Reviving Minecraft Megastructures with Farworld Pioneers

The base-building and survival crafting genres are currently experiencing a period of great success. With popular sequels like Sons of the Forest impressing fans and new franchises joining the field, it's clear that these genres are thriving. Even beloved franchises such as Fallout and Dragon Quest have attempted to incorporate base building into their gameplay. Against this backdrop, Farworld Pioneers makes its debut.

Like many games in this genre, Farworld Pioneers draws inspiration from Minecraft, an early leader in the genre. However, lead developer Rho Watson, a veteran of Starbound, was just as motivated by what Minecraft didn't do as by what it did. In a recent interview with Game Rant, he discussed his inspiration for the game.

Watson is not the only one trying to address Minecraft's issues. Nightingale, an upcoming game, is also attempting to tackle different flaws in various ways. These games illustrate how the genre is evolving and becoming more intricate with innovative building and survival gameplay. However, Farworld Pioneers aims to address Minecraft's shortcomings, and Watson expressed his frustration with the game's limitations in an interview with GameRant. He shared how he spent days building a massive base with tunnels, mine shafts, and a grand pyramid on top, only to realize that he had no purpose for it once it was complete.

Watson was not satisfied with simply building and showcasing his base, as he felt it served no real purpose. He was determined to find a way to utilize his creation beyond its physical existence. Despite pitching his ideas to the Starbound development team, Watson felt that the non-playable characters provided by the game were lacking in substance and failed to serve the purpose he had envisioned.

In Farworld Pioneers, the NPCs can be utilized to assist players in various tasks, resembling a combination of Terraria and real-time strategy games. Unlike in other games like Starbound, where NPCs are purely decorative and serve no real purpose, the NPCs in Farworld Pioneers are integral to the player's colony and provide tangible benefits. Watson likens the colony management aspect of Farworld Pioneers to Rimworld, but notes that players can also take control of one of their colonists to directly influence the colony's progress. While it is possible to play the game without utilizing NPC management, doing so can significantly expedite the game's objectives. This mechanic is a nod to Watson's experience with Minecraft, where he often felt lonely and isolated while exploring the game's vast world.

After spending countless hours constructing dorms, facilities, and other structures, I realized that there was no one to appreciate or utilize them except for myself. It was a lonely feeling, and ultimately led me to lose interest in playing Minecraft. However, the idea of creating a game where others could explore and appreciate my creations stayed with me for years. In 2018, I finally decided to take the leap and bring my vision to life with Farworld Pioneers. With this new platform, I can finally give my old base the attention and appreciation it deserves.

Farworld Pioneers is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.