Early Access: New content and systems

My development efforts over the last two years (since Steam Next Fest in Feb 2024) have primarily been focused over four areas: more content, a refined identity, better performance, and a cleaner UI. In today’s feature preview, I’d love to chat about some of the new content, mechanics, and buildings that you’ll be able to play with in Adaptory Early Access!

(Spoilers ahead!)

Food production

Lots of new plant life to discover

Your crew can now have some variety in their diet! Planter boxes (unlocked in Agriculture Research) can plant any seed you find in the world. As long as you keep the plant in its ideal growing conditions (temperature, light, pressure, and/or atmosphere), you should have access to a sustainable long-term source of food.

You’ll also discover a greater variety of plant life on this abandoned planetoid. From oddberries (which are delicious, but only grow upside down), to coralite (which can fuel coal generators and generate oxygen), and oxybells (which continually generate a small amount of oxygen) – there’s plenty of new plant life to discover.

Research tree

A research tree in progress

Previously introduced in Alpha 12, the Adaptory research tree is now fully fleshed out! Explorers will use data chips scattered across the world to recover CHARLI’s databanks, and you’ll also be able to analyse the alien artefacts you end up discovering deeper in the planetoid.

Research progresses through three phases: Basic Research, which only requires a research desk and data chips to unlock; Advanced Research, which requires the mainframe and power to operate it; and Alien Research, which allows your explorers to study alien artefacts in the Research Analyser to unlock the most advanced technologies.

Gas management

Move and filter gases using gas networks

This has been a long time coming… gas management is now in Adaptory! Gas pumps, vents, pipes, and bridges (unlocked in Gas Research) all help you to suck up gases, move them around, sort them, and put them where they need to be. Gas filters and valves (unlocked in Advanced Gas Research) also give you more fine-grained control over the gases in your base.

You’ll also be able to now build liquid filters and valves (unlocked in Advanced Liquid Research) for your liquid networks too.

Cryochambers

Explorers can be revived using cryochambers

Since explorers are so essential to your gameplay, an explorer death (likely from running out of oxygen) will have a major impact on your base – so we’ve added a new tech tree option and building, the Cryochamber, so that death is never permanent.

With a cryochamber (unlocked in Revival Research), you’ll be able to store explorers that have passed away and eventually restore them back to life. However, you’ll need to find all three types of glowrose to operate the chamber, and explorers aren’t a fan of going through the resurrection process.

Automation

Optimise your base with automation

First previewed almost a year ago, Adaptory has a rich palette of buildings to fully automate your base. There are sensors to track the state of your world; circuit wires and bridges to create new circuit networks; logic gates to create more complex systems; and many buildings have been updated to be controllable by the circuit network.

Adding automation to your game is optional – you’ll be able to “finish” Adaptory without them – but for advanced players, these buildings can help you create a more efficient base with a happier crew.

Three days to go!

If you’re also excited to start playing with all these new buildings and systems, make sure to wishlist Adaptory on Steam, so you can get notified the instant it’s released!

Adaptory