A Dune multiplayer survival game is on the way, and here's how we think it should work

It hasn't been on our radar for some time, however again in early 2019 Funcom announced it was making some Dune videogames, together with an open world multiplayer survival sport. It seems like a superb match contemplating Funcom developed Conan Exiles, one other multiplayer survival sport set in a large desert setting.

Dune is again on our radar in an enormous method, because of, y'know, Dune. The film. We haven't heard any actual particulars concerning the upcoming Dune sport since Funcom first introduced it, so we determined to invest about some options we'd prefer to see, from sandworms to stillsuits to the all-important spice.

Right here's what we're hoping to see in Funcom's Dune survival sport. Notice: There are some spoilers for Dune beneath should you haven't seen the movie or learn the books.

Greater than only a desert

I don't wish to ruffle any feathers proper off the bat, however deserts… are kinda boring. Not instantly boring! The desert within the Dune film seemed lovely. However that's for a two-hour movie. When taking part in a sport for dozens or a whole bunch of hours it's laborious to think about being captivated by strolling down a sand dune and cresting one other sand dune and seeing… but one other goddamn sand dune. Just a few video games, like Max Max, have finished a pleasant job by differentiating areas of the desert so every appears to be like and feels a bit completely different, however ultimately you're nonetheless largely coping with sand, sand, and extra sand.

I haven't learn too far past the unique Dune novel however I do know that within the distant way forward for Arrakis there are some terraforming efforts made and elements of the desert planet turn out to be extra inexperienced than brown. Having some further biomes within the Dune sport past simply deserts and caves, some zones with extremely diverse plant and wildlife in addition to the acquainted arid and desolate areas, may definitely assist the world really feel extra visually fascinating. It could additionally give gamers an opportunity to put on one thing apart from only a moisture-recycling stillsuit 24/7. I feel setting the sport at that time within the Dune timeline may give it a bit extra selection. —Chris Livingston, Options Producer

Precise drug journeys

Dune is a richly-realized science fiction universe, depicted throughout 27 revealed and upcoming novels (not together with quick tales and different works). Additionally it is a guide that was written in San Francisco within the early '60s, as hippies, counterculture, music, leisure medicine, and The Summer time of Love (in '67) had been intersecting. That ambiance undeniably guided Herbert's guide, a narrative with a galaxy-shaping, mind-altering substance at its heart.

With that in thoughts, it will be awfully disappointing if Spice had been simply one other odd videogame useful resource! I don't wish to equip my Spice Implement and maintain F to Collect Spice. I don't wish to buy a season move that provides 200 Spice to my account. I would like this magic mineral to be folded into the story and expertise of taking part in the sport itself—if that is an RPG of some form, utilizing Spice shouldn't be like consuming a baked potato in Minecraft. It ought to have some richer which means and implementation. —Evan Lahti, International Editor-in-Chief

Some actually intricate knife fight

Contemplating it's a futuristic sci-fi world, it's somewhat bizarre to see folks working round with knives and swords. However the knife-heavy fight is due to private protection shields (they seemed very silly within the authentic Dune film) that cease something shifting quick from penetrating them. Bullets aren't gonna do a lot as a result of they're merely shifting too quickly and I'm guessing one thing like a laser blaster wouldn't be efficient both. So, warriors carry round large knives as a result of you’ll be able to sluggish them down sufficient to have the ability to stab somebody even when they've bought their defend turned on.

I'm hoping fight within the Dune sport can replicate a few of that knife-mastery required to be each fast and sluggish sufficient to combat successfully. Hack and slash at somebody with a defend it's simply not gonna do any injury. A extra intricate model of knife fight, with issues like parries and counters and the all essential sluggish blade may give the fight a pleasant studying curve and a little bit of nuance. —Chris

Ornithopter flight

Perhaps it's my previous flight sim fandom talking, or my newer expertise as a cyber-delivery driver in Cloudpunk. Both method, what I'd actually like is to get behind the controls of an Atreides ornithopter. I wish to transport spice harvesters and patrol for wormsign, rescue staff from sandworm peril, combat the invading Harkonnen and Sardaukar, and possibly most significantly, simply cruise the infinite, arid wastes. Is Arrakis a boring place? Perhaps—it's a big-ass desert, in any case—but it surely doesn't should be: The Fremen have lived there for hundreds of years, and that opens the door to all types of potential thriller to discover. A damage right here, an historic stash there—there's loads of fictional fodder to make it work, particularly in a videogame adaptation. —Andy Chalk, US Information Lead

A constructing system (or a nomad system)

Look, I do know one whole factor about Dune: it includes sand. I do know multiplayer survival video games although, and I’ll at all times, at all times present up for a constructing system. Give me somewhat crafting bench and a bunch of snapping construct items and I’ll dwell there for weeks. For those who all get into Dune Multiplayer sometime and begin sending me screenshots of sandcastles or sand shacks or no matter sort of constructions Dune folks dwell in, I’m assured to be there. — Lauren Morton, Affiliate Editor

I feel I could also be feeling the alternative, as a result of repeatedly in video games with buildable bases I've confirmed fully incapable of setting up a house I actually wish to dwell in. I feel I'd desire to be nomadic within the Dune sport, if attainable, with nothing however a tent or transportable habitat I can plunk down, sleep or craft in, then fold up and take with me. Particularly in multiplayer video games like Rust the place gamers declare a spot, begin constructing an ugly-ass boxy base, then abandon it, the panorama winds up affected by unpleasant crapshacks. Perhaps it's time for a multiplayer survival sport to ditch constructing and stick to transportable habs that don't muddle up the surroundings. —Chris

Tameable worms

I do know two issues about Dune. Like Lauren, I’m conscious that it includes sand. I additionally know, nonetheless, that there are worms in that sand. Massive worms. Properly, I feel it’s best to have the ability to journey the worms. Let's name them… duneworms, possibly. Or sandtubes. —Tyler Wilde, Government Editor

I'm fairly positive worm-riding will probably be part of the sport (you are able to do it in No Man's Sky as of this Halloween) and if it's not, man, folks gonna be mad. And hopefully it'll be some high-level, extraordinarily troublesome exercise or persons are gonna be steering worms everywhere in the map and consuming all of the recent spawns. —Chris

Let me be the worm

People are boring and really dangerous at surviving within the harsh desert. Sandworms are very thrilling and good at surviving within the harsh desert. So why would I wish to be something apart from a worm? Let me pace throughout the dunes gobbling up spice and spaceships, and possibly a participant or two. I might not be very pleased if Tyler tried to journey me although. Ban using worms. It's impolite. —Fraser Brown, On-line Editor

A pee button

Denis Villeneuve's Dune spends a couple of minutes instructing us about stillsuits, the high-tech desertwear of Arrakis that collects almost all of your physique's moisture and converts it again into drinkable water. Sweat turns into sustenance. However there's one bit the film leaves out: so does pee. If Dune is a survival sport, which means a significant mechanic will probably be managing your thirst within the desert, and that means there ought to be a button to pee on command earlier than you drink up. He who controls his urine controls the universe.— Wes Fenlon, Senior Editor

Stillsuits recycle your poop, too. On the one hand I'm undecided Funcom desires to remind you that you simply're ingesting recycled pee and poop. On the opposite, it's Funcom, which has dong-size sliders in Conan Exiles. So who is aware of? They is perhaps fairly pleased reminding you every time you drink out of your go well with you're consuming the final desert dump you took. — Chris