Things To Do Before The First Whiteout In Frostpunk 2

Key Takeaways

Prioritize building good faction relationships to avoid conflict during whiteouts.
Solve the city’s core problems: hunger, crime, squalor, cold, and disease.
Stockpile food, fuel, and upgrade generators to prepare for extreme cold.

As someone who’s braved the icy tundra of Frostpunk more times than I’d care to remember, let me tell you, heat demand can be as unpredictable as a blizzard in Siberia. Whiteouts can send your fuel consumption skyrocketing faster than a sled on an icy slope! That’s why it’s essential to stockpile that coal, oil, and steam like there’s no tomorrow – you never know when the next whiteout will strike.

In the realm of Frostpunk, a drastic cooling phase occurred, leading to a chain of devastating and cataclysmic incidents. Cities were engulfed by snow as the populace hastily established new settlements around robust steam-powered generators to endure the impending freeze. The narrative in the initial game sees you oversee one such new city during its early stages, eventually aiding it to withstand the first of the world’s colossal whiteouts – ferocious blizzards.

In Frostpunk 2, your city has thrived for three decades, having weathered countless severe snowstorms over the past generation. However, upon assuming the role of Steward, you’ll find that the city is not fully equipped to face another onslaught. The responsibility falls upon you to lead your city successfully through these harsh storms, whether in Story or Utopia Builder mode, with the ultimate goal of creating a resilient society that can persist for many generations to come.

1 Establish Good Relationships With The Factions

Take Advantage Of Rallies Before The Storm Hits

Things To Do Before The First Whiteout In Frostpunk 2

Faction rallies can help solve problems
Relationships will likely worsen during the whiteout

Apart from ensuring the city’s requirements are met, players must maintain positive relationships with different communities and factions to avoid expulsion. As citizens pass away and issues within the city escalate, these groups may turn against the Steward, particularly during harsh whiteouts. Therefore, it’s crucial to maintain strong faction alliances when a storm is imminent.

When a group aligns closely with the Steward, they may initiate gatherings throughout various city areas, which can expand and influence the entire city. The player is then offered a selection of advantages derived from these gatherings, ranging from additional Heatstamps to enhanced Trust. These gatherings can assist the player in resolving issues or accumulating resources to avoid future difficulties.

2 Solve The City’s Five Problems

Hunger, Crime, Squalor, Cold, And Disease

The first whiteout will probably cause these problems to grow again
There are many ways to solve the problems

At the outset of the game, the city stands on the brink of a predicament. One of the initial tasks for the player is to address five fundamental challenges: food scarcity, freezing temperatures, lawlessness, filth, and sickness. A significant portion of the game’s mechanics revolves around resolving these issues, meaning that most actions taken by the player will help alleviate these problems.

To effectively address the issues at hand, it’s crucial to turn the city’s output of Materials, Products, Heat, and Food into positive values. Players should optimize their frostbreaking teams to save on Heatstamps, as they are the main constraint in speeding up this process. After establishing the production chains, constructing shelters and curing diseases become the final steps towards managing the five problems successfully.

3 Have Enough Shelter For Everyone

Shelter Reduces The City’s Cold Problem

Build and expand Housing Districts and Housing buildings
Keep Population Growth in check

Shelter is one of the most vital needs for people, and is even more necessary when facing temperatures as low as those in Frostpunk 2. As such, when there is not enough housing for all the city’s population, cold becomes a more serious problem. The player is periodically informed that many people have frozen to death and then disease begins to spread at an increasing rate. If these problems are around at the start of a whiteout, the player is in serious trouble.

Beyond constructing or enlarging Residential Areas, the player can utilize the Idea Tree to unlock structures such as Worker’s Villages and Subsidized Housing Complexes to provide living spaces throughout the city. Players also have the ability to enact laws that regulate Population Expansion to prevent the city from growing too rapidly, which could lead to housing shortages. Striking a balance in this area before the first snowfall is a vital objective.

4 Build At Least One Hospital

Sickness Will Grow As The Cold Comes

There are multiple types of hospital
Building more hospitals can reduce Disease faster

In Utopia Builder, different groups have varying views on several elements of the Idea Tree, and selecting the type of hospital to construct is no less contentious. At the outset of the game, a standard Hospital is the only available choice. Factions with an emphasis on adaptability might suggest a Recovery Hospital, which while weaker at disease control, boosts population growth. On the other hand, factions prioritizing progress may advocate for a Teaching Hospital, which excels in disease reduction but also accelerates research speed, albeit at the expense of raising tension.

Regardless of the player’s choice, unlocking a Hospital and then constructing one in a Housing District is an important step in preparing for a whiteout. As the temperature drops during the storm, Disease becomes a growing problem, and having at least one Hospital around can keep it from becoming a disaster.

5 Establish Multiple Sources Of Food

Food Districts Are Not Infinite

Establishing a Food Colony is the best option
It is helpful to have Multiple Food Districts

It’s risky to rely solely on a single Food District for a city, as food reserves are limited. Such reserves that require Deep Melting Drills for extraction are rare and insufficient to feed the population during mid-late stages of the game.

Establishing communities offering sustenance is an effective method to boost food supply, however, they’ll cease operations upon the arrival of the blizzard unless the player extends them. Constructing a Food Outpost, on the other hand, offers the most dependable means to ensure a continuous backup food source for the city during whiteouts.

6 Stockpile Food

Food Demand Increases During Whiteouts

Find food in the frostland
Expand Food Districts and build Hothouses

To ensure you have enough food for the upcoming blizzard, it’s crucial to store as much edible supplies as you can before the first snowfall. Demand for food rises during the storm and deliveries from settlements or scout teams will be scarce or non-existent. Therefore, players should construct as many Food Storage Hubs as needed to amass the largest supply possible.

Enlarging Food Production Areas not only boosts their food production capacity but also allows players to construct Greenhouses for enhanced food yield. Additionally, scouting parties can gather food during expeditions, making it crucial for them to focus on this task as winter approaches.

7 Stockpile Fuel

Fuel Consumption Increases With Heat Demand

Whiteouts cause Heat Demand to increase drastically
Having extra fuel can prevent the city from freezing to death

Many factors determine how much fuel is needed to power up the Generator and provide enough heat for the city. Districts, Buildings, weather, and even certain Laws and Ideas can raise or lower the necessary amount of fuel. Because of this, having extra fuel on hand is extremely important to be prepared for worsening conditions.

Based on the type of upgrade a player selects for their Generator, they might have to concentrate solely on Oil as their fuel source, or they could need to divide their focus between Oil, Coal, and Steam. In both scenarios, Fuel Storage Hubs can enhance the city’s fuel reserves, ensuring that the player remains well-prepared for even the coldest winter days.

8 Upgrade The Generator

An Advanced Generator Is Key To Surviving The Extreme Cold

Adaptive Pumps allow the Generator to use any fuel source
Oil Pumps restrict the Generator to oil but make it more efficient

In the Frostpunk universe, the Generator serves as the lifeblood for any substantial settlement or metropolis. Should it fail, the prospect of an advanced civilization would perish alongside it. Given its pivotal role, maintaining the generators’ fuel supply and ensuring their continued operation is arguably the player’s most crucial responsibility in the game. However, despite its vital function, the Generator isn’t robust enough to withstand a whiteout and will require upgrades for the city to remain warm.

The Adaptive Pumps upgrade allows the Generator to use coal, oil, and steam to generate heat in their cities. This flexibility can be very helpful when the city is running low on a particular fuel source and for cities built on map types that start with several geothermal vents. Oil Pumps, on the other hand, make the Generator much less flexible, with the trade-off that the generator is much more efficient at converting fuel to heat. The player needs to choose one of these upgrades based on the availability of fuel before the first whiteout hits so that they do not freeze to death in the storm.

9 Research Heat-Related Ideas

Use The Idea Tree To Conserve Heat

Some Ideas can reduce Heat Demand
Other Ideas can increase Heat production

As a fellow gamer, I’ve found my Gameworld’s Idea Tree brimming with solutions for those chilly days. Once I’ve stocked up on extra Heatstamps to stay ahead of the curve, my priority is delving into research that lowers Heat Demand and boosts Heat Production.

Housing Insulation is a great place to start with research since it is a passive bonus that doesn’t require any resources to upkeep. The second and third-tier Generator upgrades are also useful for keeping fuel stockpiles in place. Worker’s Villages increase a District’s efficiency while providing housing, which can help kill two birds with one stone. With so many options available, the player should always have research active to progress their city’s abilities to withstand the cold.

2024-10-27 06:04