The Riftbreaker News

Hello Riftbreakers!

Last week we told you about one of the aspects of The Riftbreaker Campaign Mode - Planetary Exploration. During those events, you will make your first contact with the new biomes and take your first steps into familiarizing yourself with the conditions you will have to endure. Today, we will look at the more scientific part of Ashley’s work on Galatea - sampling and analyzing alien species and phenomena.



While exploring new biomes, plenty of things will catch Ashley’s attention. Among them, you will find new alien species, extraordinary crystal formations, as well as other never-seen-before anomalies. Ashley’s scientific spirit will desire to scan and categorize all of them, and she won’t be able to do that based on a single sample. Mr. Riggs can help find more material for scanning by adjusting his sensors to mark potentially scannable objects. He can also program the Orbital Scanner to look for higher concentrations of alien curiosities.



Ashley and Mr. Riggs have a range of tools at their disposal. Sometimes the object is small and simple enough that research samples of good quality can be acquired by using the Bioscanner. The Bioscanner is an extension module that Ashley can put in Mr. Riggs’ arm, much like a classic weapon. It scans the molecular structure of an object and constructs a digital image of the structural composition of the object. On that basis, it is possible to conduct a range of virtual tests, the same way that you would with a regular research sample, but without the need to collect it manually. Your research goes forward, and the environment is safe. Win-win!



Some things, however, are simply too large or too complex to scan using the regular Bioscanner. In those cases, you need to roll out the big guns (not literally). The Research Station is a full-sized building packed with state-of-the-art technology that will thoroughly scan all the Galatean curiosities you point it towards, as long as you keep it operational. You will have to use it to gather information about the most complex objects of interest. As you can imagine, it won’t be easy to protect delicate field equipment in the middle of an unknown place, but we’re sure you will find a way.

'Camp cool' flagpoles not included in the game. You will have to mod them yourselves ;)

Ashely researches Galatea 37 to better understand the threats she’s facing and take advantage of the opportunities she gets. If you study a creature with a particular defense mechanism, you do so to replicate that same effect. Research missions over the course of The Riftbreaker campaign will give you access to various technologies that will be vital components of your survival strategy. They will also give you opportunities to unlock alternative development paths and simplify your endgame setup.



Bearing that in mind, it’s also worth noting that the majority of research is not mandatory. It’s entirely possible to see Ashley’s mission through to the end using only the ‘human’ part of the technology tree. However, paying extra attention to collecting samples and developing new technologies is rewarded by allowing you to explore alternative build avenues. Some of them can even lead you to full sustainability, even after depleting all the naturally existing resources on the areas you visit. Hypothetically, you could even keep developing your base forever. Still, it’s only an option - if you prefer a different approach, go for it!



Next time we will tell you about the most critical part of The Riftbreaker campaign - setting up Outposts outside your HQ. Make sure to follow us not to miss it! As a reminder, we are available almost 24/7 through our Discord at www.discord.gg/exorstudios and stream twice a week on www.twitch.tv/exorstudios.

See you next time, and remember that we’re releasing on October 14th!

www.twitch.tv/exorstudios

www.twitch.tv/exorstudios

www.twitch.tv/exorstudios

Hello Riftbreakers!



With the release of The Riftbreaker just around the corner (October 14th, for those of you who missed it), it is high time we finally let you know some more details about the Campaign Mode. Don't worry, though - we won't spoil anything so that you can explore and discover the game's secrets on your own. Today, we're going to tell you about one of the aspects of Campaign Mode - planetary exploration.



Over the course of the main campaign in the Riftbreaker, Ashley and Mr. Riggs are going to pay a visit to four completely distinct biomes. Each of those biomes is unique when it comes to fauna, flora, and environmental hazards. You start your adventure in the Tropical Zone - a place abundant in essential building resources, with lots of wildlife but very few other natural threats. This is a great spot to set up your HQ, as it is going to give you the highest probability of survival and a chance to complete your mission to open up a rift portal to Earth.



As you progress through the story, it is going to become clear that your headquarters' immediate surroundings won't cover all your needs. That will force you to travel to other areas of the planet, which we told you about before: the Radioactive Desert, the Acidic Plains, and the Volcanic Zone. Since Ashley is a newcomer to Gataea 37, her initial knowledge about the other biomes is limited to what she can learn through the use of the Orbital Scanner. The Orbital Scanner is an excellent tool for gathering general information about broad areas of the planet and searching for particular elements or minerals. However, you will have to find out more about specific areas of interest by scouting them yourself.



Your primary goal in each biome is to find and collect the necessary resources to construct and power the Rift Station. Each time you travel to a new biome for the first time, Mr. Rigs will inform you about the readings from his sensors and tell you the recommended course of action. Based on those suggestions, your job is to gather as much data as possible and get used to the conditions in the new biome. The Bioscanner will help you gather helpful research samples; it also feeds Mr. Riggs's sensors with many details that would otherwise go amiss. After you've collected the necessary data, you will be able to conduct further research at your HQ or continue venturing deeper into the biome.



The samples gathered from native species of fauna and flora on your exploration missions will allow you to research and develop new technologies. Thousands of years' worth of evolution granted those lifeforms the ability to survive in their habitat. Gaining that knowledge usually gives you a good base for developing your own shielding technologies that will protect you from the hazards of the new environments.



The second significant bit of knowledge gained during scouting is the intel about creature species living in other areas of the planet. All biomes are different and unique. The creatures you encounter will differ in their behavior, strengths, and weaknesses. Some creatures will attack you on sight, while others will leave you alone as long as you don't interrupt their routines. Learning as much as you can about the native creatures and understanding them is vital, especially if you want to set up an outpost in those areas later on.



And there we have it - an overview of the exploration parts in The Riftbreaker Campaign Mode. In the following articles, published over the coming weeks, we will tell you about other elements of the Campaign gameplay, including sampling and research missions, setting up outposts, and much more. We will also tell you how all the tasks you complete affect the entirety of your playthrough. Don't miss the articles and the release - we're going to Galatea 37 on October 14th!