Since launching into Early Access, Pocket Dinos has grown through new features, improvements and plenty of changes based on how you've been playing. The core game was already complete when Early Access began, and the time since has been about building on that foundation and making it better. With 1.0 approaching, I've taken another look at some of the features I originally had planned and what I want the finished game to be.
For 1.0, I'm focusing on expanding the collection side of Pocket Dinos and polishing what's already there, rather than introducing larger new systems. This means the previously planned breeding and expeditions won't be moving forward.
Instead, 1.0 will bring the brand new Earthlands habitat, a new Earth affinity, a new collection of hats to unlock, and a final round of improvements across the game.
One request I've seen from some of the more dedicated collectors is simply more room for their dinos. With six different dino types but only three habitat books, some of you have wanted an extra habitat so you can spread out your collection and organise your dinos the way you want.
Earthlands adds two new pages, each starting with space for 30 dinos and growing to 40 dinos per page as you level them up. That's up to 80 more habitat slots for your collection.
Earthlands also introduces the new Earth affinity. Dinos with a matching Earth affinity will earn more money while living in Earthlands. Yes, even more money to add to those increasingly ridiculous piles.
There will also be a new collection of hats, including some deliberately expensive ones for late-game players with enormous piles of money and nothing left to spend it on.
I'll be making another pass over progression, balance, quality-of-life improvements and bugs as Pocket Dinos moves out of Early Access.
If you've enjoyed your time with Pocket Dinos, I'd really appreciate it if you left a Steam review. Some of you have now spent tens of hours building your collections, and a review is one of the best ways you can support the game as it heads into 1.0.
Every review genuinely helps, especially for a small indie game like Pocket Dinos.
Thank you to everyone who has played throughout Early Access, shared feedback, reported bugs, or spent far more time collecting dinos than I ever expected.
- Diesel