Moonscape Dev Diary #5: Getting Resourceful

And we’re back with another installment of the Dev Diaries! We are extremely excited to talk about today’s topic, the collection of resources! In order to survive the treacherous reaches of the Moon, you will need to be powered with resources found throughout its surface. The game has 4 types of resources in total: the electric energy Cryptonium, the fuel Decentralite, the energy crystals Yield Stones, and spare parts Rocket Juice.

These four resources are used in various features of the game, balanced out among four distinct areas. These usages include functions such as starting additional cities, after your first one (which does not require any special resources). They may also include such necessary actions as constructing buildings, upgrading Core Features, building more excavators, and much, much more.

There are two main ways to obtain resources: extraction and raiding.

Around the map you will find extraction points that contain valuable resources. Explore the map to find these points dotted along the murky surface, and battle aliens hoarding these resources on the way.

In order to start extraction, first you will need to approach the resource point with your rover and set up one of your available excavators. You will start with one excavator per resource type, but will be able to obtain more with the Resource Extraction core feature.

First construct your extractor, which will require a certain amount of time. Next, it will get to work extracting, which will also require a given amount of time, after which it will no longer extract until set out again. During this extraction period, it will obtain a certain amount of its corresponding resource based on its level, which can be augmented using the Mining Research core feature.

Notice that the resources won’t be automatically added to your game’s total, thus you will need to hop in your rover to go and retrieve it personally. Do this by pressing the icon and selecting Collect. There will be another option called Unpack, and this one is used to remove that extractor from that resource point, in order to relocate to another location.

This is important for two reasons. First, the resource points are limited, and will eventually run out of their given resource, and second, there is one major extraction point per resource type, which holds a much higher quantity of its given resource. This means that you will obtain a higher amount of the resource at that point, but you’ll need to get there while supplies last! However, nothing in this world can be gotten without struggle. Major resource points are always guarded by a powerful Cosmic Horror that must be defeated in exchange for access.

In order to not lose track of your excavators in the vastness of Moonscape, after you assign one to a resource point, its location will appear in the mini map of the game; but will only remain while an excavator is assigned to the point. Once collected, this point will no longer appear on your mini map.

The other main way to obtain resources is by raiding them from other players.

Enter the city of a rival player and click on any of their buildings to check the available amount of the resources present. Destroying this building in combat means that you will obtain that resource. It is very important to always fight with caution, as you must survive the encounter in order to obtain the resources. Even if you destroy the building, if your rover is destroyed, you’ll lose your hard-earned spoils!

Missions and other in-game rewards will also grant some resources, but we will cover that in more detail in a later diary entry, so stay tuned for more information!

That does it for today, spacefarers! What part of the game would you like to learn more about? Let us know in the comments! We want to get you 100% prepared for launch, so let’s make sure we leave no stone unturned! See you next time!