Moving through the desert planet of Arrakis can be difficult, especially when it comes to vast dunes with sandworms. Though it may seem that the only way to complete quests and gather resources is by trekking across the wide open desert, Dune: Awakening provides a handy fast travel option.
Moving from one place to another on this desert planet is a big challenge in the game. The fast travel option is still important, even though you do use land and air vehicles you will unlock later on in the game.
Unlocking the Fast Travel System
You unlock the fast travel option on your first visit to the Griffin’s Reach Tradepost as part of the A Touch of Civilisation quest. It happens early in the game when players try to regroup with Zantara. When you reach the tradepost, the A Wider World side quest will trigger automatically.
Finding the ornithopter pilot is how you can unlock fast travel in the game. You’ll find this character hiding in the corner of the main building, opposite the contract board near the merchant area. The pilot offers fast travel services between cities and tradeposts that you have previously discovered.
How Fast Travel Works
The ornithopter pilot can take you to three places: Hagga basin, Arrakeen, and Harko village. Different places in the game serve many gameplay purposes. Arrakeen is the Atreides stronghold and Harko Village is the Harkonnen stronghold, both being used for faction activities and Landsraad purposes.
By choosing Hagga Basin, you get a full list of all the locations visited by the players. You can get around the desert quickly to several places with this option.
Though, in order to fast travel, one must visit the ornithopter pilot at a tradepost location like Griffin’s Reach every time you fast travel. When it comes to fast travel, you can’t just do it on the map itself like in other games.
Alternative Transportation Methods
Dune: Awakening has various vehicles for a road trip apart from the fast travel system. Players can buy sandbikes so they can move quickly in the desert. Jeeps are also available for someone looking for a more robust option. There’s even personal ornithopters for those who want to take to the skies! These vehicles are needed in areas outside the settlements and fast travel network which are not easily accessible.
The combined use of fast travel and personal transport gives the game a balanced and unified transport system for various types of exploration. Even though most long-distance travelling between the main locations is done via fast travel, personal vehicles can help reach the remoter regions of the desert and allow for more in-depth exploration of the desert.
Learning and making good use of fast travel can make your Dune: Awakening experience much better by saving time and avoiding crossing the desert and instead being able to spend more time fighting, gathering resources, and completing quests.