Fade to Silence

You’re out hunting. The barren, snow-filled landscape is endless and unrelenting. A Ripper comes out of nowhere, and you fight it off, narrowly dodging its gigantic claws.

Then you see it: a distant fire. Another person? Impossible. But there’s a strange noise—a voice? Wild hope sears your heart; you won’t be alone anymore. The voice in your head steps in, discouraging you from investigating. “Anyone living must have done terrible things to survive”, it says. You quiet the voice, defying it this time, and move in closer. Another person could help you rebuild, gather food, harvest deer. You see someone—yes! Someone else is out here. Then, you hear a scream. But you hesitate. How can you trust them? Another scream, desperate. There’s only one way to find out.

As the player you take the role of Ash, a natural but tormented leader. In that role you explore a post-apocalyptic, frozen wasteland to gather the resources necessary to establish a refuge for survival. With dwindling resources, simple tasks like upgrading equipment and collecting materials quickly require an expedition to scavenge the necessary items. In the search for survival materials, players must navigate a vast territory, in which they will encounter Eldritch monsters and an even greater foe: the unrelenting winter. While freezing temperatures constantly take their toll on the player Ash, the deadliest event is that of a blizzard. If caught by surprise, it takes every ounce of skill, determination and luck to survive.

In order to survive and overcome all challenges, the player needs to attract followers, bringing them into thei refuge. Each individual skillset and character traits grants access to higher tier resources and gear. Without such advances, the player character can scavenge only the barest necessities, crafting makeshift tools and weapons.

“You’re glad to have found wood; for once, you’ll have a roaring fire in the camp. As your sled wolves race home, you pay no attention to the strange lights in the forest. You’ve done enough for today.
The wind suddenly picks up - a blizzard is moving in fast. The voice in your head dares you to keep going,”Come on! You have plenty of time to make it back.” You doubt it, but stopping now means you need to build a shelter—out of that precious wood. The snow begins to fall; you have only a moment to decide. Should you risk it and keep going, or do you play it safe but lose your firewood?”

Fade to Silence introduces the many dynamics of a harsh winter climate to a complex, character-driven, group survival experience. The dynamic weather system adds to the immersion of survival in a cold, corrupted world. Survival depends on how well the players read weather patterns, and if they come to the right conclusion - look for shelter or press home. The dynamic snow displacement leaves a realistic path by both player character and NPC. This telltale sign will tell you regions where it is good to hunt and regions where monsters are roaming.