The Indie Game Magazine May 2015 | Issue 49 | Page 16

development and gameplay
standpoint?

that you’ll be integrating into future updates? much around that is likely to cause harm.
UWE: important piece of feedback I think
we’ve received from our major updates
is that players appreciate major updates!
All our update content is released publicly
well in advance of the release of these ‘big
updates,’ via experimental branch. From a
content perspective, we don’t actually release
anything on update day. We just promote
what has been publicly building up in the
game over the preceding weeks. This suggests
that it’s not just the content that customers
find valuable, but also the packaging and
communication of that content’s existence
in a parse-able, discrete way.

Moving into slightly deeper water, players
will quickly encounter Kelp Forests. These
areas are marked by their towering vertical
kelp plants, and generally green palette.
Among the kelp lurk aggressive, sizeable
creatures known as Stalkers. These creatures
are particularly interested in shiny metallic
objects such as scrap metal and dive tanks.
This is an example of diverse environments
producing changing aesthetics and changing
gameplay: In order to collect enough scrap
metal to build larger vehicles and bases,
the player will have to venture outside Safe
Shallows. In doing so, they will encounter
more dangerous creatures.

IGM: Can you talk about the diverse environments players will discover, and how The diversity of environments extends far
each zone impacts the gameplay systems? beyond the Safe Shallows / Kelp Forest dichotomy. Further unique areas include red,
UWE: Subnautica’s ocean is vast. It’s over 16
undulating Grassy Plateaus, the majestic tursquare kilometers, or about one-third the
quoise Grand Reef biome, and more. The final
playable area of The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim. It
number of biomes is yet to be determined,
is divided into distinct biomes, each featurbut through their interaction and uniqueness
ing a unique aesthetic, flora and fa V