Shift
by Max McGuire
 Download (63 kb), Developer Diary

In Shift, the player has control over the terrain of a planet, able to create valleys and merge or divide landscapes with hills. Depending on its current shape, the inhabitants will create factions designated by different colored areas, and will eventually get the wiser and develop simple geopolitical relationships. Over time, once the factions become smart enough, they will begin to build buildings and then nuclear weapons. Will they eventually destroy each other, or can you stop them?

There are two resources in the game -- lumber and ore. To get lumber, rotate the globe by clicking and dragging in white space. Turn a part of the global near water towards the sun and watch trees grow. Turn it away and see them shrink. To gain ore for a particular part of terrain, watch for meteorites and rotate the desired area in its path before it hits soil. Inhabitants with enough lumber and ore will build skyscrapers.

Mouseover a part of the terrain to see its current resources, along with its cooperation, reproduction, and knowledge rating.

Play Shift now by clicking the link above, and see what happens...