Starting with a backdrop of endless, procedurally generated terrain, Proven Lands combines 3D, science fiction, survival, sandbox, rogue-like and RPG elements with an AI game master, and modding. It allows the user to explore a unique, vast and beautiful science-fiction sandbox survival game, procedurally generated and studded with an AI storyteller. The player is an explorer – not just another sandbox item collector. He eats, drinks, chops trees, destroys stones and kills enemies. And enjoys an endless procedural terrain with thirty chunk types so far. And fights hunger, thirst and diseases.

"I believe that people have been waiting for such a science-fiction game for years. In the future, when procedural 3D games become common, the players will probably have a better understanding of the game mechanics, the level design advantages and the technical challenges of such a game.”, Rafael Wawer said.

A Kickstarter campaign for Proven Land has just been launched and German based studio thesetales is looking for £299,000 to finish development of the game, with a slew of stretch goals if more funding becomes available.

You can also support Proven Land on Steam's Greenlight.

Key Concepts and Game Mechanics

• A unique science fiction game - We think that a lot of science fiction games and movies feel like sailor soaps with pirates and monsters that just happen to be in space. Assume the role of an explorer and learn about real science (like about history in Sid Meier's Civilization). Also, in the future drones are far more important than in most sci-fi stories. 
• Modding - We love mods! PROVEN LANDS was designed with mods in mind, from the get-go. Every planet consists of chunks, chunks consist of modules, and modules consist of items, quests, creatures, aliens etc. Imagine your fantasy game with this engine!  
• Procedurally generated - Endless and seamless procedurally generated terrain with different biomes on different planets. So far we have desert, forest, river, mountain, hill, swamp and lake biomes but we hope to add many more. In addition, the stats and names of the items will be generated each new game within a value range. 
• Alien races and eco system - In PROVEN LANDS aliens participate in a simple eco system. Trade with a tribe or village, if you have something desirable, similar to Don't Starve. So far, there are 3 intelligent alien races. We don't like to spoil things, but one race is as advanced as humans, the other is at an industrial level and the last is rather mysterious.
• AI meta game - The AI is not only responsible for combat and movement. The AI is the director of your unique story based on custom quests, ambitions and events - like a pen & paper game master.
• Classes and no super powers - PROVEN LANDS has some RPG elements. Everyone starts as The Forklift Driver with no super powers and a broken heart, and as time goes by new classes unlock: The Medic, The Pilot, The Engineer, The Soldier, The Scientist, and The Android. See stretch goals.
• Moods and ambitions - A mood and trait system makes your character less predictable. A wound left unattended might lead to fever, which could in turn lead to mental instability or death. See demo. Ambitions are quests with a deadline, chosen by you or the AI meta engine, similar to Crusader Kings 2.
• Combat and noise - Fight wild animals, alien raiders, slavers, or… ? Each item has up to 3 actions. Close and long range weapons. Defense items. Small defense buildings, even vehicles. Some item actions depend on your level of knowledge. Animals engage you on sight, but are also attracted by noise. 
• Building, housing, farming and eco system - Craft automatic ore mines, water drills, energy and oxygen generators to make your life easier. Build farms, attract animals and kill them without flinching. PROVEN LANDS is not a sim, but there is a small eco system, influenced by an older game jam prototype called LOST UTOPIA. Be a modern guy and not another Robinson Crusoe. More like Project Zomboid and Don't Starve than Minecraft.
• Crafting - Analyze your environment and craft new items, tools and weapons. Alter old weapons, based on a simple module system (like Alpha Centauri). Each item, weapon, tool, vehicle, drone and building has 7 modules: a base module (type) plus 6 extra modules. Extra modules for armor, power cells, shielding, special abilities, incredients or decoration. For instance, a knife: tool base + short steel blade; or a bio scanner: tool chassis + biology level 1 scanner; or a M1 Abrams tank with a scanner: car base + kevlar-uranium armor + smoothbore gun + turbine engine + bio lvl 1 scanner. ;) Aliens craft items depending on the planet's resources. Dismantle alien items to discover new modules and tech. 
• Skills - As we are ASCII roguelike fans, PROVEN LANDS comes with permadeath and item-based skill progress. Basic skills like condition, endurance, willpower, strength. Scientific skills like biology, physics, engineering, ehemistry and xeno sciences. And item skills like blunt weapons, laser weapons or drones (depending on your knowledge). Each skill with an own small skill tree. Yay! See demo.
• Archaeology and technology - Explore uncharted regions, unknown items and creatures, lost civilizations and artefacts. Your character progresses not only through skills, but through item and artefact knowledge. You do not develop revolutionary physics after a few nights, instead, you gather knowledge in order to become a specialist. Dismantle alien devices for undiscovered resources! See ASCII roguelikes as Dungeon Crawl or Cataclysm.
• Outposts and camps - You're not a camper with a huge bagpack. An outpost is for the long-term, with generators and storage. This is where your pets, friends and allies are and will meet you. This makes it a little different to many survival games. But, you can move your outpost any time, you just need a vehicle to do so, probably.
• Day and night - Sleep is so overrated! At night some animals see and hear better. As always, no monsters, just natural behavior.
• Airlock and natural organism - Thirst, hunger, insanity, oxygen deprivation and energy consumption. On some planets you need an airlock to eat, drink and survive. Check out the demo for this!
• Power supply - Sci-fi devices depend on energy. You'll need a power source if you’ve an oxygen generator or ore mine.
• Spaceship artefacts - Sometimes you’ll find useful spaceship parts scattered around the planet. 
• Items, resources and item modules - From food to wood to stones to water and megalomaniac butterflies. Each item can be analyzed from level 1 to 3. See demo. Item dependencies will be rearranged each new game, within reason. Activate the scanner to add new items to your knowledge database.
• Tools, devices and weapons - From a shovel to a scanner, from a navigator to generators and small factories! Aliens have their own devices and tools too. Weapons: from an axe to a laser, to shields, to bombs, to ... you'll see! From close to long range, from savage to advanced and deadly alien creations!
• Vehicles - From tamed animals to scientific cars, to octocopters, to … submarines? By the way, check out the underwater stretch goal!
• Spaceship, jump drive and space travel - Travel to other planets as soon you've a jump drive or gate. Your spaceship is not a ship, it is more jump gate in the orbit with a few special modules, dictating where your next journey starts. Each jump gate gets useless after a jump. In order to jump to the next planet, talk to aliens and gather resources. This way we focus on the planet. Contacts, the movie?
• Flora and fauna - From grass, berries and mushrooms to Firefly and Fungus trees, to big root things with tentacles and teeth! From cute blue strangers to insects, birds and cow-alikes, from flying predators to epic 30 foot tall quadruped friends!
• Weather and biotopes - From rain, dense clouds and sand storms to ion storms and earthquakes, meteorite showers and unique events depending on your current planet type. If you chop down a whole forest the wind might get stronger in that region! If you kill all the animals in a biome, it might have a knock on effect...
• One more hour - Most survival games are not known for chill time: you are a laboratory mouse, always in a rush, starving or defending. So, we're working hard to give you more time for exploration and archaeology, or for just being cool. The goal is to make PROVEN LANDS a game you play 'one more hour' even after a tough day.
• Faction allegiance - Do you like to be the good or the bad guy? 
• Alien companion - Intelligent and non-intelligent NPC companions. Start with the space cat from your first spaceship. 
• Expand a lore - For each of the 5 episodes there will be a short illustrated novel by us, Rafael and Jeffrey. 
• Experimental ideas - Plus, we like experiments. Get your hands dirty with the alpha and beta. Working hard. Much fun. Great community.