Star Atlas SCREAM Gameplay Initial Reveal

Star Atlas’ SCREAM is the next step in metaverse blockchain gaming. This in-browser game brings the metaverse of Star Atlas one step closer to coming alive. SCREAM is the successor to the popular Star Atlas SCORE module. In SCREAM players and decentralized autonomous corporations will fight for control over stat systems in the Star Atlas galaxy. Here you will find the latest on Star Atlas SCREAM gameplay.

Editors Note: Information in this article is derived from the official Star Atlas blog. Per the Star Atlas team, information regarding gameplay is subject to change. SCREAM is set to release sometime in the Fall of 2022.

Updated Editor’s Note Feb 4th, 2024: All references to SCREAM equate to Star Atlas Golden Age 

What is SCREAM?

SCREAM is a in-browser mini-game that is set to be released by Star Atlas. SCREAM stands for Ship Combat Resource Extraction And M anufacturing. From its name components, SCREAM will focus on the gameplay loops of Ship Combat, Resource Extraction, and Manufacturing. Players and DACs will engage in these activities to ultimately build star bases across multiple star systems and expand their influence.

“SCREAM will be a blockchain-native multiplayer game complete with economic, political, and strategic elements. This will be the first time that players can use their ships to fight for the future of their faction with fun, active, repeatable, on-chain gameplay with earning potential.”
– Star Atlas SCREAM description

I thought Star Atlas was supposed to be a Unreal Engine 5 game?

The release of SCREAM is intended to bring about relevant and engaging Star Atlas gameplay ahead of the full Unreal Engine 5 game. Building a AAA title game on brand new technology undoubtably will take several years to complete. However, the developers of Star Atlas recognize the importance of delivering community activity along the way. SCREAM will be the first time citizens of Star Atlas will be able to engage with one another in a multiplayer gaming space.

SCREAM will utilize existing Star Atlas ships and resources thus continuing and expanding the Star Atlas metaverse. SCREAM will begin the transition of the Star Atlas economy into a dynamic, player influences ecosystem ahead of the UE5 game.

What are the gameplay objectives of SCREAM?

Players of the grand space strategy game Stellaris will be very familiar with the Star Atlas SCREAM gameplay mechanics. We’ve previously covered how Stellaris is a major influence on the current design of SCREAM. Like Stellaris, players and DACs in SCREAM will cooperate and compete to build star bases across the Star Atlas Galaxy. Building a star base asserts control over that star system. By controlling star systems, players will expand the area of influence that their faction, and DAC, controls.

Visualization of Star Atlas Risk Zones

In SCORE, which was SCREAM’s prequal, players enlisted ships into the service of one of the three major factions. SCREAM will focus on the establishment of control of star systems in the Faction Security and Medium Risk zones.

“During the time period of SCORE, ship enlistment to a faction helped establish the main security zones around the Cataclysm. SCREAM will see players, DACs, and factions begin to push into the Medium risk zone. As throughout history, expanding civilizations inevitably lead to conflict.”
– Star Atlas Lore

How to control a system — build a space station

To control a star system, DACs (read guilds), will need to coordinate their members to gather enough resources to build a space station hub. DACs will also need to coordinate with other DACs within the same faction to provide and receive services that they themselves cannot. These services will clear revolve around Ship Combat, Resource Extraction, and Mining.

The exact details of building a space station is not exactly clear. However, it will involve the harvesting and mining of resources from nearby planets in-system. There are seven planet types, each with a different set of resources needed for space station construction. To collect all of the resources needed, again, DACs will need to ensure their mining and resource operations are coordinated.

The efficient transportation of resources will become important as the factions race to establish control over the galaxy. Transports and haulers will need to be in sync with mining operators to ensure that each cargo ship movement is purposeful.

Lastly, transport ships are prime candidates for enemy factions and pirates. These ships, laden with resources, will be an instant target for any hostile threat. Transportation operations through hostile space will require an armed escort to thwart any potential raiders, thus linking ship combat into the gameplay. With large amounts of resources invested into these space stations, DACs will be vigilant in defending their property. Dislodging a DAC from a system will require a coordinated attack fleet. In response, DACs will need to make sure they are prepared to coordinate a timely response.

Space Station Overview

Space Stations will be the central hubs for Star Atlas SCREAM gameplay. There are currently 6 tiers of space stations known, 5 of which are buildable by players. Each successive tier of space station will likely require an increased amount of resources per level. The highest tier of space station is reserved for each faction’s central hub. These faction hubs will serve as the main starting point for players in SCREAM. Faction hubs will also be the first place players will store their ships in hangars. Hubs will also serve as a jumping point to transfer ship assets between SCREAM and a digital wallet.

Trade and The Marketplace

The production of resources and trade is vital to a player’s success in SCREAM. To trade any of the resources found in SCREAM, which we’re calling R20, players will need to visit the Central Space Station of their faction located in that faction’s security zone. Players across factions will not be able to directly trade resources with one another. Additionally, players will be unable to visit the security zone of another faction, essentially making SCREAM a three sided war.

At the start, players will be limited on the number of ships that they can bring into SCREAM. Through gameplay, players will be able to expand both the size and capacity of their hangars, eventually enabling the storing of Capital sized ships and above. These in-game hangar upgrades will costs one time fees of either the ATLAS token or Faction Loyalty Points. Hangar sizes can be upgraded with ATLAS and the number of hangar slots can be bough with Faction loyalty points.

Faction LP is a game mechanic familiar to EVE online players and will likely be earned through various activities in service to a faction. Faction Loyalty points is a new mechanic in Star Atlas to be released with SCREAM.

Faction Loyalty Points

Faction LP is earned by contributing activities to one faction. LP is awarded at the end of an Epoch, or time period. That time period is not specified yet but could be anywhere from one day to a week or more. Each faction earns LP at the same rate. However, LP within a faction is rewarded proportionally to each member based on activity. This means that more active players will receive a larger portion of LP. It’s important to note that there is no tiered reward system for Faction LP. You are not competing for a specific place or category. This means that players in factions with less players and ships could potentially earn more LP individually.

This will be the first time Star Atlas players can engage in ship combat. Both PvP and PvE has been confirmed. For PvE, players will face off against the Jorvik and Ecos factions that inhabit the Medium Risk Zones. In PvP, players will engage on another for control of Medium Risk Zone systems. In the Medium Risk Zone, ships cannot be permanently destroyed. Upon being disabled, players ships are returned to their hangar hub and will require a certain amount of repair via toolkits. However, if disabled in the Medium Risk Zone, ships will drop all resources and cargo they are carrying.

SCREAM will also allow players to begin their crafting careers for the first time. In SCORE, there were only four known crafted resources; food, fuel, toolkits, and ammo. In SCREAM, that number will increase to 20. This may or may not include modules and components for ships. Notably, ATMTA industries, the Star Atlas corporation, will no longer provide the supply of the original four crafted resources. Players will be required to source these resources from the player economy, beginning the cycle of player driven economies.

This concludes our current coverage of the initial Star Atlas SCREAM gameplay reveal. Our next coverage will breakdown some of the intricacies of SCREAM fleet mechanics and strategies.