RustGarden is an upcoming roguelike game set in a de-industrial North America after 1000 years of decline due to resource depletion, climate change, and war. Much knowledge and technology has been irretrievably lost to time, and most of the population lives in towns and villages where the abundance of past ages is unheard of. The coastal megacities which used to be global centers of opportunity and prosperity now languish as derelict rusted husks of their former glory, only fit for salvage.
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A recently abandoned city becomes neo-wilderness
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You, the player, begin as an ordinary townsperson of no great renown. The world outside is dangerous, and you are not special. You have the freedom to explore the world as you see fit, delve into dangerous industrial ruins and deep caves, bushwhack an overgrown neo-wilderness, confront mutated monstrosities and face off against psychic terrors. You can build your own base out in the wild or settle down in a town. Farm, fight, or scavenge to make a living in this harsh world.
On this journey, death is a certainty. But don't worry, you can always reincarnate. Take your hard-earned skills along with you to your next incarnation, but get used to losing your possessions. The world ages along with the player. Villages and towns can fall into ruin, and new ones can spring up elsewhere.
Lore
The world that you know is long dead. Out of its corpse, a new world has begun to grow and flourish, with new cultures that look back on our age with a mixture of fascination and pity. No sudden cataclysm led to the downfall of modern civilization. It was killed slowly by a thousand cuts. Despite the challenges, humanity has found a way to survive and forged completely new paths to the future.
Centuries ago, spiritual beings called the Shards began to gradually unveil themselves once more. It was revealed that they had been interacting with humanity for millennia, and had been known as gods, spirits, angels, and demons. For whatever unknowable reason, they then saw fit to forcibly reopen a psychic channel that lay dormant in humanity. This gave every human the potential to develop psychic capabilities. However, a small portion of humanity was completely unprepared for this change. The psychic trauma caused them to lose their sanity and become the Howlers, a race of cannibalistic mutants controlled by their base instinct to consume. While the Howlers have been mostly extirpated from civilized areas, they are still a threat in the wilderness, in ruins, and in rural areas.
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| The coming of the Shards. |
While everyone has the potential to develop psychic abilities, it is a difficult process physically and mentally. Many don't even know that such a thing is possible, and the few people who do know rarely have the time and resources to commit to developing those capacities. However, some reclusive groups have begun to rigorously train and test the limits of the human psyche. While the effects of psychic force on inanimate objects is negligible, the effects on other minds and on the self can be enormous. Those gifted in these arts must be wary of predation by spiritual beasts from other planes. The player can choose whether to develop psychic abilities such as clairvoyance, telepathy, mind control, and more.
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| Being an advanced psychic leads to power on this plane but attracts threats from higher planes. |
The religious landscape of North America has transformed over the centuries. Migration and the churning of history has fundamentally altered old religions and produced brand new spiritualities and ways of viewing the world. Religious practice and belief varies widely with unique local forms, but there is much which is shared in common. The people of North America honor the dead and revere diverse gods and spirits. Amidst this spiritual diversity, there is an almost universal conception of the Oversoul, the indescribable ultimate reality.
The player can worship and interact with gods, granting boosts to abilities related to the character of the chosen deity. For example, praying or giving an offering to a god known for their strength may give the player a strength boost. A god associated with farming may help your crops grow better. Depending on the situation, the player is wise to pay respects to different gods.
In certain locations, Green cities have arisen as hubs of culture. These are city-states where the tension between civilization and the ecosystem has been reconciled. The ruling classes of these cities focus on longevity and societal stability in lieu of growth. Technological development is directed at doing more with less energy and resources. Psychic abilities are seen as a possible threat to societal stability, so psychic-aligned players should be cautious when using their powers in these areas. Green cities are great places for the player to sell scrap retrieved from ruins as well as books and hard drives. Books are considered especially valuable.
Gallery
Here's a gallery of images taken from early development of RustGarden. It's not ready for release yet, but might be ready for beta testing in a few months.
A player-made farmstead
Visiting a shrine to pay respects
Braving a ruin and encountering a Howler
Taking a stroll in a village
