GAMMA FRONTIER IS COMING on MAY 30TH!

Our biggest expansion since Perpetuum went live 18 months ago is nearing release, and we are proud to be taking the sandbox to a whole new level. We are leaving Terra Incognita behind, and call this new chapter GAMMA FRONTIER.

This new expansion will include the much anticipated Modular Private Colony system (previously known as player-built settlements), starting a new era on Nia where until now only the Syndicate was able to erect buildings. From now on player corporations will have unprecedented control over where and how they want to build their home base, and will have a chance to launch large scale industrial projects. Settlements on the new gamma islands will also become strategic points for the conqueror types, leading to new wars with not only robots, but a host of defensive structures entering the fray.

You can read more about our new patch on our blog, even try it out on our breand new test server, but we also included the most exciting features here so you can have a sneak peek!

THE ROAD TO PBS: TERRAFORMING!

Our latest expansion allows anyone setting up a new base to freely modify the terrain for all the reasons even we can't think of. Shaping the ground to your liking should be a fun thing to do, but he current alpha and beta islands have too many interconnected systems which could be easily disrupted if we would allow you to create hills and holes wherever you like. The most efficient and future-proof solution is to create new landmasses with their own set of rules, hence the 24 new gamma islands that are completely free to dig up.

The terraforming process itself will happen with help of a terraforming module of course, which will use different kinds of charges, depending on what you want to achieve. The basic raise/lower charges are self-explanatory, these will simply pull up or push down the targeted area by a fixed height value. Then there is the leveling charge, which tries to pull the surrounding tiles to the targeted tile’s level, within a small radius. Finally we have the smoothing charge, which can turn sharp edges and spikes into smooth ground, and also works on a small radius. Read more...

THE ROAD TO PBS: BUILDING AND PLANNING

Let's see how the building process itself looks like and how you will be able to plan a network of interconnected structures. First, you will need to get those structures: the basic line of standard Syndicate-issued buildings will be available directly from the market. However, the Syndicate will also provide the option to relieve itself from the tedious task of manufacturing these buildings, so every corporation will be able to acquire the knowledge to manufacture them on their own as well. PBS will work in a network system, and every one of them will have to start with a central control node, the main terminal. All other buildings will have to be connected to the main terminal via an energy link or a control link.

You can enter a player-built main terminal just like any other NPC terminal. So once your terminal is finished and online, you can hop in, store your stuff, or equip your robot. The available base facilities include private and corporation storages with all their features, robot equipment, the market, and robot insurance. All other facilities like the factory or the repairshop need to be built as separate structures and connected to the main terminal. However, nothing works without energy (the only exception being the main terminal), so the next thing you want to build will be a reactor.

Soon you will have a main terminal, and a connected reactor generating energy (not for free, mind you). This is when things will start to become complicated and the need emerges for some delicate planning. Read more...

FROM THE BLOGS

THE ROAD TO PBS: ISLANDS, BUILDING TYPES AND CONTROL

This part will tell you about the new island layout, the various building types and their purpose, and the concept of control and assimilation...

WALL CHANGES

Defensive walls are probably the most controversial feature in Perpetuum we have ever had so far. On one hand they are supposed to bring more sand into the sandbox and provide passive defense for whatever you want to defend...

FOR THE RECORD, WE ACCEPT BRIBES

We received a large package addressed to "DEV GARGAJ" in the mail today. After the obvious security measures, we controlled our little EOD-robot towards the box, and as soon as the dust, debris and toxic fallout settled, we uncovered this...

SLOPE DISPLAYS REVISITED

With the upcoming patch dealing with terraforming and player built settlements we also need to upgrade some of our current tools to better suit the challenges these new systems pose. The most basic such system involving the terrain is the one visualizing where players can go...