Star Trek: Outposts Unknown - Official Announcement Trailer

Strategic building and exploration in a Star Trek setting

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In Outposts Unknown, players can build research facilities and outposts on alien worlds in the X’Lehari system. The game combines strategic building with exploration, where every decision affects how the colony develops and how the crew handles the challenges that lie ahead.

Meanwhile, the threat from a mysterious cosmic force grows, risking the destruction of all life in the solar system. As captain, the player must lead their crew, allocate resources, and make difficult decisions to save a vulnerable civilization from an impending catastrophe.

The story is set in the 24th century, in the same time period as Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, and takes the player through new environments, new characters, and classic Star Trek technology in a brand new story.

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The trailer and the challenges

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The trailer focuses on the epic scale and the alien world. The ambition is to create a moment of wonder, where the environments feel both grand and unknown.

The aesthetic is distinctly inspired by Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, with a deep color palette, strong contrasts, and a sense of classic science fiction in a modern form.

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The Threat

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As the trailer concludes, more of the game's end-game content is revealed, with a greater threat looming on the horizon.

For us, the main challenge was creating the feeling of something enormous within a very limited timeframe. The solution was to combine multiple layers of effects. The ground bends upwards and lifts towards the sky, while a smoke simulation moves towards the camera. This is reinforced by masses of smaller debris tearing loose and being thrown through the frame, to give the scene a more large-scale and chaotic feel.

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Details and World-building

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A large part of the work involved assets and simulations that create the environment.

We modeled trees, plants, and other vegetation from scratch to ensure they fit both the color palette and felt appropriate for this particular part of the Star Trek universe.

Beyond that, much time was spent on simulations and effects such as water, smoke, light, and minor environmental details. These elements might not always be prominent in the shot, but they make a big difference in making the world feel alive and cohesive.

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