Check out what's in store for the coming year

It's been one month since Silica was released on Early Access on Steam, and we couldn't be more thankful for your support and your feedback. There's still one year of Early Access to go, and our one-man army Dram has laid out the roadmap for what you can expect to see in the coming months. 

And that's it guys. This is what's in store for the remainder of the Early Access. We'll do our best to push out weekly minor updates to address some performance issues and quality-of-life changes. 

Keep the feedback coming, and we'll be happy to answer your questions on our socials. 

You can also check out this video that covers all of the plans for Early Access:

The road ahead during Early Access

Update 0.7.12

We have another small update with a few performance fixes this time around. The changes aren't as much in this update and it's mainly due to Dram participating in Game Access in Brno this weekend, where he will be presenting Silica. 

There will be another update next week, where you can expect to see more fixes and QoL changes. Stay tuned for more info but for now, here's the changelog for update 0.7.12:

A minor update has just been deployed to Baltarus

Performance fixes and changes to both human factions and aliens

Update 0.7.11

We published a new minor update focusing on some performance issues and changes regarding the human factions as well as the aliens. 

We will keep trying to push out weekly updates

 focusing on performance optimizations and other bug fixes that we are aware of, or issues that will be raised by our community. For now, here's a detailed list of changes with update 0.7.11:

Another update is here!

Harvesters getting fixes and other QoL and performance changes!

Update 0.7.10

A new hotfix update focusing on the Harvester issues, and other quality of life and performance fixes, has just dropped! Thank you to all the members of the community for their continued support and feedback. More updates should be coming in the near future but for now, here's a list of all fixes and changes:

So keep your eyes peeled for the next update which should be coming out soon. 

New hotfix update just dropped!

Become part of the hive 

Aliens are crustacean/cephalopod-like creatures native to the planet, living in balance with the land. They are primarily hunters, consuming smaller native creatures as food as well as a resource. They reuse this biomass to produce structures and more units. Alien units are not built but are ‘spawned’. This is dependent on alien structures that are built. Alien structures are biotic in nature and can thus be ‘killed’.

Scouring the surface and engaging anything that moves, these creatures are the Queen's basic soldiers. Not to be underestimated, these critters run on walls, ceilings and may even burrow underground to hide. Preferring ambush tactics, these creatures are rarely seen alone, mostly moving in swarms. Their weakest point is the mouth.

With additional horns on its carapace providing extra protection, this large creature is both stronger and hardier than its predecessor. It does take more time and resources to spawn, however.

Serving as the colony harvester, this small creature combs the surface for anything biotic, lugging the partially digested resource to the nearest cache. Small and weak, this diminutive critter is barely capable of posing a threat, preferring to avoid combat whenever possible.

Physically reminiscent of the harmless earthly earwig, this beast's behavior is anything but. Its formidable appendage ejects spikes at high velocity, capable of piercing through lighter armor. Should a target get too close for comfort, its pincer is more than capable of slicing it in two.

A perfect blend of speed and strength, the Hunter deals considerable damage with its fanged tentacles and powerful mandibles. The thick chitin towards the front provides ample protection. However, the soft sac at the rear makes it vulnerable from behind.

With its massive scythes, the Behemoth is a formidable predator, releasing vicious insects on its targets from its prominent posterior. These murder hornets home in on their target like sharks to flesh, making escape difficult. The symbiotic hive is the Behemoth's weak point, however, leaving it exposed if it retreats.

The Scorpion is the aliens' equivalent of a tank. Using its tail as a weapon, the molten silica-like projectile instantly melts through armor, reaching temperatures in the thousands of degrees. Were that not enough, its pincers easily split a heavily armored soldier in two. Yet the sacs on its tail are also its Achilles' heel, being the least armored points.

This giant creature pulverizes its enemies with massive appendages, dealing catastrophic damage. Despite having no ranged attack, this fearsome beast boasts an almost impenetrable shell, which it gleefully employs in conjunction with its massive size, performing a forward roll over the enemy.

A sight to behold, this unit is the mind of the colony, controlling her children through an unknown mechanism. She seldom engages in combat, her spawn doing the grunt work instead, as well as tending to her needs. Large, heavy, and slow, an alien Queen is very exposed when moving through open ground, preferring secluded areas where she creates a nest.

Keep in mind, that the Queen is not available right now, but the unit will be added at a later point in time. 

And these and the creepy crawlies that you can expect to encounter in Silica. Become part of the hive or slay any alien that dares to approach your base. 

Until the next time, see you on Baltarus!

Alien Units Overview

The fight begins

The day you've been waiting for is finally here! 

 You can now immerse yourself in the scorching deserts of Baltarus, where RTS seamlessly blends with FPS. 

The price of the game is set at $19.99 during Early Access and at $24.99 after its conclusion.

Choose your role between the Commander in real-time strategy, whose mission is to build the base and structures needed to achieve victory, or as an Infantry soldier in FPS, where you fight on the front lines against your enemies. You'll get to control all the units and vehicles along with their arsenal. 

Choose your side between the two human factions, the people of Sol and the determined Centauri, or chew through the human invaders as the insect-like aliens native to Baltarus.

Since the announcement of the game in early April, over 88,000 players wishlisted Silica on Steam, excited to see what the game has to offer. Our Discord community has also grown in time, with over 1,400 members all eager to try each of the three game modes. We want to thank everyone who took the time to wishlist the game and become part of our community. We can't wait for you to try Silica and let us know what you think. 

 which combines the two genres in an epic battle up to a 3-way conflict between the factions. 

 while your friends are Infantry soldiers, or you can all play in FPS and leave the commanding to the AI. 

Prospector is a cooperative FPS-only mode, where your mission is to gradually establish a base while fighting off enemies trying to eliminate you.

 where players can try out all the units available in the game as well as their abilities. 

The game will remain in early access for 

during which time lead developer Martin "Dram" Melichárek plans to implement

 a number of significant expansions and features based on community feedback. 

We'll be releasing more info on our road map and what each major update will hold in the coming weeks, so stay tuned. 

If you want to know more about Silica in terms of numbers, here's some useful information: 

Get ready for all of the thrills that await you on a planet thousands of light-years from Earth by checking out our brand-new gameplay trailer. 

Silica is out in Early Access

Discover the units and vehicles for the human factions

Human units are 'produced.' The units available will be directly dependent on which structures have been built for the given side. A building that, when placed, produces light vehicles may later also produce slightly heavier vehicles if a relevant upgrade building has been built. There is no disconnected tech tree as such, but rather it's directly linked with what's available. That means that destroying an upgraded building will render a team unable to further produce that unit. 

As large as a building and heavily armored, the Harvester has only one purpose – harvest Balterium in a combat environment. It has a very light armament, relying on support units to defend it while on mission, though its giant, bucket-wheel excavator and colossal wheels make short work of units unlucky enough to get in its way.

Fast, foot-based units in the human arsenal, Scout infantry are equipped with a standard issue combat weapon, but they aren't heavily armored. This makes them ideal for searching the area and allows them better concealment in the environment. They are, however, unsuited for engaging vehicles and heavier infantry.

Equipped with standard armor and an assault rifle, Riflemen are a versatile foot-based unit suited for the majority of combat operations, even those involving lighter vehicles. They are, however, susceptible to swarm attacks, lacking the speed to move away quickly.

Armed with a quad-barrel rocket launcher, these heavily armored soldiers are equipped for serious combat, dealing damage to vehicles with even medium armor. Their own armored exoskeleton allows them greater speed than would be expected and protects them from incoming fire.

These stealthy sharpshooters are perfect for ambushing unsuspecting targets from afar. Their Balterium sniper rifle deals ample damage, although they're geared up with only basic armor. Due to their lack of heavier equipment and the fact that they ideally work alone, this unit must rely on cover for safety.

These elite soldiers aren't to be messed with. Wielding a brutal Balterium rifle that punctures even the heaviest of armor, their own protective gear ensures they can take a beating. Ideally deployed among a troop of other soldiers, these skilled warriors are more than capable of holding their own even when isolated.

This versatile 4x4 is well suited for the sandy wastes and rocky terrain, flanking opposing forces with ease. It has little trouble dealing with infantry, though it's not designed to deal with heavier targets such as tanks. Due to their speed, these vehicles make great reconnaissance units, covering a large area in a short amount of time.

A vehicle armed with a grenade launcher and machine gun, this nimble transport is designed to carry a troop of infantry into the battlefield, easily making its way through the vast dunes. Its medium armor provides an acceptable level of protection.

A step up from the Light Quad, this heavy truck is designed to take a beating. The heavier armor protects the crew from even heavier projectiles, not to mention melee attacks by the local wildlife. The vehicle is best suited for seek-and-destroy missions against lighter vehicles and infantry but may also serve as Harvester protection.

A 30mm cannon, combined with medium armor and solid speed, make this assault vehicle perfectly suited for flanking heavier targets. Its rugged design makes it capable of taking a decent level of punishment in the dunes, with the smaller creatures and medium vehicles posing little threat.

With a larger cannon and a heavier machine gun turret, this heavy assault vehicle is capable of engaging even the largest of targets. The top-mounted machine gun turret easily deals with smaller threats along the way, making it a well-rounded vehicle overall. Its only downside is a lack of heavy armor, sacrificed for speed, making it vulnerable to heavier units.

Instead of focusing on improving the drivetrain with conventional technology, engineers preferred to levitate this vehicle entirely on thrusters. This allows it to overcome almost any obstacle and permits it to jump, making it a nimble combat unit for both offense and defense. Its ample firepower deals with heavy units and structures, though its thrusters make it visible at range.

Armed with a set of four launch tubes, this mobile rocket artillery battery deals catastrophic damage with each impact, disposing of entire infantry platoons and reducing structures to rubble. Even heavily armored units rarely withstand the onslaught of its barrage. However, its medium armor combined with a minimum attack distance leaves it exposed to counter-attacks.

Wielding a devastating railgun, this tank is designed to punch through heavy vehicles and structures alike and is well suited to a rugged combat environment. Ideal for offense, it effortlessly disposes of infantry and heavy vehicles alike. It is, however, unwieldy, making it exposed to aerial assault. Its thrusters make it very visible at range.

When spotted on the battlefield, this tank evokes a sense of dread. Its extremely powerful Balterium plasma cannon blasts through practically every material, severely crippling even the hardiest of infrastructure. Impervious to almost any attack, slow and cumbersome, an enemy unit's best bet is to simply flee.

This assault vehicle utilizes field-pulse technology to project a devastating wall of energy, easily disposing of troops, crumbling infrastructure, and eliminating armored targets alike. However, its major downside is the very limited range of its attack, leaving it exposed to ranged assault.

And these are all the units and vehicles that will be available for both human factions (the people of Sol and the determined Centauri) during the release in Early Access. We hope you'll enjoy driving, shooting and destroying your enemies in intense Strategy games.

Stay tuned for our next blog which will dive into the units for the hostile and deadly aliens. 

Human Units Overview 

Find out all the info we've shared in the last few weeks.

In the weeks since the announcement of Silica, we've posted several handy blogs and videos.

Baltarus is calling to you! The battle on the scorching deserts is slowly approaching. In the few weeks since the announcement of Silica, we've posted several handy blogs and videos. 

And we would like to take the time and compile all this useful info into the first Silica Synopsis. 

If want to know more details about Strategy, Prospector and Arena, check out our 

Or if you want to learn all about the Human structures and what units each one can produce, 

Hear it from the main developer, Martin “Dram” Melicharek himself, as he demonstrates the Strategy mode from two different perspectives, Humans and Aliens, in these handy videos:

Dram also takes us on a journey back in time to find out how the idea behind Silica came to life and what challenges he had to overcome to realize his dream!

And that's all the information have we've shared in past couple of weeks. There's going to be more content heading your way soon so keep your eyes peeled.

We'd like to give a shoutout to some content creators who managed to cover the announcement of Silica on YouTube during the last few weeks.

Silica Synopsis: Announcement Edition

Learn how to utilize the most of your structures 

The hive is ready to strike!

Alien structures, comprising of biological materials, are 'grown' from biotic matter. These buildings are all connected to the Nest, where the Queen resides. Units are spawned from within these structures, and some provide research capabilities while others serve as defensive turrets. Generally small in size, alien structures are easier to conceal and take much less time to build than human structures.

A Nest provides protection for the Queen and allows her to interface with biotic structures.

A Bio Cache serves as both a deposit point and a storage point for Biotics.

A small cyst whose sole purpose is to extend the Nest's territory.

A smaller cyst for spawning basic creatures.

A larger cyst for spawning superior creatures.

This organism's intellect allows it to formulate and confine an unknown form of matter, utilizing it to conceive greater evolutionary forms.

A spire-like organism that releases a swarm of flying insects for defense.

A spire-like organism that fires thorn projectiles from its proboscises for defense.

Keep in mind, that these features are subject to change and could be adjusted during Early Access.

And this is it when it comes to the alien structures! We hope you'll find this blog informative when you're deployed on the deserts of the barren planet. There's going to be more content heading your way soon so keep your eyes peeled.

Alien Structures Overview

The Scorching Deserts Of Baltarus Await

Game Modes In Silica

The battle in the scorching deserts of Baltarus is slowly approaching. We'd like to take the opportunity to dive deeper into what game modes are available in Silica. We'll be focusing on the most important details of each game mode to give you an idea of what to expect when you're deployed on the barren planet. So without any further ado, let's jump right into it.

This is the flagship game mode of Silica and is playable in any combination up to a 3-way conflict between the factions (Humans vs. Humans/Humans vs. Aliens/Humans vs. Humans vs. Aliens). You can play in a lobby of up to 12 people with friends or other soldiers looking to explore Baltarus! 

Strategy mode combines the RTS and FPS elements by playing the Commander. You get to control the battlefield and try to build the necessary structures to ensure victory for your side. As a Commander, there's only one resource available to build and upgrade your structures and equipment of your troops - that is Balterium for Humans and Biotics for Aliens.

You start the game with 9 infantry soldiers (6 scouts and 3 riflemen), 2 light quads, your Headquarters, and 10,000 in resources, which is enough for you to produce the Refinery as well as the Barracks and the Light Vehicle Factory, and it leaves you with 2,000 resources. The Refinery must be built first, and until it's built, no other structures can be built. A Harvester is automatically built with your Refinery and will automatically seek out Balterium fields, harvest them and return to the Refinery to transform them into resources. Once you have enough resources, you can start building your first structures and produce more troops and vehicles. As the game progresses and you accumulate more resources, you'll be able to upgrade your troops and produce more heavy vehicles like tanks and rocket launchers. You control the view by moving through the map with the WASD buttons, and you can zoom in and out using the mouse wheel. You can also click on any point on the minimap to instantly check that spot.

By clicking and dragging your mouse over your units, you can select them, and right-clicking will immediately send them to that location on the map. The map itself is initially black, concealed by the fog of war, besides the area of your base, and the more your troops explore, the more visible the map will become.

One of the most important structures for you as Commander is the Research Facility. By gradually upgrading it from Mark I to Mark V, you'll be getting access to more structures to produce, which results in better equipment and vehicles. Once you complete the upgrade to Mark V, you'll have access to the largest and heaviest tanks.

Once your army is ready, obliterate the enemy by destroying their base. You win the game by destroying your enemy's major structures (HQ, Refinery, Vehicle Factories, and Barracks). If, at any point during the game, you feel like the Commander's seat is too much, you can switch to FPS in Infantry Mode by pressing "T" on your keyboard. If no one takes the vacant Commander position, it will automatically be filled by AI. As long as a player is the Commander, no one can take their place unless they decide to step down.

As you might've guessed, this is where you can explore the dunes and perils of Baltarus in FPS. Your mission is to follow the orders of your Commander to ensure victory for your team. Once the game starts, you'll have access to two light quads. You can get into the driver's seat of any vehicle by pressing "E" on your keyboard when standing next to the driver's entry position. When controlling a vehicle, use the left and right mouse buttons to fire the primary and secondary weapons, respectively. For example, a Light Quad only has a light machine gun, while a tank usually has its main cannon as well as a secondary machine gun. Ammunition isn't limited, but you may have to wait a few seconds when reloading a magazine. 

If you're on foot, pressing "C" will switch between first-person mode and third-person mode. Pressing "Shift" will make your character sprint, and pressing "Ctrl" will make your character crouch. You can also press "N" or "Q" to use night vision for when the battle rages throughout the night in Baltarus.

On the bottom right corner, you can keep track of your resources, the tech level of your base, the number of structures, and how many units have been produced at any given time (soldiers and vehicles), provided you're not looking at a target as that shows information about it instead.

As the game progresses and your base expands with more structures and more options to produce vehicles, you'll be able to switch to a different loadout as an Infantry soldier. In the barracks, you'll find a stand where you can switch your loadout to Rifleman, Heavy, Marksman, or Commando (depending on availability based on how far your Research Facility is upgraded). You can choose your loadout by hovering your mouse over it and then selecting it by pressing "E." You'll have to spend a small number of resources to get your loadout, and pressing "E" again will confirm the purchase.

A new loadout isn't the only thing you'll find in the barracks. You'll also find a teleportation station. When you die in combat, you'll be respawned in your HQ or Barracks with your original loadout, and if you want to get back into the action as soon as possible, using the teleportation station is the best way to go! Be careful, though. Due to planetary interference, the farther you plan to teleport, the greater the chance that you'll end up in an area some distance away from your chosen point.

The premise of being in Commander Mode for the creepy crawly aliens is the same as with the humans. Build your base, upgrade it using resources, and gain access to more devastating creatures. The main differences between human and alien commanders are the resources used. As we mentioned above, Balterium is the main resource for the human factions, whereas aliens seek out tar pits that contain biotics for them to grow their structures and spawn their units.

The other difference is how the resources are collected between humans and aliens. While humans have gigantic harvesters that collect Balterium automatically, the alien Commander will have at their disposal the "Shrimp" unit, whose sole purpose is to serve as the colony harvester. This small creature combs the surface for anything biotic, lugging the partially digested resource to the nearest cache.

As an alien commander, you start with 1 Hunter, 4 Impalers, 2 Horned Crabs, 4 Crabs, and 4 Shrimps, as well as 8,000 in resources. You can immediately build your bio cache (it's the equivalent of the human Refinery structure). From there, you'll get access to the Quantum Cortex (same as the Research Facility). You'll need to constantly upgrade it to be able to spawn bigger and more deadly creatures. 

You'll also have to build the Lesser Spawning Cyst to spawn Shrimps and other units (like the crab).

Playing as an alien unit differs greatly from playing as a human infantry soldier. One of the most exciting aspects of playing as an alien creature is the ability to walk on walls, cliffs, and various rock formations without falling (similar to a real-life bug). Since the aliens of Baltarus operate as a kind of hive, you can transfer your mind between units by pressing "E." Most of the alien units are melee based, meaning they utilize their claws and fangs to attack their prey. Some, however, can utilize ranged attacks that can come in very handy in sticky situations. 

Since these aliens are native to the planet, they're well adapted to the environment. When night falls, alien night vision is significantly better than human night vision, but you can also activate it using "N" or "Q."

This mode serves as an introduction to Silica. You first start in your landing pod and deploy by pressing "E." A message will immediately play from your Commander asking you to survey the area for Balterium and choose a new loadout from the loadout point right in front of you. And from there, your quest begins!

You'll need to explore the area for Balterium (a Balterium interference monitor at the bottom of the screen helps indicate which direction you should go). Prepare to encounter some enemy forces along the way that you'll have to eliminate. If you happen to die, you will respawn in the initial drop zone where you started. 

You can play Prospector mode alone or in multiplayer as well!

This is where you can test the different units in an all-out, no-holds-barred deathmatch! You can choose how many AI opponents are present in the game (up to 32) and your initial loadout. After that, let the mayhem begin! 

In the Combat Dome map, you can choose only from the human infantry units, whereas in the other maps, you have a wider selection of infantry units, vehicles, tanks, and alien units. Once you die, you can select a new unit you want to try until the end of the game. 

And that concludes the 3 game modes of Silica. We hope you'll have lots of adventures and thrills in all game modes, and we're looking forward to your feedback!

Dive Into 3 Unique Game Modes In Silica

Strategize, Strike, Harvest in this FPS and RTS crossover! Discover what awaits you on Baltarus.

Strategize, Strike, Harvest!

Approaching Baltarus, prepare for landing!

Welcome to Baltarus, an exoplanet located thousands of light years away from Earth. In the year 2351, humanity reaches for the stars, deep beyond the galactic core. Your mission on this seemingly barren planet is simple: locate and harvest Balterium, an element concealed beneath the silica crystals on the planet's surface. The material's inherent properties multiply input energy, giving it the potential to power human civilization for generations to come! 

 where you can lead from above as a Commander in real-time strategy, or experience the action first-hand, either alone or with friends, as Infantry in FPS.

As a Commander, you'll get to control the battlefield, the structures needed to produce bigger and more lethal means of destruction, and upgrade the equipment of your troops. 

On the other hand, as an Infantry soldier, your job is to follow the instructions of your Commander to ensure victory for your side. You'll get to control all of the units and vehicles along with their arsenal. 

Humanity, divided into two distinct factions, wages a war of control over the Balterium on Baltarus. You must decide which side to join, between the people of Sol and the determined Centauri. Or, if chewing metal is your niche, then the hive-mind, 

We'll be covering the factions with details on their respective structures and arsenals in a more detailed blog post, so stay tuned.

You'll definitely have variety in terms of game modes, depending on what you feel like playing. First and foremost, 

Strategy, the flagship game mode of Silica,

 where you battle for dominance by building, harvesting, and striking the enemy. This is the game mode that combines the RTS and FPS elements and is playable in any combination up to a 3-way conflict between the factions (Sol vs. Centauri/Sol or Centauri vs. Aliens/Sol vs. Centauri vs. Aliens).

Prospector mode acts as an introduction for Silica.

 It's a cooperative FPS-only mode where you start off near your landing pod and prospect the area for Balterium, encountering enemy forces along the way.

is a fun and crazy mode where you select your favorite unit and face off in an unbalanced, FPS free-for-all.

If you want to know more about what you can expect from each game mode, stay tuned for our specific blog with all of the details.

And this concludes our first introduction to Silica! We hope you're ready to embark on this journey beyond. 

The game will be soon available in Early Access.

, and if you want to receive more news about the game and its updates, make sure to 

Welcome to Silica 

Find out all the info we've shared since the release on Early Access

It's been over a week since Silica was released on Early Access on Steam and your support has been overwhelming. We hope you're enjoying everything Silica has to offer and you're having lots of thrills fighting in the scorching deserts of Baltarus. 

Check out our Gameplay Trailer that sums up all the game modes and features of Silica.

Since the last edition of Silica Synopsis, we published a blog on the 

alien structures and what creatures can be spawned from them.

We also published detailed blogs covering the 

 with Martin "Dram" Melicharek and Marek Spanel as a special guest!

Last but not least, we had a hotfix update to address some of the performance issues our community reported. You can 

And that's all the information we've shared in the last few weeks. There's going to be more content heading your way soon, so keep your eyes peeled.

Here's another round of shout outs to content creators who've covered Silica on YouTube since the game's release on Early Access.

Silica Synopsis: Release Edition

Update 0.7.5

A new hotfix update focusing on performance has just arrived. We're continuously improving Silica, and fixing the reported issues raised by you. We also added a couple of quality of life improvements such as increased server capacity and server filtering.

Please note that kicking of players using Scoreboard in MP was added but not yet working. 

Now that update 0.7.5 is out, and having addressed the performance issues, the top priority right now are the Harvesters which are currently being worked on. 

The road ahead during Early Access

A minor update has just been deployed to Baltarus

Another update is here!

New hotfix update just dropped!

Alien Units Overview

Silica is out in Early Access

Human Units Overview

Silica Synopsis: Announcement Edition

Alien Structures Overview

Dive Into 3 Unique Game Modes In Silica

Welcome to Silica

latest news

The road ahead during Early Access

A minor update has just been deployed to Baltarus

Another update is here!

New hotfix update just dropped!

Silica Synopsis: Release Edition

A new update is here!

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