Unlocking Atomfall: Master the Art of Bartering for Survival!

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In Atomfall’s post-apocalyptic setting, the landscape deviates from the typical gray wasteland or futuristic city. Instead, the action unfolds in the picturesque English countryside, a fictionalized depiction of Cumbria. Players delve into vast open fields, shrouded mysteries lurking within the moors, and charming villages to uncover the truth behind the lethal Windscale event. A notable aspect that sets Atomfall apart is its lack of currency. Instead, the quarantine zone operates on a barter system, compelling players to assess the worth of different resources within the game’s environment.

Game Rant had a chat with Ben Fisher, head of design at Rebellion, regarding the inclusion of a trading system in Atomfall. Fisher shared that this decision was made to heighten the game’s emphasis on survival, foster distinctive player-NPC interactions during trade, and deter players from over-farming currency and resources early on. The absence of a currency system also underscores player autonomy, allowing them to decide what items to trade or hold onto.

Bartering Encourages Careful Resource Management And Judgment Calls

In the restricted area under quarantine, survival is paramount, according to Fisher. He stated that ideas like money hold little significance in this context, and instead, they’ve developed a primitive trading system reminiscent of the Middle Ages. The characters within this enclosed region primarily concentrate on acquiring essential items to survive. However, Fisher noted that not every Non-Player Character (NPC) will assign the same value to resources, making it important for players to make thoughtful decisions about what might be considered valuable in this unique situation.

In the quarantine zone of Atomfall, players should meticulously study various NPCs and factions they can engage with to grasp which items are highly valued by individuals. Successful “watching and strategizing” will empower players to strike advantageous trade deals that enable them to procure precious resources like weapons and healing supplies. Trading is a crucial aspect of Atomfall, particularly for those seeking melee or ranged weapons — and in the case of ranged weapons, ensuring they remain stocked with hard-to-find and valuable ammunition.

The Barter System’s Goal Is To Eliminate Resource And Money Grinding

During the creation of Atomfall, Fisher and their team observed a common pattern in popular survival games where players accumulate low-level resources and currency at the start of the game for future use. To avoid this issue in Atomfall, they aimed to ensure that players would consistently feel the urgency to stay alive and well-equipped. Fisher elaborated on how the bartering system achieves this goal by preventing such stockpiling.

By using bartering in our game, we can emphasize observation and strategic planning instead of having players repeatedly gather low-level resources to earn currency. This method helps us prevent ‘power creep’ over time, maintaining the gameplay experience as focused as possible. Bartering is a unique approach to achieving this goal.

In the development of Atomfall, the bartering system has been implemented as a method to make each player’s journey distinct. Since no two players will traverse Atomfall in identical fashion, a significant factor contributing to this uniqueness is the NPCs with whom they choose to trade, the resources they decide to hoard, and those they opt to exchange. This system also heightens the need for survival as players seldom amass an excess of necessary resources; instead, they must remain vigilant for valuable resources that others seek, ensuring they always have something to offer in barter should it be required.

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2025-03-21 18:26