Dune: Awakening players are really getting into the spirit of things by hoarding water and blocking critical routes, but some have had a change of heart

Dune: Awakening is the hot (pun intended) new survival MMO on the block. The Dune books are all about the hoarding of the most precious resource in the universe: Spice. Spice comes from the desert world Arrakis, and there, the only commodity as valuable is water. True to the source material, Awakening players have been getting their grubby hands on as much of the wet stuff as they possibly can.

My former colleague at TheGamer writes about their early experiences with Dune: Awakening, saying on their own server, theirs and one other guild have built large fortresses on dew patches, areas where you can gather water at dawn. This makes it very hard for new players to progress.

There are other unscrupulous methods at work, too – Baron Harkonnen would be proud. My friend at TheGamer had their ornithopter blocked by a player putting down a subfief, which allowed them to build around the machine, leaving them stranded.

Other players have apparently been blocking passageways with their own buildings, meaning low-level players without flying transport can't get through. Fortunately, it seems that this has mostly been unintentional, and players are now sharing new building methods and styles that don't impede travel.

One built a tunnel through their structure so that you can just walk straight down the middle. "To the person who called me out for blocking the path – I heard you, and I'm sorry. I’ve found a solution. Sometimes we all need a wake-up call. So… thank you," the poster writes. It's lovely to see the community growing and working together so quickly.

To the person who called me out for blocking the path — I heard you, and I'm sorry. I’ve found a solution. Sometimes we all need a wake-up call. So… thank you. from r/duneawakening

Another building has a large arch constructed beneath it that allows land vehicles to drive under. "My showcase of how I built a functional bridge while leaving room for others to traverse the canyon," the poster proudly writes. I don't think someone riding a sandworm would fit through there, though.

Example: Immersive build without ruining pathing for others from r/duneawakening

Honestly, it wouldn't be out of hand for Dune: Awakening players to keep being bastards and hoarding all the water and blocking off all the easy routes. It would actually be very in-keeping with the way the colonizers on Arrakis do things, but it's sweet to see everyone playing fair.

In the meantime, check out the best online games you can play with your friends – just remember to play nice, yeah?