The World
Earth's surface has become a deadly but resource-rich workplace. The shattered moon causes catastrophic tidal floods, forcing Moonstalkers to work in cycles — gathering during low tide, sheltering during floods, and extracting when they can afford to.
Earth After the Cataclysm
A Drowned World
The moon's destruction created massive gravitational disruptions:
- Extreme tidal shifts — Floods that rise and fall with brutal regularity
- Coastal cities submerged — Most population centers permanently underwater
- Debris field overhead — Shattered moon fragments orbiting Earth, creating eternal twilight
- Electromagnetic interference — Disrupts technology, limits communication
- Resource abundance — Pre-collapse infrastructure left for scavenging
The Surface is a Workplace
Not Home, But a Job Site
Unlike traditional games where the open world is "home," in MOONSTALKERS the surface is where you work. It's dangerous, temporary, and profitable. You descend to gather resources, not to live. The vessel above is home — the surface is a job site you can't wait to leave.
The world itself is the primary threat. Not other players, not even wildlife — but the relentless tidal cycles that force constant movement, planning, and risk assessment.
Surface Zones
Drop Zone Selection
When choosing where to drop, you see:
- Resource density indicators — Some zones show higher concentrations of valuable materials
- Hazard warnings — Wildlife activity, unstable structures, radiation levels
- Tide predictions — Which areas are underwater, which are about to flood
- Shelter locations — Visible markers for known underground hatches
- Activity heat maps — Where other Moonstalkers have been active recently (not exact positions)
Persistent World
The surface world is persistent across all Moonstalkers. The same ruins, the same hatches, the same telepads. But your time there is always limited. The persistence creates familiarity — "I know this area" — while the danger prevents complacency.
Key Locations
Surface Landmarks
- Selenite Installations
- Corp facilities with strict non-violence protocols but heavy surveillance. Premium teleportation pads, maintained infrastructure.
- Drifter Camps
- Independent survivor settlements, neutral ground, suspicious of Corp loyalists. Alternative trade opportunities.
- Wreck Sites
- Crashed vessels, fallen infrastructure, where Moonstalkers gather to salvage. High-value resources, high danger.
- Underground Hatches
- Shared survival spaces during floods. Natural gathering points for cooperation, trade, and temporary alliances.
- Teleportation Pads
- Fixed extraction points. Vary from premium Corp-maintained to degraded abandoned sites.
Environmental Threats
Hazards
- Tidal floods — The primary danger. Predictable but relentless.
- Wildlife — Adapted to the new world, dangerous when encountered
- Unstable structures — Pre-collapse buildings collapsing
- Radiation — Contaminated zones from the cataclysm
- Atmospheric conditions — Storms, debris falls, electromagnetic surges