - Drunk On Nectar as of today.

The Monarch Butterfly Lifecycle, Praying Mantis Lifecycle and Jumping Spider Lifecycle are the key highlights.

While DoN's lesser known game modes like "Face Off", "Free Exploration" are not featured in this particular trailer, they will be emphasized in upcoming videos along with game updates that will focus on helping players to get the most of out of these modes.

For now, I hope you enjoy the trailer! :)


October has been a quiet month for several reasons, including inability to finance the game's full-scale development this month.

Hopefully this situation will improve in the coming days. As a reminder, the game's soundtrack is available for purchase on Steam for interested players to support the game's ongoing development. Much thanks to the game's fans across the world for your support and enthusiasm!

At the earliest opportunity the game's next set of major updates will recommence.


Thanks to everyone for your kindness and support all these years :) It is deeply appreciated!



With Love,
Venugopalan Sreedharan
(Developer of Nature & Life - Drunk On Nectar)

[hr][/hr]
Dear Wonderful Players of Nature & Life - Drunk On Nectar!

Patch #3 for the Praying Mantis Lifecycles is out!

Bringing Gender selection, Locomotion improvements & lots more, this update is a must-play for every fan of DoN!

[hr][/hr]


[h2]Mantis Male / Female Gender Selection[/h2]
Players can now choose Gender for the Mantis at the outset.

Similar to other species in the game, the Female's gameplay includes Oviposition, while the male is allowed to proceed directly to Gen 2 after Mating (via the "Skip To End Of Life" option in the Main Menu).



[hr][/hr]

[h2]Mantis Locomotion Vastly Improved[/h2]
Moving around is now much easier!

Large Mantis Instars will now find crossing across leaves easier than before. Getting stuck in mid-air has also been resolved, yielding a far more smoother and reliable overall experience.



These improvements also carry over to the game's other major spectacles, such as the Jumping Spider and Ladybug Lifecycles too!

Do try playing DoN's other spectacles once again if it's been a while since you've played them! :)

[hr][/hr]

[h2]Beauty of Vision[/h2]
Smoother camera for the Praying Mantis Lifecycle makes it possible for players to experience the "Mantis Tree World" with far greater immersion than ever before.

Additionally, zooming for the adult Mantis has also been fixed, enabling players to take in unique vistas and perspectives by zooming out more easily.



[hr][/hr]

[h2]Praying Mantis Lifecycles - Generation 2[/h2]
Gen 2 has been fixed. This was recently broken with a bug that prevented Moulting in Gen 2. Now players can continue from Gen 1 into Gen 2 without issues :)



[hr][/hr]


[h2]Lifecycles Presentation[/h2]
Quest icons have now been added for each Life Goal making it easier for players to relate to pending quests.



Along with new animations for the Life Goals HUD, quest summary has been improved for several quests.

Finally, various minor improvements have also been included, such as better workflow for the Benchmark and Feedback tools.

[hr][/hr]

[h2]Thank you![/h2]
Thanks a lot for your interest in this game! :)

All in all, this update is essential for all those who enjoy this game! Be sure to pick it up and try out your favorite game modes / creatures!

~ That's it for this update, but there's always more to come! :)

With Love,
Venugopalan Sreedharan
(Developer of Nature & Life - Drunk On Nectar)

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Patch #2 for the Praying Mantis Lifecycles Release is out!


The following improvements have been made:

[h2]Locomotion improved[/h2]
Stepping onto flowers and out of them is now much easier!

[h2]Ambush gameplay improved[/h2]
Ambush now triggers "quick reflex" based on the size of the prey.

For very tiny Aphids players no longer have to sit through the quick reflex anymore.

[h2]Settings Menu - FPS [/h2]
FPS Limit setting has been added to the game, enabling detailed customization of FPS options.

[h2]Music & Audio[/h2]
Audio level of certain music tracks has been rebalanced to provide a better overall experience as a Praying Mantis

In case you haven't yet seen the Praying Mantis Release video, please check it out above!


Thanks to everyone for your patience :)



With Love,
- Venu

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]


Contains the following essential fixes:

1) Growth Issues for 5th/6th instar fixed

2) Chemical Vision no longer throttles FPS

3) Prey Fauna Spawning: now improved such that players no longer see them appearing / disappearing
abruptly. This was a performance feature given the super-high concentration of prey in the Mantis Tree World (the actual number of prey exceeds a population of over 10000 of various species!)

4) Quest narration improved for Ambush tutorial.

5) Mantis Movement into Flowers made easier; upcoming patches will improve upon this further.

6) Mantis Egg Sac (Oothecae) now allows smooth movement upon its surface. Movement was previously irregular / shaky here.


More improvements are on the way.

Camera and movement will be substantially improved, along with performance.

Stay tuned :)



Finally, a big thanks to everyone for showing so much enthusiasm and support for this update!

It is deeply appreciated indeed! :)

With Love,
Venugopalan Sreedharan
(Developer of Nature & Life - Drunk On Nectar)