Defoliator, a unique craftable device (terrain preparation tool) with dual functionality, that allows Players to quickly clear vegetation from tiles they own, restore that vegetation when needed.
Before many placeable systems can be introduced, including garden beds and future structures, the vegetation on a tile must first be cleared.
Vegetation state may influence certain gameplay systems, so it is worth considering how and where vegetation is removed across their properties.
Defoliator does not only remove vegetation, it also allows Players to regrow vegetation instantly on previously cleared tiles.
If the tile has previously been cleared, the Defoliator will instead restore the vegetation, instantly returning the tile to its natural vegetated state.
Vegetation can be cleared manually without any Essence cost.
Defoliator is currently the only method available to regrow vegetation once a tile has been cleared.
Clearing vegetation plays an important role in preparing the world for future mechanics such as:
• gardening
• additional placeable structures
• more advanced EcoSim systems
• terrain preparation for development
Defoliator becomes a key tool for Players who wish to shape and prepare their land.
Operating the Defoliator requires Essence (ESS), each time the Defoliator is used.
At launch, the cost is set to approximately $0.05 USD worth of ESS per use.
Importantly, 100% of the Essence used by the Defoliator is flagged for burn, every use of the Defoliator contributes to the reduction of circulating Essence supply
Removing vegetation is often an important step when preparing land for building placement.
Not all gameplay systems will benefit from fully cleared tiles,
For example, some mini-games, such as Hordes, will be designed to function on properties that either:
• have no buildings, or
• contain only early-level structures
In addition, future mini-games and gameplay mechanics may:
• require natural terrain conditions
• benefit from original vegetation states
• rely on undeveloped or lightly developed land
Please Keep in Mind!
Some properties may be better suited for development and construction, while others may be more valuable when left in a more natural or minimally altered state.
The Defoliator provides flexibility, it’s up to Players to plan ahead and align their land usage with the types of gameplay experiences they wish to prioritize over time.
The Defoliator can be crafted using the public crafting recipe list inside E2V1.
Once crafted, the item can be placed on the Character’s Action Bar and used directly from gameplay.
Move the Defoliator from inventory to your Action Bar
Select the Defoliator and LMB click to activate it
Before the device activates, a warning prompt will appear to ensure the Player is fully aware of the cost of using the item.
The pop-up will display:
Ensures Players always have a clear understanding of the cost before proceeding.
If the Player wishes to continue:
Press E to confirm the action
Once confirmed, the Character will activate the Defoliator and the clearing or regrowth process will begin. (a sequence of custom animations, sound effects and visual effects will play)
If the tile was previously cleared, the Defoliator will instead trigger a vegetation regrowth effect, restoring the tile’s vegetation instantly.
The Defoliator can only be used on land owned by the Player.
It cannot be used on:
As the Quest system expands, he team may introduce additional options that allow Players to perform terrain clearing tasks for other landowners as part of Quest objectives.
Allowing landowners to request help preparing their land, while giving Questers more opportunities.
Persistent Global Terrain System
Every vegetation change is synchronised between E2V1 and Earth 2 servers through the platform’s object mapping systems.
This ensures that when vegetation is cleared or regrown on a tile:
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