Posted February 28, 2020 by jwiggs
Wow! It has been a long time since the last update, and I have been working very hard on designing an experience that expands the game play without sacrificing all of the great mechanics that were already in place. I originally planned for this update to be relatively small and only take 2 months, but 291 days later, the game has been radically transformed. The design of the game evolved over the months, and what you see is actually the third iteration of the Exploration Update.
The map, regions, realms, shops and forges, item drops, editing, almost every single aspect of the game has changed, it might as well be an entirely new game! Prepare to have your mind blown!
Sandbox mode was designed as a secret place to test new features faster. As a result, sandbox mode is a pathway to many game breaking abilities some would consider unnatural. To start a new sandbox game, hold down right click instead of the normal left click.
Survival
One Life - Unlike previous versions, you only get a single life in survival. Once you die, it is game over.
Sandbox
Unlimited respawns - When you die, you get sent back to the editor where you can edit your island.
Editor errors - Even though your island might be disjointed without any floatrons, the game will still let you create your island. The game rules still apply, so just don't build islands without floatrons.
Free travel - At any point in time, you can travel to any region.
Starting items - Start with a lot of every single item in the game.
Console commands - Gain access to the cheat commands like giving yourself overpowered items
Note: Playing in the sandbox will spoil the experience of discovering new things. Try playing in survival first.
Let's start with the big picture first: the realm map. This realm map is now the fourth iteration of a long design process. This map is unique, while still playing off feel of my favorite game designs from Slay the Spire and Faster than Light.
the difference between the realm map in survival (left) and sandbox (right)
With the creation of realms and regions comes the need to travel between them. Warp gates allow you to travel within the current realm between regions, while realm gates will instantly take you to the next realm.
speeding into a warp gate, activating it, and warping away
Activated and Deactivated Gates
Gates can start both activated or deactivated, and deactivated gates will require their warp keys and realm keys respectively in order to unlock them. In friendly regions, the gate will always be activated, however in enemy regions, the gates have been deactivated by the forces inhabiting it.
going through a realm gate
Obtaining a key
Certain enemies will be given the warp and realm keys. On your radar, these enemies will be marked in an orange color as opposed to normal enemies marked in yellow.
Using the keys
Once you have collected a key, move over to the gate you want to unlock and hover your cursor over the gate. If the correct key is found in your inventory, the key will be shown and you can <RIGHT CLICK> the gate in order to consume the key and unlock the warp gate.
Using the gates
Move your island into the gate to start the charging process. When fully charged, warp gates will open the map to ask you to select your destination, while realm gates will instantly take you to the next realm.
With so many things scattered across a fairly large region, it can be really tedious running around trying to find portals, loot and enemies. Different colored indicators ;on the radar can help you identify what you are looking at.
Map Controls
Focus - Hold Tab
Zoom - Mouse wheel
Activating and zooming in and out on the map
Region Radar
The radar has little indicators that can tell you the position of objects and islands close by. Things that are out of range will appear as indicators on the edges of the radar.