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Survival Game Aloft Now in Early Access

Oslo, Norway – January 15, 2025 – Publisher Funcom® and developer Astrolabe® Interactive Inc. are thrilled to announce that Aloft ® has entered Early Access. The feel-good sandbox survival game, priced at 24.99€, lets you restore the ecosystems of a shattered world, solo or in groups of up to 8, by harnessing the wind and exploring the skies in your personal skyships, built from entire floating islands.

Set your gaze skyward with today’s Launch Trailer:



The world of Aloft is one of floating islands shaped by the wind. Soar between them on your customizable glider, gathering resources and discovering ancient technology as you go. Transform any island into your home above the clouds, and harness the wind with crafted sails, rudder, and helm. Farm, cook, care for animals, and restore the balance of nature by combating the spreading corruption.



Aloft has already attracted praise, attention, and community feedback through various successful demos! These included the first biome in the game with some demo players even reaching over a hundred hours building and decorating their ideal home in the sky! With today’s Early Access Launch, the game has grown into three full biomes which is set to expand further throughout the Early Access period.



Creativity and community lie at the heart of Aloft. Player-built skyships can be shared directly on the Steam Workshop for others to enjoy, and you can even bring along your entire skyship when joining a friend’s game, making it possible to create a whole moving village of eight skyships in co-op.

The Early Access Roadmap highlights main features planned for future updates. Initial updates will focus on quickly addressing any potential bugs that appear with launch, after which the team will move on to expanding the game with quality-of-life improvements and new features. This flexible roadmap allows for adjustment of priorities based in large part on community feedback.

Aloft is available right now for 24.99€, on Steam Early Access: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1660080/Aloft/

ABOUT ASTROLABE
ASTROLABE® Interactive Inc. is an independent developer and publisher of video games and board games based in Montreal, Canada. Since 2018, Astrolabe has provided entertainment and gamification solutions on a dozen of gaming projects such as ‘Aloft ®’, ‘Sacrifice Your Friends’ and ‘Gaslands: Refuelled (FR)’. For corporate information please visit www.astrolabe.games.

ABOUT FUNCOM
Funcom is a developer and publisher of online games for PC and consoles. Funcom has provided outstanding entertainment since 1993 and continues to expand its track record of more than twenty released games. Titles include ‘Conan Exiles’, ‘Metal: Hellsinger’, ‘Aloft’, ‘Dune: Spice Wars’, ‘Secret World Legends’, ‘Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures’, ‘The Longest Journey’, ‘Anarchy Online’, and ‘Dreamfall: The Longest Journey’. For corporate information, please visit www.funcom.com.

Full Release & console version of Railroads Online being released this Fall

Duesseldorf, Germany, July 23, 2024 – astragon Entertainment and developer Stefan Kelnberger are pleased to announce that Railroads Online will leave Steam Early Access later this year. Simultaneously, the sandbox railway simulation will be released for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.

The announcement trailer showcases what PC and console players can expect: https://youtu.be/bVCdYelwhaw

Numerous improvements and new content
Since the launch of Railroads Online, new features and content have been added to the game through regular, free updates. These include new locomotives and wagons, buildings, production chains and goods, fuels, and two more lovingly designed maps where players can build their own railway networks.

Based on the feedback from the community, many improvements have been implemented over the last three years including adjusted physics performance or construction controls. Last year, the game switched to the Unreal Engine 5, featuring dynamic weather and a day-night cycle. Until leaving Early Access, the game will receive more updates – including a completely revised UI.

Console release and first DLC announced
In addition to the full release on Steam, Railroads Online will be available in stores for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. With a fully optimized controller support on both new platforms, even more players will soon have the opportunity to build their own rail empire in an open sandbox world, either alone or with other players.

As a thank you and appreciation for the support during the Early Access phase, all Early Access purchasers on Steam will receive the Pioneer Pack free of charge with the full release. This applies retroactively to all current Railroads Online owners.

Railroads Online will be released digitally this autumn for PS5, and Xbox Series X|S at a price of 39.99€ / $39.99 USD (SRP) or a regional equivalent. A retail version will be released for PS5 later.

For PC the game is already available in Steam Early Access. With the Full Release in Fall the game will cost 34.99€ / $34.99 USD (SRP). Until the release of the full version, fans of Railroads Online can expect additional updates including more content and general game improvements. A detailed roadmap with all the information can be found here

About Railroads Online
Railroads Online will leave Steam Early Access in Fall of 2024 after numerous updates, improvements, and new content, and will also be released for PlayStation®5 and Xbox Series X|S. In October 2021, developer Stefan Kelnberger released Railroads Online in Early Access on Steam. A year later, astragon Entertainment joined the project as the publisher.

In Railroads Online, players create the railroad network of their dreams alone or in a multiplayer with up to 16 players. In a large open game world, rails, switches, and stations must be built to transport different goods in authentic locomotives. The game uses the advanced physics systems of the Unreal Engine to create the most authentic railroad simulation possible, rendering collisions and forces dynamically in real time for maximum immersion.

Features:

  • Open sandbox game world to explore
  • Online multiplayer mode with up to 16 players
  • Build your own railroad infrastructure, including tracks, switches, stations and more
  • Authentic, detailed locomotives and equipment
  • Realistic railroad physics system and operation of locomotive controls, valves, brakes and equipment
  • Earn money by transporting goods to develop your own business and buy more locomotives, cars and equipment
  • Customizable locomotives

More information about Railroads Online at:
Website
Facebook
X
Instagram
Discord
Press Kit

© 2023 astragon Entertainment GmbH © 2022 Stefan Kelnberger GmbH © Unreal®, Unreal Engine™, the circle-U logo and the Powered by Unreal Engine™ logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Epic Games, Inc. in the USA and elsewhere. All rights reserved.

How to create a custom Minecraft modpack, free of charge

Step 1:

Go to curse forge, click on “Get desktop” on top row. Download the version that’s best for your computer.

Step 2

Find out which version of minecraft that either:

  • You have
  • Works better on your computer
  • has the most mods that you enjoy

You can do this by looking at the left of the “play” button when you log in to play minecraft.

Step 3

Click on the box that says minecraft. Once you do, it will appear on the left bar as the dirt icon.

Next, click “create custom profile”

Step 4

Name your modpack and set the base settings!

Choose your preferred version. Some versions will have more or less mods than others, so your pickings may be limited if you choose later versions.

Click the button that says Forge.

Step 5

Click “Add more content”, and go wild!!!

Something to note

If your computer/PC/Laptop isn’t made for games, it’ll be best to keep the number of mods low, otherwise your gaming device of choice might overheat.

Domino Sandbox

Let’s do a simple game today!

It is as it says in the title: A solo-player domino line physics game where you just set up what you want and push it back down.

The Colors (which are customizable) that it comes with are eye pleasing, and warm. I love the music for this game! It really fits the relax and play vibe.

Overall, it looks to be simple and effective.

The link is here.

from the Steam Page

How to Create Factions: Part 1

Starting with…

The World ready!

The easiest way to determine factions would be to simply split them by location, or world history.

Then, the conflict could revolve around gaining or maintaining territory, and that could include groups being pushed out of their original territories and then trying to take them back.

You can also split it by the each of the area’s history, using previous conflicts to shape the factions, i.e. political ones.

The Characters ready!

Build your factions around your characters’ core beliefs.

What do your characters care about? What is their worldview? What about the opposite?

With a focus on the characters, the creation of the factions can become integral to your OC’s story. Will they need to grow out of the faction? Will the faction grow and change as the character does? Will they leave one for another as their story moves forward?

And conversely: what does being in that faction say about the character? What does a monster being in a Hunter’s faction, for example, say about the monster? Are they guilty? Do they doubt their identity, or are they a wolf in Sheep’s clothing waiting to strike?

by Abby Zarakovich

How to Create Factions: Part 2

Video Games have long graduated from simple fights between good and evil. Games are now tied with intricacies and multiple sides, each believing that they are the ones that are correct.

The question now becomes “How do I put that into my game?”. As with my other articles, there are multiple ways to go about this!

It is best to begin at the beginning!

I want to start with the factions…

The Question to ask here is “Why are there factions in the first place?”

Usally a group splits over an arguement; as creator, you decide what kind of disagreement causes the breakup.

What do people believe in enough that their goals and ideals split? Is it something simpler, like a land disagreement or a family squabble? Are the factions gunning for power, splitting politically? Are the factions after a superweapon, an their reasons for wanting it are causing the divide?

In this way, the creation of the factions and therefor, their very existence drives the story.

Emphasis

By creating them first, it puts more emphasis on them, rather than other aspects. This works in your favor if you want to use your story to explore methodologies or philosophies, and what causes people’s differences.

Having factions be at the center of your story allows for discussions with lines drawn in the sand, and it’s up to you (or your players) to decide if they stay, move, or fade entirely.

Effect

A good way to gauge how much your factions affect the story you’re creating is this:

What happens if something about the faction changes?

If destroying the faction of choice does nothing, then it has no impact on the story. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing: If it impacts the World or the characters, it can stay! Asking this question can help gauge how much you want to focus on that faction. If it’s deemed insignificant, than you can skim over it, or maybe change your story if you’re really attached to the idea of it.

What does the faction add to your story?

As mentioned above, if the addition of this faction bolsters other parts of your story, it should stay in. Depending on how much it affects the rest, you can draw the players/readers attention to it by having the story be more closely tied to the factions.

Castle Flipper

Castle Flipper is a Building and Decorating Simulator for medieval castles!

This game isn’t just castles, either: it also includes the surrounding land, and  sheds, barns, huts, houses, mansions, palaces and even pirate ships!

This game takes place in the 16th and 17th centuries, so in addition to the usual Medieval buildings, you will also find some Baroque and Renaissance elements that add variety to the gameplay and give you more options for interior decoration.

To be released May 27, 2021 on Steam, Castle flipper looks to be a fun simulator, including both rampant destruction and detailed creation.

It has lovingly rendered wooden details, and goes from the basics of building (frames and pillars) to the furniture and placement of decorative elements like suits of armor and fur rugs.

Images from their STEAM site

Basic Map making – the absolute minimum

As a DM, you lead your fellow players in the adventure of a lifetime! And you can’t do that without a setting for your adventurers to traverse!

There a Few ways to do this, like always!

Base it off of a real-life location

You can simply pick a point on the globe and lift the terrain and cities wholesale. This way, you can point your focus towards the plot and characters of your campaign.

    • Pros:
  • Makes your life easier
  • Can use history for flavor
    • Cons:
  • Expectations of Culture and mannerisms that come with a person’s knowledge
  • There will be history here, and the players might expect use of it

Create your own from scratch

Use map generators or craft a map from your own imagination to craft the most individualized map

    • Pros:
  • You can have whatever you want wherever you’d like
  • Create your own world history
    • Cons:
  • You have to make it yourself
  • Create your own world history

Custom maps can be made multiple ways.

  1. Decide on a central or key location, and build what you need around it
  2. Make a legend, and drop dice (signifying different physical objects) over a piece of paper
  3. Random generator

Use a Mix of both!

You can use a real-life map as a base (for terrain or city placement), and then edit it to fit your lore/characters/villain’s actions

Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator

With an art style taken straight out of middle-aged engravings, this game is a fun twist on the recipe-style order games that litter both the mobile market and early 2000’s PC games.

In it you can create your own recipes, help the town, and interact with the customers going through your shop.

The game offers customization of your shop and an art style that immerses you entirely in your role as town alchemist.

The demo is free to play on Steam

How to Build a Big Bad Villain

There are a few ways to create the ultimate evil for your DnD (or other media) game!

The Standard

Choose from the prototypes of any popular mass media for the skeleton to build your villain off of!

The common tropes in media range from Evil boss to Mass-murdering maniac. The general tropes for a simple villain include a sad backstory, a tendency for murder, and a longing to take over the world by violent means.

The way to impart your generic villain’s actions is to really expand on the scope of their evil deeds. Don’t just mention the widespread destruction, but show it and its aftereffects. Have the village that your players were going to head to be torn apart, have the most trusted villagers mention their hatred of the Big Bad, and how the villain affected them and their livelihoods.

The Foil

Examine your player characters and their motivations. Pick what drives them, and craft a villain that wants something similar, but does it in a completely different way than your player characters.

You can craft a foil from characters the player(s) already know, and they don’t even have to start as antagonists. With the foil, you can also grow their powers/abilities/fear-factor along with the players, to help with scaling their end-game “badness” level.

Worldly type

This is a villain built out of the world you have created. What would mess up the world you have created? What ideology would cause the collapse of the society you have? What is the worst case magical/supernatural/scientific scenario?

Say your world has a heavy dependency on a particular resource: the villain can hoard it, or they could seek to destroy all of it.

 

Gaming News and the Ultimate Universe