Exploration-Gated Progression

"Exploration-Gated progression" is the official term: progress is earned through exploration and adaptation.

You restore abandoned shelters, repair broken machines and reclaim fragile technology to push deeper into the frozen world.

This is why map knowledge — biomes, routes, shelter locations — is the most valuable thing a wiki can give you.

Mechanics

• Restoring a shelter converts it into a forward checkpoint.
• Repairing machinery unlocks the next depth tier.
• Faction-controlled territory sits at the deep end of the curve.

Unmeasured

Not published, not inferable, not guessed:

• Number of progression tiers
• Unlock requirements per tier
• Map size