What happens when you get a group of gamers together who love a certain type of game? Typically, they will do one of two things. The first potential option is that they will discuss civilly what they like and dislike about the games they are playing and what they wish they could improve. The second and more destructive option is that they will grandstand why their game is the best and only use the positive aspects of a game to support their argument, while ignoring the negative. This month, we got to meet with a group of gamers, Tiny Indie Studio, who have chosen to do the first option and are currently using that to create a game of their own called Drop Point.
Last week, after the PAX East dust had settled, we got to meet with a new studio showing off a promising new survival game; this studio, called Tiny Indy Studio, is currently developing a survival game called Drop Point. Their goal with this game is to create a survival experience unlike any other, taking some of the best elements from games like Rust, A.R.K Survival, DayZ, Sons of the Forest, Valheim, 7 Days to Die, and Palworld. As hardcore survival enthusiasts, Tiny Indie Studio wants to create a survival experience that makes it feel like death can be the end and that you will have to start from scratch if you do.
Upon dying, the player will drop all items in their inventory, and enemies may loot their corpse as scavengers. Enemies may also raid the player’s base to steal their gear. If the player’s base is raided and destroyed, they will lose all their progress and have to start all over again. If the player’s base has been destroyed, the player will receive a random character upon spawning back in.
Now, this can seem extreme; however, Funcom’s Dune Awakening is taking a similar approach. In addition to the dangerous enemies and respawn situation, players will need to deal with different weather elements affecting the climate. Cold weather can lead to the player freezing and dying. The demo showed off a wide array of weather elements, from sunny and hot to rainy with lightning illuminating the sky. Having such a dynamic range of elements will make players decide wisely where they want to build their base and how they want to prepare when heading out.
While taking on quests, the player can make multiple bases as they explore; this helps if you die while on a run, so that you won’t have to travel across the map again. By building multiple bases, you will save time that you could very easily lose; when talking about traveling, the developers mentioned that it could take up to three hours to reach a certain point, which makes it seem like the game is going to be massive.
When discussing the building of bases, the developers showed us how easy it is to craft a base. Using snap mechanics, players can put together a fortification within seconds as long as they have the resources. Later in the game, players can upgrade those fortifications with the click of a button as long as they have the materials. Having a more fortified base will make it so that enemies can not destroy it as easily.
Just like you can improve your fortifications, you can also improve your weaponry with more advanced technology. Destroy enemy bases with explosives, flamethrowers, and Molotov cocktails. You will be able to raid other players’ bases and take on fortresses once the game fully releases. As the game continues to update, Tiny Indie Studio plans to add different types of weapons, enemies, and vehicles to the game.
Does this sound like the type of game you would like to play, or do you think it sounds too extreme? As someone who enjoys a survival game every now and then, it is interesting to see the experience they are crafting. If they continue down the path they are going, it could be the next big survival game. Early Access for Drop Point is planned for 2025, so make sure to wishlist it on Steam.
