Frostpunk 2 Interview – Nvidia DLSS Support Confirmed

Szymon Jabłoński: We have chosen AMD FSR3 as our default upscaling technology because it best aligns with the art direction of our game. However, we aim to provide players with all available technologies.

This includes DLSS and XeSS, which will be accessible upon the game’s release. We do not wish to limit players in any way.

Szymon Jabłoński: From a technical perspective, it was instrumental in designing and implementing various systems to ensure compatibility with the console version of the game, such as preparing the save system for the PlayAnywhere architecture.

Szymon Jabłoński: You could say that the difficulty in Frostpunk stems from its design and this time, honestly, the tension is even higher. Alongside the challenges of survival, gathering resources, securing food, producing heat, and expanding the city—we introduce social and ideological complexities with the appearance of factions.

With humanity having tamed the weather to some extent, citizens now contemplate various futures, and as the Steward, the player must navigate through these differing needs and beliefs. Frostpunk 2 is a fully-fledged sequel with significant changes, presenting even hardened Frostpunk players with entirely new challenges.

However, in the Utopia Builder mode, which is essentially the next iteration of the Endless mode from the first entry and available for preview with the Beta, players can choose a difficulty level, making it an ideal place for newcomers to learn the ropes.

Szymon Jabłoński: To properly convey the meaningful story of humankind’s development into society and their burgeoning ambitions in the post-apocalyptic world, we required a larger scale than in the first game. Now, weeks and months pass instead of days as players construct entire districts rather than individual buildings.

It is also reasonable to assume that once people settle down in a place and begin to adapt to their circumstances, political intrigue will arise. We aimed to illustrate that once tyranny subsides and people desire a say in their future- their conflicting nature will surface.

Szymon Jabłoński: Of course, the frost persists. The icy weather still prevails, claiming lives as the scarcity of heat remains a pressing concern for the entire city. We’ve adapted to our circumstances, learning to better anticipate the forthcoming conditions as humanity always does.

However, the new, potentially even deadlier threat is human nature. As many stories teach us, when natural forces fail to extinguish us, human nature often poses the greatest danger. The weather in the Frostpunk universe has shaped various beliefs, with some factions advocating adaptation to current conditions while others look toward further development.

Nevertheless, the cold remains a tangible adversary, requiring careful resource management to endure the relentless blizzards.

Szymon Jabłoński: We have already announced our plans to work on DLCs for the game. However, the rest is still to be determined. At this moment, we can say that we are aiming to release it on XSX and PS5 soon.

Szymon Jabłoński: In 2020, we came to the realization that we are not just a technology company but rather an entertainment company with a focus on creating great, idea-driven games. This sparked a significant process within the company, which we refer to as the technology transformation period.

As a result, we made the decision to create our games using state-of-the-art tools rather than developing and implementing such tools internally. With the help of Unreal Engine, we were able to restructure the team, collaborate with external developers, and explore cross-development possibilities.

In essence, it wasn’t the features of Unreal Engine 5 that prompted us to change, but rather the potential of the entire ecosystem in the context of team and company scaling. Today, we are confident that this was the best solution for 11 bit studios and the Frostpunk 2 team.

Szymon Jabłoński: We don’t want to restrict ourselves, and although nothing is set in stone yet, we always consider all the available options and possibilities to reach as wide an audience as possible.

Szymon Jabłoński: The first game drew inspiration from various external influences, such as stories of survival in frozen conditions, like the crash of Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 in the Andes, and how such experiences shaped people’s psyche, as well as famous Arctic expeditions.

This doesn’t mean that Frostpunk 2 lacks robust research in terms of design tied to the era, for example. However, we had such solid foundations with the first entry that, this time, it was more about expanding and enriching its lore than adding new influences.

Szymon Jabłoński: It’s a tough question because the team created so many breathtaking features. I think my personal favorite will be the procedural city, the scale of it. Having worked on Frostpunk 1, every time I see the scale of Frostpunk 2, it’s just amazing to witness the progress we’ve made as a team.

Szymon Jabłoński: I’m not a big fan of the cold, so I think I would try to find a place with a heat source and just try to survive the day in this harsh environment. 😉

Szymon Jabłoński: We know the community was constantly asking about mod support for the first game, and we weren’t able to fulfill their requests.

Unfortunately, at this point, I cannot confirm or deny anything, but bear in mind that this time, the game is based on Unreal Engine, which is a more common and well-known technology than the in-house engine that powered the first game. This makes a lot of things easier.