Following a recent beta, in which a few content creators and players from the game’s Discord were able to test out a recent build of the game, a new mechanic came to light: Water. In the game, water proves vital. It’s a crucial resource you must collect in the wasteland to attract merchants and mercenaries to your base. But there’s cause for concern. Your water depletes. When it does, say goodbye to your progress. Here’s what you should know about water in The Forever Winter!
How Does Water Work in The Forever Winter?
First and foremost, alongside the loot you’ll find in the world to earn money, you’ll collect water from the wasteland to help sustain your home. As you bring back water, it collects in a reservoir, attracting merchants and mercenaries. The former will sell you better equipment, like rigs and weapons. If you choose to play the game solo, the latter will journey into the raid with you, fighting by your side as an AI companion.
But there’s a catch, unfortunately. Your water depletes over time. It’s not a problem if you’re actively playing the game, but it also depletes in real time when you’re not playing. If you take a break from The Forever Winter to check out another game, you’ll return to find your water completely gone. If your water is gone, then the merchants and mercenaries leave.
But even worse is, if your water depletes completely, you’ll lose your entire stash. All of the equipment and items you’ve looted are gone!
According to developer Fun Dog Studios, the goal is for players to “feel anxiety,” even when not playing the game.
With all that said, the mechanic is supposedly quite forgiving time-wise. Your reservoir is said to hold a month’s worth of water, which you can fill in a few raids. If you hop in on the weekends to play, you should be okay.
Related: Can You Play The Forever Winter Solo?
Will the Devs Change How Water Works?
As of right now, no, they won’t. When criticized for the mechanic by playtesters and fans in the Discord, they doubled down and confirmed that they might change how much water you loot in-raid, but they won’t change the overall mechanic. It’s a core game component; they want you to play frequently or lose everything.
What do you think of the water mechanic in The Forever Winter? Is it too much, or is the one-month reservoir enough? Let us know in the comments or on the official forums!
It’s almost time to hop in-game. Here’s when you can play The Forever Winter on PC!
