Revision 1

Islands are the landmasses that make up Solarpunk's world. They float suspended in the sky, separated by open air. Each island has its own characteristics, terrain, and available resources. Players travel between them using the personal airship.

Island variety

Not all islands look or function the same. Confirmed biome types include lush, tropical-style islands with green vegetation and warm temperatures, as well as snowy mountain islands with colder climates. The biome of an island affects what can be done there. For example, beehives (a Tier 1 research item) cannot be placed on snowy islands, pushing players to maintain farming operations across multiple locations.

Unique resources

Different islands provide access to different resources. This is the primary incentive for exploration: a player's home island may lack certain ores, materials, or plant types available on other islands. Expanding to new islands is not optional for full progression; it is a natural part of the gameplay loop. Players gather what they need from one island, fly to the next, and continue building their infrastructure across the network.

Off-island platforms

Players are not limited to building on island surfaces. Off-island hovering platforms allow construction in the open air adjacent to an island, expanding the available building footprint. These platforms provide extra space for energy installations, farms, or storage without consuming prime island real estate.

The merchant platform

A notable floating structure in the world is the merchant platform, a derelict hub suspended in the sky. This is where the Fabricator is located, the special station used for airship upgrades. The merchant platform functions as a central meeting point and commerce hub, distinct from the player-owned islands.

Island development

When arriving at a new island, players start with raw terrain and must establish infrastructure from scratch. A typical development sequence involves setting up basic energy generation (solar panels or wind turbines), placing a Crafting Table, beginning resource extraction, and eventually building an Airship Dock to create a reliable transport link. Each island becomes a node in the player's expanding network.