Aloft News

[p]Ahoy, Sky Sailors! [/p][p]
We recently shared the first part of our update Devlog, where we dove into technical improvements and new features coming to Aloft: progression tech trees, ecosystem changes, Life Saplings, Life Trees, and the new world generation. That Devlog also contained important information about your saves, so please be sure to check it out if you haven’t already.

We also recently announced the update’s title and release date: Bloom & Blight, which ships on November 4th!

We’re now back to deliver part 2 of the Devlog focusing on corruption, enemies, and research – let’s take a look![/p][h3]
CORRUPTION STRAINS & NODES[/h3][p]As you may know, the world of Aloft is plagued by a mysterious and infectious fungal corruption that aims to completely overtake ecosystems by preying on other fungi, but also on fauna and flora.

This corruption manifests in multiple strains – distinct tiers of corruption, each with its own appearance, enemies, and level of threat.

Currently, the Mykter strain has spread across the world, but going forward it will be found exclusively in Emerald Isles, leaving room for new, more dangerous strains to emerge.

We will soon be introducing two new corruption strains: Sportox and Flogade!

Sportox will be found invading Fallen Heights and recognised by its bright orange bulbs and toxic spore fumes. [/p][p][/p][p]Flogade will be found infesting Red Cliffs and recognised by its black tissue, jagged spikes, and scorching red-hot ooze.
[/p][p][/p][p]Our infamous corruption nodes will also come in Flogade and Sportox versions. Further, nodes are being reimagined as an exploration challenge – instead of being chained to the node’s trunk, weak points will be scattered across the island as corruption cores.[/p][p]
You’ll need to explore and hunt down 2–5 cores before the node itself becomes vulnerable to attack. Careful, enemies will be chasing you down along your path! Once all the cores are destroyed, the node will weaken, opening the way for you to strike the final blow and cleanse the island.[/p][p][/p][h3]NEW ENEMY STRAINS[/h3][p]Sportox & Flogade enemies have entered the chat! That’s right sailors, prepare to battle stronger tiers of Guardians, Cowards, and Shriekers! These new monsters will spawn in Fallen Heights and Red Cliffs. 

The new enemies will also have strain-specific special effects: the Spore Cloud and the Scorching Ground! 

Sportox enemies will unleash Spore Clouds, a drifting haze that will hang ominously above the ground. Any player caught within it will suffer the Asphyxiated condition, taking steady damage as toxic spores choke the air around them.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Flogade enemies will ignite the Scorching Ground, a fiery hazard on the battlefield. Players who step into it will suffer the Scorched condition, taking an initial burst of damage followed by ongoing burn damage over time.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]NEW TOOLS & WEAPONS[/h3][p]To face these new fungi, we’re tooling you up with stronger gear: Windstone and Serrated Bone tools!

Windstone tools will deal more damage than their regular stone counterparts and will have a larger combo zone, making it easier to chain combos and land powerful hits![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Serrated Bone tools will be the strongest of all the tool tiers. Their combo finale will deal increased damage, letting you strike with the greatest force![/p][p]
[/p][h3]RESEARCH & BREWING LABS[/h3][p]Research will now require a special new resource from corrupted islands: the Corruption Anomaly! These strange, bubbling anomalies will pulse and glow across corrupted islands.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]
Take these anomalies, along with Mykter, Sportox, and Flogade samples back to your Research Lab to experiment with and earn Breakthroughs.[/p][p]
Breakthroughs can be spent on the Research Tech Tree to learn various cure-related technologies, such as Brewing Labs and Terrariums. Each biome will have two tiers of Brewing Labs – tier one labs will concoct the fungicide, but only the upgraded tier two labs will be advanced enough to brew the cure!

[/p][carousel][/carousel][p]That wraps up part 2 of our Bloom & Blight Devlog!

Thank you for reading and for continuing to share your thoughts and feedback. Your input has been invaluable in shaping Aloft’s new systems and enemy encounters!

We can’t wait to see you take on Sportox and Flogade foes when Bloom & Blight launches on November 4th. Until then, keep your sails high and your blades sharpened, Sky Sailors! 💙[/p]

[p]Ahoy, Sky Sailors!

Since there are many new features and system changes coming to Aloft, we are hosting a Developer Q&A to discuss the update!

The entire Aloft team will be available to answer your questions about our largest update yet - from programming, design, art, and more.

📍 Where: Aloft Community Discord[/p][p]🗓 When: Friday, October 10th[/p][p]🕜 Time: 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM EST

We look forward to chatting with you, see you there! 💙
[/p]

[p]Ahoy Sky Sailors! [/p][p]We’re excited to announce that Bloom & Blight, our next content update, will arrive on November 4! [/p][p]This is our biggest update yet, with several brand-new features, a major streamlining of some existing features, and a restructuring of world generation that provides a rock-solid foundation for the continued development of Aloft. [/p][p]Soar across a denser and more rewarding world to find and restore withered Life Sapling islands to their former glory. Discover the splendor of the Life Trees and gain access to their insight basins. [/p][p][/p][p]These locations are aglow with life and will grant you insight, advancing your progress in the completely revamped tech trees: knowledge, sailing, and research. [/p][p]Not only have the existing systems been streamlined into a more cohesive and engaging experience, but we have also reworked combat, added new corruption strains, and higher-tier tools and weapons. [/p][p]Check out part one of our in-depth Devlog on Bloom & Blight, which also includes details on the upcoming save reset, here. [/p][p]For an overall impression of the update, we’ve put together this handy list of highlights. [/p][p][/p][p]Game development can feel like cultivating a garden. You plant a whole bunch of seeds, feed them nutrients, water every day, and prune the edges. Sometimes, you can’t be sure what a seed will bring, and that’s part of both the challenge and excitement! With this update, we’ve seen a ton of growth, and the long-term shape of what’s to come. [/p][p]We owe a big thanks to all of you as well, for your feedback, patience, and encouragement. After all, you are what makes our garden bloom! [/p][p]We'll see you in the skies! ⛅ [/p][p][/p]

[p]Hello everyone! [/p][p]It’s the season of change, but some things you can always rely on: Halloween stuff is sold too early, children turn feral for candy, and the Steam Autumn Sale knocks on the door like an old friend bearing gifts. [/p][p]If you haven’t immersed yourself in the epic world of Dune in Dune: Awakening, this is the perfect opportunity, with a 20% discount and new content in the Chapter 2 free update and Lost Harvest DLC. [/p][p][/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p]Browse the full Funcom library for amazing discounts including: [/p]

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• [p]The Longest Journey – 75% off [/p]
• [p]Empyrion: Galactic Survival – 70% off [/p]

[p][/p]

[h3]⚠️ This Devlog includes very important information about your saves, so please be sure to read through it carefully.[/h3][hr][/hr][p]Ahoy, Sky Sailors! 
[/p][p]We’re preparing to set sail with our next major Early Access content update, and what better way to reveal what’s on the horizon than with a fresh Devlog?[/p][p]
Our upcoming Fall 2025 update will be our biggest yet, packed with exciting new features along with major technical and gameplay improvements.[/p][p][/p][h3]PROGRESSION[/h3][p]“When will I learn the loom?” “Where do I find the sawmill?” “Why am I unlocking a lamp?”

Those days are over!

Progression in Aloft has been one of the biggest points of frustration for players so we are overhauling the way you advance and unlock knowledge in the game through tech trees.
[/p][p]And fret not: Knowledge Stones & Lost Anchors (along with the lore they brought) will remain part of the progression loop. Interacting with them will grant you the opportunity to learn technology from their corresponding tech tree. If you prefer, you will be able to save that knowledge and unlock a technology at your own pace later on.
[/p][p]There will be a total of 3 types of tech trees, divided by type: a Knowledge tree for basic machinery, a Sailing tree for sailing equipment, and a Research tree for cure-related technologies.[/p][p]
All 3 trees will feature thresholds, requiring Insight to continue purchasing further technologies.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]There are many reasons for and benefits to these changes:[/p]

• [p]The current system forces a specific order for unlocking technologies. However, a lot of technologies unlock optional systems, like cooking, farming, and animal husbandry. A tech tree, by nature, lets us create optional technological branches that aren't mandatory to unlock. We want to give you the agency to decide which systems you are most interested in and want to unlock first.
  [/p]
• [p]There was a lot of confusion about how to obtain certain resources and how to interact with game systems. Stumbling upon stones and learning things you didn't know existed doesn't contribute much to the gameplay loop. By letting you visualise the upcoming technologies, you can now see the answers to your questions coming up in the tech tree and make it a goal to unlock those items.[/p]

[p]Sketching a technology will unlock it normally and will allow a player to start learning further technologies from that point on the tree, even if some technologies below remain locked. Additionally, this system encourages exploration to find building pieces & decor, while also allowing you to catch up to your friends who may have progressed further into their technological unlocks.

Fresco technologies will appear on the tree, but cannot be unlocked through knowledge points. Once learned through the corresponding frescoes, they allow further technologies connected to them to be purchased.[/p][p][/p][h3]ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION[/h3][p]Ecosystem restoration has always been a core and enjoyable part of Aloft, but it needed refinement to feel more engaging and less like simply ticking items off a checklist. No more abandoning your beloved animals or getting lost in confusing critter tasks![/p][p]
Moving forward, only Life Sapling islands will start out unhealthy, while all other islands will spawn in a healthy state. We’ve also streamlined ecosystem vitality needs to make restoration more immersive and approachable. Islands will only track the quantity of three core requirements: funga, flora, and fauna. Players will still be able to render any island unhealthy by manually removing those elements.

Funga health[/p]

• [p]Will track the quantity of mushrooms planted.[/p]
• [p]Players will still be able to inoculate the base of trees, but will also have access to an inoculation log, providing an additional way to fulfill fungal needs and to farm mushrooms.[/p]

[p][/p][p][/p][p]Flora health[/p]

• [p]Will track the total number of small plants, non-plotted crops, and trees combined.[/p]
• [p]Players will be able to plant all types of flora directly into the ground using seed mounds. These will act as temporary farming plots, but will disappear after being watered. This will allow players to plant crops long before they unlock the larger farming plot.[/p]

[p][/p][p][/p][p]Fauna health[/p]

• [p]Will track the quantity of small animals and insects both present and hidden on the island (not those in vivariums). Large animals will no longer be counted.[/p]
• [p]Habitats will be removed from the building menu thanks to better critter generation.[/p]
• [p]Habitats will only be present as an activity on Life Sapling islands where you’ll get to repair them and populate them with critters from your collection.[/p]

[p][/p][p][/p][h3]LIFE SAPLINGS & LIFE TREES[/h3][p]Life Sapling islands will be in very rough shape when you encounter them. They are complete wastelands, devoid of life, and overflowing with hindrances. To restore them, you will have to complete a series of mini-games and tasks to improve their vitality and get rid of the various hindrances.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]As the last step to completely bring the wasteland back to life, players will have the opportunity to conduct the life wind itself – spreading greenery around the island, growing plants on its way, and finally, by restoring the Life Sapling! [/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]
Healing a Life Sapling will grant a Dream Fruit and open up all the Wind Lanes connecting that cluster of islands to nearby ones.[/p][p]
Wind Lanes will let you sail faster between island clusters, reaching speeds of around 120 knots for a more fun and engaging journey![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Life Trees are ancient and mystical trees that serve as key gameplay objectives, encouraging the player to restore ecological balance one sector at a time. Life Trees will also enable players to progress deeper into their Tech Trees.[/p][p]
Once a sector’s three LifeSaplings are healed, you’ll be able to channel their life winds by communing with the meditation circle and breathing life back into the Life Tree – cue the cutscene![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]With the Life Tree restored, players will be able to descend into its underground chamber and discover the Insight Basin, where they can activate the Orb to obtain Insight. As mentioned earlier, Tech Trees will have thresholds that can only be crossed by earning Insight.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]RESET & RESTRUCTURED SAVES[/h3][p]As we continue developing new and exciting features for Aloft during Early Access, it is equally important for us to strengthen the game’s technical foundation. We’ve heard your feedback regarding corrupted save files and while the in-game backup tool has recovered many of your saves, the underlying issue needed a permanent fix.

To address this, our programmers have completely overhauled the save data system in order to achieve long-term stability.

This means your current characters, worlds, personal & shared home islands will no longer be compatible starting with this upcoming update.

This update is an important milestone for Aloft, and we have a window of opportunity to make the game as best as it can be while it is still in Early Access.

To ensure you can still revisit your older saves, we’ll be creating a Steam Beta legacy branch for version 0.3.3.22 of Aloft. You’ll be able to switch to it at any time to continue where you left off. This branch will not receive updates or support, and as always, users must be on the same version of the game in order to play together in multiplayer.

The good news: custom islands already created with the Island Creator will still be compatible with the upcoming update.

If you haven’t already done so, we recommend uploading your custom islands to the Steam Workshop using the Island Creator tool. This will make it easy for you to re-download and spawn them into your new worlds after the update. To be clear: this recommendation does not include personal or shared islands. This is because the data structures for characters and worlds are undergoing major and incompatible changes, while the data structure of Island Creator templates (custom islands) is staying the same.[/p][p][/p][h3]NEW WORLD GENERATION[/h3][p]The save overhaul also introduces a more stable world generation system. Starting with version 0.3.4, your worlds will be fully compatible with future updates. That means we will be able to seamlessly inject new content into your existing worlds, and you will no longer have to create a new world for each content update.

This new system will also allow our designers to generate worlds in a more curated manner and control the pace of discoveries. It also makes way for more efficient testing of islands for our level designers and QA team. 

The new world layout will have fewer sectors overall and denser island positioning to provide a better sense of direction. Island exploration should feel a lot more engaging, meaningful, and less repetitive. Lost Atlas’ will no longer reveal islands within standard clusters. Instead, they will guide the player to hidden, castaway islands outside of standard clusters.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]That’s it for now, sailors! Stay tuned for Part 2 of this Devlog, where we’ll dive deeper into combat, corruption, and research.

We also want to take a moment to thank you for all the feedback and bug reports you’ve shared since launch – it’s been invaluable in shaping the future of Aloft. Alongside the core systems covered here, we’re continuing to make improvements across the board to sound effects, visual effects, the user interface, and more.

As always, we’d love to hear your thoughts on these changes. To keep the conversation going, we’re going to host a live Q&A session on our community Discord, where you’ll be able to ask the Aloft developers anything from programming, to design, to art, and whatever else you’d like to know about our largest update yet. Details about the Q&A, including the date and time, will be posted separately soon.

And finally, a reminder: all features in this Devlog are still in development and subject to change as we continue building the game.

See you in the clouds! 🌥️[/p][p] [/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p]