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About Flotsam
Flotsam lets you build a settlement that literally floats on the sea by turning ocean trash into homes, workshops, and gardens. You collect plastic, driftwood and salvaged scraps, then recycle them into structures that stay afloat while you keep your community safe.
The game mixes exploration of flooded ruins and islands with a feel‑good apocalypse theme. Recruit specialists, research cleaner technologies and create pipelines that turn waste into a self‑sustaining ecosystem, all in a single‑player indie simulation with full controller support and Steam Cloud saves.
01 / THE GUIDE
Floating Construction
You can build homes, workshops and gardens that stay afloat by using collected plastic, driftwood and salvaged scraps. The description states these structures can be decorated with plants, refurbished furniture and statues, giving you visual variety for each building.
Construction is linked to the town’s overall health: clean food and cures for pollution‑born diseases are mentioned as ways to keep the community productive. New technologies unlocked by specialists expand the range of buildings you can create.
- Compare the visual impact of plants versus statues when decorating a building.
- Observe how different material combos affect the apparent size of a floating structure.
02 / THE GUIDE
Resource Gathering
The core loop involves collecting floating plastic, driftwood and other ocean debris. You also desalinate water and gut fish, which the description lists as essential actions for sustaining the community.
During voyages you can rescue stranded survivors and friendly animals, adding new resources and potential specialists to your town as described in the source.
- Track which debris types appear most often in different regions to plan efficient routes.
- Balance fish harvesting with water desalination to maintain steady food and water supplies.
03 / THE GUIDE
Drifter Specialists
Each drifter has a personal story and a profession such as Birdkeeper, Chemist or Electrician. Recruiting them unlocks new buildings, quests and discoveries for the floating community, as the description states.
Specialists also provide access to advanced technologies and story quests, expanding what you can build and research in the town.
- Compare the unlocks provided by different specialists to decide recruitment order.
- Watch how each specialist’s storyline influences the quests that become available.
04 / THE GUIDE
Technology Research
Research lets you transition from burning firewood to green eel‑electricity generation, creating cleaner, smarter systems. The description also mentions building connected production pipelines that turn waste into a self‑sustaining ecosystem.
Completing personal storylines unlocks new mechanics, while cleaner technology supports healthier conditions for drifters, reducing pollution‑born diseases as noted in the source.
- Map the progression from firewood to eel‑electricity to see efficiency gains.
- Compare the impact of pipeline upgrades on overall resource conversion rates.
05 / THE GUIDE
World Exploration
Set sail to explore flooded remnants of the old world, from soaked ruins to forgotten islands. Exploration reveals new resources, survivors and hidden technology, as described.
While exploring you may encounter polluted zones that can affect drifter health, so planning routes and supplies is important according to the source.
- Compare the resource yields of ruins versus islands to decide where to focus voyages.
- Observe how distance from your base influences the need for additional supplies.
COMMUNITY
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