- v2.00 Now Available - 8 June 2025
v2.00 of Dissent on Mars is now live! There’s a brand new tutorial that’s broken up into eight chapters. We think it does a better job showing how the different economies work and will help with the steep learning curve. It’s broken up into digestible chunks, and there are challenges along the way to test your knowledge. Just like the old tutorial, you can enable it while designing a new society. We hope this helps, and that you’ll help spread the word by leaving a review and telling your friends! Here’s the full list of updates: Tutorial - Added a new tutorial. - Changed the tutorial textbox to move with the arrow. Gameplay - Changed the plan creator logic in democratic planning so everyone can become the plan creator, not just the people who work there. - Added an option to select colonists from a workplace’s Members menu. - Changed the stat boxes that appear to the right in some menu…
- Devlog #6 - 23 May 2025
The new tutorial is content complete, so now I’m testing it with people and making edits based on that. So far, it seems to be helping! Hopefully, I’ll know when the update will be released the next time I post! Thanks for being patient with me, and I hope everyone has a great weekend, Michael
- Devlog #5 - 9 May 2025
The new tutorial is over 50% completed! I finished the first 4 chapters that focus on the different allocation systems, and now I’m working on the chapters that focus on building, natural resources, and colonists. I don’t have a date for when it will be finished, but I wanted to let everyone know that I’m still working hard on it. Have a great weekend, Michael
- Devlog #4 - 25 April 2025
Hey everyone, Just wanted to give a quick update about what I’ve been doing. I’ve decided to recreate the tutorial from the ground up. The new tutorial will be broken up into multiple chapters and have challenges along the way to test your knowledge. There will also be a larger focus on showing how the different economic systems work since this is the brain that drives the whole game. I’m making good progress, but there’s still a lot to do. I’ll keep you updated as it moves along! Thanks for reading, Michael
- Future Plans - 14 April 2025
Thanks to everyone who has been playing Dissent on Mars! We really appreciate the support. Now that some time has passed, I’d like to talk about my plans for the future. There are two things I’d like to address: 1. the wrong impressions people are getting before playing, and 2. the steep learning curve. The art style for Dissent on Mars is similar to Prison Architect and Rimworld. Unfortunately, I think this has been giving some folks the impression that it’s a clone. To be clear: this is a game about designing different economies and governments, living in them, and seeing their impact on people. In response, I’ve removed the Colony Sim tag from our page. Hopefully, this will help clear things up. The most important thing I’d like to work on now is making the game easier to get into. It has a steep learning curve, so I’m thinking about ways to make things more digestible. I’m the only…
- Now Available on Steam - 7 April 2025
Dissent on Mars is now available on Steam! You can also pick up a Deluxe Edition that includes the Dissent on Mars: Daytime Soundtrack and Dissent on Mars: Nighttime Soundtrack. https://store.steampowered.com/app/2138560/ Thanks to everyone for the support, and I hope you enjoy the game! Michael
- Soundtracks Now Available - 4 April 2025
I’m excited to announce that the soundtracks I made for Dissent on Mars are now available! There’s the Dissent on Mars: Daytime Soundtrack and the Dissent on Mars: Nighttime Soundtrack. You can buy them on Steam (here and here), or Bandcamp (here and here). If you’d like to wait for a small discount, they’ll be included in a Deluxe Edition of the game that will launch on Monday. If you like spacey ambient music, I think these will be right up your alley! The first song on both albums was written in my college apartment back in 2011. I wanted to make a soundtrack that mixed other-worldly synthesizers with natural-sounding instruments. I wrote that song and several others for a game I ended up abandoning. Fast forward 11 years, and I felt my vision for the old soundtrack fit perfectly with Dissent on Mars. I used the first song as a starting point and made the remaining 11 songs over a fe…
- Coming to Steam on April 7th - 24 March 2025
Finally, after 5+ years of development, Dissent on Mars is coming to Steam on April 7th! To help celebrate, we’ve released an updated version of the trailer. Check it out: Nothing is perfect, but I can honestly say I’ve put everything I have into this game. This has been a dream project of mine for 13 years, and it’s hard to put into words how it feels to finally be here. This wouldn’t be happening without the help of many people, so I’d like to take the time to thank some of them. First, thanks to Gonçalo Antunes for drawing the art. I’ve collaborated with him on every game I’ve made since 2012, and it’s hard to imagine doing this with anyone else. Besides drawing, he brings his own creative ideas to the table, and makes the development process a lot more fun! It always helps to have a friend around. Thanks to my parents Chuck and Dee. I quit my job in High School to make indie games a…
- Random Events pt. 2 - 21 March 2025
Different types of random events can occur in Dissent on Mars. In this post, we’re going to talk about random events that may require some detective work to address. Detective Events I tried designing a randomly generated detective game many years ago and was never happy with it. I’m glad I was finally able to scratch that itch with some of the events in this game! Here are some you can expect to see: Missing Colonist – If a colonist is missing, you’ll need to find them, which is easier said than done. If you can track down their house, you may find clues that give hints to their location. Sickness – Sometimes a product defect will cause colonists to get sick. You’ll need to deduce which one is causing their sickness and recall it at a government building. Theft – Theft may occur in the colony, and if it does, you’ll need to deduce who the thief is and charge them. You’ll also need to f…
- Random Events pt. 1 - 15 March 2025
Different types of random events can occur in Dissent on Mars. In this post, we’re going to talk about news stories, which can be used to influence people’s behavior in the colony. News Stories If your colony has a news center, colonists can report on stories from around the solar system. Some stories require the reporter to have a specific charisma skill, so you may not be able to report on everything. Most news stories impact the demand for products, but some have other effects. Here are some you can expect to see: Albums Are Propaganda - A viewer claims that all albums have Satanic messaging if you listen to them in reverse. Game Industry Boycotted - The game industry has been criticized for being uncreative. Gamers are calling for a boycott until developers start experimenting with new designs. Smartphones Upgraded - Remember that smartphone you bought yesterday? It’s time to buy an…
- Goals pt. 2 - 28 February 2025
There are different types of goals you can achieve in Dissent on Mars. In the last post, we talked about global goals and long-term goals. Today, we’re going to look at short-term goals, which are randomly generated based on colonist requests. Short-Term Goals Many different short-term goals can appear, and the objectives may be different each time you see them. For simplicity’s sake, I’m just going to show you a few of my favorites: House Wanted – Sometimes colonists will want to live in a new house that’s custom-built for them. I usually play the game hyper-focused on the economic goals, so this goal is a nice change of pace for me. I enjoy chilling and building a house that fits someone’s personality. No Job Wanted – In a previous post, we talked about traits and how they can influence a colonist’s behavior. If a colonist is lazy, they may want to be the only person who isn’t employe…
- Steam Deck Compatibility - 23 February 2025
I’ve tested Dissent on Mars for 60+ hours on a 64GB eMMC Steam Deck and I think it runs great! I’m pretty sure it would be Deck Verified if Valve reviewed it. Here’s some more info: Input - The correct controller glyphs are displayed. - An on-screen keyboard is used for text input. Display - The Deck’s native 1280x800 resolution runs great. - I’ve never had any issues reading the text. Hope you enjoy playing it there, Michael
- Goals pt. 1 - 14 February 2025
There are different types of goals you can achieve in Dissent on Mars. In this post, we’re going to look at global goals and long-term goals, which are used together to compare the performance of different societies. Long-Term Goals Long-term goals measure the performance of your society using a variety of different metrics. Here are some you can expect to see: An Efficient Economy - Create an economy that meets everyone’s needs while achieving minimum waste. Low Economic Inequality - Create a society where income and wealth inequality is low. Martian Job Lovers I - Create a society where everyone loves their job. No Poverty - Create a society where no one lives in poverty. No Unemployment - Create a society where there’s no unemployment. These goals measure the impacts of your society on everyone, not just your main character. The most important one is called “Living Utopia”, and it re…
- Laws pt. 2 - 31 January 2025
Each colony in Dissent on Mars has laws that provide additional rules based on the constitution. In the last post, we started exploring some of the laws. Today, I’d like to talk about the last batch of laws your colony can have. Consumption Rights The constitution determines the different ways colonists can receive income, but some of the amounts they receive are set by laws. For example, you can set how much income each colonist receives for need. You can also set how much income colonists receive for an hour of work. Wealth Redistribution If personal property is owned by the state, you can enact a law that redistributes the colony’s wealth by confiscating personal property. For example, you could authorize the government to redistribute wealth from the rich to the poor, or you could redistribute it in a way that benefits a specific colonist. Wealth Tax If money is transferable, you ca…
- Laws pt. 1 - 17 January 2025
Each colony in Dissent on Mars has a constitution that determines the rules for how the colony operates. In previous posts, we’ve explored the different parts of a constitution: allocation systems, property rights, money, consumption rights, and decision making. Today, I’d like to talk about laws, which provide additional rules based on the constitution. Revolution If enough people are protesting, you can declare a revolution and design a new constitution. Hopefully, you can find solutions to the colonist’s problems without abolishing the whole government, but hey, sometimes you’ve gotta do what you’ve gotta do! Product Policy This law determines what types of products colonists can buy at a distribution center. They can either buy any product that’s available, or they can only buy products that were included in their consumption plan. If the colony uses democratic planning, colonists w…
- Traits - 4 January 2025
Each colonist in Dissent on Mars has a unique personality that determines how they behave. Today, I’d like to talk about some of the traits colonists can have and how they impact the game! Bootlicker In the last article, we talked about the different ways decisions can be made in a workplace. Depending on their personality traits, some colonists may prefer having input, while others may like being told what to do. Can you guess what bootlickers love to do? If it’s not obvious, bootlickers love being told what to do and hate making their own decisions. They’ll gravitate towards jobs where they can be bossed around, and they’ll lick those boots with a huge smile on their face. Rebel Rebels are the opposite of bootlickers: they hate being told what to do! Rebels avoid jobs where they have no input, and they may stir up some trouble in the colony. For example, rebels may want you to sabotag…
- Decision Making - 20 December 2024
Over the last year, we’ve dived into the different choices you have for designing a society in Dissent on Mars. We’ve talked about allocation systems, property rights, money, and consumption rights. Today, we’re diving into the final choice: decision making. Depending on how productive property is owned, workplaces may have an individual owner or a group of owners. So, how should owners make decisions inside of a workplace? In Dissent on Mars, your answer to this question changes the rules of the game. Autocratic If decisions are made autocratically, one person or group makes decisions and everyone else follows. The decisions could be made by a private owner, a government official, or an elected manager. For example, if someone owns a bakery, the owner will make all of the decisions regarding what to produce, how long everyone works, and so on. No one else has input in these decisions.…
- 1st Wishlist Goal Met - 29 November 2024
Dissent on Mars is now one of the top wishlisted upcoming games on Steam! Thanks to everyone who wishlisted it or helped spread the word, we couldn’t have done it without you. It’s taken a long time, but it looks like we’re on track to finally release the game next year. We’re still promoting it, so if you haven’t wishlisted it or told your friends yet, we’d appreciate the help. https://store.steampowered.com/app/2138560/ Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving, Michael
- Devlog #3 - 19 July 2024
We finished overhauling the buildings last week! Let’s dive into how it works. You can still place pre-made buildings like before, however, if you want to customize the entire building you can do that too. You can place the walls and floors individually, which enables you to create oddly shaped buildings, and the objects inside can be placed wherever you want. We also added a bunch of new objects! If you played the demo, you’ll probably notice that the buildings have doors now. Keeping with the futuristic theme, the doors automatically slide open when they detect nearby colonists. Back in my day, we’d call that “next-gen”! As most of you know, a big focus of this game is the economy. Colonists make products at work and purchase what they need at a distribution center. Some of these products include furniture and bathtubs, so we added energy and hygiene markers so colonists know where to…
- Steam Endless Replayability Fest - 12 May 2024
The Steam Endless Replayability Fest starts tomorrow, and Dissent on Mars is included! If you haven’t played the demo yet, now is the perfect time since we’ll be taking it down after the fest ends. And don’t forget to wishlist and follow it so you can stay connected with us as we finish this final trek of development! https://store.steampowered.com/app/2138560/ I hope everyone plays some awesome games this week, Michael
