Surviving Mars: A Comprehensive Review of Maps and Terrain

“Surviving Mars,” developed by Haemimont Games and published by Paradox Interactive, is a city-building simulation that transports players to the Red Planet, challenging them to create and maintain a sustainable colony. One of the key elements influencing gameplay is the map you choose to build your colony on. Each map comes with its own unique set of challenges and opportunities, making the selection process crucial for your colony’s success. This review will delve deeply into the various aspects of maps and terrain in “Surviving Mars,” offering a thorough exploration of what each map has to offer, how to navigate the different terrains, and tips for maximizing your colony’s potential on each type of map.

Understanding the Map Selection Process

Landing Site Selection

The first major decision players face is selecting a landing site for their initial colony. The landing site is pivotal because it determines the availability of resources, the severity of environmental hazards, and the overall difficulty of the game.

Key Factors to Consider

1. Resource Availability: Resources like water, metals, concrete, and rare metals are crucial for the survival and growth of your colony. The density and distribution of these resources vary across different maps.
2. Threat Levels: Natural hazards such as dust storms, meteors, cold waves, and dust devils can disrupt your colony’s operations and pose significant challenges. Understanding the frequency and intensity of these threats on a given map is essential for planning.
3. Topography: The physical landscape, including flat plains, rocky outcrops, and mountainous regions, affects construction and transportation. Some areas may be more suitable for building while others might offer natural protection against hazards.

Customizing Your Experience

Players have the option to customize their landing site by adjusting parameters such as resource abundance and threat levels. This customization allows for a tailored gameplay experience, whether you prefer a more relaxed environment or a challenging survival scenario.

Types of Maps and Their Characteristics

Standard Maps

Standard maps are pre-generated and offer a balanced mix of resources and threats. They are designed to provide a general experience suitable for most players, including beginners.

Characteristics

1. Balanced Resources: Standard maps typically offer a moderate distribution of essential resources, making it easier to establish a sustainable colony without excessive micromanagement.
2. Manageable Threats: Natural hazards on standard maps are present but not overwhelmingly severe, providing a fair challenge while allowing for steady progression.
3. Varied Topography: These maps feature a mix of flat areas and rugged terrain, providing opportunities for strategic planning and development.

Examples

1. Olympus Mons Base: Located near the largest volcano in the solar system, this map offers rich metal deposits but is prone to frequent dust storms.
2. Valles Marineris: Situated in the vast canyon system, this map provides abundant water sources but poses challenges with its uneven terrain.

Challenge Maps

Challenge maps are designed to test experienced players with extreme conditions and limited resources. These maps require advanced planning and efficient management to succeed.

Characteristics

1. Scarce Resources: Resources are limited and often difficult to access, necessitating careful allocation and efficient usage.
2. High Threat Levels: Natural hazards are frequent and severe, demanding robust infrastructure and contingency planning.
3. Difficult Terrain: The terrain is often rugged and challenging, complicating construction and transportation.

Examples

1. Elysium Alpha: Known for its rugged terrain and scarce water sources, this map is a true test of a player’s ability to manage resources and maintain a stable colony.
2. Tharsis Ridge: High levels of seismic activity and limited metal deposits make this map one of the most challenging in the game.

Custom Maps

Custom maps allow players to define their own parameters, offering a unique and personalized gameplay experience. Players can adjust resource levels, threat frequencies, and other variables to create a map that suits their preferences.

Characteristics

1. Player-Defined Parameters: Custom maps provide the flexibility to set resource abundance, threat levels, and other factors according to the player’s desired difficulty.
2. Unlimited Possibilities: The potential combinations of parameters create virtually endless possibilities for unique gameplay experiences.
3. Tailored Challenges: Players can create maps that cater to specific challenges they wish to overcome, whether it’s a resource scarcity scenario or a hazard-rich environment.

Navigating and Utilizing Terrain

Resource Management

Efficiently managing resources is crucial for the survival and expansion of your colony. The availability and accessibility of resources vary significantly across different maps.

Water

1. Extraction: Water can be extracted from underground deposits using water extractors or from the atmosphere using moisture vaporators. On maps with scarce water sources, vaporators become essential.
2. Storage: Water tanks are vital for storing excess water to ensure a steady supply during shortages or maintenance periods.

Metals and Rare Metals

1. Mining: Metals and rare metals are typically found in deposits scattered across the map. Setting up mining operations requires careful planning to ensure continuous supply and efficient transportation.
2. Processing: Metals are used in construction and maintenance, while rare metals can be exported for funding or used in advanced manufacturing processes.

Concrete

1. Extraction: Concrete is harvested from surface deposits using concrete extractors. Ensuring proximity to these deposits can reduce transportation time and improve efficiency.
2. Utilization: Concrete is a fundamental building material used in constructing most structures in the colony.

Mitigating Natural Hazards

Understanding and preparing for natural hazards is key to maintaining a stable and thriving colony.

Dust Storms

1. Effects: Dust storms reduce the efficiency of solar panels, disrupt drone operations, and increase maintenance requirements for buildings.
2. Preparation: Ensure backup power sources like wind turbines and batteries are in place. Keep maintenance supplies stocked and consider placing critical infrastructure in protected areas.

Meteors

1. Effects: Meteor impacts can destroy buildings and infrastructure, cause fires, and create craters that hinder movement and construction.
2. Preparation: Build meteor defense systems to intercept incoming meteors. Spread out critical infrastructure to minimize damage from direct hits.

Cold Waves

1. Effects: Cold waves increase power consumption and can freeze water supplies, leading to potential shortages.
2. Preparation: Ensure adequate power generation and storage to handle increased demand. Insulate water pipes and build subsurface heaters to prevent freezing.

Dust Devils

1. Effects: Dust devils can damage buildings and vehicles, disrupt drone operations, and increase maintenance needs.
2. Preparation: Monitor weather patterns and avoid placing critical infrastructure in high-risk areas. Keep spare parts and maintenance supplies readily available.

Optimizing Construction and Expansion

Efficiently planning construction and expansion is essential for a successful colony.

Initial Base Setup

1. Centralized Infrastructure: Place essential infrastructure like drone hubs, power generators, and life support systems centrally to maximize efficiency.
2. Proximity to Resources: Establish your initial base near abundant resource deposits to minimize transportation time and ensure a steady supply of materials.

Dome Placement

1. Strategic Placement: Place domes near resource deposits and other key infrastructure. Ensure they are connected to life support and power grids.
2. Expansion Planning: Plan for future expansion by leaving space for additional domes and infrastructure. Consider building tunnels to connect distant domes for efficient transportation.

Transportation Networks

1. Transport Rovers: Use transport rovers to move resources between depots and construction sites. Efficient routing can significantly improve resource management.
2. Shuttle Hubs: As your colony expands, build shuttle hubs to transport colonists and resources between domes and outposts, ensuring seamless operation across the colony.

Advanced Map Strategies

High-Risk, High-Reward Maps

For experienced players seeking a challenge, high-risk maps offer the opportunity to test advanced strategies and resource management skills.

Resource Scarcity

1. Efficient Resource Use: Prioritize technologies and strategies that maximize resource efficiency. Reduce waste and optimize production processes to make the most of limited resources.
2. Trade and Import: Utilize trade routes to import essential resources from Earth. Balance imports with the colony’s production to maintain sustainability.

Severe Hazards

1. Robust Infrastructure: Build redundant systems and backup infrastructure to withstand frequent and severe hazards. Ensure critical systems like power, water, and oxygen have multiple fail-safes.
2. Emergency Preparedness: Develop and implement emergency response plans to quickly address the impacts of natural disasters. Train colonists in emergency procedures and maintain stockpiles of critical supplies.

Long-Term Sustainability

Building a sustainable colony requires careful planning and the implementation of advanced technologies and strategies.

Renewable Energy

1. Solar and Wind Power: Invest in solar panels and wind turbines for renewable energy generation. Balance power production with storage solutions like batteries to ensure a stable supply.
2. Fusion Power: Research and develop fusion power plants for a long-term, reliable energy source. Fusion power can support large colonies and advanced manufacturing processes.

Water and Food Security

1. Water Recycling: Implement water recycling systems to minimize waste and ensure a steady supply. Use technologies like vaporators and extractors to supplement water needs.
2. Sustainable Agriculture: Develop sustainable farming practices to ensure a steady supply of food. Utilize hydroponic farms, fungal farms, and open farms to balance food production with resource availability.

Terraforming and Environmental Control

Terraforming Mars to create a more habitable environment is a long-term goal that requires significant investment and planning.

Terraforming Projects

1. Greenhouse Gas Emission: Increase the planet’s temperature by releasing greenhouse gases. Build structures like greenhouse gas factories to accelerate this process.