After 10 years of running Edition 1 of Survival Guide: Dust Settles, the game is being rebuilt for the modern era here on DustSettles.com!
Edition 1 first went public in 2005 and we built the game alongside our players. We didn't know where all the game would take us or how it would evolve, but it sure did!
Now, we've come back to revisit and rebuild with 10 years more industry experience, 10 years more advanced web technology, and many of those 10 years spent evolving and honing Edition 1.
Edition 2 is
still the same game, we're just making a number of improvements throughout. For one, the interface is completely new. It works on nearly any size device, though admittedly it requires fairly up-to-date Browsers.
Some of the mechanics are being unified into a single smarter queue system (for veteran players, the construction of Defensive Structures and Weapons will work just like Buildings). More flavor and story have made their way in or are on their way. Really, you'll just need to see for yourself.
Development of this updated version has been on hiatus for the past year, however with a handful of new guests and an expectation to kick off work again on this project, we are clearing outdated news posts and updating some baseline expectations for the state of the game.
Thanks again to everyone who stops in from time to time to tinker or say hello!
Welcome to a new group of players!
Quick Overview
The game's current state is mostly one where the core mechanics of the first 500 turns can be played through to ensure expected behavior and stability. Beyond that, many buildings, pages, and features are not enabled or finished. You can play and compete for score, performing a number of non-combat functions, but military conflict is a large and future part of the game. Normal Score-Recorded rounds are not running, as we don't have the player base to really justify it at this time. All play-testing is being done within the Alpha Round which is extended indefinitely. We appreciate your playing under such uncivilized circumstances.
Not Yet Implemented
Here's a list of things we have a frame for, but aren't implemented. This isn't all of them, but these are the ones we've gotten questions about.
Options Page:
Some of these work, some don't. Also, it isn't pretty when you crush down for a small phone.
Tutorial:
None of the buttons related to the Tutorial do anything. We do plan to make it easy to skip, of course, but when we do get it in place, please try it and see how it feels.
Advanced Labs:
You can build them, but they do nothing. They will, of course.
Severe Storms:
Thought you were really lucky? Nope, severe storms just don't happen yet.
Buses and Vehicles:
We haven't turned on the Vehicle Construction page yet, so no buses for now.
Combat:
We do not have any pages working related to combat. You can build a few buildings that will be used it in, but they do not function.
Focus Paths:
Aspects of Focus Paths are in place, but the special production functions are not (Gold Bars, Nukes, or Mechs).
Space Facility:
No Satellites can be built or launched yet.
Public Trade Market:
No Trade Market yet, just Aid.
Purchasables:
There's no way we're asking you to pay for something that isn't finished (or at least a lot closer).
Mini Game:
This pass-time will come well after the main game is complete.
Main Website:
Pretty much the entire thing is just a framework to get you an account and then a Camp so you can play. Lots more coming for that.
End Turn Report:
This is close to how we want it, but this was only a stepping stone along the way. It will have more color and better information grouping.
Avatars:
Right now, pick from a few shades of brown that humans tend to come in. The fully customizable system is on the way.
Other Random Things
We have a sizable list of tweaks, suggestions, and minor bugs. Here are a few issues to note. We solved most of them as they happened.
FireFox Camp Create Bug:
FireFox handles click events in such a way that the initial Class and Terrain selection boxes break right now. Please create new camps in a different browser.
Auto Exchange:
Auto Exchange is in place, but has some difficult to track down bugs with complex queues. There is a plan to rework it to be less 'realistic' and more fun (processing all at once at the start of a turn). This will kill those bugs for good and more closely mirror the order of operations in Edition 1.
Receiving Aid:
When receiving Aid, the Guide closes its doors to announce arrival and can be game-breakingly frustrating if someone spams you with free stuff.
Welcome again to all! In the next month or so, expect to see some more news posts and activity from your friendly NEC officers in the Alpha Round forums. If you have questions, don't hesitate to post them in the in-game forums, the community has always been very helpful and the admins are pretty friendly.
Robert
NEC Chancellor
