Reddit AMA 2025-05-06

On 2025-05-06, the Funcom Devs hosted an "Ask Me Anything" on the r/duneawakening subreddt. Below are some of the questions and answers (with new information)

The devs answering questions were:

• Joel Bylos - Creative Director - u/Funcom-Joel
• Scott Junior - Executive Producer - u/Funcom-Scott
• Viljar Sommerbakk - Senior Game Director - u/Funcom-Viljar
• Kamil - Community Manager - u/Funcom_Kamil

Will we be able to transmog armor, and can we hide helmet and cape?

(Asked by u/Adept-Ad-7874, Answered by Joel)

The game features an extensive transmog system where you can alter visuals pretty much on the fly. Restrictions: You can only switch out armors of a specific type with another type. Heavy -> Heavy. Light -> Light. Stillsuit -> Stillsuit. There are some exceptions to this rule like social visuals. You can hide helmets and turn off/on the eyes of ibad, but you cannot hide cloaks.

Will builders be able to acquire both harkonnen and atreides building styles without betrayal or is the only way by betraying a faction and the swearing to the other?

(Asked by u/Swtorcrafter, Answered by Joel)

That is the current plan (to allow you to get access to both. If it isn't there at launch it will be coming shortly afterwards)

Are there makers marks on items/gear you have crafted? Like, on a swords info screen it says something like “crafted by Swtorcrafter”

(Asked by u/Swtorcrafter, Answered by Viljar)

The makers will not have their name on the items they craft at launch.

If I build a base on a cliffside down low, can another player come along and build a base directly above me on the same cliffside?

(Asked by u/SnidSplendorous Answered by Kamil)

No, it is not possible for another player to build a base in the same vertical above or below yours.

What happens if a layer has 200 people allocated to it, but 180 of them now don't ever log in and play? Have you got plans to merge layers?

(Asked by u/lnsurgente, Answered by Joel and Scott)

Joel: If 180 people don't log in, then other people can log in. I am not sure where this 200 number comes from.

Scott: We limit based on concurrency (the amount of people currently on the server) and activity (the amount of people that have recently played on the server). There isn't a character cap, so if someone stops playing they won't count towards space on the server.

Will it be possible to transfer a character permanently to another Hagga Basin within the same world?

(Asked by u/EarAgitated1959, Answered by Scott)

Not on launch day, but we will add this functionality after launch. During the Beta this weekend you will be able to use the visit feature to go to another Hagga Basin (server) on your World. The only restriction you have when you are on a different Hagga Basin is that you can't place claim land, but you can do everything else. The next version of this feature which will happen either at launch or soon after is being able to Visit from the server browser, instead of in game. The final version which will happen post launch is that we will allow you to move to a new Hagga Basin within your own world. We will NOT have this working at launch.

Is there any sort of copyright protection on original (base blueprint) design?

(Asked by u/EarAgitated1959, Answered by Joel)

Currently there is no protection that prevents the scenario you describe. It is a difficult design problem to solve in a freeform building system (you can freely add or remove elements of any design - should we restrict your ability to modify designs that you purchase?) Thorny problem, one we will look at closely depending on how people play the game.

The fremkit is only visible during the very start of the game. Can we have the option to show backpack or the fremkit during/throughout gameplay?

(Asked by u/gh05t, Answered by Joel)

Sadly no, the character team told us backpacks or cloaks, pick one. We chose cloaks - though we have backpacks for specific outfits as you have seen. Your last weapon (except giant heavy weapons or tools) or tool used will always be visible on your back/hip when holstered.

Any chance of limiting the number of weapons on the hotbar?

(Asked by u/Nascent1, answered by Viljar)

At launch you will be able to place 8 weapons on the hotbar. We are considering improvements/changes after launch.

Will there be a way to re-customize your character after first creating them?

(Asked by u/IronSquid501, Answered by Kamil)

It is something we are planning to add in one of the post-launch updates.

Can we Betray Once Total, or Once per Faction?

(Asked by u/SorvinaSavage, Answered by Joel)

Once per faction

Will the Third Faction get a Build set too?

(Asked by u/SorvinaSavage, Answered by Joel)

Yes they will

Are there any measures / gameplay mechanics that will prevent bigger clans snowballing compared to small clans?

(Asked by u/EdvinDub, answered by Joel)

We have some specific features in place that will make zergs have a harder time - friendly fire will be on for guilds, there are no name tags etc. The issue of large groups dominating in multiplayer games is a difficult problem to solve entirely.

When we raid a base in the Deep Desert successfully, can we also loot the containers there? Or is this only possible when the full loot decree is active?

(Asked by u/stonyleinchen, answered by Viljar)

You can not loot a player container you don't have permission to, but you can destroy it and take its contents that way.

How does Spice factor into the game’s economy?

(Asked by u/blubberablub, Answered by Joel)

Spice is obviously extremely valuable on a personal, group and guild level. On a personal level, it fuels your special abilities. It is required for higher tier crafting. It is required for the Landraad - spice delivery is the *only* consistent delivery that will appear on the Landsraad every week.

Will I be able to decorate my base with palm trees as a display of extravagant water wealth?

(Asked by u/blubberablub, Answered by Viljar)

We will not have plants at launch, but you can place out projections of plants.

Will Dune Awakening be available on Game Pass?

(Asked by u/B_R_D_, Answered by Scott)

At launch, we will only be on Steam on PC.

Would it be possible for the introduction of snap to grid for placement of placables inside our bases for those who are ocd about things being in place?

(Asked by u/Chaosrealm69, Answered by Viljar)

This will not be done for launch. It is something we are considering post launch.

Will there be an option to preload for launch day?

(Asked by u/Daxidol, Answered by Kamil)

Yup.

When you use the visit a friend function will you be able to take a vehicle with you and bring loot inside the vehicle back to your own server?

(Asked by u/Jengsteren, Answered by Kamil)

When visiting a friend, you can bring your sandbike with you that is stored in the Vehicle Backup Tool. However, since you cannot store vehicles that have loot stored in their inventory, you can effectively only bring back whatever is in your character inventory.

How might a guild setup a base for their members to use in Hagga Basin, when a guild consists of members who may be across multiple HB's? ...

(Asked by u/SirVilicus, Answered by Joel)

Many questions wrapped in one, will try to answer them clearly. - The owner sets up permissions, so if they won't be online I would suggest assigning co-ownership permissions and allow someone else to set permissions as well. It doesn't work differently to most MMO guild systems in that sense. - It is up to you if you want to try and have your entire guild in a single Hagga Basin map. The advantage is obviously that there is no requirement for other guild members to be online to use the visiting system to get there. If you expect the entire guild to be online at the same time, every time, you do run the risk of hitting the cap. This is also why the guild size is restricted to 32 people - There is an activity cap for but not a restriction on created characters, so you just have to ensure guild members create characters on the same world and use the visiting system.