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EXILE WALKTHROUGH
Originally by Dokimi, adapted by Exile wiki users (see History of each chapter for authorship details.)
Here you can follow me through one game-year of play. If you are a struggling beginner this might help you get over the initial “hardcore shock” of Exile. Success in Exile depends on three things:
- knowledge
- problem solving
- and decision making
Here you will learn some basic knowledge, and you’ll see the kinds of problems and decisions you will face. As an open ended, open world sandbox game Exile has no “correct” way to play, nor can I cover every possible aspect of the game here. This play through follows a cautious technology focused strategy.
I make some mistakes (some deliberate, others accidental). You’ll see how those mistakes can be recovered from... except one:
I die at the end. So it goes.
THE START - NOT DYING IMMEDIATELY
INTERFACE
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In the inventory I have access to:
- crafting spots: I will use these to make entry level crafts
- sleeping spot: I can use this to rest anywhere, but it is terrible
- clothing tab: I’ll put on clothes here.
- character tab: this tells me role-playing info (I am a guy called Klo). I can also check “health effects” here e.g. diseases.
I have a sentence of exile (more role-playing: Klo got exiled for abducting someone), but nothing else.
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The HUD tells me:
- how many health effects are currently on (none)
- how thirsty and hungry I am (I’m fine)
- the temperature around me (15°C)
- how much energy I have (e.g. for running around)
- my health (hit points)
- my body temperature (e.g. if I have hypothermia)
These will change color if they are outside safe limits. The temperature is yellow. I’m a little bit cold. This will drain my energy, that will lead to increased hunger and thirst. That will limit my ability to move. I could end up in a viscous spiral. If temperatures drop too low and my energy drops to zero I risk hypothermia... then death.
EMERGENCY PRIORITIES
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Because I have nothing, this is an emergency.
I must act quick to secure the basics of life.
My first act is to figure out my status and location. I’m on a flat grassland with some trees. I can see enough resources to live here. I will stay in this area.
I am starting in spring, so temperatures should get warmer, but the weather is unpredictable. Right now it is too cold.
Therefore I must find shelter. Nearby is a big hollow tree. It is warmer under here. This will be my camp.
Next I need tools, a bag, and bedding.
I’m lucky that nearby are some Gemedi cane plants - good for fiber. I collect large amounts and take it back under the tree.
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The two greatest tools humanity has invented are the stick and the piece of string! I’ll need lots of fiber and sticks. For sticks I use the abundant Gitiri shrub and tree leaves.
RESTING AT CAMP
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In the shelter of the tree I set up crafting spots. Then I make a sleeping mat. I put the mat in a warm sheltered location.
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When I lie down I can see my energy increasing. I can only rest effectively in pleasant conditions (e.g. comfortable temperature, out of the rain etc). Better quality beds allow me to regain energy quicker.
As I rest I can do some crafting and plan my next move.
EARLY SURVIVAL - MEETING NEEDS
I survived my first day! I didn't immediately die. But now I must look to the future. I'll need food and water, and I can't live under a tree forever - the seasons will change and this might not be enough.
FOOD AND WATER
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I am a bit thirsty. Suffering from dehydration is bad.
Luckily I already know that Tangkal are edible, and have some water content. Unfortunately its hard to get many, and I fell out and got hurt.
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I need a better water source, but this is a barren land. What to do?
It's raining and this ground is wet, so I've dug some puddle holes. These will fill up with water. I do risk disease drinking out of a mud hole.
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BREAK TAKER
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Back to camp to rest the Break taker message has come up. That means I've been playing for half an hour. This is a reminder because it is easy to lose track of time. Now is a good time to take a real rest.
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You can ignore this message, but after an hour it will become a nag - you really should at least stand up and stretch after that long!
WATER POTS I
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I'm going to make pots to collect the rain. These are unfired, and useless.
I need a kiln.
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I've made a kiln out of dirt. Sealed inside are two pots. The fire will heat them up, turning them into pottery. It's raining so I put a shelter over top, to prevent water related mishaps. (Note: Fires needs to be kept away from wet soil too, unlike in this shot - this was made during a final bug testing run!)
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IMPROVING CAMP
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While I wait, I've make camp more accessible and tidy. This will save energy, and potentially my life in an emergency.
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FIRST EXPLORATIONS
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I'm doing well. So I explore a bit, gather plants and resources. I always take a survival bag of essential gear. I don't go far, I’m not ready. I collect anything that looks interesting.
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Back at camp I'm exhausted, but I've got a safe space that's warm and dry so I'm okay. If I was still out wandering lost I'd be in trouble.
FARMING
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I've made a little farm with the plants I found. These might be useful, but growth takes time.
I used the digging stick to till the soil. Plants need to be in the sun. Wet loam soils are best. Dry gravel and sand are very bad soils. Tilling the soil improves it, but risks erosion, and will become depleted. Unless depleted soils are fertilized (punch with a fertilizer e.g. ash) then they will degrade.
Extreme weather can inhibit or kill young plants. Animals can eat plants.
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BED SET UP
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All this work in cold rain is leaving me exhausted. I improve my resting spot. I make a better bed so I can recover faster. I have a fire place, crafting spots, and storage all easily accessible.
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WATER POTS II
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My pots are done. I can punch the kiln fire while holding any sediment to put it out. I put the pots in the rain to collect water.
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EATING MYSTERY PLANTS SAFELY
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I’m getting hungry. I have a good supply of maraka nuts here ... but are they poisonous? How do I find out?
I have to eat them. If eating this goes horribly wrong I need to be ready to ride out an illness. I am currently safe at camp. I have food and water. Time to eat mystery nuts ...
I eat one ... seems fine ... I eat more ... seems good ... more ... oh no! I have a health condition.
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This disease seems fairly harmless. And I'm in good condition to begin with. Through luck and caution I ride it out easy.
STONE AGE SKILLS - MOVING FROM SURVIVING TO THRIVING
SPELUNKING FOR BOULDERS
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I want better tools.
For that I'll need a grinding stone. For that I'll need a good hard granite boulder - I need to go into the caves.
I have a cave nearby, but it's deep so I need ladders. I also need supplies. If I go unprepared I might never make it out again. I take torches, ladders, sticks, plus food and water.
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Thanks to some luck and some ladders, I was able to get all the boulders I need.
SPELUNKING FOR BOULDERS
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With the boulders and some sand from the nearby beach I make a grinding stone. Here I can make my new best tool - an adze. I can cut wood.
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I’ll make the mortar and pestle, and club too seeing as I can.
I chop some wood and I make a chopping block.
With all these new tools and work stations I can do lots of new things. I can survive with this level of technology. It’s primitive, but I could go on perfectly well without advancing further.
STRATEGIES – MOVING FROM THRIVING TO MASTERY
Technological progression and settled agriculture are strategic choices. Just because you can doesn’t mean you should. There's a reason humanity spent >100 000yrs in the stone age. But it is the strategy I will follow here.
Acquiring iron is a high effort high reward path. That effort might cost me my life.
SEASONS – PLANNING TO SURVIVE THE YEAR
WINTER – OH CRAP THAT’S COLD
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A STRATEGY PAYS OFF – IRON’S REWARDS
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Thanks to my pick axe and mining I’m rapidly expanding my access to iron. I begin to reap the benefits.
I finally have smelted enough for a tools and a carpentry bench. The weather is starting to turn towards spring. Food supplies have held up. Things are looking good.
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DOING SOMETHING STUPID - A GLORIOUS DEATH
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Let’s go back underground.
I’m climbing down the giant shafts. Whenever I can't directly build a stick ladder down, I use my rope to climb down a level, then use sticks to climb back up and get the rope. Repeat. The risk of falling is high, and it is slow. But if successful I will have a secure path deep into the city from which I can safely explore. Hopefully I will only need to use it once ...
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I'm hoping to build a transporter.
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This complicated, slightly dangerous device will teleport me from surface to deep.
A pad with the needed components next to it can be linked via a key to a second pad. The power cells can be recharged by heating.
Building two of these (one in the deep, one at my farmstead) is my goal ... I will never achieve it.
I've fallen.
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I'm lucky to be alive. But I can't get back up that way.
This is the curse of the City. I might never make it out of this place alive.
On the upside, I've reached a decent depth. I'm more likely to find the treasures which will help me get out.
Thanks to cave mushrooms I now have glow paint. This makes it much easier to find my way. Seeing as I'm stuck anyway, I'm going to explore, hoping to find something good. I mark my trails with glow paint.
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I find my first artifacts. They are not much use, but it's a hint that strange things are to be found here. I slowly accumulate more items, growing ever more greedy ...
until one wrong step ...
One year after being exiled, Klo plunges to his death in a mysterious temple, his bags laden with golden treasures. All he has built is left to others.
CONCLUSION
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If you’ve made it this far, you’ll see that most success comes down to decision making. Death and disaster is often the result of having done something stupid.
Indeed, that’s the point of Exile – to put your skills to the test in an arena where failure doesn’t matter. Remember, this was only one way of playing the game (also remember it’s in alpha!). A play through following a different strategy in a different location will look different!
I hope that helps you overcome some of the beginner’s terror from the harsh yet abundant world of Exile. Enjoy.
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