Since Once Human's launch, we've been closely monitoring your feedback on core aspects such as scenario pacing, character growth, and replayability.
Once Human is an open-world survival and crafting game designed to allow players to experience its various scenarios without restrictions. To achieve this, we've introduced new features such as Blueprint Conversion, the Stellar Stairway system, and the Scenario Exit function, alongside extensive upgrades to the core gameplay experience. These updates aim to give you more freedom to engage with the scenarios on your terms.
In this article, we’ll preview some of the changes and optimizations planned for March. We’d also love to hear your feedback on these updates, so let us know what you think!
Share your thoughts by commenting on this article or via the Co-Dev Feedback Platform: https://www.oncehuman.game/grfkpt/
Now, let's take a look at the upcoming changes!
I. Non-Shutdown Servers
Planned Launch: March 13
Currently, servers automatically close after the scenario's settlement phase ends, following which your character will be transferred to Eternaland, where they can sign up for a new scenario and more.
Regarding this, we've consistently received the following feedback:
1. Some players cannot experience all of a scenario's content due to the limited duration.
2. Returning players cannot resume their progress due to server closures.
3. Some players prefer to continue playing the same scenario rather than starting a new one or returning to Eternaland.
To allow you to experience scenarios at your own pace, we plan to introduce permanent servers on March 13.
Rules
1. Scenario servers will not close: When the scenario ends after its settlement phase, the server will convert into a permanent server. This process takes about 2 hours, during which the server will be inaccessible. Once the conversion is complete, you can choose to remain on the server, return to Eternaland, or sign up for a new scenario.
2. Inactive characters cannot enter the permanent server: After the server converts to a permanent one, characters that have not logged in to the scenario for an extended period will be returned to Eternaland. From there, they can sign up for a new scenario.
The reason for this restriction is that transferring all characters to the permanent server would place a significant load on the server. To ensure a smooth experience for active users, characters inactive for 30 days or more will not be transferred to the permanent server. However, we plan to significantly ease this restriction in the next quarter to accommodate returning players.
3. Servers will be merged after conversion to permanent status:
i. Servers of the same scenario type and Visional Wheel status will be merged.
ii. Each server will be merged into a single World on the permanent server. After the merge, you can switch between Worlds to interact with players from other servers. Subsequently, Worlds with relatively low activity levels may be merged to ensure a good experience.
4. Visional Wheel updates for permanent servers:
Permanent servers will be kept in their original state. Updates and changes that can only be applied to new servers will not affect permanent servers. These changes include:
i. Major scenario changes, such as new regions, modifications to existing regions, or the addition/removal of Public Crisis Events.
ii. New Memetics and changes to Memetic Specializations.
iii. Changes to season goals, seasonal challenges.
iv. Map changes.
v. New game modes based on seasonal phases.
New content not exclusive to new servers will be applied to permanent servers, including:
i. Construction optimizations, including new building materials and components.
ii. Changes, optimizations, and additions to the ranching and farming systems.
iii. Weapon balance adjustments.
iv. New cosmetics and events.
v. Bug fixes and optimizations.
In future updates, we will specifically indicate whether or not new content will be applied to permanent servers.
5. Visional Wheel updates for permanent servers:
For servers with the Visional Wheel tag, the Visional Wheel theme will continue to cycle after conversion to a permanent server. For example, when the current Lunar Oracle theme ends, the next Visional Wheel theme will start on the permanent server.
Developer Notes:
As an optimization to the season system, permanent servers are intended to address gameplay pacing issues, enabling returning players, new players, and active players alike to play at their own pace. We are also aware that players want fresh content and non-repetitive gameplay. To meet this demand, we plan to introduce new scenarios, enhance scenario playability, and optimize resource allocation, self-hosted servers, and the Visional Wheel system. Next, we'll unveil a new PvE scenario and adjustments to resource allocation.
II. New PvE Scenario: Endless Dream
Banish the nightmares and guard the dawn.
This year, we will introduce a new scenario: Endless Dream. In an ever-shifting dreamscape, you must hunt down the Original Entity behind the nightmares and awaken the world from its terrible slumber.
1. Scenario Features
Fully accessible map: Explore every region from Broken Delta to Ember Strand right from the start.
Dynamic environmental effects: The dreamscape's challenges will constantly evolve in response to your actions.
Greater freedom: Use Construction mode outside your territory and creatively utilize facilities to your advantage!
Flexible pace: Explorable regions will no longer be restricted by seasonal phase, and seasonal phases will advance based on players' progress in hunting the Original Entity.
Salvation or destruction? The fate of the world hinges on the collective efforts of all players.
2. Scenario Concept
When the Sleeper manifests, its influence will warp the surrounding wilderness into a dreamscape full of unpredictable changes. You might find yourself engulfed in darkness or afflicted with strange vulnerabilities—becoming unusually weak, flammable, or even explosive.
The dreamscape will also transform Deviants and resources within the world, changing how players interact with or battle against them.
We hope that these changes will bring a variety of combinatory changes to exploration and combat, ensuring that every area and play session offers new and unexpected experiences. Let us know your thoughts and ideas on the scenario concept!
Stay tuned to our official announcements for information on the upcoming co-dev test. We'll be sharing more details about the new scenario soon!
III. Cross-Character Asset Sharing
Planned Launch: March 27
Once Human is an open-world survival and crafting game designed to allow players to experience its various scenarios without restrictions. Currently, however, assets are tied to character level, creating a significant barrier for players who want to create a new character to try new scenarios or play with friends. To address this, we plan to introduce cross-character asset sharing on March 27. This feature will allow more resources to be shared and transferred across all characters on the same account, giving you greater freedom to play the way you want.
Scope and Rules
1. Which assets will be shared? How will the sharing work?
The following assets will be shared across all characters on the same account:
i. Stellar Stairway, Starchrom, and Blueprints: Stellar Stairway progress, Starchrom, blueprints, blueprint fragments, and Blueprint Collection level will be shared at the account level.
After the March 27 update, log in with any character on your account to activate cross-character sharing. After activation, all characters on your account will share the Stellar Stairway progress, Starchrom, and blueprint data of the character with the highest Blueprint Collection level.
ii. Mods: All mods from every character on your account will be shared across all characters.
iii. Weapon Accessories: All weapon accessories from every character on your account will be shared across all characters.
iv. Cosmetics: The vast majority of cosmetics—including fashion items, actions, emotes, keyword effects, and namecards—will be shared across all characters on your account. Any exceptions will be clearly labeled.
v. Certain Formulas: Some formulas will be shared across all characters on your account. These formulas will be labeled as shared in the UI.
vi. Certain Tokens: The following tokens will be shared across all characters on your account:
a. Emblem Unlock Items
b. Weapon Renaming Cards
c. Phantom Cubes
Mods, weapon accessories, cosmetics, and certain formulas and tokens owned by every character on your account will be aggregated and shared across all characters. Due to the amount of data involved, after the March 27 update, you will need to manually log in with each character to complete data aggregation for that character. Characters that have not undergone data aggregation will be marked on the login screen.
Duplicate weapon accessories, cosmetics, and formulas will be automatically disassembled during the merging process.
vii. Items and Equipment: An Account Depot into which you can deposit items and equipment will be added to Eternaland. Items stored in the Account Depot are converted into Spacetime Backpack items that can be withdrawn to your Spacetime Backpack. You can then spend Resource Points to transfer them to your scenario backpack.
· You can deposit items from your scenario backpack into the Account Depot without waiting for the season settlement. Deposited items will be immediately converted into Spacetime Backpack items.
· Items not sent to the Spacetime Backpack during season settlement temporarily cannot be transferred between characters. We plan to optimize this feature in the future to allow more items to be transferred between characters.
2. Why can't Stellar Stairway progress, Starchrom, and blueprint data be aggregated? Why is only the data of the character with the highest Blueprint Collection level shared?
Starchrom and blueprint acquisition are tied to character playtime. Aggregating these resources would create a significant and insurmountable gap between players who focus on one character and those who play multiple characters. Using the data of the character with the highest Blueprint Collection level ensures that all other characters on your account will enjoy an increase in Blueprint Collection level, allowing you to create and use new characters more freely. If you have invested in multiple characters, we will offer Starchrom compensation based on the aggregate Blueprint Collection levels of your other characters. For example:
Assume you have three characters on your account: A, B, and C whose Blueprint Collection levels are Lv. 100, Lv. 40, and Lv. 20 respectively.
i. After the March 27 update, the Stellar Stairway progress, Starchrom, and blueprint data of A will be shared across all characters.
ii. The Blueprint Collection levels of your remaining characters B and C will be aggregated. In this case, Lv. 40 + Lv. 20 = Lv. 60.
iii. You will be compensated based on the aggregate Blueprint Collection level as per the table below. The maximum compensation is 40,000 Starchrom. In this example, B and C's aggregate Blueprint Collection level of Lv. 60 means you will receive 8,000 Starchrom in compensation.
| Other Characters' Aggregate Blueprint Collection Level | Starchrom Compensation | [/tr]
|---|---|
| Lv. 1–30 | 4000 | [/tr]
| Lv. 31–60 | 8000 | [/tr]
| Lv. 61–90 | 12000 | [/tr]
| Lv. 91–120 | 16000 | [/tr]
| Lv. 121-150 | 20000 | [/tr]
| Lv. 151–180 | 24000 | [/tr]
| Lv. 181–210 | 28000 | [/tr]
| Lv. 211–240 | 32000 | [/tr]
| Lv. 241–270 | 36000 | [/tr]
| Lv. 271 and above | 40000 | [/tr]
iv. Compensation will be sent via system mail after the cross-character sharing is activated.
After the March 27 update, all players will receive a set amount of Starchrom and blueprint conversion attempts to allow you to adjust your blueprints as needed. The changes we are making are not designed to invalidate your previous efforts, but to reduce grind and allow you to enjoy the game's content more flexibly.
IV. Resource Allocation and Deviation Optimizations
1. Deviation Acquisition and Interaction Optimizations
Planned Launch: March 13
The acquisition methods for Morphed Deviations will be made more focused and streamlined. The probability of obtaining these Deviations will not change. Before the update, we will announce the affected Deviations and their acquisition methods, and we will continue to make adjustments based on your feedback.
We have also improved the rules for spawning Deviations when opening Lunar Oracle Crates. Deviations belonging to the player will be prioritized for display, and there will be a cap on the total number of visible Deviations. Additionally, the duration of Deviation spheres will be shortened. This is to prevent confusion when trying to capture Deviations.
2. Resource Allocation Optimizations
Planned Launch: March 27
High-risk zones will yield rarer resources, including advanced resources and some new rare resources. This change is designed to enhance the risk-reward experience of exploration.
The yield rate of advanced resources will also be adjusted, as some of the yield has been reallocated to high-risk zones. Some Memetic Specialization effect values and game mode rewards will also be changed.
New special ammo and tactical items will also be added. These items require rare resources to craft and introduce new combat effects and strategic options to scenarios.
Controllers and all Controller-related features will be removed. Affected rewards will now yield mods directly, but some resource rewards have been reallocated to high-risk zones.
More details on these optimizations will be unveiled in the update announcement. Stay tuned!
V. Construction System Optimizations
Planned Launch: March 27
1. Intuitive Power Management
In response to player feedback about the complexity of connecting Generators and the ambiguity of power consumption calculations, we have overhauled the electricity system to make power management more intuitive.
Optimizations
Automatic Power Connections: Generators in your territory will automatically connect and form an electrical network by default, eliminating the need to manually lay cables.
Visualized Power Consumption Data: In Construction mode, you can view the total and current power consumption in real time. You can also monitor the power usage distribution on the Generator screen.
2. Water and Production Management Optimizations
To address player's feedback regarding inefficient water management, we have revamped how you interact with the water system.
Optimizations
Smart Output Management
The Water Pump and Rainwater Collection System will allow you to select their outputs. Available outputs are dependent on the resources of the current region.
The Water Filter and Brewing Barrel will also allow you to choose their outputs, making it easier for you to manage your territory's production line.
Automated Liquid Transport
Impure Acid and Barreled Crude Oil can be transported using water pipes.
Some redundant connections will also be removed.
Offline Output
Offline output will be automatically calculated based on your offline time, resolving the issue of production stagnating while offline.
3. Territory Relocation and Construction Optimizations
In response to feedback regarding terrain glitches during relocation and the limited variety of building parts, we have focused on improving freedom and mistake tolerance during construction.
Optimizations
Smart Terrain Adaptation
The experience of relocating your territory to locations with significant terrain variation will be improved.
Trees and rocks within the target location will also be cleared automatically, removing the need for tedious manual clearance.
More Creative Construction Options
New building parts including mirrored stairs and half-height fences will be added.
You will also be able to directly place carpets below furniture, instead of having to move the furniture first.
Control Optimizations
The green target preview in Construction mode will be optimized to make it easier to see the target's texture and orientation.
4. Future Direction: A Construction System with More Freedom
Our next plan is to optimize and revamp various aspects of the territory.
Improvements are coming to the load system, snapping rules, building permissions, House Blueprint sharing, and more. Our aim is to deliver unique construction and survival experiences for each scenario, and to provide more freedom and fun in building your territory.
We know that there remains much room for improvement.
However, we have faith that your suggestions and criticisms will help us to improve the game. Your expectations and feedback are the cornerstone of this world. Please don't hold back, and let us know your honest thoughts! Let's work together to make Once Human as great as possible!
