What am I supposed to do?

[Energist]

I spent way too long exploring in the caverns of the home planet. Something happened, but no idea what.

I can't tell if this game has puzzles I need to solve, specific things I need to do, or what. Feels extremely aimless.

Is there anything to the center of the home planet or did I waste hours of my life? This game feels like a Nvidia tech demo.

[Perseus]

You're supposed to explore the solar system, and your ship's log can help with that, as it records all clues about places you've yet to find or explore.

Originally posted by Energist:

Is there anything to the center of the home planet or did I waste hours of my life?

Did you do the village's zero-g cave's "satellite" repair training Gossan (on the way to the observatory) offers you to do? It leads you directly to the center of Timber Hearth. (The end of the cave is zero-g because it's at the center of the planet.)

[Energist]

Originally posted by Perseus:

You're supposed to explore the solar system, and your ship's log can help with that, as it records all clues about places you've yet to find or explore.

Originally posted by Energist:

Is there anything to the center of the home planet or did I waste hours of my life?

Did you do the village's zero-g cave's "satellite" repair training Gossan (on the way to the observatory) offers you to do? It leads you directly to the center of Timber Hearth. (The end of the cave is zero-g because it's at the center of the planet.)

I did yeah, but it didn't really lead to anything meaningful.

How am I to explore? Walk around? interact? Scan things? Do I have an ultimate objective?

I just don't know what the game expects of me. I'm 10 hrs in and I don't feel like I have achieved anything worthwhile. It's getting boring.

[Perseus]

Your ship's log is the best way to keep track of what you should try to explore. As for how to explore, you're supposed to use your ship to visit the different planets and find ruins of the Nomai civilization to read the writings left behind and try to piece together what happened to them.
I'm not sure what you've already done, but if you haven't left the home planet yet, i'd recommend starting out by going to the Attlerock (home planet's moon) to try to find the Nomai ruins on its south pole.

Originally posted by Energist:

I did yeah, but it didn't really lead to anything meaningful.

Yeah, it's just a part of the tutorial, there's nothing more to it.

[Quillithe]

It gives you a lot of freedom but there is a specific plot to it to find out and do.

It's just on you to figure it out.

But agree with the above, the starting planet is not the best for getting into the plot

[Bobywan]

Look at your ship logs in the back of the ship to see the clues you've found, there is no wrong order to explore the world.
The game has puzzles based on knowledge so we can't say too much without spoiling the puzzles and the game.

The village and the zero gravity cave are kind of tutorials for is to come in the game later: how to use the signalscope, how to detect ghost matter, how ot use the scout, how to move in zero gravity, how to translate text, there is no significant clue in the village itself, but that doesn't mean there isn't on the planet.

[Energist]

Ok thanks for the guidance. I'll keep looking around.

[Nert]

At the museum they told you that you're the first to have a portable translator, your job is to find the answers to the incomplete museum exhibits by exploring all these ancient ruins

Since then a mysterious statue looked at you and as you say 'something happened', and you've likely realised your situation isn't normal anymore. Those are all goals, figure out what's going on, and what can be done about it. Luckily they seem to be related to the same ancient race you were already investigating!

The computer at the back of your ship will help you keep track of everything, every [?] is a place you've read about, but haven't been to yet, and that's a clear marker of progress. When you've got none left you'll be ready to complete the game.

Puzzles aren't dumped in front of you like a sudoku but blended with the environment, how do you get past a blocked entrance, how do you find a new area just from some clues, etc etc. All of your tools are useful, too

[Energist]

Originally posted by Nert:

At the museum they told you that you're the first to have a portable translator, your job is to find the answers to the incomplete museum exhibits by exploring all these ancient ruins

Since then a mysterious statue looked at you and as you say 'something happened', and you've likely realised your situation isn't normal anymore. Those are all goals, figure out what's going on, and what can be done about it. Luckily they seem to be related to the same ancient race you were already investigating!

The computer at the back of your ship will help you keep track of everything, every [?] is a place you've read about, but haven't been to yet, and that's a clear marker of progress. When you've got none left you'll be ready to complete the game.

Puzzles aren't dumped in front of you like a sudoku but blended with the environment, how do you get past a blocked entrance, how do you find a new area just from some clues, etc etc. All of your tools are useful, too

I don't think I'm smart enough for this game. I'm accustomed to killing things, taking their stuff, and solving puzzles with clearly defined objectives in mind, like use these blocks to open a door etc.

[Nert]

Originally posted by Energist:

I don't think I'm smart enough for this game. I'm accustomed to killing things, taking their stuff, and solving puzzles with clearly defined objectives in mind, like use these blocks to open a door etc.

It's not a game for everyone and that's fine! They weren't shy about making it anything other than what they wanted it to be so plenty of people will bounce off it

I'd say that kinda reflection alone suggests your smarts aren't a problem, it's just a different approach than you're used to

The made-up example puzzle I give is like:

Find door, can't get in, ancient note next to door mentions "I like the coloured trees by the tower on the hill, I'm gonna plant some by the rear exit", and that's all you get.

But from that you know a) there's a second way in, b) it's likely hidden by old trees now, and c) once you find a tower or the remains of one, you can see what colour the trees there are, and hunt for a suspicious patch of them elsewhere.

Bam! hidden entrance and you're in

[Energist]

Originally posted by Nert:

Originally posted by Energist:

I don't think I'm smart enough for this game. I'm accustomed to killing things, taking their stuff, and solving puzzles with clearly defined objectives in mind, like use these blocks to open a door etc.

It's not a game for everyone and that's fine! They weren't shy about making it anything other than what they wanted it to be so plenty of people will bounce off it

I'd say that kinda reflection alone suggests your smarts aren't a problem, it's just a different approach than you're used to

The made-up example puzzle I give is like:

Find door, can't get in, ancient note next to door mentions "I like the coloured trees by the tower on the hill, I'm gonna plant some by the rear exit", and that's all you get.

But from that you know a) there's a second way in, b) it's likely hidden by old trees now, and c) once you find a tower or the remains of one, you can see what colour the trees there are, and hunt for a suspicious patch of them elsewhere.

Bam! hidden entrance and you're in

True, not every game needs to be for everyone. It's just a shame that I can't return it at this point. 2 hrs isn't enough time to figure out if we like something or not. I spent 2 hrs wandering around the planet talking to people, scanning things, expecting it to give me a jump point.

I went to the Bramble whatever and more stuff happened, then I died for some weird reason. Unsure of what. Just standing there, talking to the guy. Dead.

ugh.

[Quillithe]

Originally posted by Energist:

Originally posted by Nert:

It's not a game for everyone and that's fine! They weren't shy about making it anything other than what they wanted it to be so plenty of people will bounce off it

I'd say that kinda reflection alone suggests your smarts aren't a problem, it's just a different approach than you're used to

The made-up example puzzle I give is like:

Find door, can't get in, ancient note next to door mentions "I like the coloured trees by the tower on the hill, I'm gonna plant some by the rear exit", and that's all you get.

But from that you know a) there's a second way in, b) it's likely hidden by old trees now, and c) once you find a tower or the remains of one, you can see what colour the trees there are, and hunt for a suspicious patch of them elsewhere.

Bam! hidden entrance and you're in

True, not every game needs to be for everyone. It's just a shame that I can't return it at this point. 2 hrs isn't enough time to figure out if we like something or not. I spent 2 hrs wandering around the planet talking to people, scanning things, expecting it to give me a jump point.

I went to the Bramble whatever and more stuff happened, then I died for some weird reason. Unsure of what. Just standing there, talking to the guy. Dead.

ugh.

There's something really important that happens and once you notice it happening things might make more sense.

But right now the big mystery is probably why you're in a time loop.

But yeah, it's a very different kind of game. No combat, no inventory, not even much dialogue really outside the tutorial

[Energist]

Originally posted by Quillithe:

Originally posted by Energist:

True, not every game needs to be for everyone. It's just a shame that I can't return it at this point. 2 hrs isn't enough time to figure out if we like something or not. I spent 2 hrs wandering around the planet talking to people, scanning things, expecting it to give me a jump point.

I went to the Bramble whatever and more stuff happened, then I died for some weird reason. Unsure of what. Just standing there, talking to the guy. Dead.

ugh.

There's something really important that happens and once you notice it happening things might make more sense.

But right now the big mystery is probably why you're in a time loop.

But yeah, it's a very different kind of game. No combat, no inventory, not even much dialogue really outside the tutorial

I get the feeling this started life as a tech demo that someone decided to slap a price tag onto.

Not trying to knock it, but it's certainly not what I would have expected.

[Quillithe]

Originally posted by Energist:

Originally posted by Quillithe:

There's something really important that happens and once you notice it happening things might make more sense.

But right now the big mystery is probably why you're in a time loop.

But yeah, it's a very different kind of game. No combat, no inventory, not even much dialogue really outside the tutorial

I get the feeling this started life as a tech demo that someone decided to slap a price tag onto.

Not trying to knock it, but it's certainly not what I would have expected.

Well it evolved out of a student project, but that was basically just the idea of a few planets I think.

There's quite a bit to it, but you have to like exploring. Personally I think it's the best game ever for basically the same reasons I liked Dark Souls which probably sounds really odd but I'm not the only person to think the two games are rather similar

[(• ε •)]

You're supposed to follow the story piece by piece. The starting planet is a tutorial to get you into the spaceship, from there you explore and collect the story, plot, and what to do. Spending 10 hours on a tutorial, are you a game journalist?

[Energist]

Originally posted by Quillithe:

Originally posted by Energist:

I get the feeling this started life as a tech demo that someone decided to slap a price tag onto.

Not trying to knock it, but it's certainly not what I would have expected.

Well it evolved out of a student project, but that was basically just the idea of a few planets I think.

There's quite a bit to it, but you have to like exploring. Personally I think it's the best game ever for basically the same reasons I liked Dark Souls which probably sounds really odd but I'm not the only person to think the two games are rather similar

I love Dark Souls. The entire Souls sphere of games are top notch, especially for exploration and rewards.

I'm not quite getting the same vibe from this one, but I'll take your word for it and keep pushing. Maybe it just hasn't clicked yet. If you like it that much, and you like Dark Souls as I do, then I am probably missing something.