We have been hard at work adding some interesting new interactable “work stations” within the Habitat to give depth to the survival aspects within the game. We recently completed the fitness station, consisting of the multi-purpose aRED (Advanced Resistance Exercise Device) and a Treadmill. Fitness is an important factor to consider as you travel across the Martian landscape. For instance, training at the fitness station will increase your overall stamina and reduce the likelihood of injury.

We wanted the fitness station to resemble some of the equipment used in space today. The treadmill is pretty recognizable, but the aRED is something you wouldn’t find in your typical gym. That’s because it uses vacuum pressure to replicate multiple weight-based exercises, reducing the need for unwieldy weights. Here’s a cool video from astronaut Mike Hopkins showing off how it works. The vacuum pressure even makes it practical to use in zero gravity at the ISS.

Our next station we are in the progress of adding is the storage area for inventory items. We want this area to feel easy to access, and show visually what you have stored away. At any time the player can walk up to any of the three storage areas to access the inventory management screen on their datapad to add or store away items in their backpack. Here is a first glimpse at how it might look:

This area is one of the more essential components to managing your food, equipment, and crafting materials, so we want it to be rather large and visually appealing. We plan on adding lots of small details to make it feel like it actually reflects what you have stored away. And remember, you can find multiple Habitats in our survival mode - allowing you to store away items at specific locations. Inventory management will surely be key to your survival on Mars.