Elsewhere (AppID: 1271150)

Elsewhere is an epic, open-world, procedurally generated game focused on exploration, gathering and processing resources, and completing technological and magical quests as you build the base of your dreams. It’s inspired by old-school Minecraft modpacks and features many new and unique features such as character creation, building templates and monster-filled castles.

Hi everyone! My name is Sergio, and Elsewhere is a game I’ve been developing since 2012. Since late 2018, I’ve been working on it nearly full-time. All code for the game is done by me, while the art assets are either done by me or by my more talented artist friends.

In Elsewhere, players can explore the world, fight monsters, and collect loot, or gather and process resources while gradually advancing from simple tools and medieval technology all the way to fusion power and particle accelerators. 

The game also features magic, alchemy, ancient ruins and temples, and vast procedurally generated castles and dungeons filled with bosses to discover and conquer.

Players are guided by a quest system, though it doesn’t need to be followed linearly - or even at all. Building a fully automated Jaffa Factory, for example (or more precisely, a Chocolate Cookie Factory), can be a real challenge, with countless elements to consider and many resources to automate and process.

Elsewhere features a large, procedurally generated, and fully interactive world with dozens of unique biomes. Players can place and remove blocks, build castles and machines, gather and process resources, farm and cook food, explore ancient ruins and temples, fight monsters, avoid traps, collect loot, and much more. The game includes over 7,500 blocks, more than 6,000 recipes, and upwards of 300 quests.

The game includes pre-built bases and building templates, a wide variety of decorative blocks and items—including arcade machines with mini-games—along with character creation, pre-made skins, and many other unique elements.

Planned future features include NPC interactions, story elements, expanded modding support, and much more (see below). 

Please note that while Elsewhere already includes most of its intended mechanics, it is still a work in progress. It’s also a very large game that takes time to fully explore and unravel.

The game features plenty of jokes and references, and there’s even a free-to-play modification called YogLabs: Testing Initiative, inspired by the YogLabs series. All Yogscast-related content is included with permission.

Elsewhere is built on a desire to recreate the joyful nostalgia and spirit of classic Minecraft modpacks. This game wouldn’t exist without the creativity of the hundreds of mods that inspired it - so I want to say a particular thanks to the modding community for their brilliance and dedication!

What’s Done

• Custom game engine

• Windows launcher (Linux supported, though still in testing and without its own launcher)

• LAN multiplayer

• Procedural world generation

• 70+ biomes, plus sub-biomes, rivers, oceans, cliffs, lakes, islands, and ravines

• Caverns, ores, gems, and oil deposits

• Rich plant life: trees, shrubs, weeds, flowers, seeds, fruits, berries, crops, sea plants, corals, and mushrooms

• Animals and animal husbandry

• Monsters and combat

• Day/night cycle and weather

• Tools, weapons, armor, backpacks, jetpacks, magical artifacts, and explosives

• Technological progression: from stone tools and water wheels to electricity and nuclear fusion

• Thousands of items and blocks (7,500+ blocks total)

• Farming, cooking, and potion brewing

• Magic, transmutation, and alchemy

• Sandbox mode

• Crafting, resource processing, machines, and storage (6,000+ recipes total)

• Mini-map

• World-editing tools

• Naturally generated structures with monsters, traps, and treasure

• Mega-structures and bosses

• Quest system

• Pre-built bases and building templates

• Mini-games

• NPCs (work in progress)

What’s Still in Progress

• General polishing and balancing

• Multiplayer optimization and Steam multiplayer support

• NPC development, including special goals at pre-built bases

• Additional endgame content

• Expanded cosmetic options (yes, more hats!)

• Full Linux support

• Expanded modding support