Oxygen not included

Oxygen Not Included is a survival simulator in a space colony, where the player must control its colonial settlers (called duplicants in the game), helping them dig, build and maintain a base located in an asteroid that the player can independently choose from existing in the game. To do this, you need to extract water, heat, food and oxygen to maintain vitality, as well as make the colonists happy. The game involves procedural generation and crafting system. Each of the duplicants has its own characteristics, on which his abilities for one or another activity depend ^{[4] [5] [6]} .

The game belongs to hardcore simulations. The gameplay consists in finding solutions to emerging problems, and at the same time solving each of them leads to the appearance of new difficulties that need to be overcome. So, the player must build shelter and cars for the colonists in order to provide them with rest and food. At the same time, food consumption leads to waste products that are toxic and lead to disease. In addition, any activity of the settlers leads to the fact that they inhale oxygen and exhale CO ₂ , a high concentration of which can lead to asphyxiation of duplicants ^{[5] [6]} .

Settlers have a set of characteristics that determine their abilities. On the one hand, each colonist has a set of parameters, such as digging ability ( English digging ), creativity ( English creativity ), learning ability ( English learning ) and others. The parameter is expressed as an integer and determines the effectiveness of one or another action (respectively, the three mentioned, this is the time spent digging the tunnels, the ability to quickly draw a good picture, the speed of the study). On the other hand, there are characteristics expressed as positive and negative sides. For example, a character can be a lark and his characteristics in this case are improved in the morning (positive quality), and he can also be a narcoleptic , and because of this, he can fall asleep anywhere (negative) at any time. In addition, there are other characteristics. The values ​​of the main parameters can improve over time, for example, if a character has performed certain works for a long time and gained skills ^{[5] [6]} .

During their stay at the station, the colonists are additionally characterized by a number of changing properties, such as stress levels, fatigue, bladder fullness, etc. Stress increases due to various factors (interrupted sleep, fever, ...). Too high a level of stress can lead to a character having a nervous breakdown. The reaction to a nervous breakdown depends on the character (Vandal, nausea, crybaby or glutton). Stress can be relieved by a high quality of life, massage, etc. Fatigue reduces the colonist’s physical abilities, after filling the bladder the astronaut hurries to the toilet and so on ^[6] .

Initially, the player has three colonists. But over time, others may be printed on the bioprinter, and thus the number of inhabitants may increase. At the same time, astronauts may die ^[6] . It is impossible to control the colonists directly. The player can only give tasks for the performance of certain works, and their settlers do based on their needs, priorities, station supplies and other factors. But at the same time, the player has a number of tools at his disposal. So, he may prohibit certain colonists from performing certain work. For example, only those residents who are good in construction should be entrusted with the construction of new structures. Also, the player can turn off certain systems, assign priorities to the work performed, etc. ^[5] .

During the game in real time, there is a simulation of various processes at the station. In addition to gravity, they include models of liquids and gases, temperatures. Any rock-free asteroid point has a certain temperature; can be filled either with liquid (water, contaminated water, ..), or with gas (oxygen, hydrogen , etc.), or there may be a vacuum in it. Liquids under the influence of gravity flow down, seep through non-solid rocks, evaporate along the surface, etc. Gases mix, have some concentration and resulting pressure, lighter gases fly up (hydrogen), and heavier ones settle down ( CO ₂ ). Operating mechanisms, decomposing substances, and other processes can lead to heating, and heat is transferred from hot regions to colder ones ^{[5] [6]} .

The game provides methods for influencing liquids and gases. First of all, the player has the opportunity to create machines, such as transfer pumps, gas filters, water electrolysis devices , etc. With their help, it is possible to pump liquids and gases from one area to another, as well as convert them through filtration or reactions. For example, colonists can place a water pump in water that will pump water through pipes to a water electrolysis machine. That, in turn, with the help of electricity converts water into hydrogen and oxygen, which fall into the airspace of the station. Hydrogen is light gas, and rises up. In the place of its accumulation, it is possible to place an air pump and a filter, where the former pumps air, and the latter filters hydrogen, and transfers it to a hydrogen generator that produces electricity ^{[5] [6]} .

Each point free from rocks has a level of decoration ( English decor ). The higher it is, the colonists are more pleased to work in this place. Machines and mechanisms, warehouses, graves of comrades and other elements reduce this level. It can be increased, for example, by planting a plant or by placing a picture ^[6] .

Oxygen Not Included was developed by independent studio Klei Entertainment , located in Vancouver . Messages about the development of the game appeared in the summer of 2016, when its video was published and the release date was announced - May 2017. However, a page was created for Oxygen Not Included on Steam and only one platform was announced - Windows ^[1] .

Lead game designer Johann Seidenz admitted that Oxygen Not Included was influenced by games such as Dwarf Fortress , Prison Architect and The Sims . Comparing with Don't Starve , Johann said that these games require a different way of thinking from the player. If for Don't Starve the behavior is more instinctive, then in Oxygen Not Included it should be methodological and planned. At this time, it was planned to enter the game with early access in December 2016 / January 2017 ^[5] .

On February 15, 2017, an alpha version of the game was released with early access ^{[4] [6]} . Early publishing on Steam took place on May 18th. In this update, the addition of the game (agricultural, English Agricultural Update ) was released ^[7] . According to the developers, they are going to develop the game at least until 2018. The game press notes that at the beginning of May, 150 thousand people played the alpha version of Oxygen Not Included ^[8] .

In April 2019, the developers announced that the release date for the game will be May 28, 2019 ^{[9] [10]} . On May 18, 2019, the developers announced the postponement of the release date of the game to July 2019 ^[11] . Oxygen Not Included was released on July 30, 2019, and the game became available on the platforms Windows , macOS and Linux ^[2] .

In September 2016, Johann Seidenz provided a demo version of Oxygen Not Included criticism of HardcoreGamer to Tyler Robertson for a review. In the publication, Tyler noted a delightful graphic style that combines the contrast of the station's machines and the colonists inhabiting it. According to the critic, the game is charming, but first of all it will be interesting for hardcore , and not casual players ^[5] .

In a review of Rock, Paper, Shotgun , published after the game was published in early access, its author indicated that the game is a space manager, and such games can be found by fans if necessary. At the same time, the journalist compared Oxygen Not Included with RimWorld and noted that the first in this comparison is cartoony and is suitable for those who prefer a gas and mind-blowing game, while the latter is different in personalities and drama ^[6] .

• kleientertainment.com/games/oxygen-not-included - official site of Oxygen Not Included
• Official forum
• Game Wiki (rus)