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Here is a list of core concepts for Beyond.
- Pre-apocalyptic: The player will need to prepare for a disaster (random or not). It will unfold in phases that are scripted, resulting in challenges to overcome and an increasing sense of isolation. As part of the aftermath, a way out (which is also scripted) appears for the end game, influenced by the player's actions.
- Setting: Modern to Post-modern and potentially SciFi (can depend on the end game)
- Location: A single 1 squared kilometre map with abstracted world around it that can be explored and exploited.
- RealRealTime: The player's character is controlled in actual real time (a second of game time is a second of real time). Fast forwarding is possible but in that case control is relinquished to an AI. This is by far the most unique / controversial feature of Beyond.
- Single player: Because of the difficulty / impossibility to warp time with multiple players involved, this is a single player only game. Other characters will exist : they can be interacted with but are not playable.
- Scripted storyline: The crisis and the end game are scripted. A script is made of random events, tasks, and milestones.
- Realistic / hard core skill tree & blueprints: A character will not be able to build or craft something they have never seen, owned, or studied. An action does not give "experience points" to be spent to gain something unrelated.
- Hardcore needs: water, food, warmth, sleep, hygiene, health, leisure, social.
- No busy work: Time and efforts need to be spent securing sources for things (resources, blueprints, various needs' fulfilment) but not exploiting them. Example 1: you won't need to carry resources from a stockpile to use it to build. If you're in range, and your stockpile has the materials, the character will do that for you, and time will fast-forward , Example 2:You won't need to go to the toilet, shower, table to eat. If you're in range, the need is fulfilled and the time needed is skipped.