Overview / Usage

Aground is a resource-gathering and crafting game with a story, focused on the theme of Progression. You start the game as a lone survivor from a shipwreck with almost nothing, and build your way up to a thriving settlement and eventually make your way to space and travel between planets. The goal was to have players constantly wondering what would unlock next and always giving them a goal to work towards instead of being an open sandbox like similar games.

Aground is currently in Early Access, and is scheduled to release in April 2020.

Methodology / Approach

Aground uses Haxe to compile to many different platforms and be cross platform (including multiplayer, which is currently in the works). The HTML5 demo uses the same codebase as the Windows, Mac and Linux versions. Development was iterative and open, with players constantly giving feedback and suggestions during development, helping the game take form. The diverging science and magic paths, pets/familiar system, fishing, and more were all thanks to player suggestions.

For ease of revisions, the game loads xml files along with images, scripts and audio dynamically. Entire areas of the game can be modified without changing the code or re-compiling.

Modding has also been an important part of Aground, and since early on we've allowed players to create and share .zip files containing xml files and scripts that load directly in the game. We have over 100 mods on mod.io, and more shared privately or through Steam Workshop.

Technologies Used

Uses OpenFL which is built upon Haxe, and uses SDL/OpenGL for the window management/rendering. The game also leverages mod.io to handle easy sharing of mods, and we integrated the Steam API on the steam version to integrate with steam achievements, cloud saves, workshop and networking (in development).

Other links

• Homepage