From the dark ruins of an ancient tragedy, a mysterious, lonely entity reaches across space and time to those who would remake a reality…
After over two years of development, Warped Universe is ready to invite players to step through the portal.
Available for the first time to the public exclusively for Steam Next Fest, a demo version showcasing the core game mechanics of Warped Universe will be available for play Oct. 13-20.
Testers have had limited access to some missions for the last few weeks and the devs have been working day and night to put together this sampling of our multigenre MMO.
Every journey has to start somewhere. Ours begins on Earth, at Celadon Station. A massive oil rig repurposed as humanity’s gateway to the unknown.
After the opening cinematic, you take control for the Prologue Mission, designed to introduce you to the backstory of the Warped universe and all four core gameplay modes:
Third-person ground combat
Turn-based ground tactics
Real-time space action
Turn-based space strategy
You’ll escort fleeing scientists, try out your first skill, clear asteroid paths for evac ships, and dogfight hostile ships in orbit.
Completing the prologue brings you to Nexus Station, the central hub of your journey.
This interactive map in the center of Nexus Station gives players the opportunity to walk amongst the stars, granting an overview of everything happening at any one time.
The System Map shows not just where you can go, but why it matters. Players can see:
Planets - Both completed and in construction
Facilities on planets - Showing how developed or vulnerable they are
Unmapped sectors - Explore mission areas obscured by Void interference
Active void tears - Unstable zones where enemy invasions are occurring
Pylon networks - Vital objectives required to stabilize new regions and expand the system
Residuum Deposits - Collection and Transport missions required to facilitate the construction of Planets
Each sector has its own requirements to be met before the benefits of completion can be fully realized. Whether it's harvesting Residuum, sealing a Void Tear, or laying the groundwork for a Planet, progress always starts with exploration.
The map follows a branching path of progression. Players begin by scouting Explore sectors. Once a sector is discovered, it must be connected to the Nexus through a constructed Pylon, forming part of the larger energy and transport network.
Only once this connection is established will the sector reveal its purpose as one of the following:
Residuum Fields, rich in resources, become zones for extraction and transport missions.
Planet Sites, which can eventually be terraformed and built upon, allowing the construction of vital planetary facilities.
Every mission can be taken in either action or turn-based gameplay and the results contribute to the greater ecosystem just the same.
The Residuum sector shown above is one of the three Space mission sector types, the others being Explore sectors, and Pylon Sectors.
Planet missions give you the choice of what kind of facility you would like to progress by rotating the planet using either your mouse or the arrow keys.
Each facility type adds significant benefits and opportunities upon completion that remain as long as the facility is operational. Facility upgrades include:
Farm Facilities - Provide a health bonus to players embarking on missions
Housing Facilities - Adds choice and reduces costs of end of mission rewards
Power Facilities - Increases the rarity of mission rewards
Factory Facilities - Adds the possibility of rolling certain attributes on equipment obtained from Artifractal Cores
Research Facilities - Increase the Potential of any new piece of equipment in that category
Spaceport Facilities - Required to kick start a new planet once discovered and constructed
Completing a mission, you’ll be greatly rewarded.
After every mission you will find yourself an offering of Artifractal Cores and/or Sparks.
The first reward is always free.
The two remaining rewards use Residuum collected from enemies and other objectives to purchase.
Artifractal Cores, or simply “Cores”, are the basic element required for all weapon and gear crafting in the Warped Universe. Since all specialization and stat boosting will be carried out by gear rather than a standard character level-up mechanic, Cores are the foundation and framework of any player loadout. From tanky brawler sets to fast and accurate pieces, (or any combinations in between) the gear built at an Artifractal Core table will provide the player a vast combination of strengths and strategies.
Cores can be obtained in six rarities, common, uncommon, rare, epic, legendary and Warped. The power of any given core is easily predicted by the complexity of its shape.
After receiving a Core, take it to the Artifractal Core table in Nexus Station and choose the equipment you want or need at the time.
First you select whether you want equipment for your ground character or your space ship, armor or weapon, then specifically which piece you want to receive for each loadout.
You may want a new chest piece for example, go to the table, select armor, then chest, choose your core rarity and hope for the best.
There will be equipment with modifiers weighted in all directions, ensuring you have the ability to create multiple loadouts for any scenario.
The benefit of a higher Core rarity is the significant number of desirable bonus modifiers on a piece of equipment.
The Artifractal Core system provides an opportunity for the player to stay connected to their in-game character regardless of how they want to change or accentuate their play style.
Each piece of equipment in Warped Universe comes with a modifier called Potential, a measure of how much specialization the item can handle. This is where Sparks come in.
When you receive a Spark reward, you can take it to the Spark table and apply it to a piece of equipment.
Sparks come in different types, each offering a specific kind of bonus when placed into a piece of equipment. Some Sparks increase weapon damage or critical chance, while others boost resistances, skill power, or mobility.
The combination of Sparks you choose will greatly influence how your loadout performs in both action and turn-based gameplay.
Each Rarity of Spark rolls a different dice value that consumes Potential, D4 all the way up to D20, with each rarity granting a larger bonus modifier at the risk of expending more of the item’s Potential.
For example: A Common Gravity Spark will add D4 Gravity damage to a weapon but may use up 1-4 available Potential on that item, while an Epic Gravity Spark will add D12 Gravity damage to a weapon but may use up 1-12 available Potential on that item.
Note: If your item does not have the maximum possible number of Potential a Spark can use, you risk failing to upgrade and destroying the Spark.
For example: An item only has 2 Potential remaining, if you attempt to apply a Common Spark you have a 50% chance to succeed when rolling a 1 or 2, and an equal chance to fail if rolling a 3 or 4.
Choosing how to spend Potential is a big part of defining your loadout.
Will you invest heavily in offense for raw damage output?
Split your Potential between resistances and mobility?
Or design highly specialized builds for specific missions, play styles, or team roles?
Now that you’ve gotten some new equipment and potentially begun upgrading it, you need to set your loadouts.
Find a Loadout Console and hold E.
Select your new gear, rename and save your loadout.
Ground and Space missions use different loadouts.
How you choose to progress your equipment is entirely up to you.
You will also find Customization areas on the Nexus.
Use the customization station shown above to change your ground Echo appearance.
And the one shown below to change your space ship appearance.
There are many options to choose from, and each piece of equipment can be altered. Even the glowing core of your Echo Suit and Ship.
During this demo you will have access to all options from both Artifractal Core created equipment and battlepass appearances.
At launch, you will have to unlock these yourself.
At its core, Warped Universe is a battle for creation and survival faced with the constant threat of annihilation. The remnants of a shattered civilization drift over silent distances, caught between the fluctuating forces of Light and Gravity. Players travel to the ruins of this universe, re-shaping its fate through strategic exploration, planetary construction, and high intensity battles.
Our conflict extends beyond simple good versus evil. It’s a struggle of balance, where every action shifts the cosmic scales. Whether you embrace the speed and precision of Light or the raw control and power of Gravity, your choices will influence the battlefield and the universe itself. Shifting Balance
It will be up to you and the other inhabitants of Warped Universe to decide how much gets explored, which facilities are built, and what is saved.