How will be the Gameplay of “Too Far Too Late”?

I'm excited to welcome you to my latest update for “Too Far Too Late”. I deeply appreciate the incredible support from the Steam community. Thanks to you, the game has received over 200 wishlists in just two months!

In this post, I'll be sharing the current development status of the game and outlining the next steps as I prepare for Early Access. Thank you for being part of this journey with me.

A base under construction

To start, I wanted to tell you that this game is a personal project I started a couple of years ago with no real goal in mind. It’s a passion project, not something aimed at generating a quick return on investment by creating "one more" Rimworld-like, Satisfactory-like, or KSP-like game.

My goal here is to innovate within the colony games genre by incorporating gameplay elements from other genres and creating an advanced simulation that balances realism and fun.

My main inspiration comes from colony games like Rimworld and Planet Base, which have been precursors in the genre with unique value propositions and a sci-fi setup coherent with the rest of the gameplay.

Additionally, games like Stationeers, Space Station 13, and even Tin Can have greatly inspired the simulation elements. While having an oxygen layer is common in space games, managing pressure, temperature, gas composition and processing, are elements that only a few games handle very well.

Lander reaching the planet

In "Too Far Too Late," you find yourself stranded on a distant planet following an emergency during a space voyage, preventing your return to Earth. Although your lander could potentially reach the Moon or Mars, surviving there presents a formidable challenge for you and your team.

So yes, “Too Far Too Late” is a survival game where you control your astronaut and constantly manage oxygen production, food, water supply, and the health of your colonists. As you navigate the harsh environment of the planet, your primary objectives are to maintain essential resources and ensure the well-being of your crew in these unforgiving conditions.

You actively participate in the life of the colony by controlling one astronaut, while the other colonists are managed by an AI.

Giving order to the player's character

Which gameplay features are implemented?

In "Too Far Too Late," the following gameplay mechanics are currently implemented:

• Base Building: You can construct your base element by element, including structures like walls, floors, roofs, and lights. Start by landing on Mars or the Moon with a lander stocked with oxygen canisters, food, water, and building elements.

• Energy Management: Set up solar panels and batteries to generate and store energy for your devices during nighttime. Electrical circuits, cables, and energy distribution are key components.

• Life Support System: Utilize the oxygen bottles from the lander to pressurize your outpost, ensuring a breathable environment for you and your team. The colonists can remove their space suits and work faster inside the base.

• Hydroponic Systems: Place hydroponic devices connected to your liquid water pipes to grow plants. This system produces oxygen, food and generates more seeds for expanding into a greenhouse. Capture the oxygen to fill more canisters, and your colony can prepare for more challenges.

• Resource Extraction and Crafting: Mine rocks around the base to obtain ores, then use an arc furnace to smelt these ores into ingots. These ingots can be crafted into more advanced items and building elements in a workshop.

• Machinery: Use both automatic and manual machines for crafting, allowing you to expand your base and improve its capacity. Use the crafting table for advanced item production.

With all these sandbox elements, you can manage a small colony, achieve continuous production of oxygen and other essential materials, and prepare for various events that may occur during your mission. Whether it's dealing with equipment failures, unexpected environmental changes, or other challenges, you'll need to stay vigilant and resourceful to ensure the survival and success of your colony.

A small outpost on Mars

What will be included until the Early Access?

Before the Early Access launch, I plan to include several exciting features that will enhance your gameplay experience. Here are the key additions you can expect:

• Rockets: The ultimate goal of building a rocket and producing fuel to return to Earth.

• AddedMore crafting recipesNew rocket parts and elements added to the crafting tables and available constructions.
• AddedHydrogen and FuelFuel production from hydrogen and oxygen, including new construction elements for extracting ice water and separating hydrogen.

• Commerce: Smaller cargo pods for commerce with Earth or with other colonies around the solar system, allowing you to send items to fulfill various requests.

Rockets will be modular, though not as detailed as in KSP, as this is not the main focus of the game. The primary challenge will be producing complex parts that require specific materials collected during your missions and explorations. This will involve gathering resources, refining them, and managing the logistics of assembling advanced components, all while ensuring the survival and efficiency of your colony.

One booster from the rocket design

I hope you liked this update and are as excited as I am about the upcoming features. Please share your ideas and feedback; they are invaluable in helping shape the game. We have a Discord server for the community, where you can join the discussion, connect with other players, and stay up-to-date with the latest developments.

Thank you for your continued support!