It’s a heck of a job, getting to drive the rig! Once you open up that throttle and get to full stride, there’s nothing like it. It’s what makes our little farming game special! But it’s important to step away from the cockpit, get a look at the world around you from the ground! In fact, some of what you’re doing on the Frontier needs you to get out and about, getting some on-foot perspective and using your tools to do some work with your own two hands. Whether that’s squeezing through the smaller spaces throughout the world, or swapping out and upgrading parts, there’s plenty to be done outside the mech! Read on, and learn more about what’s going on at floor level!
No Points Docked
The cockpit’s real cozy, but it’s difficult to swap out parts while sitting inside! As you’ve seen in our mech revamp update, you’ll be using your P.I.C.K.-Axe to manipulate parts of your mech while it’s on the Upgrade Dock! Swap out mech parts to your heart’s content; once you’ve got the parts you want, use the paint gun with some pigment of your choice, and customize even further as you choose colors for each part! You can even change your mech’s color out in the field! Plus, while you’re at the Upgrade Dock, navigate the upgrade tree for your mech and choose the parts you want to beef up!
Playing the Ground Game
Having a big, stompy mech is a heap of fun, for sure! Sometimes, though, you’ll need a more delicate approach, with a literally smaller footprint. Not every part of the Frontier is a big, wide-open space, meaning you’ll occasionally be going where your mech can’t! Whether that’s a hidden cave, a thin crevice, or a tiny plateau, some parts of the Frontier are best experienced up close and personal.
Similarly, some homestead tasks you’ll be taking on are handled the same way. The wildlife of the world generally scare easily, and running around in a few tons of machinery will cause them to flee. When you’re trying to feed critters, go to ground! Your inventory can pull from the mech’s within a certain distance, so don’t worry about having to carefully carry a cookie around with you. Additionally, certain tasks are better served by precision! Looking to make sure your fence posts are nice and squared up? Hop on out and give it a look-over to make sure. Since some structures are small enough to be nested in others, more often than not, it’s easier that way anyways!
Handy and Hand-Held
When we said you’ll have to use your own two hands, we mean that you’ll be holding tools, of course! First and foremost, you’ve already seen it in action: The P.I.C.K.-Axe! This work-tool-slash-magnetic-wizard-staff handles most of your uniquely exofarmer interactions on the ground, including harvesting hard-to-reach resources and manipulating things like loose parts and materials. Using this tool, you can break apart things like rocks and trees the same way you would with the mech, with the added benefit of using a suspension field to gather materials! While channeling the suspension field, the materials are held together, meaning you can both carry them or launch them in a particular direction (i.e., towards your mech or your friends)!
Alongside this tool, you’ll have a handheld version of some of your mech’s other tools, enabling you to pick and choose which tasks you do in the mech vs. on foot! As mentioned earlier, you’ll also be equipped with a paint gun that puts the artistry in your hands. Choose the primary and secondary color scheme for each mech part on your chassis, as well as putting personal touches on the buildings around your homestead!
Some Work, Some Play
It ain’t all about work, though; between farming the alien fields and building up your homestead, be sure to take a breather and enjoy the sights! As we continue building out Lightyear Frontier, we’ll be adding more leisure activities so you can have a bit of downtime from building up the homestead. Plus, as you explore the planet, you might find a few shiny objects that catch your eye; working your way through on-foot may be the best or only option, so put those boots to good use and walk around.
Speaking of fun activities, we need help from y’all once again! If you’ve been a longtime follower, you might remember when the community chose the hanging string lights decor option! Now’s your chance to make another change; we’ll be running a poll on our Discord October 6th to decide what fun activity we should put in the game later on. Hop on in, and cast your vote! We’ll see y’all then!
