Desert Dunes

General Information

Classification	Planet
Hours	7am - 2am while docked
Map

Desert Dunes is the third planet the player will be sent on their mission to complete the relic, this planet comes after Blue Reef and before Iceladus. The planet's surface is characterized by expansive golden sands and rugged rocky outcrops, creating a challenging yet fascinating environment. The central storyline revolves around Hermy, an archaeologist whose ship, the Shellship, was destroyed by a sudden sandstorm while he was excavating museum-quality artifacts. Hermy enlists the player's help to gather sturdy materials to repair his ship. Once repaired, Hermy and his museum can be recruited onto the player's spaceship.

The planet features sparse vegetation, primarily consisting of cacti and desert shrubs, with the landscape occasionally punctuated by oases of palm trees. The harsh sun and arid conditions make exploration a true test of endurance and resourcefulness. Despite its desolate surroundings, Desert Dunes holds hidden treasures and invaluable artifacts that draw adventurers and archaeologists from far and wide.

Resources

Each planet has a set of semi-unique resources that are available for the player to gather. Some planets common resources like the ore available to mine, while other resources are completely unique to that planet. Planets generally have one to two ores they can mine from rocks, an edible resource to help regain energy while exploring, a flower, and a unique gatherable item.

Ore	Flower	Resource	Edible
Copper ore Silver ore	Desert flower	Tumbleweed	Cactus fruit

Seeds

The seeds at the General Store will change based on which planet the player is currently orbiting. The following can be purchased while orbiting this planet:

While exploring on Desert Dunes, the player may find desert mixed seeds. Most planets have mixed seeds that can be found and cannot be purchased. These seeds can be planted in a small planter and has a chance to sprout into any of the non-tree seeds of this planet.

Hermy's Dig Site

Hermy's Dig Site is situated on the arid planet of Desert Dunes. The landscape is dominated by golden sands and rocky outcrops under a blazing sun. The site features organized dig areas marked with grids, surrounded by fences and various excavation equipment. There's a central base that looks like a shell, which is Hermy's ship and headquarters. Several smaller structures are scattered around the area. The vegetation is sparse, consisting mainly of hardy plants like cacti and desert shrubs. Palm trees add a touch of greenery to the otherwise sandy and dry environment. The area has a rugged, adventurous feel, with ancient artifacts possibly hidden beneath the surface, awaiting discovery.

Exploration

Exploration is a planetary progression system where players embark on an adventure, landing and engaging in activities like digging in dirt or zapping rocks to reveal teleporters for advancing them to the next level, all while dodging (or eliminating) local creeps.

Every five levels, a checkpoint unlocks for convenient teleportation, which the player can access by interacting with their shuttle. At levels fifteen and thirty, unique rewards await players. Initially, players can only progress to level fifteen on their first visit to a planet. To unlock levels sixteen through thirty, players must find the appropriate relic piece from that planet, leave, and then return to continue their exploration and advancement.

Level Rewards

Level 15 rewards:

Prehistoric decoration data, and

Recycled parts × 100

Level 30 rewards:

Orange alien markings,

Desert Dunes exploration trophy, and

Credits × 1,500

Digging Drops

Players utilize a shovel to dig in the dirt, enhancing their digging capabilities through upgrades. By holding down the left mouse button (or primary key), the player can charge the shovel to dig additional spots in a line. Each upgrade increases the number of extra spaces they can dig during this charged action.

Digging yields planet-specific drops such as gems, artifacts, and meteors, each offering unique loot opportunities based on the planet being explored.