Hello again Survivors!
We are incredibly excited to let you know that the free Jungle Update is out for Stranded: Alien Dawn! Break out the mosquito net, pack your sunscreen and watch out for Swarm Fever, because the tropical Saltu region is now available. This new environment is teeming with unique wildlife, flora, and challenges for both you and your survivors. There are also new gameplay features coming in this update, as well as several quality of life changes and bug fixes.
Saltu's distinctive weather and climate requires a different strategic approach to ensure the group's survival, so remember to keep a close eye on your resources and plan accordingly! New hazards like diseases and Xenoflora Blight will test your capabilities to their limit, while the heat and humidity will have an adverse effect on the shelf life of your food and crafting ingredients. The new region's divided into wet and dry seasons, each of which will have an impact on the weather you'll experience. Heavy rains will be a common sight during the wet season, while the dry season can become unbearably hot. You'll need to work your hardest to keep your survivors cool under the scorching sun.
To combat Saltu's dangerous diseases, we recommend bringing along Melody Adeyemi, the new survivor added to the game in this update. Her astounding healing skill will keep the rest of the group in tip top shape.
Area Flags and Work Areas
Using the new Area Flags and Work Areas, you'll now have greater control over where your survivors live and work. After completing the Camp Management Research, you'll be able to place down special flags to designate work zones for the survivors. All resources, work objects, and devices within the range of an Area Flag are assigned to the flag's Work Area. Survivors assigned to a specific area will only interact with things found inside their zone. They won't eat, relax, or execute tasks outside it.
The new Work Areas mechanic lets you effectively set up and manage multiple outposts across the map. You can also restrict your survivors to remain indoors during dangerous events like Toxic Ash or thunderstorms.
Survivor Tools
With the Jungle Update we're also adding an exciting new addition called Survivor Tools. These special pieces of equipment can aid your survivors in carrying out specific tasks, or aid them on their journey. All Tools are available in all regions and scenarios, and can be crafted at Workbenches. You can even use them for trade in the Trading Outpost scenario!
Let's take a look at some of the new Survivor Tools and the different ways they will aid your survivors:
- Survival Kit: A small bundle with a bedroll and a pack of emergency rations that will ease the burden of long journeys. The Survival Kit will allow your survivors to sleep relatively comfortably outside of your base, and also enjoy a quick meal if they get hungry
- Harvesting Tools: This set of tools will reduce the amount of time it takes to harvest crops, cut down trees, and mine stone
- Respirator Mask: Sometimes your survivors need to venture outside during Toxic Ash events or Dust Storms. The new Respirator Masks will make that less of a burden on their bodies as it helps them breathe a little easier
- Signal Flares: It's difficult to see at night, so these new signal flares will light up the area of impact, making it easier for your survivors to hit enemies during the night. There may also be other ways to help your survivors see better at night, but we'll let you discover that on your own
Meet Melody Adeyemi
As with previous updates, there is a new survivor coming to Stranded: Alien Dawn with this free update. This former expert in naturopathic medicine has suddenly found herself completely cut off from any means to contact with her home planet.
Her impeccable healing skills will come in handy in the new Saltu region, as she'll never fail a healing task. Definitely helpful if your entire group is infected with Swarm Fever! Melody also has the Natural Leader trait, which will help others improve their Manipulation efficiency.
Quality of Life Additions
Your survivors can now use some leisure items to not only improve their moods, but also level up specific skills and abilities! The Bench Press will help them gain physical strength, while the brand new VR Set will boost skills based on which game they decide to play on it. This is definitely one for the survivors who are in it for the long haul, but it's the perfect tool to fill in any skill gaps they might have.
Last, but certainly not least, we're adding Super Sampling Support for NVIDIA, AMD and Intel graphics cards to Stranded: Alien Dawn. The new Photo Mode will allow you to take breathtaking screenshots, with several tweakable settings to get that one perfect shot. Adjust motion blur, exposure, depth of field and more, and unleash your inner photographer!
Don't forget to join the Stranded: Alien Dawn Discord and you'll never miss any news! You can also follow the game on TikTok, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, or join the discussions on Steam and the Frontier Forums.