Once Human's new expansion, Isles of Abyss, introduces a dynamic challenge in the form of Haywire Zones, areas subject to unpredictable environmental crises. These zones, scattered across the oceanic archipelago, can significantly impact visibility, sanity, temperature, and resource consumption, but also yield unique materials essential for survival.
Understanding Haywire Zones
Haywire Zones are dynamic weather phenomena that manifest randomly across the islands of the Isles of Abyss map. While these events can make navigation and exploration more perilous, they also serve as sources for special resources. The game's world map provides players with crucial information, displaying icons that indicate the remaining duration of active Haywire Zones or the time until the next one appears. Periods between these events offer safer opportunities for travel, but the benefits of engaging with Haywire Zones often outweigh the risks.
Surviving Specific Environmental Threats
The expansion features four distinct Haywire Zones, each presenting unique challenges and rewards:
Black Tide
Found in the Misty Marsh area, Black Tide introduces Stardust contamination, creating pollution zones. This weather phenomena spawns Stardust Ore and contaminated plants, with pollution levels increasing over time. However, players can find Sporocysts that yield Black Tide Clots, a resource usable for crafting diving equipment and water-cycle facilities. To mitigate its effects, the Black Tide Protective Mask can be crafted to slow sanity loss, though it consumes durability.
Mist of Deceit
Occurring in Reefshadow Bay, Mist of Deceit drastically lowers ambient temperature and reduces visibility, with the field of view shrinking as HP decreases. This zone provides Mist Core Grass, which can be processed into Deceit Wicks. These wicks are vital for water combat ammunition and crafting electricity-related facilities. The Mist Core Clarity Soup offers cold resistance and improved visibility through the mist, while the Blaze Core Lantern can disperse the fog and raise temperature at the cost of durability. Failure to dispel the mist can lead to encounters with hostile apparitions.
Time Rain
In the Spring Valley, Time Rain accelerates energy and hydration consumption while causing backpack items to lose durability. Conversely, it speeds up the growth of crops and wild animals. This phenomenon yields Bottled Raindrops from defeated enemies and harvested crops. Bottled Raindrops are key to creating water-based production facilities and crafting items for breeding and farming. Time-Reverse Cookies can grant immunity to the bodily effects of Time Rain, and the Time-Reverse Raincoat offers similar protection at the cost of movement speed and durability. Players should be aware that gathering or hunting during Time Rain may trigger temporal rewinds, summoning past enemies.
Skyfire
The Falling Ember area is affected by Skyfire, characterized by meteor showers that damage structures and heat the surrounding environment. Meteor impacts create deviant enemies guarding them, but the meteors themselves can be mined for Skyfire Gold and rare minerals, normalizing the temperature upon extraction. Mining larger meteors is more challenging due to the presence of these guarding enemies. Skyfire Gold is used in crafting alloy ship structures and automated gathering facilities.
To counter Skyfire's effects, the Cooling Patch can be used to remove heatstroke status, and All-Weather Stew increases resistance to both cold and heat.