Howdy, partners!
Previously in Wild West Pioneers, you could only ever do what the game asked of you at that exact moment. But that's not the frontier spirit we are going for! The feature that was created with more agency and freedom in mind is the new Journey system.
Shortly after placing your town hall, a fourth button appears on your bottom bar: your Journey. It is a wide road of unlocks, and it's on you to decide which way to take by picking your next direction.
Want to lean into exploration? Head that way.
More interested in keeping your settlers happy, or squeezing every resource out of the land? Those are paths too.
You unlock them with journey points, and here's the part we think you will enjoy: you earn them by simply playing the game. Constructing a building for the first time, exploring the strategic map, completing tasks - almost every action awards you with points.
Want a break from the main quest?
The progression tab offers quick wins: small tasks like building a warehouse and staffing it to full range, each rewarding journey points. So even if you wander off in a completely different direction than the main quest suggests, you're always progressing, and always earning the means to wander further.
Your decisions change your settlement from the very beginning. Settle next to the river, and water access is free. But if you prefer a different spot with more food variety, you will be choosing between rushing food production or investing in wells and water tanks first.
Later on, the main quest might require a scout's cabin to explore certain locations - but whether you build it right away or first take care of your city's other needs is your call.
Different paths, different settlements, and a lot more reasons to start a fresh run.
See you on the frontier!