A new chapter in Megaquarium history. Freshwater Frenzy is the first Deluxe Expansion for Megaquarium. It adds a brand new environment for you to explore and master freshwater! This expansion has been in the works for the last 9 months! Suffice to say, it is jam-packed with exciting new features and content. Here's a brief rundown:

Features

• 5 levels in a freshwater-focused campaign
• 30 freshwater species
• Breeding and hybridisation
• 7 new tanks
• 4 accessories to equip your staff
• Dozens of new objects including decorations, plants, equipment and posters
• 4 brand new paints to keep your aquarium looking fresh

The expansion will be priced at $11.99 or your regional equivalent. I'm going to draw a spotlight over some of these features later in this post but before we get started, head over to the store page for a full rundown. I'd also recommend adding the expansion to your wishlist so you get a reminder on release day, which is 4th June 2020. steamhappy https://store.steampowered.com/app/1315300/ What's more, the base game is set to get a huge upgrade with additional quality of life features, gameplay improvements and even some brand new mechanics. But more on that later. First, let's dive into some of the big features in Freshwater Frenzy!

I mean like... it's FRESHWATER!

I have received a lot of requests to add freshwater to Megaquarium over the months and I know its addition will make a lot of people happy. I've taken the time to do it right. Freshwater comes with its own set of unique challenges: new aquascaping types, pH requirements and compatibility considerations. This all adds up to a design challenge with a completely new feel. I mean how many of these icons do you even recognise? steamfacepalm

The big one - Breeding!

Ever dreamed of raising your own baby fish in Megaquarium. That will soon be a reality. A selection of the new freshwater fish are breedable. Each has its own set of unique breeding requirements, which, if you fulfil them will allow them to breed. Some require a special location to lay their eggs, others need lighting or a specific temperature to induce their breeding tendencies. Getting them to breed is the easy bit. Then you have to look after the eggs and fry until they reach adulthood. Trust me when I say this: it's going to require your full attention.

There's more - Hybridisation!

There are some very special species in the game that can be hybridised to create new colors and patterns. Check out what is possible with the humble Guppy:
I won't reveal all the mechanics just now, but suffice to say this isn't a purely random thing. By pairing specific animals together you can increase the chances of getting the hybrid you want.

Base game goodies!

Let's talk about some of the improvements heading to the base game. Let me be 100% clear: players who don't own the expansion will still enjoy all of these improvements. Live Cultures - live foods such as live mysis, live lug worms and artemia will need to be fed themselves to ensure a constant supply of food.
I think this is a really fun mechanic. It's a low skill job so if you can get your weaker feeders to feed the cultures while your experts handle the actual feeding to the animals it works well. Default Paint - another popular request. Ever wished you could change the default paint used on new constructions like it does on some campaign levels? Well soon you will be able to do just that. Animal Ledger - one of those features that once you get used to using it, you won't know how you ever coped without it. This ledger provides a filtered list of your tanks and animals allowing you to simultaneously get an overview of your aquarium as well as focus down on any areas that need attention.
New non-freshwater specific care requirements - some of the new care requirements introduced in the expansion are not specific to the freshwater environment. I've decided to make these compatible with the base game too so that modders can make use of them on their marine animal mods!

Hungry for more?

If you're as excited as I am about this release then I have more to share with you. Between now and launch day I'll be releasing a series of videos which will show off all the new features in more detail. If you don't already, consider subscribing to my Youtube channel.

[ 2020-05-21 17:02:14 CET ] [ Original post ]