Periphery

Synthetic

an EP by shiftBacktick

Welcome to Alpha Periphery

Today you awoke from cryogenic sleep.

The exosuit that protects you greets you: Welcome to Alpha Periphery. You were hired by the system's licensed corporation as a surveyor to assess its value. As you walk the shifting desert beneath you, it becomes clear there are more mysteries than rare metals to uncover.

This is your strangest job yet.

System Requirements

Periphery Synthetic EP is best experienced with headphones and a gamepad.

Real-time synthesis is an extremely CPU-intensive process. It will attempt to run on any machine that meets its minimum requirements; however, surveyors may experience stuttering or drop-outs when running below the recommended requirements.

Minimum System Requirements

Recommended System Requirements

Browser Support

The HTML5 build of Periphery Synthetic EP is intended to be played in a recent version of a Chromium-based browser, such as Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, or Opera. Browser extensions that alter page behavior are not recommended. Other browsers must support modern JavaScript features, the current Web Audio API specification, and WebGL2.

Troubleshooting Performance Issues

Periphery Synthetic EP has been optimized for its recommended system requirements. Surveyors experiencing performance issues are encouraged to adjust settings on the Audio or Graphics screens. Audio stuttering can be improved by deactivating reverb. Frame rates can be improved by reducing draw distance or deactivating graphics entirely.

How to Play

Surveyors pilot a versatile exosuit capable of traversing the most extreme terrain in the galaxy. It comes preinstalled with a terrain scanner and limited cargo space. Scan the terrain and collect its bounties.

The exosuit is also equipped with a printer that can synthesize raw materials into new and improved components. For example, with the Wheels upgrade, it can transform seamlessly between bipedal and wheeled modes to handle unique demands.

Conveniently, these worlds are covered with free elements. Collect and synthesize them to customize your exosuit. A fully upgraded exosuit can overcome any obstacle.

Movement

In its default bipedal mode, the exosuit grants surveyors full freedom of movement, with forward, reverse, turning, and strafing controls.

It can jump in any direction, or bunny hop continuously, by pressing the Jump control, in combination with other movement controls. By pressing and holding Jump, even greater distances can be traversed. While mid-air, the Grapple control can be held to brace even the strongest impacts.

Surveyors will eventually desire new and improved abilities. These can be synthesized from the Upgrades screen.

Wheels

When installed, pressing the Transform control toggles its wheeled mode. While driving, the exosuit gains a substantial speed boost at the expense of some freedoms, surrendering its ability to strafe and jump. However, its brakes can be temporarily suspended, to slide down slopes and perform tight turns, by holding the Drift control.

Flight

Beware, these capabilities are only available in the full version of Periphery Synthetic EP.

When installed, pressing and holding the Thrusters control activates its flight controls. While flying, the exosuit attempts to maintain a safe lateral velocity, but will accelerate to terminal velocity under the effects of gravity. By upgrading the Gimbals subsystem, the exosuit is more capable of changing its direction mid-flight.

Similarly, the RCS system allows the exosuit to turn while mid-air by pressing and holding the Turning controls. While turning, the exosuit attempts to maintain a safe rotational velocity.

Scanning

By pressing the Scan Terrain control, surveyors can gain new insights into their surroundings. Using it often is key to completing all objectives.

Terrain Sonification

Many worlds have atmospheric features which obstruct visibility. With the scanner, surveyors can also visualize local elevation differences, and collectible objects, with sound.

Scan results are represented as streams of tones. These extend outward to form a 200-meter semicircle ahead. Level terrain is carefully tuned to Middle C, with each octave corresponding to 100 meters of difference.

Nearby objects emit bright pings from their respective locations. These should not be confused with the darker echolocation ping, which returns where the ground meets eyelevel.

Passive Scanning

The scanner will automatically lock on to the nearest collectible object. This produces a notification sound which indicates its relative altitude. This is followed by a constant navigational sound which provides further assistance. Importantly, it is quietest when objects are directly ahead.

The scanner will ignore objects that are obscured by impassible terrain or would exceed cargo space if collected.

Special Functions

The Functions screen holds the exosuit's most interesting capabilities. It can be accessed from the game menu, or in-game with a special hotkey.

Synthesis

Surveyors are alerted whenever they have enough materials to synthesize a new upgrade for their exosuits. From the Synthesis screen, they can browse their inventory and available upgrades.

Materials

Beware, several materials are only available in the full version of Periphery Synthetic EP.

Materials are scattered throughout the star system. To collect them, surveyors must get close and have available cargo space.

Surveyors can inspect their inventory from the Materials screen. Each material type has a maximum capacity independent from one another. They can increase their material capacity with the Cargo Racks upgrade.

Upgrades

Beware, several upgrades are only available in the full version of Periphery Synthetic EP.

Available upgrades can be browsed from the Upgrades screen. Select a system to view its subsystems. Select a subsystem to view its current bonus, next upgrade cost, and modify its level. New systems become available as materials are discovered.

Destinations

Surveyors may occasionally encounter significant places of interest. These are added to the Destinations screen when scanned. Selecting a destination will transport surveyors to it automatically.

Perceptions

Surveyors may occasionally have deeper thoughts. These are added to the Perceptions screen for later reading when acquired. Topics include new discoveries and interesting interactions.

Controls

The exosuit supports a variety of input devices. Although remapping of controls is currently not available, alternate control schemes have been provided where appropriate.

Keyboard Controls

The exosuit's keyboard controls support play with one or both hands:

Access Hotkeys

Hotkeys have been provided to quickly jump to screen elements. Press numbers 1 through 0 to focus the element at that position. If the desired element is already focused, then it will be clicked instead.

Additional keyboard shortcuts have been provided to quickly access certain UI elements with a screen reader while in-game. They can be used by first pressing and holding either Alt key:

Mouse Controls

The exosuit can be controlled with a mouse in tandem with a keyboard for an immersive first-person experience:

Gamepad Controls

The exosuit supports standard gamepads such as an Xbox controller. Other controllers can be configured with a utility like x360ce:

Haptic Feedback

Feel the exosuit as it interrogates the terrain. Vibration can be reduced or removed entirely from the Controls screen.

Touch Controls

Periphery Synthetic EP does not currently support touch beyond its menus. For best results on mobile devices, a gamepad is strongly recommended.

Accessibility

Periphery Synthetic EP is developed in accordance with WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) 2.1 at Level AA conformance. Its menus are fully operable with a keyboard and screen readers such as NVDA.

Photosensitivity Warning

The exosuit can produce certain strobing patterns when moving at high velocities. Please navigate to the Graphics screen to make adjustments or deactivate them entirely.

Support

Please direct all support requests through the platform from which Periphery Synthetic EP was acquired:

• Steam store page
• itch.io store page
• Developer website

Credits

The following typefaces belong to their respective owners:

• Fira Code by Nikita Prokopov
• Roboto by Google

Thanks for playing!