ALTERA News

[p]We're happy to share that we've already received more than 2000 playtest sign-ups! Thank you all for being interested in our game. It really means a lot to us! In case you have not signed up yet, you can request access on our store page.[/p][p][/p][p]We also wanted to let you know that you will be able to invite up to 3 friends to join the playtest. This feature will be available before the playtest launches.[/p][p][/p][p]There is also a new video, showcasing the penguin soldier gameplay. Check it out![/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p][p]We're excited to announce that ALTERA Playtest will launch on March 31st. It was originally scheduled for February, but we decided to delay it slightly to provide a more polished experience for everyone. [/p][p]Sign-ups are now open on the game store page! Just click the "Request Access" button. Everyone can participate. If you have the game in your Steam library, please be sure to request access anyway. We'll be using the Steam Playtest feature exclusively until we release the Early Access version. [/p][p]Plus, we've prepared a new gameplay trailer for you! Check it out here.[/p][p][/p][p]Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/alteragame[/p]

[p][/p][h2]PLAYTEST[/h2][p]We’re happy to announce that the upcoming Playtest is planned for February 2026. The number of participants will be unlimited. Sign-ups will open sometime prior to the Playtest, so stay tuned for upcoming announcements![/p][p]We wish everyone a Happy New Year![/p][p][/p][h2]Intro Section[/h2][p]We have invested a lot of effort into creating the Intro section, which is designed to introduce the most important game mechanics. The Intro will be relatively short and is not expected to exceed 30 minutes of gameplay. It can only be played in solo mode. However, once you complete it, you’ll be able to invite other players and continue your journey together.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]First Mission Type: Hostile Camps[/h2][p]Our first mission type will appear in your journal when hostile groups occasionally sneak into your area and set up camps. Your goal is to clear these camps to ensure there is no hostile activity within your faction’s territory.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]NPC Dialogues[/h2][p]You can now trigger dialogues with other characters. Through these conversations, they can give you quests or share other important (or sometimes not-so-important) information. Dialogue text appears as a box on the screen above the character’s head. Other players can easily observe these dialogues in real time.[/p][p]NPCs will also look at you while talking, or sometimes simply when passing by. This feature makes them feel much more alive.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]Climbing Feature[/h2][p]You’re now able to climb ladders, making it easy to reach the top of towers and check the surrounding area.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]Map Progress[/h2][p]We’ve designed several new military outposts, as well as desolate villages, expanding the variety and depth of the world. [/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]Third Person Perspective[/h2][p]The third-person perspective has been reworked and now includes two sub-modes. When you have a weapon equipped, the camera switches to an immersive mode that follows your aim point precisely. When the weapon is holstered, the free camera mode activates, allowing you to rotate the camera freely and view your character from any angle.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]AI Patrolling[/h2][p]Work on AI continues. We’ve added preset patrol points to outposts, making soldier patrol routes more logical and believable.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]New Outfits[/h2][p]A couple of new outfits have been added. You can expect many more outfits in the Playtest version.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]Facilities & Resources[/h2][p]The new facility, Metal Storage, works similarly to the wood storage. Assigned characters will collect and transport metal. We’ve also reworked the overall resource-gathering system. Soldiers stationed at a base can now only collect resources available within the area where the outpost is located.[/p][p][/p][h3]Wood Resources Overhaul[/h3][p]Instead of a single wood resource, we now have three types:[/p]

• [p]Logs[/p]
• [p]Planks[/p]
• [p]Sticks[/p]

[p]Each serves a different purpose. Logs are collected by characters assigned to wood storage facilities. They are a raw resource with limited usage, but can be processed into planks using the new Sawmill facility. Planks are commonly used for construction and can also be further cut into sticks. Sticks are useful as firewood or for crafting wooden items such as bows.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]Name System[/h2][p]All characters now have unique names, making it easier to distinguish members of your faction.[/p][p]This soldier is part of your faction. You can also exchange items with other soldiers.[/p][p][/p][h2]Building Expansion[/h2][p]We’ve invested a lot of work into expanding the variety of buildable objects. Our goal is to allow you to construct not just simple wooden structures, but complete outposts with walls, towers, living containers, and a wide range of facilities and usable objects.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]Loot System[/h2][p]Further progress has been made on expanding storage object types, including boxes, crates, weapon racks, and sacks. Certain items are now more likely to be found in specific storage types. For example, sacks are more likely to contain flour or bundles of wood rather than weapons (unless someone was smart enough to hide one there).[/p][p]Global loot randomization has also been improved to make item spawning more logical overall.[/p][p][/p][h2]Save System[/h2][p]We have completed the major work required to ensure that the entire world state, including all dynamic objects, is safely saved between sessions.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p]

[p]Hello there, fellow commanders![/p][p]Today, we’re excited to share the features we’ve been working on recently. The Facility System is a major new addition designed to diversify gameplay and make outpost management a much more engaging and enjoyable experience![/p][p]The new facilities include the Workbench, Wood Storage, Water Collector, Firewood Oven, and the Campfire. Most of them can only be built within outposts, while the Campfire can be placed freely anywhere in the game world. Let’s take a closer look at each one.[/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][h2]🔧 Workbench[/h2][p]It’s hard to imagine a military outpost without a workbench — a place for crafting everything from basic tools to weapons, as well as repairing damaged gear. In this first version, you can craft a hunting bow, wooden arrows, and a portable lantern.
[/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][hr][/hr][p][/p][h2]💧 Water Collector[/h2][p]The Water Collector gathers rainwater over time. The rate of collection depends on the intensity of the rainfall. You can now refill your flask directly from it, making hydration management much more practical.
[/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][h2]🪵 Wood Storage[/h2][p]This facility acts as the hub for wood production at your outpost. Assign stationed soldiers to work here and they’ll handle woodcutting and logging. Harvested wood is essential for crafting, cooking, building facilities, and constructing living structures.
[/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][h2]🔥 Firewood Oven[/h2][p]Use the Firewood Oven to bake food — yes, including fresh, crunchy bread rolls! Baking requires a healthy supply of wood, plus our new resources: flour and yeast. These aren’t easy to find; you’ll need to trade for them or take them by force from enemy outposts.
[/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][hr][/hr][p][/p][h2]🏕️ Campfire[/h2][p]The Campfire is a great way to stay warm during long nights — whether you’re on guard duty or traveling to a remote location. It also lets you cook meat, a food type that’s coming in future updates.
[/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][hr][/hr][p][/p][h2]✨Easy Resource Access[/h2][p]When building structures, crafting at the workbench, or cooking at the oven, you no longer need to carry all the required resources manually. If the necessary materials are stored anywhere within the current outpost, they will be used automatically.[/p][p]Certain buildings, like the Workbench and Firewood Oven, also include built-in storage. You can place resources directly inside them and use those materials for crafting or cooking on the spot.[/p][p]However, if you're out in the wild or setting up a new outpost, you'll still need to carry resources yourself — or rely on your companions to help haul the load.[/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][h2]🛠️ Item Durability[/h2][p]Weapons now have a durability stat. The more you use a gun, the more it wears down. Poorly maintained weapons will jam more frequently, so keeping your gear clean and repaired is key to survival.[/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][h2]📦Updated Storage UI[/h2][p]The storage interface has been redesigned! It’s now a dedicated window, separate from your personal inventory, making resource management easier and more intuitive.[/p][p]We've also added weapon condition indicators, so you can keep a better eye on your gear's durability.
[/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][h2]🌤️ Weather & Daytime Indicator[/h2][p]A new, handy UI element has been added: the Weather and Daytime Indicator. It’s a small but crucial feature to help you stay aware of time and conditions — especially useful for planning expeditions or anticipating rain.
[/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][p]Thanks for reading, commanders! As always, we’re excited to hear your feedback. Stay warm, stay sharp — and we’ll see you in the next update![/p]

We’ve worked hard over the past months, and it’s time to share some exciting progress with you. From a brand-new map to new weapons and facilities, the world of Altera is growing and we're getting closer to the upcoming public playtest. Let’s dive into what’s new and what’s coming soon!

[h2]New Weapon: Wooden Bow[/h2]

The wooden bow is one of the simplest weapons available early in the game. It’s silent, perfect for hunting, and can also serve as a deadly weapon against humans. Arrows are now a separate ammo type and can be either crafted or purchased from traders.


[h2]Characters[/h2]

We’ve optimized our human characters to make them much more performance-efficient while maintaining high visual quality.

[h2]New Map[/h2]

We’ve dedicated a significant amount of time to developing a new map, which will replace the Haven map. Like Haven, it features an island setting — but this one is much larger. While Haven was 4 square kilometers, the new map is four times bigger at 16 square kilometers! Our goal was to make exploration even more exciting and to give players a constant sense of scale.



We first focused on designing and testing the layout to ensure that the vast scale feels natural and that exploration aligns with our sandbox game vision. Once we were satisfied with the flow, we moved on to foliage distribution, using procedural generation to create diverse landscape layers and sub-biomes.

We’ve also replaced the old biome with a completely new one. The new island is covered with expansive pine forests, ranging from lush, mossy woods to drier, sparser areas.



Overall, the new map will look stunning — towering mountains, deadly high cliffs, sprawling valleys, dense forests, and breathtaking distant views. We’ve carefully analyzed every aspect of the old map to improve immersion and make the world of Altera feel even more alive and exciting.

Another highlight of the new environment: massive terraces and cliffs, which are not only visually impressive but also hint at the future climbing mechanics we plan to introduce!

These improvements will elevate the visual quality of the environment, while system requirements are expected to remain the same.



[h2]New Starting Base[/h2]

We’ve created a brand-new starting base, larger than the previous one. It will serve as a starting point in the game.

Starting base layout (WIP!)

[h2]New Facilities[/h2]

We’ve designed the visual style of several new facilities and are currently working on their technical implementation. Here’s a sneak peek at some of them!

Wood storage

Workbench

[h2]Portal Dungeons[/h2]

We’re also developing a new version of the portal dungeons. They now feature environments filled with unfinished buildings, adding new atmosphere and challenge to these areas.



[h2]Save System[/h2]

The save system has been updated to use local storage instead of saving directly to the cloud. This ensures that your data is reliably saved, even in case of network issues. Don't worry — Steam Cloud support remains in place to keep your saves safe and backed up.

Additionally, the save system has been expanded to include more game components. The following states are now saved:

• Sky and weather conditions.
  
• Built facilities and structures.
  
• Permanent containers placed on the ground.
  

We’re getting closer and closer to the upcoming public playtest on Steam! We can't wait for you to dive into the world of Altera, explore everything we’ve been building, and share your impressions with us!

[h2]Full list of changes:[/h2]

• Reimported and optimized human characters.
  
• Optimized human hair quality on setting below Epic.
  
• Fixed visual bug with the extreme closing deformation on low and medium settings.
  
• Animation: Improved crouch state.
  
• Animation: added movement transition states.
  
• Implemented wooden bow.
  
• Enhanced weapon recoils.
  
• Updated AI cover system.
  
• Improved AI peeking animations.
  
• Fixed bug when units were spawning on top of the buildings.
  
• Replaced the old map with a new 16 square km terrain.
  
• Created the new starting base.
  
• Designed starting area of the map.
  
• Designed models for the workbench, wood storage, wood oven, and portable flame heater.
  
• Developed procedural setup for the upcoming version of portal dungeons.
  
• Updated save system to use local storage.
  
• Implemented Steam Cloud Support.
  
• Implemented and tested DLSS 4.