Indie game developer Wessel Stoop announced today the first details of the imminent Flower Update for The Sapling. This is the first bug update for the evolution sim since its early access launch last December.
When the Flower Update for The Sapling drops in September the low-poly life sim will see major new functionality with pollination and flowers. This addition allows player designed plants to mix their genes through the spread of pollen. One method of spreading is by attracting animals with vibrant flowers.
With the new pollination system comes a new scenario that is designed to teach new and existing players how to set up an ecosystem with flowers. While checking the new system, players will also be able to play with bioluminescence. This new colorful feature can be added to both plants and animals to attract other creatures.
A new sandbox level that is one hundred times larger will be included in the update. In addition to random mutations and time jumps, players can now change the overall temperature to see how it affects the evolution of their creations.
Music in the game is done through a procedural music system. In the update this system has been extended to include rhythm as a player speeds up time. The rhythm addition makes the system even more responsive to actions from the player.
Several under the hood changes have been made to the game as well. Given the quarantine situation, Wessel Stoop spent three months redesigning and optimizing the underlying engine for the game. This allows for making scenarios a hundred times larger possible. In simpler terms better design means more land to play with for one’s ecosystem.
As the September 10, 2020 release date for the Flower Update approaches more details are scheduled for release. The first will be on August 17 with additional information on pollination and flower mechanics. August 20 will feature details on the new sand box mode. Later dates will discuss how bioluminescence works, information on the UI overhaul that is included in the update, and Twitch livestreams.
The Sapling is currently available on Steam as an early access game for $7.99 USD. The game is also available on Itch.io for Windows and Linux and other digital distributors including Gamejolt and Kartridge. More information about The Sapling can be found at the game’s website thesaplinggame.com or follow @thesaplinggame on Twitter.
Wessel Stoop is an indie game developer based in Nijmegen, a city located in The Netherlands. He had always wanted to play a simulation game where players could build their own plants and animals since 2002. The Sapling is the result of his desire.
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