What’s an adventure at sea without the peril of sinking, drowning, dying from exposure or being smashed against the rocks by a giant wave? Green Man Gaming Publishing and Sunfire Software have today launched the biggest update in Stormworks: Build and Rescue’s history which brings with it a slew of new game modes as well as upping the ante with death and destruction at every turn.
At the heart of the update is the brand new Survival mode which takes everything players already love about the game – from designing and building craft for land, air and sea to co-ordinating realistic rescues – and throws them into a world where it’s not only about failure anymore, there’s a chance they could die too.
With the addition of multiple new ways for craft to take damage plus a host of realistic routes to the player’s demise, every action the player takes, every ship designed, every step of a plan – brings with it an element of danger and peril that Dan Walters, CEO of developer Sunfire Software believes will add new motivation and meaning to the existing Stormworks: Build and Rescue package.
“This is as big an update as we’ve ever planned for Stormworks: Build And Rescue, something like the 180th update we’ve put out since we first launched the Alpha a year ago, and the third major update in the last seven months,” says Walters. “For the first time, we’re adding a health bar, a multitude of ways for vehicles to get damaged with a real impact on players’ progress, and – of course – death. It’s going to take the processes our loyal players have been making the most of and place them in a mode we think will both add fresh impetus for current players, as well as opening the game up to an entirely new player base, too.”
Survival mode is not the only area where updates and improvements have been made. A new show-stopping Tsunami heads up the list of fresh dangers built into play, throwing the seas of Stormworks: Build and Rescue into panic as towering waves test the limits of any vessel caught in their wake.
The inclusion of new ragdoll physics also brings a sense of added realism to in-game encounters, along with updates to the way engines work. The addition of fuel also adds an extra (and essential) element for players to contend with in the midst of the action.
“The damage, the death, the real sense of danger that this update brings to Stormworks: Build and Rescue is hard to condense down into a single statement,” adds David Clark, Managing Director of Green Man Gaming Publishing. “The Survival mode alone could easily stand up as a game in its own right. It’s a brilliant example of how you take a solid foundation, and add a new spin on it. The game is enjoying record numbers of players , and we think these new modes and features will bring even more gamers to the world of Stormworks.”
The Stormworks: Build and Rescue’s Survival Update will include:
- Brand new modes, including an exciting new Survival mode, featuring a health bar
- Huge Tsunamis that can swamp the sea mid-mission
- Brand new vehicle damage and a multitude of ways to die
- New ragdoll physics adding extra realism to encounters
- Advanced engine and fuel mechanics adding extra management and strategy to play
- Fresh artwork to make the seas look more beautiful than ever
- Scores and scores of tweaks, changes and improvements to almost every element of play
For those new to the game, Stormworks: Build and Rescue sees players take charge of their own sea-rescue service, tackling the game’s rich and dramatic physics playground to pull off astounding rescues. Designing unique and adaptable vehicles for land, sea, and air, players’ craft are tested to the limit in a physics driven sandbox simulation, where the vehicle’s performance in a rescue is directly linked to its design.
Reacting to events out on the water, Stormworks: Build and Rescue charges players with controlling custom designed, programmable vehicles out into fierce oceanic storms, pulling off thrilling rescues in a variety of challenging crisis scenarios. Each mission calls for an emergency response across the open ocean, island facilities, rigs, and more, with the game’s dynamic weather system and day-night cycle ensuring one rescue is never quite like any other.
