Welcome to the Autonauts Prototype! We haven't updated it since the end of 2017 and have no plans to do anything else with it, but here it remains for posterity (or a crude introduction to what the game's about).

If you're interested in more, click the image below to be taken to the full release on Steam!

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT

Please don't post about the Steam version here, not when there's such a lovely space to do that in the Autonauts Steam Community. This itch.io space is dedicated to the prototype only. Cheers!





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The latest stable Autonauts prototype is 21.2, with or without lighting depending on your video card :)





The Change Log for all versions to date can be viewed HERE.



Who or what are the Autonauts?

The 'Automationauts' (to give them their fuller, granderer, longerwindederer title) travel the universe with the sole goal of setting worlds in motion through the power of automation.

They harness whatever natural resources are available; they learn fast and can eventually make pretty much anything from anything. But their most important creations are workerbots, which can be made from the crudest of materials and taught to do anything an Autonaut can do so they can get on with helping species evolve.

+ + + AUTOWORK IN AUTOPROGRESS + + +

This pre-pre-pre-Alpha release is lacking refinement and presentation - and it can take some getting into - but under the rough edges there's a great example of what we're doing and where we're going. If you like what you see, play and automate here, check out the full version on Steam!

How to Play

Use a combination of mouse and keyboard.

WASD or SHIFT+RMB or Middle Mouse button to pan the camera around.

or or to pan the camera around. Mousewheel zooms the camera in and out.

zooms the camera in and out. LMB tells your Autonaut where to go and what to do.

tells your Autonaut where to go and what to do. LMB also picks things up and makes things happen.

also picks things up and makes things happen. RMB drops things.

drops things. Z can be used for some things like instruments and signs.

can be used for some things like instruments and signs. Space blows your whistle so you can get the attention of workerbots.

blows your whistle so you can get the attention of workerbots. I brings up your inventory: what's in your hands and your backpack; you can drag and drop objects between slots - and even trade with your workerbots. Holding Left Shift and clicking an object will automatically swap between hands /inventory or player/bot.

brings up your inventory: what's in your hands and your backpack; you can drag and drop objects between slots - and even trade with your workerbots. Holding and clicking an object will automatically swap between hands /inventory or player/bot. , and . ( < and > ) cycle forwards and backwards through your inventory (to swap the item in your hands).

and ( and ) cycle forwards and backwards through your inventory (to swap the item in your hands). / or Q stows the held item (assuming there's space in your inventory) so you can use your empty hands for other tasks.

or stows the held item (assuming there's space in your inventory) so you can use your empty hands for other tasks. H brings up the 'Hot Bar' so you can quickly swap items between your hands and your Inventory.

brings up the 'Hot Bar' so you can quickly swap items between your hands and your Inventory. E brings up the Edit Menu, which is where you choose what to build; note that some things can only be built on flooring.

brings up the Edit Menu, which is where you choose what to build; note that some things can only be built on flooring. R rotates building blueprints clockwise, so you can choose which way they face.

rotates building blueprints clockwise, so you can choose which way they face. RMB deletes a blueprint; DEL ( fn-backspace on Mac) allows you to delete buildings once built (but only while in Edit Mode).

deletes a blueprint; ( on Mac) allows you to delete buildings once built (but only while in Edit Mode). Esc pauses the game and brings up the Pause Menu, from where you can save and load progress.

pauses the game and brings up the Pause Menu, from where you can save and load progress. C toggles 'Free Cam' on/off. Use WASD to move around, Q/E to move up and down and Left Shift to move faster; the Mouse Scroll Wheel zooms in/out; Up/Down Arrow changes movement speed.

toggles 'Free Cam' on/off. Use WASD to move around, Q/E to move up and down and Left Shift to move faster; the Mouse Scroll Wheel zooms in/out; Up/Down Arrow changes movement speed. X recentres the camera on you.

In this basic world you will find earth, sand, sea, fresh water, clay, rock, trees and cereal - and the resident folk, who are content to sit around in the buff, doing nothing.

And speaking of nothing, that's exactly what you start with. But from these humble beginnings you can build and automate an entire civilisation. Well, you can when the game's further along; for now you can only start a forestry and cereal farming, and provide shelter and food for the folk.

You can also make and teach robots how to do anything you can do, which is aces.

Please Note

Autonauts is so early in its development that we won't be able to guarantee the compatibility of saved games between versions (but we will do our best to minimise issues).

Also, the Linux version is still untested by us (because we don't have Linux) but feedback so far suggests that it's working well enough, so we'll keep supplying a Linux version with every update :)

Handy Quickstart Guide

So, yeah, this guide may well be creaking around the joints but it's still valid and useful :)

Pick up a Stick, pick up a Stone and build a Crude Axe. Chop down some Trees. Go to the Edit Menu (E) and select 'Simple Flooring' blueprint; place two Simple Flooring blueprints down side by side. Build the Simple Flooring by putting Logs into it. Call up the Edit Menu again and select Crude Bench Saw blueprint; place one on the built flooring. Build the Crude Bench Saw by putting Logs and Planks into it (use your axe to chop Logs to make Planks). Add a 'Worker Assembler' blueprint (which doesn't need to be on the Simple Flooring). Use the Crude Bench Saw to make Planks and Poles for the Worker Assembler. Add a 'Basic Workbench' blueprint (you might need more Simple Flooring) and build it. Click the Basic Workbench and change it to output 'Crude Gear.' Stick a Plank into the Basic Workbench to get a Crude Gear out. Add the Crude Gear to the Worker Assembler along with Planks and Poles to make your first Workerbot. Press Space to whistle and select your Workerbot. Click 'Trade' and put an Axe into its hand (you'll also need an axe for yourself). Click 'Teach' then chop a tree; click 'Repeat' and then 'Go' to get the Workerbot started. Sit back and enjoy watching your Workerbot chop trees forever (well, until its axe breaks). Now automate EVERYTHING!

If you still get stuck, don't forget to check out our YouTube playthrough of the first version from a million years ago, which we really really REALLY ought to update soon. And don't be shy: feel free to vent in the comments below or use the following official channels...