Hello Voyagers! Stephanie / Stephiroth here with a development update for our next big patch Depths Worth Diving. Last time we spoke, we shared an overview of the features coming in the patch - but today we want to dive deeper into how our new underwater mechanics will work. We recently had a dev stream featuring some of these updates as well, which you can watch here!
We will be introducing a Depth Mechanic to our underwater spaces. Players will start with a Max Depth statistic, which is how deep you can swim in the ocean. If you swim deeper than your max depth limit, your oxygen will begin to drain very quickly. Players can overcome the depths in multiple ways:
Gear
Consumables
Spirit Companion Traits
Spirit Abilities
Leveraging the environment
The Rebreather (final name TBD) is a new piece of Gear that players can earn and craft. It will increase the Max Depth that players can dive before receiving an oxygen penalty.
To accompany more durable upgrades like the Rebreather, we have also added Oxygen consumables at every crafting tier. When consumed, they will replenish an amount of oxygen to your oxygen meter - this will allow you to skirt the edges of the depths and make it back up without drowning! Additionally, we have buffed the efficacy of Oxygen-based foods as well - so if you know you're going for a dive, consider eating some Grilled Luma Fruit or Refreshing Nectar.
The Tideray Spirit Companion will allow you to increase your oxygen amount as you level up. If you didn't pick the Path of Water but still need a little boost, you'll unlock the Spirit's Breath ability in the Reef which will allow you to spawn a bubble underwater which will replenish oxygen while within it. These were both already in the game, but feel more impactful than ever with these updates!
A new type of plant, Bubble Plants, have also been placed around the biomes. Look out for these near areas you are diving! These plants will restore the oxygen of the player that touches them, as well as nearby allies!
In addition to the Rebreather, we will also be introducing a new gathering tool: the Diver's Knife. Most underwater resources will now require a Diver's Knife to be harvested. We will also be introducing new underwater resources, underwater gems, which will be a resource that can only be gathered under water and will craft things like weapon and tool imbuements, new color variations of lighting options, and more!
Long ago, Nera was a world teeming with life and magic. But the Deep invaded and aimed to engulf the world. Water levels rose and consumed Nera along with it. Dive down and discover long lost remnants of Nera.
Smaller ruins may merely be a sunken archway or crumbled pillar. Maybe this was once an outpost? You may find some resources around here as they've washed up over time.
Others may be small houses or villages that you can dive and swim through and explore. You'll find supplies left behind by people who used to live here, resources and maybe even some special items.
These large structures were once gathering hubs for Spirits and other magical beings. You'll encounter unique challenges that will test your mettle and discover special resources within these. The Bubble Plants will only get you so far if you're foolish enough to dive deep without preparing.
Along with this update, you'll encounter some new enemies lurking within the waters! Deepling Eel (name TBD!)
This eel will attack with rapid fire melee attacks, as well as a ranged ability that will stun if it hits you!
Shockjelly
These electrifying jellyfish will patrol around an area. By default, they are non-aggressive but get too close and you may get zapped!
Lil' Dumbo (our Loot Goblin Dumbo Octopus - name TBD!)
Cute, shiny and sneaky - this little Octopus is rarely seen. But if you are lucky enough to spot one, chase it down and attack it to collect valuable loot - but keep a close eye on him or you may lose sight as it flits across the ocean floor!
We hope you're just as excited as we are to dive into all of the new features! There are a lot more features in the upcoming patch, so make sure to stay tuned for our future Dev Blogs! What are you most excited about? Let us know in the comments!