The exosuit that protects you greets you: Welcome to Alpha Periphery. You were hired by the system's licensed corporation as a surveyor to assess its value. As you walk the shifting desert beneath you, it becomes clear there are more mysteries than rare metals to uncover.
This is your strangest job yet.
Key features
- Explore a procedurally-generated desert planet
- Enjoy relaxing ambient music
- Collect materials to craft new and improved abilities
- Find artifacts and abandoned structures
- Tune in for free content expansions
Explore musical playgrounds
Situated at the edge of explored space, Alpha Periphery is the brightest star of its cluster. It's home to many interconnected worlds to freely explore, including a desert planet, an ocean world, and its icy exomoon.Synthesize new abilities
Equipped with only a scanner and limited cargo space, the surveyor must gather materials to synthesize and upgrade their suit components. These confer new abilities that assist their travels and breathe life into old locations.Uncover a mysterious past
To complete their primary objective, the surveyor notes scientific observations and significant discoveries in their codex. Piecing together artifacts and abandoned structures, they infer the true purpose of Alpha Periphery.Stay for a while
Every destination in the Alpha Periphery system is an ephemeral space with distinct musical and visual themes. No two moments are quite the same with its procedurally-generated terrain and ambient music systems.Greetings surveyors!
[p align=\"start\"]Im excited to share another batch of improvements as I work on the final expansion. This addresses your feedback since the last release, and continues to polish the EP with a handful of other enhancements and fixes.[/p][p align=\"start\"]Unfortunately, the expansion will not release until the new year. The new world is fully playable and can be completed in a few hours. Most recently, I overhauled its terrain generator, made some graphical enhancements, and created its Steam achievement icons. Im currently in the middle of its nearly 1000 words of new text, with more details to share soon.[/p][p align=\"start\"]Enjoy![/p]v4.1.6 changes
Fixed a hard lock in the demo.
[/*]Improved the destination guide around and inside caves.
[/*]Faced mountains when fast traveling to their foothills.
[/*]Improved audibility of thruster recharge progress notifications.
[/*]Prevented thruster recharge when thrusters are not installed.
[/*]Ducked scanner sounds when the game is paused.
[/*]Added a visual effect to leaving the atmosphere of The Interstice.
[/*]Reduced atmosphere height within The Interstice.
[/*]Allowed the Danger Zone screen to be entered when the game is paused.
[/*]Added support for time dilation to fast travel time calculations.
[/*]
Greetings surveyors!
[p align=\"start\"]Im excited to share a handful of features, enhancements, and fixes inspired by showcasing Periphery Synthetic at MDEV last weekend. These primarily improve the feel of the flight mechanicsespecially on the airless lava moon, arriving next month in the final expansion. Yet, there are some smaller details here to help prepare for the expansion as well.[/p][p align=\"start\"]Enjoy![/p]v4.1.5 changes
Added certain artifacts as trinkets when collected.
[/*]Added audio notifications for toggling turbo and thrusters charge.
[/*]Added Alpha Periphery D3 to the skies of certain worlds.
[/*]Added visual labels to some clickable screen elements.
[/*]Recharged thrusters when collecting artifacts, caches, and trinkets.
[/*]Improved the feel and progression of the RCS system.
[/*]Revised thrusters tutorial text with new mechanics.
[/*]Fixed a focus memory issue on the material screen.
[/*]Fixed an audio ramping issue introduced in Chromium 140.
[/*]Upgraded desktop builds to Electron 38.
[/*]
Greetings surveyors!
[p align=\"start\"]Recently Ive hinted that Im focusing on the final expansion for Periphery Synthetic. Im excited to immediately release a handful of improvements that were developed alongside it. Continue reading for exclusive screenshots and details about Side Eas well as the full patch notes.[/p]The final expansion
[p align=\"start\"]Side E introduces a challenging new world: Alpha Periphery D3. Its objective is to provide contrast to the existing worlds of Periphery Synthetic. The result is an airless moon with a defining environmental feature.[/p]Beware! The price of Periphery Synthetic will increase by $1 USD when Side E is released. It will be a free update for all existing players.
[img src=\"https://cdn.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/42877321/ebef8a6181c4f826a9fdd365a3468da4075797ef.png\"][/img]
The lava labyrinth
[p align=\"start\"]Its dynamic lavawhich oscillates in altitude like clockworkis the focal point of its challenges. At its lowest, surveyors may descend into vertical calderas to retrieve and escape with their artifacts. Yet at its highest, only the tallest mountains peak out like islands in the lava. Between those extremes exists a timed puzzle of submerging and reemerging terrain.[/p][p align=\"start\"]Its effects are not limited to the terrain, but instead try to find a situational mechanical cohesion. When the lava is nearby, the haze of volcanic ash provides a thin atmosphere to recharge thrusters and distill materials. Yet resources are more scarce above this haze, with only a smattering of trinkets to collect and recycle. This provides an added tension of resource management not found in the other worlds.[/p][img src=\"https://cdn.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/42877321/a18f4602219d9e6d6a0a62db8758244e902b01aa.png\"][/img]
The creation myth
[p align=\"start\"]My earliest concepts of Alpha Periphery D3 date back to my first handwritten notes about the EP. Two years later, I had finally built its first prototype in July 2024, but had abandoned it to focus on the Side D expansion. Revisiting this unfinished world and applying the final touches over a year later reminds me of how good it feels to finish things![/p][p align=\"start\"]Its also a great opportunity to explore themes of inspiration, authorship, and closure. In the Side D expansion, I introduced a new character who is the author of the Alpha Periphery system. However, they lacked a certain complexity that is now relevant to explore across fifteen new perceptions.[/p][img src=\"https://cdn.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/clans/42877321/86edb279ee678f6f82b2613d1a8675a2aa2815d9.png\"][/img]
The simpler approach
[p align=\"start\"]My approach toward developing this expansion has been quite streamlined due to its more limited scope. Unlike the Side D expansion, it doesnt aim to add new abilities or completely overhaul movement or the economy. Instead, it intends to provide closure to the EPs existing systems.[/p][p align=\"start\"]This approach has allowed me to develop it in parallel to more regular updates. For instance, Ive made a habit of cherry-picking everything-except-the-new-world from the expansion into the public branch as well. These include the recent additions of embryons, recycling trinkets, choosing from multiple endingsas well as everything in todays patch.[/p]The next steps
[p align=\"start\"]Im excited to announce the title and release date for Side E soon.[/p][p align=\"start\"]In the meantime, Ill be wrapping up its music to share in an exclusive new build for MDEV 2025. After that, my focus will shift to writing the new perceptions coming in the full release. I hope to have it ready for you by the end of the year.[/p][p align=\"start\"]Thanks for playing![/p]v4.1.4 changes
Added a button to recycle all trinkets to the Trinkets screen.
[/*]Prevented repeat keyboard events on the Trinkets screen.
[/*]Improved navigation between levels on the Trinkets screen.
[/*]Balanced criteria and bonuses for certain trinkets.
[/*]Used musical frequencies for trinket sounds.
[/*]Reduced the number of caches needed for the Cache Buster milestone.
[/*]Fixed a broken cache reward on Alpha Periphery D2.
[/*]Improved gain calculation and positioning of environmental sounds.
[/*]Improved consistency of sound channel routing.
[/*]
Greetings surveyors!
This release adds some quality of life improvements based on your feedback since the expansion release.
Enjoy!
v4.1.3 changes
Replaced trinkets with caches in place of artifacts on fully-explored worlds.
[/*]Removed some audio occlusion when vertical look is toggled off.
[/*]Added slider for Instrument Polyphony to Audio Performance screen.
[/*]Added slider for Keyboard Turn Speed to the Controls screen.
[/*]Added quick navigation of the Materials screen with left/right/previous/next keys.
[/*]Fixed audio for interface sliders not working since v4.1.0.
[/*]Played an audio notification based on your progress when unplugging.
[/*]Fixed button focus indicators using world color scheme when unplugging.
[/*]Fixed a performance issue with the MIDI instrument.
[/*]
Greetings surveyors!
[p align=\"start\"]Im excited to share the most complete version of Periphery Synthetic yet: the Endgame update. Finally, you may choose from its multiple endings, stick around with endless crafting, and jam along with support for MIDI devices! Continue reading for a summary of the updates key features and its full patch notes. Enjoy!\n[/p]Key features
Unplugging. This new function allows you to roll the credits of Periphery Synthetic at any timenow with five unique endings! Will you abdicate your duties? be a good surveyor? or align yourself with a major power? This addition of over 500 words and unique choices explores the consequences of your journey.
[/*]Embryons. This new material adds further depth to the crafting system! Subatomic materials can now be converted between each other using embryons. Excess subatomics are now recycled into embryons to expand your inventory capacity to infinity. Trinkets receive new purpose by allowing them to be recycled into embryons as well.
[/*]MIDI support. The instrument that was exclusively available to the gamepad can now be played with MIDI input. It sounds great on my microKEY Air with a sustain pedal! Beware that the instrument now supports polyphony, which can lead to audio performance issues if too many keys are pressed at once.
[/*]
v4.1.0 changes
Core Gameplay
[list]Added a new subatomic to collect: Embryons.
[/*]Added recycling of trinkets into embryons.
[/*]Added synthesis of baryons and antibaryons using embryons.
[/*]Converted excess subatomics into embryons from various actions.
[/*]Preserved embryons across New Seed Plus.
[/*]Reduced the costs of Aerodynamics subsystem upgrades.
[/*]Allowed scan guide on finished worlds after the secondary objective is completed.
[/*]
Core Interface
Added MIDI support for the instrument.
[/*]Added the Disconnect function with five unique endings.
[/*]Added four new milestones relating to unplugging the apparatus.
[/*]Added a new screen for viewing, fusing, and splitting subatomics.
[/*]Moved the Trinkets screen under the Synthesis menu.
[/*]Added clicking of trinkets to recycle them into embryons.
[/*]Replaced Trinket Value with Mission Payout on Status screen.
[/*]Improved visibility of upgrades when using redacted materials.
[/*]Prevented upgrade available notifications when no longer available.
[/*]Adjusted formatting of labels and quantities on synthesis screens.
[/*]Fixed empty locations tables for distillable materials.
[/*][/*]Core Audio
Applied reverb to the instrument.
[/*][/*]Miscellaneous
Updated documentation to reflect new features.
[/*][/*]v4.1.1 changes
Fixed an exception when downgrading subsystems.
[/*]Fixed an exception when calculating mission payouts.
[/*]
v4.1.2 changes
Fixed persistence of recycled trinkets.
[/*]
Greetings surveyors!
[p align=\"start\"]Thank you all for a fun and successful release weekend. This release addresses your feedback, as well as a few things that I noticed in my most recent livestream. Enjoy![/p]v4.0.1 changes
Reduced the costs of Scanners subsystem upgrades.
[/*]Improved how the Ballasts subsystem behaves at lower levels.
[/*]Fixed unintentional bunnyhopping when jump control is not held.
[/*]Prevented the Invested milestone from unlocking too early.
[/*]Increased the volume of some quieter sounds.
[/*]Fixed the recharge sound for Mulligans subsystem not always firing.
[/*]Improved sun color calculations in low-atmosphere environments.
[/*]Improved how destinations/milestones/perceptions/trinkets are marked as read.
[/*]Adjusted some interface labels.
[/*]
v4.0.2 changes
Fixed a hard lock on the Trinkets screen when pressing the back button.
[/*]
v4.0.3 changes
Fixed world completion milestones gained too early.
[/*]
Greetings surveyors!
[p align=\"start\"]Im excited to announce that Periphery Synthetic has expanded with Wards of Andromeda! After more than a year of development, it nearly doubles the size of the EP. Explore two new worlds, synthesize new gliding and crafting abilities, and uncover a deeper past in this free content update for all players.[/p][p align=\"start\"][/p][p align=\"start\"]If this is your first time hearing of Periphery Synthetic, then this is the perfect time to jump in! The expansion offers a richer experience with more ways to complete your unique playthrough.[/p][p align=\"start\"]For existing players, it is not required to start a new game. To access the new content, you may activate and follow your scanners. However, due to these major changes, it is recommended to start a new game (or new game plus) to experience the EP as intended. Along your expanded journey, you may likely spot its 100+ new features, enhancements, and fixes.[/p][p align=\"start\"]Enjoy![/p]Need more details? Please check out the Wards of Andromeda reveal for the release trailer, screenshots, and summaries of key changes.
v4.0.0 changes
[p align=\"start\"][/p][p align=\"start\"][/p]Beware! The price of Periphery Synthetic has increased from $3 to $5 USD to reflect these additions to the EP.
Side D Release
[list]Added new explorable worlds: Alpha Periphery D2 and The Interstice.
[/*]Added a new xenotechnology to collect.
[/*]Added Aerodynamics system for improving speed and control during flight.
[/*]Added Synthesis system for creating and destroying materials and systems.
[/*]Added Baryonic Hold and Antibaryonic Hold subsystems for storing particles.
[/*]Added text for 27 new perceptions to reveal.
[/*]Added preset for Alpha Periphery D2 to cover screen.
[/*]
Core Gameplay
Added unlockable gliding mechanics which activate during flight.
[/*]Added unlockable navigational assistance which activates within caves.
[/*]Added automatic fission of collected materials when inventory is exceeded.
[/*]Added critical successes for fission, fusion, and system downgrades.
[/*]Added subatomic particles to cache rewards.
[/*]Renamed Ballasts system to Aquatics for general swimming upgrades.
[/*]Added Hydroplanes subsystem for the Aquatics to improve swim handling.
[/*]Added Scanners subsystem to the Core for increasing scan guide range.
[/*]Added Shocks subsystem for the Wheels for increasing bounce height.
[/*]Added Spelunkers subsystem for the Aquatics for cave navigation assistance.
[/*]Added Stabilizers subsystem for the RCS to stop turning automatically.
[/*]Added Axes +4 and +5 subsystem upgrades.
[/*]Added Cargo Racks +4 subsystem upgrade.
[/*]Added Mulligans +4 subsystem upgrade.
[/*]Added Reducers +8 and +9 subsystem upgrades.
[/*]Rebalanced material costs to reflect the new economy.
[/*]Increased the maximum range and sensitivity of the scanner guide.
[/*]Prevented the scanner guide from working once worlds are completed.
[/*]Applied Axes upgrade to backward movement while driving.
[/*]Reduced the base capacity and recharge rate for the thrusters.
[/*]Removed hard collisions during flight.
[/*]Allowed thrusters to climb surfaces while ignoring collisions.
[/*]Allowed jumps to be canceled by moving down or changing modes.
[/*]Always land when colliding during flight while in bipedal mode.
[/*]Always bounce when colliding during flight while in wheeled mode.
[/*]Improved how the speed limit is enforced during flight.
[/*]Improved bunnyhopping and its cohesion with other flight abilities.
[/*]Improved drifting and its cohesion with other driving abilities.
[/*]Increased the timer for bunnyhopping and firing Mulligans.
[/*]Removed hard collisions against sea floors.
[/*]Prevented going airborne when driving while controls are pressed.
[/*]Applied brakes only when explicitly braking or suddenly changing direction.
[/*]Increased the base intake rate for the distillery.
[/*]Allowed distillation of xenotechnologies.
[/*]Glued caches to dynamic terrain to prevent soft progress locks.
[/*]Prevented xenotech from spawning near world origins.
[/*][/*]Core Interface
Added slider for adjusting the interface scale to the Graphics screen.
[/*]Increased the default interface scale on Steam Deck.
[/*]Improved interface scaling in windowed and smaller resolutions.
[/*]Added Subatomics screen for browsing the subatomic particle storage.
[/*]Added Downgrade button to individual System and Subsystem screens.
[/*]Added Fuse and Split buttons to individual material screens.
[/*]Added label for maximum level and completed objectives on the Status screen.
[/*]Added haptics for the new mechanics.
[/*]Allowed locations to be clicked to view destinations on the Material screen.
[/*]Prioritized the Core system when sorting the Systems screen.
[/*]Required new destinations to be clicked to remove unread status.
[/*]Improved how milestones, perceptions, and trinkets remove unread status.
[/*]Improved mouse acceleration and smoothing.
[/*]Improved visual contrast of focused table rows.
[/*]Improved screen reader behavior on various screens.
[/*]Improved maximum and redacted label styles.
[/*]Worked around Chromium bug #356548151.
[/*][/*]Core Audio
Added sounds for the new mechanics.
[/*]Improved bouncing sounds.
[/*]Improved how the Reactors respond to difficult terrain.
[/*]Throttled expensive movement-related sounds.
[/*]Prevented the Repulsors from sounding when not moving.
[/*][/*]Core Graphics
Revised the cover screen.
[/*]Added bubble particles when underwater.
[/*]Animated terrain offsets during the scanning sequence.
[/*]Improved camera transitions around liquid surfaces.
[/*]Correlated cave reveal speed with Spelunkers subsystem level.
[/*][/*]Alpha Periphery B
Added a new perception that will automatically collect.
[/*]Added a new perception for world completion.
[/*]Added Alpha Periphery D2 to the sky.
[/*]Renamed the Landing Site to the Embryonic Crater.
[/*]Improved distance modeling of ambient sand sounds.
[/*]Increased gravity to 75% of Earths.
[/*]Added alternative ways to gain certain perceptions in Prototype Mode.
[/*][/*]Alpha Periphery C
Added a new perception for world completion.
[/*]Added Alpha Periphery D2 to the sky.
[/*]Added two new distillable materials.
[/*]Increased underwater music reactivity.
[/*]Improved cave sound placement.
[/*]Improved cave scan sound sequence.
[/*]Doubled chance of xenotech inside caves.
[/*]Reduced gravity to 50% of Earths.
[/*]Fixed an audio performance leak when inside caves.
[/*][/*]Alpha Periphery C2
Added a new perception for world completion.
[/*]Added two new distillable materials.
[/*]Increased music reactivity.
[/*]Increased gravity to 33% of Earths.
[/*][/*]Manual
Updated documentation to reflect new features.
[/*]Added support for dark mode.
[/*][/*]Miscellaneous
Upgraded desktop builds to Electron 37.
[/*][/*]Greetings surveyors!
Im excited to announce the release date for the first free content expansion for Periphery Synthetic, titled: Wards of Andromeda. The expansion will debut on August 15 with exciting new features! Explore two evolving new worldswith fresh abilities that change how you move and progress through the EP.
Continue reading for a short teaser trailer and a breakdown of what to expect with the expansion.
Announcement trailer
The trailer begins with quick zooming cuts of portals on the familiar worlds of Alpha Periphery. Emerging from the portals, it changes focus to a new world which exists inside them, with longer shots showcasing its non-Euclidean terrain. Its focus then shifts to the new moss planet, contrasting its dynamic and colorful terrain against its explorable alien structures. A recurring theme of these shots is how both new worlds combine land and water exploration. The trailer closes with a silhouette of the moss planet on the redesigned title screen.
The trailer is set to an excerpt of the soundtrack for the new moss planet. Its music system is heavily inspired by Brian Eno (Music for Airports) and Steve Reich (Music for 18 Musicians), combining warm synth pads with the randomness of wind chimes. The result is an always-evolving, never-repeating piece of music thats unique to each play. The expansion also reimagines the EPs title screen music within the new portal world.
The Wards of Andromeda
Periphery Synthetic is an award-nominated exploration of ambient music thats couched within a non-violent metroidvania experience. Leading up to its 2024 release, the project had spent two years in early access, expanding from a barren prototype to three massive worlds filled with unlockable abilities and intrigue. It has since been recognized for its novel approach of using generative synthesis and terrain sonification to make it fully accessible to players who are blind.
Wards of Andromeda continues its legacy of feedback and iteration. The expansion offers many opportunities to improve the EP for new and returning players alike. Here are its main design goals:
Expanded story. You became the Periphery Synthetic. By surveying the Alpha Periphery system, the EP introduced you to one side of a rising intergalactic conflict. Now its time to explore the other side.
[/*]Improved economy. You collected raw materials to expand your abilities. New worlds and abilities provide more flexibility in where and how these materials are acquired.
[/*]Improved feel. You overcame vast deserts, oceans, and mountains. Running, driving, swimming, and flying receive new playgrounds and enhancements to test their limits.
[/*]
Key features
These design goals are supported by several exciting new features:
Alpha Periphery D2. This new moss planet offers a colorful world of evolving vertical challenges. Its massive terrain, dotted with aerial materials to collect, contrasts against the underwater labyrinths which drive its story.
[/*]The Interstice. This new portal world evolves in size and complexity as you level up. Acting as both the thread and mirror of your journey, it gradually becomes a hub where you can celebrate all of your abilities.
[/*]Synthesizers. This new system upends how abilities are unlocked. It introduces two new currencies to turn materials from one to another. And you can downgrade and uninstall abilities to tailor your experience.
[/*]Aerodynamics. This new system provides more control over the flying abilities. With its Trajectors you may turn any fall into a smooth glide. And you will safely land from any collision with the ground.
[/*]Aquatics. This new system provides more control over the swimming abilities. With its Spelunkers you may get navigational assistance while inside caves. And you will avoid collisions with the floor automatically.
[/*]
By the numbers
These flagship features are complemented by a number of smaller features, enhancements, and fixes, which make it the EPs largest update yet. Here is a quick comparison between v3.2.12 and v4.0.0, which demonstrates the magnitude of the expansion:
[table equalcells="1" colwidth=",,,"]Metric
[/th][th]Current
[/th][th]Expansion
[/th][th]Change
[/th]Worlds
[/th]3
5
+2
Materials
[/th]30
33
+3
Perceptions
[/th]50
78
+28
Systems
[/th]9
11
+2
Subsystems
[/th]21
33
+12
Max level
[/th]110
177
+67
Milestones
[/th]49
54
+5
Beware! These numbers are mostly locked in, but they can still change.
Price increase
Importantly, the price of Periphery Synthetic will increase to $5 USD with the expansion release. This increase reflects the new value which these changes bring to the EP. And dont fret! Existing players will receive itand all future expansionsfor free!
Releasing August 15
Im very excited to present the Wards of Andromeda expansion to you on August 15. Its two new worlds will nearly double the size of the EP with their dynamic challenges. Its new abilities will expand your choices and control over your journey. And its story will unveil the true purpose of the Periphery Synthetic.
In the following week, I will support it with hotfixes for any critical issues that arise. Then after a short vacation, I will start planning the future of Periphery Synthetic and support it with smaller patches as needed. Im also hoping to start prototyping a few concepts for new projects in a shared universe. These might include more strategy- or action-oriented experiences that dont make sense within the EP itself.
In the meantime, Im excited to wrap up the writing for Wards of Andromeda. Thanks for reading!
Greetings surveyors!
Im excited to share the final update for Periphery Synthetic in 2024.This release brings a vertical slice of audio and graphical enhancements to polish out a year of exciting updates. Be sure to upgrade your thrusters and check out the exospheres of Alpha Periphery B and C if you havent already. Enjoy!
v3.2.12 changes
- Core Gameplay[list]
- Prevented material distillation while in zero-atmosphere environments.
- Decreased the time interval between automatic perception checks.
Greetings surveyors!
Im excited to reveal the trailer for Side D, the first free content expansion for Periphery Synthetic. The EP launched with three musical worlds to explore as you upgrade your abilities and reveal their secrets. The upcoming expansion significantly expands your journey with two new worlds, complete with new abilities and secrets to unlock! Continue reading for the trailer and major details about the changes arriving in 2025.
Watch the trailer
About the trailer
The trailer begins with flythroughs of familiar locations across the Alpha Periphery system. They are regularly interjected by title cards which actively describe the gameplay. My intent with this first section was to reintroduce folks to the EP while showcasing the diversity of its explorable environments. Compared to previous trailers, Im unafraid to share some surprises here, such as the exosphere above the desert planet.This is also the first trailer which Ive included environmental sounds and audio descriptions for each scene. These were created quite simply with OBS, Notepad, and NVDA, alternating succinctly between the Microsoft David and Zira voices. For future trailers, I would love to continue including these features to enhance their accessibility.
The new stuff
The middle sections finally reveal the new worlds arriving in the expansion: Alpha Periphery D2 and The Interstice. This pre-release footage demonstrates that their development is quite far along, with thoughtful displays of terrain generation, color selections, and particle effects. However, please beware that it may not be representative of them upon release.The trailer concludes with the portraits of each world which appear on the title screen of the EP. Newly added to the exosolar family is the green silhouette of the lichen sphere. I personally enjoy punctuating each trailer with these because it emphasizes how they are places that theoretically exist and can be touched. Notably, this excludes The Interstice, which is more of a metaphor than anything else.
About the expansion
The main objective of Side D is to wrap up all of the loose ends of Periphery Synthetic that began in a notebook in early 2022. This includes the last of the planned abilities and story beats. However, it leaves open new possibilities for future expansions and smaller content updates.Key features
Overall, the expansion nearly doubles the size of the EP:- Two new explorable worlds. [/*]
- Two new unlockable abilities with seven upgrade paths. [/*]
- Three new upgrade paths for existing abilities. [/*]
- Higher maximum levels for four upgrade paths. [/*]
- Two dozen new pieces of narrative text. [/*]
- Five new achievements to unlock. [/*]
- Rebalanced upgrade costs. [/*]
Alpha Periphery D2
The first new world arriving with Side D is one that I have previously discussed at length. With a surface gravity of about half of Earth's, Alpha Periphery D2 occupies a unique niche within the system. Throughout its brisk daylight cycle, the moss which covers its surface morphs through familiar seasons in color and form.Falling with style
With the new xenotechnology found on its surface, a new gliding ability can be unlocked. By pressing any direction while falling, it allows changes in direction without using the thrusters. When fully upgraded, essentially any fall can be broken into a smooth flight. This is paired with new upgrades which increase the maximum velocity and reduce drag during flight.This new ability synergizes pretty well with how the collectables are placed on this world. Instead of gluing them to the ever-changing surface, they remain fixed in the air at the terrains highest point. These aerial materials offer a fresh challenge for folks who enjoy jumping and flying.
Revealing the architects
However, my best-kept secret with Alpha Periphery D2 has been its surface water. It represents quite an upgrade to the underlying engine and movement physics. Throughout the world, you may encounter shallow areas in the moss, which expose its artificial crust. These areas are pocketed with reservoirs of heavy water which sustain the moss.Perhaps these pools lead somewhere when fully examined? The artifacts found in these locations finally reveal the architects of the Alpha Periphery system. As if a laboratory to test their capabilities, it foreshadows the galactic protectors who The Pact must now face. With the history of the system now fully revealed, there are more possibilities to explore in future expansions.
Rebalancing the economy
A shortcoming of the EP at release was how it locked the materials for each upgrade to specific worlds. This forced folks to engage with content that they had no desire (or simply were not fully ready) to explore. Therefore, a major goal for the expansion is to make these materials more attainable through alternative means.Yet another unique quality of Alpha Periphery D2 is how it contains every possible material to collect. For example, it is no longer required to explore the ocean floor of Alpha Periphery C, because its materials can be found on the surface here. Its atmosphere also contains the largest variety of elements that can be distilled. This is due to its unique role as the elemental incubator for the Alpha Periphery experiment.
Transmuting materials
Another frustration with the EP at release was the relative randomness of how materials are received. There can be points where there is little agency over which upgrades to select when a material isnt appearing as expected. Often this can make the EP feel like an unnecessary chore.The second new ability arriving in Side D allows materials to be transmuted from one to another using one of two new currencies. When an undesired material is collected, it can be broken down into its corresponding currency, from which related materials can be fused. To keep things fresh, there is even a slight chance for a critical success!
Downgrading abilities
This new ability is rounded out with the choice to downgrade (or fully uninstall) abilities. For example, the attractors ability can be downgraded to offer more challenge while collecting the aerial materials on Alpha Periphery D2. Or perhaps returning players might downgrade themselves to more quickly unlock the new abilities. With this expansion, all of these choices are now fully yours to make.Adding fission and fusion also provides a unique opportunity to overhaul the material requirements for each upgrade. Although the overall costs have not changed, they have been realigned to play to the strengths of each world. Importantly, there is a greater balance of uses for each material, which has been carefully selected so that each upgrade path has a similar cost if transmuted from scratch.
The Interstice
Today Im excited to share the biggest secret arriving in Side D: The Interstice. Quickly its revealed that the worlds of Alpha Periphery are interconnected by mysterious portals. However, these portals were handwaved away by a mere loading screen at release. The Interstice replaces these loading screens with a fully interactive sequence that explores this unseen dimension of spacetime.A different mirror
The main purpose of The Interstice is to thread the worlds of Alpha Periphery together with a common element which holds a mirror to your personal journey. Being the first world that can be visited after Alpha Periphery B, it is intended to be visited early and often as the remaining worlds are discovered. Even with all the destinations discovered, it aims to be a fun place to revisit purposefully.Graphically and mechanically, The Interstice is very much a non-Euclidean space. Best described as the inside of a torus, it functions similarly to the way the maze wraps in a game of [u]Pac-Man[/u]. When moving through The Interstice, its terrain features grow more vertical as they get closer, evoking a disorienting psychedelic effect. Eventually the terrain wraps back onto itself into loops, as if walking along a Mbius strip.
As the apparatus is leveled up, the size and complexity of The Interstice evolves alongside it. While the first visit may be a short walk across a flat plain, subsequent visits reveal massive environments of ever-changing mountains and cliffs to navigate. And as this space opens up, it fills with caches and trinkets to collect, rewarding time spent off the most direct paths toward its thrumming exit.
Finding yourself
A key consideration for Periphery Synthetic was for players to feel free to insert their selves into its narrative. This is emphasized by the consistent use of the second person throughout its text, with vivid descriptions of emotions and sensory details. It has also been careful to avoid prescribing any personal details or history onto the main character, hiding them behind a shroud of memory loss.As it expands, The Interstice regularly conveys perceptions which bridge the narrative gaps which identify the protagonist. Without spoiling the big reveal, they expound upon the true nature of the apparatus and its metaphorical relationship to the player. There are further insights that these could reveal about The Pact and Provenance One as well.
Coming in 2025
Beware! The price of Periphery Synthetic will increase to $5 USD when Side D is released. This is to reflect the new content and enhancements since the initial release. Thanks for understanding!The wait to reveal these details over the past six months has seemed like an eternity to me. However, I wanted to be absolutely sure of the feasibility of its ambition, before making any promises that could not be kept. Yet, it has finally come to focus at this stage in development, where the only major remaining tasks are sound design, writing, and some polish.
To be clear: these are monumental tasks. Im also strongly considering a break from the project during the month of February to prototype a new concept for Games for Blind Gamers 4 . Therefore, the expansion is likely not arriving before the summer of next year. Despite this, Ill continue to release a trickle of smaller hotfixes in parallel as needed.
Im excited to share the release date with you soon. Thanks for reading!
Greetings surveyors!
Here are a few extra improvements to share for Periphery Synthetic. These were found while storyboarding and collecting footage for an upcoming trailer that will reveal the two new worlds coming in the free Side D content expansion. I'm excited to share more about the expansion soon.
Enjoy!
v3.2.11 changes
- Added a slider for collectable volume to the Audio Mixer screen.
- Added some screenreader tips to the manual.
- Fixed an issue with drawing stars at higher draw distances.
Greetings surveyors!
I'm excited to share another batch of accessibility enhancements for Periphery Synthetic based on your feedback. Importantly, this release adds instructions for how to use each system, which reveal more information about them as you upgrade their subsystems. There are also some enhancements to the collectable and destination guide sounds to improve their audibility. Overall, I'm quite pleased with the number of enhancements I've made this past week to celebrate the EP's nominations for the Indie Game Awards and GAconf Awards. Your feedback makes this project better.
Enjoy!
v3.2.10 changes
- Added instructions to the system screens that reveal as they are unlocked.
- Added modulation to the scan destination guide when facing the wrong way.
- Fixed an issue with material lock-on sound parameter calculations.
- Rearranged the manual so the controls come first.
- Reduced saturation of graphics when blurred behind a menu.
Im excited to share another round of improvements for Periphery Synthetic. These focus on improving the accessibility of its navigational audio cues by increasing their clarity, especially for extremely vertical spaces. Importantly, the filtering of many sounds now reacts to the look angle when vertical look is enabled. Similarly, there are some specific improvements if you had trouble navigating certain enclosed spaces. A few extra changes from the upcoming expansion have found their way here too.
Enjoy!
v3.2.9 changes
- Core Gameplay[list]
- Increased effects of wheels axes upgrades.
Greetings surveyors!
Im excited to share another vertical slice of improvements for Periphery Synthetic. The main objective for this release was to improve its hearing accessibility. It adds new sliders to the audio mixer for changing the stereo width and loudness of each ear. It also makes several enhancements to the audio mix to clarify important navigational sounds. These improvements are paired with a variety of smaller changes made during the development of the first free content expansion.
Enjoy!
v3.2.8 changes
- Core Gameplay[list]
- Allowed New Seed Plus to be resumed from Prototype seeds.
Greetings surveyors!
I'm excited to announce that Periphery Synthetic has been nominated for the Notable Achievement in Accessibility category at the first-ever Indie Game Awards . It joins five other independent titles which pushed accessibility forward in 2024 by prioritizing inclusive design. The inaugural event will be livestreamed by IGN on Thursday, December 19, 2024 at 6 PM CST. I'm looking forward to the final resultsand learning who takes home their prestigious Game of the Year award.
While I'm proud of my personal accomplishments with Periphery Synthetic, the EP would not have been nominated without the help of the larger community. From all of your feedback and the continuous improvements made throughout its development, to its inclusion at this year's Access-Ability Showcase and GAconf USA, it has surpassed all of my original expectations. As you might suspect, I don't care for the constant hustle of networking and marketing on social media, so it's deeply humbling when the project finds itself in places beyond my limited reach. Thank yousincerelyfor your contributions that led it to this nomination.
By the time the event airs, I will be finalizing a special trailer that I'm preparing for the GAconf Awards in January 2025. The trailer will reintroduce the EP to the award show audience, ending with a significant reveal of the two new worlds releasing with the upcoming Side D expansion. I'm excited to surprise you with the secret fifth world soon!
Cheers!
Greetings surveyors!
As I work on the first free content expansion, Im continuing to make improvements to the core experience based on your feedback. Im excited to share a vertical slice of those with you today, including: a new dark mode interface, a toggle for stereo or mono audio, and many improvements to the How to Play screen.
Thanks for playing!
- Core Gameplay[list]
- Spawned caches at exhausted artifact locations in New Game Plus.
- Fixed an issue with the destination name generator.
- Fixed an issue with the trinket name generator.
Greetings surveyors!
I was delighted to be invited to speak virtually at GAconf USA on Ocober 28, 2024. The conference was filled with a diversity of perspectives covering topics such as inclusive design, assistive technologies, and behind-the-scenes looks at accessibility in games. It was an incredibly informative experience which reminded me that people are awesomeand we have so much to learn from each other. I'm deeply grateful for the organizers who produced this must-see event.
You may find more talks from the conference in the GAconf USA 2024 playlist .
Im excited to share more details about the upcoming free content expansion with you soon. There is a lot more to it than Ive revealed. Enjoy!
Greetings surveyors!
Recently I started working exclusively on the new planet and mechanics coming in the first free content expansion. This release merges a number of general improvements from my secret development branch into the public builds. I'm excited to share a larger progress update about how the expansion changes the entire game with you soon.
In the meantime, thanks for playing. Enjoy!
v3.2.6 changes
- Added a Danger Zone screen that's accessible from the Settings screen.
- Added dangerous buttons to reset progress in the Danger Zone.
- Fixed demo save not being continued in full version.
- Fixed the criteria for the Archeologist and Elementalist milestones.
- Improved when screens forget their last focused element.
- Improved the title of the New Seed screen.
- Revised order and quantity of cache rewards on Alpha Periphery C.
Greetings surveyors!
This release wraps up loose ends and the feedback that I received from you in the first week since release. I'm excited to read what folks think about the EP from Steam's Space Exploration Fest next week. Thanks again for your feedback and support. Enjoy!
v3.2.5 changes
- Required core reactors to be upgraded for other upgrades to appear.
- Fixed edge cases of system and subsystem upgrade availability.
- Ensured numpad enter key clicks all interface elements.
- Expanded numpad control mappings (see manual for details).
- Decreased falloff of scan guide volume when close to its target.
Greetings surveyors!
This release brings a vertical slice of new features, enhancements, and fixes based on your feedback from the first week since release. It includes three new milestones to gauge your progress, auto-targeting for the scanner, a new visual status bar, and a lot more! Following this larger update, I will be taking a short break from the project to recharge for its next phase of expansion development.
Thanks again for your feedback and support as I work through your feedback and make performance optimizations. In the meantime, I'd love if you could write an honest review just in time for Steam's Space Exploration Fest, beginning on September 2.
Enjoy!
v3.2.4 changes
- Core Gameplay[list]
- Added milestones for collecting artifacts.
- Reinstated scanner auto-targeting with some improvements.
- Decreased deceleration while drifting with wheels repulsors.
- Increased effects of thruster gimbals at lower levels.
- Increased minimum range of attractors casters.
Greetings surveyors!
This release addresses some feedback that was collected over the weekend from folks across various channels. Thanks again for sharing your experiences with the EP and how it can be improved. With this hotfix, it's beginning to seem that I can take a step back, and focus on larger updates along the way to the first expansion.
Enjoy!
v3.2.3 changes
- Increased overall size and visibility of collectables on screen.- Split audio mixer and performance settings into separate screens.
- Defaulted audio performance to lowest settings on Steam Deck.
- Allowed material costs on subsystem screens to be clickable.
- Improved compatibility with unsupported browsers.
Greetings surveyors! This build fixes the ability to earn Steam achievements. You will earn your previously-earned achievements upon starting the EP, and all future achievements moving forward. Thanks for understanding, enjoy!
Greetings surveyors!
This release addresses the most commonly-reported issues on release day. If you are experiencing issues with audio performance, please try toggling off Ultra Quality and Reverb from the Audio settings screen. Thanks for your support and understanding.
v3.2.1 changes
- Fixed an issue with starting a New Game Plus.
- Added toggle for Ultra Quality to Audio settings (defaults to enabled).
- Tweaked various sound voice limits based on the Ultra Quality setting.
- Fixed panning of collectables in scan results.
- Fixed collectables not receiving targeting on scan.
Greetings surveyors!
I'm excited to announce the immediate release of Periphery Synthetic for Windows, Linux, and Steam Deck. Explore a planetary system, synthesize new abilities, and uncover its past in this interactive EP that draws inspiration from your favorite metroidvania, walking simulator, and interactive fiction.
This release follows two years of early access updates which saw it grow from driving a buggy in a desert to a full system of planets where you can surf waves, explore caves, climb mountains, and even visit space. I'm deeply proud of this accomplishment, and I'm excited for where this project goes next.
Expansion reveals
My biggest goal with Periphery Synthetic was to create an experience that can be easily expanded with new worlds and abilities that further diversify its nonlinearity. This model was tested twice during its early access period with the incremental release of its worlds. These have always arrived as free content expansions for existing players, and coincided with a base price increase of $1 USD per expansion for the EP.Today I have two of these free content expansions to reveal for you. Both expansions will introduce challenging new worlds which feature dynamic vertical environments to explore. They also include a new xenotechnology to collect, and new abilities to unlock that change how you play. These will also be released for free with a base price increase.
Side D reveal
Here is an exclusive first look at the Side D release:
Alpha Periphery D2 is a small terrestrial world covered in an ethereal moss. Throughout its day the moss undergoes colorful seasonal changes, morphing between two distinct planetary surfaces. Importantly, it features aerial materials to collect, with an overhauled aerodynamics upgrade system which allows for finer control while falling. The update intends to also reexamine the material economy.
Side E reveal
Next is an exclusive first look at the Side E release:
Alpha Periphery D3 is a large airless world lit only by an ocean of molten lava. The magma rises and falls in an oscillating manner to reveal materials on its extremely vertical terrain. As this expansion is much earlier in production, I'm still determining the best upgrades to include here. The ability to manipulate the flow of time is a major possibility, as it would be very useful on all but one of the worlds.
Information forthcoming
Beware that these are not merely pieces of concept art! The worlds are connected by portals, mostly sculpted, and fully explorable. However, they need their music, environmental sound effects, new abilities, unique points of interest, perception and milestone triggers, trinkets, and narrative text. Both will be extremely large endeavors to finish from here.Soon I'll also be thinking more deeply about when development on the EP should come to a close. Since the beginning, I've planned for there being six explorable worlds. Ideally, a hypothetical sixth world would combine elements from all worlds into one, such as an Earth-like world that has an equal amount of land and underwater areas to explore. Ultimately, getting there will depend on the success of the EP, and whether I have the stamina to reach it. It may end up needing to be its own spinoff project.
I'm looking forward to sharing more details about these expansions soon. In the meantime, I will continue to support the EP with new features and bugfixes while the expansions are in development.
Thanks for playing!
Greetings surveyors!
Im excited to announce that Periphery Synthetic will be released for Windows, Linux, and Steam Deck on August 22, 2024. The EP offers a chill and non-violent metroidvania experience across procedurally-generated musical playgrounds, which feature purely synthesized music and sounds that evolve and react to your input in real-time.
Closer to release, I'll be revealing the first look at the EP's first expansion. It has been under active development for a few weeks now. The expansion will be a free content update for all players, which includes an all-new world to explore with a variety of new features. While developing the expansion, I will continue to support the EP with smaller updates.
I'm excited to reveal more soon. Thanks for playing!
Greetings surveyors!
The demo for Periphery Synthetic has been updated to v3.2.0. It includes a final round of new features, enhancements, and fixes to prepare the EP for its full release this summer. Here is a summary of the 50+ changes which improve the demo:
- Unlockable milestones. Earn lifetime achievements for exploring, experimenting, and completing objectives across the Alpha Periphery system.
- Collectable trinkets. Find lesser artifacts throughout the worlds which set the stage and progress alongside the story.
- Audio enhancements. Use new audio cues to locate unexplored destinations and explore them in three dimensions. The mix has been boosted significantly to bring out the finer details.
- World rescale. The worlds have been expanded with more space between destinations. Materials have been more evenly distributed based on their rarities.
- So much more. Play the instrument while in-game. Earn more materials from caches. Enjoy improved loading times and new scanning visuals.
I'm excited to share the rest of it with you soon.
Enjoy!
Greetings surveyors!
The demo for Periphery Synthetic has been updated to v3.1.0. It received a plethora of new features, enhancements, and fixes. Here is a summary of the changes:
- Material screen. Click on individual materials from the Materials screen to learn more about them. This screen relocates their discovered locations from the Perceptions screen to a table here. It also includes previously-hidden information about the materials, such as their atomic symbol and weight.
- Graphical improvements. The planetary bodies of Alpha Periphery are now visible from each others skies. Their skies have also been reworked to behave more spherically. While subtle, the improvement is most noticeable when looking straight up or down.
- Audio improvements. The collectibles are easier to hear and attenuated when they cannot be collected. This release also fixes some bugs reported by folks since the last update.
- Accessibility improvements. Some of the access hotkeys that were available to keyboard users are now available on gamepad by holding Y and pressing a directional button. Overall the interface received a variety of smaller enhancements.
- Manual revisions. Every section of the manual was revised. The revisions focused on using plainer language, expanding on missing details, and improving the accessibility of its markup.
Enjoy!
Greetings surveyors!
The demo for Periphery Synthetic has been updated to v3.0.0. Unlock the ability to double-jump and drive sideways! The desert planet has also received a number of enhancements.
This coincides with a huge content update now available in early access. The EP is now entering its final stages of development before general release in Spring 2024. Here is the latest trailer:
Enjoy!
Greetings surveyors!
I am shiftBacktick, the developer of Periphery Synthetic. I use web technologies to create accessible and interactive audio experiences.
Please join me for a special livestream where you may ask me anything. During the stream, I will play the game more casually while interacting with you in the chat.
Enjoy!
Greetings surveyors!
Please join me for a special livestream where I will attempt to complete the first world as fast as possible. Depending on our progress during the stream, we may experience content from the full game as well.
Although the game is intended to be a relaxing experience, it has the potential for both Any% and 100% speed runs. By visiting each world, our Any% run is complete. Then by completing all secondary objectives, our 100% run is complete.
Enjoy!
Greetings surveyors!
I'm excited to release the demo of Periphery Synthetic for Windows and Steam Deck.
Periphery Synthetic offers a chill metroidvania experience across otherworldly musical playgrounds. It could also be described as a generative music album, walking simulator, or visual novel.
In the demo, you may freely explore its first world with zero limitations. When the game is released, you may take your progress to explore its siblings. After release, their planetary family will grow with free content expansions.
Shown in the trailer are the worlds launching in the full release:
- Alpha Periphery B: A desert planet with shifting sands and hidden structures.
- Alpha Periphery C: A water world with waves to surf and caves to explore.
- Alpha Periphery C2: An icy moon with steep cliffs and mountains to scale.
- Future worlds will be announced after release.
There are discussion threads for providing feedback and reporting bugs.
Enjoy!
Minimum Setup
- OS: Ubuntu 12.04. Debian 8. or Fedora 24
- Processor: SSE2 capableMemory: 2 GB RAMStorage: 196 MB available space
- Memory: 2 GB RAMStorage: 196 MB available space
- Storage: 196 MB available space
Recommended Setup
- Processor: 3.5 GHz Quad-CoreMemory: 4 GB RAM
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