hollow fiber
More of a general bit of design philosophy, but something that I think a lot of similar games miss out on. Minecraft's biomes, for example, tend to feel a bit stale and lifeless, and it's because, (in the interest of giving the player complete control over their surroundings), very little changes without direct player interaction. As a modder, it's my biggest critique of the game. Stuff like foliage growing and changing over time, trees felled by storms and gradually replaced by sapplings, fungus competing with plants, some artificial materials aging over time, pollinators seeking out flowers, etc. Environmental loops that don't significantly change anything over time, but still give different biomes unique interactions. It doesn't have to be realistic, just interesting; enough to make the world feel like it doesn't exist soley for the player.
(On the technical side, Minecraft's random tick system, for example, is more than enough for basic, gradual voxel-based changes in loaded areas.)
Again, it really boils down to how much control the player ought to be granted over their surroundings; whether it leans more towards sandbox or survival. (Though I feel there can be a balance between player-agency and more dynamic surroundings.) Either way, just something I figured I'd mention. Keep up the good work. 🙂
dusk steppe
torpid jolt