Update video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtjCM1jSyA4

See full changelist at the link:

Release Schedule

  • Streamer Weekend – Friday June 13th – Sunday June 15th
  • Steam Experimental – Monday June 16th
  • Steam & Console Stable Release – Monday June 30th (Barring Show stopping Bugs or Cert Issues)

Biome Progression

With the new Biome Progression option enabled, all biomes except the Pine Forest will have a unique environmental hazard to overcome. Like a Boy Scout earning a merit badge, complete challenges to learn about each biome’s inhabitants and resources. When a biome’s challenges are completed, a Biome Badge can be collected at any nearby Trader.

Here are the biomes listed in their order of severity:

  • The Pine Forest – Starting biome with no hazards
  • The Burnt Forest – Combat the hot embers & thick black smoke
  • The Desert – Overcome the extreme heat
  • The Snow – Survive the freezing temperatures and windchill
  • The Wasteland – Conquer the high radiation fallout

There are seven challenges for each hazardous biome:

  • Wearing specific armor or obtaining the previous biome’s badge
  • Harvesting biome specific resources
  • Crafting remedies to increase your hazard resistance
  • Mining biome specific resources
  • Killing biome specific enemies
  • Looting in the biome
  • Spending a specific amount of time in each biome

The Biome Progression system is on by default but can be disabled in the game and server options which will turn off the biome hazards and requirements for Biome Badges.
Biome Progression Loot Stage Cap

In addition to the biome hazards, each biome will have a progressive loot stage cap. This will help to encourage players to explore each biome and seek out higher tiered loot. Loot caps are increased by progressing forward through each biome’s challenges.

  • Caps are automatically increased when entering into a harder biome
  • To raise the cap in the current biome, complete the next higher biome’s challenges
  • Continuing to progress and complete more biome challenges will keep raising the cap in the previous biomes
  • The loot cap is off if the Biome Progression option is disabled

Biome Resources

To encourage biome exploration, dominant ore types have been redistributed across the world. Each biome now favors a specific ore: Iron in the Pine Forest, Potassium Nitrate in the Burnt Forest, Oil Shale in the Desert, Coal in the Snow biome, and Lead in the Wasteland. While all ores can still be found in low volumes elsewhere, venturing into the right biome will greatly improve your yields.
Dynamic Storm System

Can you weather the storm? We have overhauled the legacy weather system and added a new Dynamic Storm System to the game. These storms have an increased severity per biome with random frequency and duration. Biome Badges will not protect against these storms. There are five types of storms listed below in their order of severity:

  • Thunderstorms – All Biomes (No damage to the players)
  • Ember Storm – Burnt Forest Biome Only (Damages players)
  • Sand Storm – Desert Biome Only (Damages players)
  • Snow Storm – Snow Biome Only (Damages players)
  • Radiation Storm – Wasteland Biome Only (Damages players)

A Storm is Brewing:

  • Storms will occur occasionally with some random variation in time and can last for several minutes.
  • The Storm Frequency option adjusts how often storms occur, ranging from 0% (storms disabled) to 500% (five times more frequent storms).
  • When a severe storm begins, the following will happen:
    • The player will hear a warning siren accompanied by a HUD message on the top of the screen ‘Storm Warning! Seek Shelter!’ or ‘Storm Warning! Leave Biome!’ depending on if a player has earned their Biome Badge.
    • The HUD message is accompanied by a 60 second timer. After the timer expires, the HUD message changes to ‘Seek Shelter Now!’ or ‘Leave Biome Now!’ depending on if a player has earned their Biome Badge.
    • A storm Buff timer will then display on the left side of the screen showing how much time a player has before they will take damage.
    • If the player is not sheltered, they will take damage. If they have found a sufficient shelter, the HUD text will change to ‘You are safe from the storm’. Players can also build a quick shelter or use first aid kits to prolong their life in the storm.
    • Note: If you have not gained your Biome Badge, seeking shelter will only protect you from the storm. The biome hazards will still be active and will require hazard reducers while sheltered.

Navezgane Update

  • Navezgane has gotten a makeover to work seamlessly with the new biome progression system. Biome boundaries and trader POI positions were updated to improve travel times between large POI townships.
  • Added new 2.0 POIs and others that were not previously on the map (e.g. roadside checkpoints)
  • Updated new player spawn points to be closer to trader (e.g. ~700 meters)
  • Increased density of wilderness POIs with connected pathways. This improves exploration as there are more POI choices visible in the distance to investigate.
  • Updated downtown city in the wasteland biome. (teleport to trader joel then follow roads SW)
  • Rebalanced POI tiers across every biome (e.g. more T5 in the wasteland, etc.)