Overview
Cooking is a gameplay system in Solarpunk that allows players to prepare meals from harvested ingredients. The cooking system was added based on community feedback from the Steam demo, where players requested the ability to do more with the crops they grew. It was not part of the original design but was incorporated after the development team reviewed player suggestions.
How cooking works
Players combine farmed ingredients at a cooking station to produce prepared meals. The first version of the cooking system includes 10 recipes. Each recipe uses one or more ingredients from the player's inventory and produces a food item that can be consumed for a temporary effect.
Temporary bonuses
Cooked meals provide temporary bonuses when consumed. The two confirmed bonus types are:
Bonus type | Effect | Duration |
|---|---|---|
Reduced hunger | Slows the rate at which the hunger meter depletes | A few minutes |
Reduced thirst | Slows the rate at which the thirst meter depletes | A few minutes |
These bonuses let players spend more time exploring, building, or managing their base without needing to stop for food or water as frequently. The exact duration and strength of each bonus varies by recipe.
Cooking ingredients
Four new crops were added specifically to support the cooking system:
Crop | Use |
|---|---|
Tomatoes | Cooking ingredient (added for cooking system) |
Carrots | Cooking ingredient (added for cooking system) |
Paprika | Cooking ingredient (added for cooking system) |
Watermelon | Cooking ingredient (added for cooking system) |
In addition to these new crops, existing ingredients such as Wheat and Berries (Raspberry) are also used in cooking recipes. See Farming and plants for details on growing these crops.
Connection to other systems
Farming: All cooking ingredients come from crops. A functional farm is a prerequisite for cooking.
Greenhouses: Since storms can destroy crops, greenhouses protect the ingredients needed for cooking.
Multiplayer: In co-op sessions, one player can focus on farming and cooking to supply the group with bonus food.
Exploration: Temporary hunger and thirst reduction from cooked meals allows longer airship trips between islands without needing to return for supplies.