Hello fellow miners, it's MeatShield again with 3 new blog posts about DRG's new Update 33: New Frontiers. This first one is going to focus entirely on the two new biomes that were just added, the second will focus on the Dreadnoughts, and the last one will touch on all the other changes that were added that fall outside biomes and Dreadnoughts.
Azure Weald
Arguably both the prettiest biome as well as the easiest added to the game so far. No environmental hazards to watch out for, and tons of new flora to explore and interact with. Notable features include tall and wide caves, an oppressively dark atmosphere, and some of the best hiding places for those pesky Secondary Objectives. If you happen to encounter a Mobula Cave Angel, press the Use button on it and you can instantly turn DRG into a flight simulator to explore the cave! Don't pay any attention to the Hexawing Gniffers; they make a lot of sound but will leave you alone. Keep your eyes peeled for the Stone Circle formation which gives players and enemies alike 50% Damage Reduction while standing inside the circle and for 15 seconds after, or the extremely rare Gravity Pit which gives 30% increased movement speed and Low Gravity while inside and the movement speed persists for 15 seconds after leaving. I logged over 40 hours in the Experimental Branch, and I still haven't found a Gravity Pit yet.
I recommend bringing a Scout to help light up the large caves and fight back against the darkness, as well as reveal where Cave Leeches are. Not only does it seem like Cave Leeches are spawning more frequently in U33, the large caves with tall ceilings in Azure Weald are prime real estate for Cave Leeches to spawn. Karl help you if you have to do a Cave Leech Cluster mission here... Other than that, enjoy the scenery of Azure Weald and go sightseeing down in the bioluminescent forest!
Hollow Bough
Do you like Magma Core, Glacial Strata, or Dense Biozone? Do you like it when the cave around you is just as lethal as the Glyphids and Mactera you fight? If so, I have good news for you: Hollow Bough features no fewer than SIX new environmental hazards!
- Stabber Vine cluster, also answers to the name "free heart attack"
- Passive thorn vines that retract when you shoot them or hit them with your pickaxe
- Wooden boughs that shoot spikes at you if you hit them with a pickaxe
- Yellow Goo Sacs that leave Sticky Goo on the floor around them if you break them
- Deeptora Wasps, a distant relative of Sandblasted Corridor's Deeptora Honeycomb
- Thorn Pots which explode into dozens of projectiles if you break them
In my opinion, this is one of the hardest biomes added to the game so far. Not only does it have all of the aforementioned environmental hazards, it also features some of the most vertical terrain generation I've ever seen. Drillers and Engineers may be mandatory to traverse this biome at times. Even the passive flora (tumbleweeds and something that looks like an acorn) are out to get you! They have "barrel physics" enabled, so you can kick them, or if you jump on them at the wrong angle they'll kick you into the ceiling resulting in a surprising and "physics jazz"-filled death. Remember, in Space Rig it's funny and safe, but down in Hoxxes you should treat barrel physics with the reverence it deserves. The aesthetic of Hollow Bough is creepy and unsettling, and I love it. With all the pointy vines around, just accept the fact that your shield will almost never be full and will take a long time to recharge in combat.
So, that's a quick rundown of what to look forward to in the new biomes of Update 33. The next post will cover the new Dreadnought fights.
Rock & Stone!
-MeatShield