Ahoy Captains!
We’re thrilled to announce that Update v0.8.1 is now officially live for everyone. After a successful round of public testing and community feedback, we’ve polished up the build and are ready to deliver a more stable and feature-rich experience across the board.
This major update introduces switchgear cabinet gameplay, more mission variety, time skip/voting support in multiplayer, expanded cargo options, buoy upgrades, and quality-of-life improvements to ships and systems. Thanks to everyone who participated in the public test — your feedback helped shape this release!
If you're already playing Ships at Sea, we strongly recommend backing up your save files before updating to v0.8.1 to avoid potential compatibility issues. New players joining us with this version won’t be affected.
New Players, Take Note: Tier 1 Boat Pricing Rebalanced
We’ve made some changes to make the early game experience more accessible: the prices of Tier 1 fishing and service boats have been adjusted, so all Tier 1 vessels now fall within the same price range.
That means new players starting with 50,000 NOK can now freely choose between a cargo, fishing, or service boat, giving you more flexibility right from the start.
The rowboat now serves a different role: it's a slower, more peaceful option for relaxed exploration, jigging, or delivering small cargo to nearby ports (can only hold one cargo item!). It’s no longer the only viable starting point—but still a great choice for players who enjoy a slower pace.
New in Multiplayer: Vote to Skip Time
With Update v0.8.1 now live, we're introducing a powerful new feature for multiplayer crews: Time Skip Voting. Players can now initiate a vote by interacting with the clock gauge in the wheelhouse, choosing a new time of day for the session.
Once proposed, all players in the session receive a prompt to vote. If the majority agrees, time will fast-forward—perfect for skipping the night or syncing activities across the crew.
This is more than just a quality-of-life feature—it also sets the stage for future gameplay systems like dynamic wave and weather adjustments, and even location-based teleportation, giving both solo captains and multiplayer crews more control over how they experience the world of Ships At Sea.
First Signs of Life: New NPC System Begins Rolling Out
With Update v0.8.1, we're taking the first step toward a more immersive world—introducing the beginnings of our new NPC system. This update brings early ambient life to the ports, where you'll now see NPCs walking around and performing various animations, giving the world a more lived-in feel.
But that’s just the beginning. Behind the scenes, we’re actively developing a broader system that will eventually allow NPCs to interact with the player, offer missions, and play key roles in crew management aboard your ship. You’ll be able to assign crew members specific tasks and manage ship operations more dynamically in future updates.
And as a fun little detail—yes, you may spot some NPCs getting in a few reps at the port. After all, someone's got to be ready for all that heavy lifting!
New Mission System – Dynamic Missions Are Back!
With the launch of Update v0.8.1, our new mission system is officially live—and it’s already breathing new life into the world of Ships at Sea. Previously disabled missions, including cleanup and burning boat rescues, have now returned and are fully integrated into the new system.
We’ve moved away from the old approach of picking up all missions exclusively from the office. Events like the burning boat mission can appear dynamically in the world, bringing more spontaneity and immersion to your maritime journey, so keep an eye out!
This is just the beginning of a living, evolving game world, where you'll encounter more activity and unexpected events as you explore. As the mission system continues to grow, players can look forward to a wider variety of company tasks, global events, and personalized challenges—all woven naturally into the environment.
And we’re only getting started. Future updates will bring even more challenging missions—especially for service ship operators—alongside advanced mission types, expanded rewards, and greater variety to keep the experience fresh and engaging.
New Handling for Heavy Ships: Bow Thrusters Deployed
With the release of Update v0.8.1, bow thrusters are now fully implemented on all Tier 3 ships, significantly improving manoeuvrability in ports and tight docking areas. You can control the thrusters using Shift + A/D for precise lateral movement—ideal for handling larger vessels in confined spaces.
Looking ahead, we plan to continue improving and expanding the thruster system to more closely reflect real-life vessel controls, including the ability to manage thrusters independently from the main engine. In addition, stern thrusters will be introduced with the arrival of Tier 4 ships, based on real ship blueprints provided by our new (and yet unannounced) license partners.
Gutting System Overhaul
The gutting system has been refined to offer a more immersive experience.
Previously, a single fish in your inventory could weigh several tons, making the gutting task feel overwhelming and unrealistic. We’ve now addressed this by splitting large catches into smaller, manageable units-especially helpful when working through bigger hauls.
You can now gut fish reliably from anywhere on the vessel, whether you're at sea or docked at port (In reality its actually not allowed to gut fish while docked at port!). This ensures a consistent experience regardless of location.
We’ve also updated the gutting UI and introduced a new gutting knife to enhance the hands-on feel of the task. Looking ahead, upgradable gutting knives will be introduced as part of the upcoming tool shop UI redesign, giving players more choice in how they approach fish processing.
While animations are not yet in place, they’re on our roadmap—not just for gutting, but for all gameplay interactions across the entire game.
Finally, the gutting system now supports gamepad input, though we’re aware that button prompts don’t always reflect controller mappings correctly. This is on our radar and will be addressed in a future update.
Power Up: Main Switchboard Now Online
With Update v0.8.1, the Main Power Switchboard—found in the technical rooms of Tier 3 ships, and replace fuse boxes on the Tier 2 ships—is now fully operational! Players can now interact with circuit breakers that degrade over time, with each with a random lifespan between 60 and 90 days.
You can enable or disable systems, unscrew and replace faulty breakers, and purchase new ones at the tool shop in port. If a breaker completely fails, anyone can swap it out—but only players with the Electrician skill can repair an overheated one.
Currently, a failed breaker will only affect your ship’s lighting. But in the next major update, we’ll be connecting the main power switchboard to key instruments and equipment. That means your sonar, radar, autopilot, and more could lose power unexpectedly while at sea—so stay alert, and be prepared for critical system failures in real time.
As your ships grow larger, so too will your technical room, expanding to support more complex systems and deeper simulation gameplay.
💡 Pro tip: If your lights go out, check the switchboard first before panicking... and always keep a flashlight handy. You never know when you'll be left in the dark!
Next-Gen Commercial Fishing Begins
The foundation for commercial fishing gameplay is now taking shape, with new features and tools designed to make your fishing operations more efficient and immersive—whether you're sailing solo or as part of a company.
Double Longline Setter Now Operational on Tier 3 Fishing Ship
The Tier 3 fishing ship's double longline setter is now fully functional! You can prepare and load two longline buckets onto the setter, deploy the first line, and immediately follow up with the second—streamlining your workflow and maximizing efficiency while at sea.
New Longline Setter Installed on Tier 2 Fishing Boat
The Tier 2 fishing boat has been outfitted with a new longline setter from our license partner, Lorentzen Hydraulikk—bringing it one step closer to real-world fishing operations. This addition enhances the vessel’s authenticity and offers a more hands-on experience for players working their way through the mid-tier fishing fleet.
New Net Sizes Introduced
We’ve expanded your gear options with three new net sizes: 180m, 210m, and 250m nets are now available, allowing for larger catches per haul.
Fish Labels Added to Tier 3 Sorting Containers
The blue containers along the fish processing line on the Tier 3 fishing ship are now equipped with fish type labels. These visual markers help players identify where each species belongs, making it easier to sort and manage your catch efficiently. This small but helpful addition improves overall workflow and keeps your fishing operations more organized while at sea.
Buoy Upgrades
New upgradable buoys for commercial fishing are now available! Customize your buoys with:
- Single or double flags
- Flags with lights for improved visibility in low-light or rough sea conditions
These upgrades help you easily spot and haul your gear, especially in challenging environments.
You can now also share buoys, longlines, baits, and nets with your company members using the company inventory, supporting each other out at sea without returning to port.
Unlike in previous commercial fishing titles, buoys and gear do not have a limited lifespan, where gear could degrade or drift. Additionally, giving you, as a player, a sense of timing when deciding the best moment to haul in their gear. However, we’re committed to bringing back that same level of realism.
The Future of Fishing Gameplay
This update lays the groundwork for deeper systems that will shape the future of commercial fishing in Ships at Sea. Here's a glimpse at what we´re planning to introduce:
- Seasonal fishing will impact species availability and catch sizes
- A fish quota system will encourage more strategic planning for species-specific trips
- Bait selection will influence which fish are attracted to your gear
- Fish reproduction and population health will play a role in sustainable fishing
- A dynamic fish habitat system will reduce reliance on the same fishing spots
- And a dynamic economy will introduce fluctuating fish prices based on supply and demand
- Improvements to the overall gameplay
- New fishing methods
Updated World Map & Smarter Navigation
A redesigned world map is now available in Ships at Sea, along with a complete overhaul of map icons to improve clarity and orientation. Whether you're navigating across open waters or strolling through port, important locations are now much easier to spot and identify.
The new filter system lets you toggle icons on or off for a cleaner, more personalized view. As you zoom in, port-specific icons—like the fishery, shipyard, and other key buildings—appear automatically, making it easier to get your bearings while exploring the area on foot.
We’ve also added some helpful multiplayer touches. You can now hover over your boat icon to see which crew members are currently onboard a ship. Plus, player name tags are now visible above your teammates, making coordination smoother. While name tags can’t be hidden just yet, this option will be available once the new settings menu is implemented. To further improve visibility, especially on larger ships, we also plan to introduce player outlines, so you can easily spot your crew even when they're behind walls or in separate rooms.
This is part of the first rollout of our new UI system, which we’re releasing in stages. It already supports basic gamepad input, and we're planning to complete full controller integration with Update v0.9. Once in place, the game will automatically detect your last input method and dynamically switch UI prompts between controller and mouse/keyboard, creating a seamless user experience regardless of how you play.
Tune In: New Radio Channels on Board
We’ve partnered with three radio stations to bring more life and variety to your time at sea! Players can now enjoy a curated selection of music and podcasts from TruckSim FM, Shockwave Radio, and RBC Radio—each offering its own unique vibe, from chill cruising tunes to energetic hits perfect for sailing. Whether you're navigating stormy waters or relaxing in port, these new stations add atmosphere and personality to every voyage. Just head to your ship’s radio and tune in!
Shipyard Locker Now Open for Character Customization
The locker in the shipyard is now fully functional, giving you the freedom to customize your character's appearance at any point during your journey. Whether you're gearing up for an extended mission or want a fresh look between tasks, you can now easily change outfits and styles.
This is just the beginning—more customization options will be added in future updates as we refine our character models and customization systems. Your journey, your style!
Boat Cleaning Is Back – Shipyard Services Restored
After a period of being out of service, your trusty cleaning options—both the manual power washer and the automated full wash—are once again available and ready to bring your boat back to a showroom shine. This fix brings the feature back to life exactly as intended, and we appreciate everyone’s patience while we resolved the underlying issues.
Functionality-wise, things have been fine-tuned to reflect your effort better:
- If you clean at least 50% of your boat’s surface, the system will now recognize the vessel as fully cleaned.
- Didn’t quite hit that halfway mark? No problem—your boat will still be registered and displayed as partially clean, depending on how much you managed to wash.
Time to wash away the sea salt and grime—because nothing is better than a freshly cleaned deck.
New License Partner: Melbu Systems Joins the Production Line
We’re proud to welcome Melbu Systems as our newest license partner. The first components of their professional fish production are already implemented on the Tier 3 fishing ship, marking the beginning of a more realistic and immersive fish processing experience at sea.
And we’re just getting started—major updates v0.9 and v1.0 will expand Melbu Systems integration to Tier 4 and Tier 5 fishing vessels, bringing even more depth and authenticity to your onboard workflow as we continue to evolve the commercial fishing simulation.
Stackable Containers & Crane Enhancements
Stackable containers are now possible on the Tier 3 cargo ship, bringing more flexibility and efficiency to your cargo operations. This improvement allows for better space management and smoother workflows when loading and organizing shipments.
We’ve also added a winch rope to the crane hook, giving you greater reach and control when lifting cargo—making heavy-duty tasks feel more natural and responsive.
Ships at Sea is built on a physics-based system to create an authentic maritime experience. You may occasionally notice cargo jiggers when picked up or clipped through surfaces. We will actively work on refining crane mechanics, physics, and overall cargo handling in upcoming updates.
New Cargo Items Introduced
A fresh batch of cargo items has been added to expand the variety in missions and cargo handling. The update includes several medium and large-sized assets, offering new types of goods to transport and presenting fresh challenges in managing space and weight distribution aboard your vessel.
New Mast Crane Installed on Tier 3 Fishing Ship
The Tier 3 fishing ship is now equipped with a fully functional mast crane! It’s another step toward making your onboard operations more immersive and giving you greater control.
Equipping the ship with a mast crane is also the first step toward enabling fish unloading operations directly from storage — a feature planned for future updates!
Ship Handling Overhaul: Multi-Rudder Support, Engine Tuning & More
We’ve expanded the core ship systems to now support multiple rudders and propellers, allowing for more authentic control of larger vessels with complex propulsion setups. Ships equipped with dual rudders or multi-propeller configurations will now respond more naturally, offering improved manoeuvrability and handling dynamics across the fleet.
The RPM display on the speedometer has also been improved to more accurately reflect engine output, resulting in smoother acceleration and a more responsive feel while underway. Additionally, we've made further refinements to engine performance and balance across various boat and ship types to ensure each vessel behaves in accordance with its design and purpose.
Looking ahead, we plan to enhance the buoyancy system, with the aim of making sailing on any vessel—whether it’s a small open boat or a heavy commercial ship—feel more authentic and responsive to load, motion, and sea conditions in the future.
Of course, as in real life, taking a small vessel into open waters will always carry more risk and demand greater skill. We want Ships at Sea to reflect that reality, offering a wide range of ship handling experiences that stay true to each vessel's scale and nature.
Autopilot Rudder Control Now Operational
The autopilot system has been upgraded with rudder adjustment functionality when set to AUTO mode. This enhancement allows the system to actively control the rudder, maintaining your set course with greater accuracy and providing smoother, hands-free navigation—perfect for long-distance cruising.
Improved Instrument Labels for Better Clarity
We’ve refined the labelling on various instrument buttons and controls throughout ship interfaces, making it easier to understand each function at a glance. These updates aim to improve usability and reduce confusion while navigating your vessel.
Rendering Improvements & Visual Enhancements
- We’ve made several improvements to rendering and overall visual fidelity to enhance your experience at sea:
- Switching between fullscreen and windowed fullscreen now works reliably, with correct resolution values shown
- Sun and moon reflections on the ocean surface are now properly rendered, adding more realism to the day-night cycle
- Exposure settings have been refined for better lighting balance and visual consistency.
- Rope rendering has been improved across the game, including longlines and docking ropes
- Added support for FSR 3.1, with FSR 4 planned for a future update.
- Adjustments made to DLSS and FSR upscaling to balance visuals and performance based on their system
These updates deliver a sharper, smoother, and more immersive visual experience. In addition, we’ve made improvements to overall stability, and further polishing and optimization work is planned to ensure a consistently high-performing gameplay experience for all players.
Post-Processing and Lighting Improvements
We’ve improved post-processing and lighting behaviour for more balanced and consistent lighting across all times of day, ensuring better visibility and a more immersive atmosphere, whether you're working in bright sunlight or low-light conditions.
Feedback & Reporting
A heartfelt thank you for your continued support and feedback during Early Access. Your input plays a key role in shaping the future of Ships at Sea. We're committed to refining existing systems, enhancing the UI, and expanding the game with new mechanics, NPC crews, ships, and missions in the major updates.
We aim to deliver a rich, evolving maritime experience that embraces the flexibility and cooperative gameplay that defines Ships at Sea. Whether you're managing a capable NPC crew in single-player, working side-by-side with friends on the same vessel, or commanding your own ship as part of a multiplayer fleet. Ships at Sea aims to offer a dynamic and immersive simulation where teamwork, strategy, missions and seamless vessel control take centre stage.
Happy Sailing!
Changelog
v0.8.1.1305
- Fixed a crash that could occur when a client unboarded a boat.
- Resolved an issue where the fish hook would attach at incorrect or unintended positions.
- Fixed a bug causing player names not to display correctly for clients in the HUD.
- Improved the gutting system by adjusting fish rotation and clamping the gutting cursor to prevent it from moving off-screen.
- Adjusted longline balance to allow for a higher catch yield.
- Increased market prices for all fish types, both fresh and gutted, to better reflect their value and improve reward progression.
v0.8.1.1300
- RBC Radio set as the default radio channel
- Tier 1 Crane: Improved handling of medium-sized cargo
- Throttle Behaviour: Refined throttle response for Tier 1 and Tier 2 boats to provide more realistic control
- Skomvær Cargo Area: Adjusted medium cargo positioning to allow the crane to reach outermost cargo items
- Thruster Tuning: Fine-tuned thruster behaviour on all Tier 3 ships for improved realism.
- Resolved two crashes related to the physics system
- Fixed an issue where autopilot sound was played for all clients instead of just the user
- Corrected a bug where the jigger UI wasn’t properly replicated to clients
- Fixed an issue causing the character to remain visible after using the crane or water cannon when loading a savegame
- Addressed a bug where a damage sound would play when passing through doors on Tier 3 ships
- Enhanced several docking locations to prevent Tier 3 ships from getting stuck after loading a savegame
v0.8.1.1294
- Fixed crash with circuit breaker
- Intermediate white buoy between the start and end buoys on deployed fishing gear
- More fish types are catchable with the jigger
- Shockwave Radio as the default radio channel
- Thrusters on the Turbo vessel
- Fish quantity when hauling longline and net gear
- Thruster propeller force for smoother handling
- Time limits on fishing and trash missions
- Welcome screen layout and visuals
- Collisions on switchgear cabinets
- Crash when loading savegames
- Crash related to mission handling
- Crash related to gamepad input
- Flashlight not working properly for clients
- Player spawning under the world after loading a savegame or joining a session
- Power needle misalignment in the HUD
- Russian font not displaying correctly in certain areas
- Timeskip triggering in singleplayer mode
- Water cannon not rotating correctly for clients
- Floating house at Værøy
- Collision cells on large cargo items
- Cargo lifting with the Tier 2 crane
- Engine behavior on most boats and ships
- Gutting
- Lighting for buoy upgrades
- Profile system for clients
- Voting widget for better clarity
v0.8.1.1282
- New Feature Main Power switchgear cabinets are functional — make sure fuses are functional on Tier 2 ships to avoid breakdowns
- Added basic electrician skill to repair circuit breakers inside the switchgear cabinet
- Added new missions, including fishing with a jigger, a burning boat event, and ocean cleanup activities
- Added the ability to convert small fish food packages back into a large fish food sack
- Added new medium and large cargo assets to expand mission variety
- Added upgradable buoys for longlines and nets, now featuring flags and lights for better visibility
- Added a new line setter to the Tier 2 fishing boat
- Added functionality for the double line setter on the Tier 3 fishing ship
- Added 180m, 210m, and 250m net sizes
- Added a redesigned world map with updated icons for improved navigation
- Added a functional mast crane to the Tier 3 fishing ship
- Added NPC characters moving around in ports to bring more life to the environment
- Added bow thrusters to Nordland and Skomcat — use Shift + A/D to control them during docking
- Added TruckSim.fm as a default radio channel for in-game music
- Added a voting system to skip time in multiplayer sessions
- Added a welcome screen when starting a new game to help onboard new players
- Adjusted collision tolerance on all ships to reduce minor impact damage
- Adjusted earnings and XP scaling for cargo missions based on the number of items delivered
- Adjusted pricing on Flippy and Fixed, giving players a fairer choice between Tier 1 cargo, service, and fishing boats
- Autopilot state is now saved
- Radar state is now saved
- Sonar state is now saved
- Fixed a crash related to company and ship ownership
- Fixed a crash involving UI behavior
- Fixed an issue that caused sonar to loop on scanning the same position
- Fixed an issue where cargo could spawn outside the crane’s operating range
- Fixed an issue where cargo was not replicated properly to client
- Fixed an issue where the camera could dip below the boat after using the water cannon
- Fixed an issue where clients weren’t gaining distance during travel
- Fixed an issue where distance was incorrectly shown in centimeters on the minimap and world map
- Fixed an issue where fish could occasionally get stuck in place
- Fixed an issue with throttle reducing power automatically in both auto and manual mode
- Fixed floating seamarkers appearing around ports
- Fixed missing fuel station icons on the map when viewed from a distance
- Fixed inaccuracies in RPM calculation models
- Fixed handheld radio behavior while operating a ship
- Fixed the missing horn sound that was not working when activated
- Fixed incorrect rotation display of the boat on radar and autopilot
- Fixed language settings not being saved correctly
- Fixed rain and snow entering ship interiors
- Fixed an issue where players could lose character control if the boat were deactivated while operating the crane
- Fixed an issue where ships could flip when walking on cargo surfaces
- Fixed an issue where interacting with cargo, such as running into it, could cause boats to accelerate or flip
- Fixed an issue where boats and ships could not be cleaned using the power washer or full wash function
- Fixed sonar not displaying in the HUD
- Fixed the speedometer display in the HUD when using the Flippy
- Fixed a visual issue with the window on the Tier 3 cargo ship door
- Fixed an issue where longlines placed in the ocean weren’t saved
- Fixed materials and textures on buildings around the ports
- Fixed missing collisions on a building in Røst
- Improved cargo spawning logic at ports for more reliable placement
- Improved the Tier 2 crane by adding an extendable cable hook for better cargo handling
- Improved docking position at Teist Hammeren to properly support Tier 3 ships
- Improved engine upgrade options for Flippy
- Improved the fish gutting system and ensured it works reliably both at sea and in port
- Improved interior collisions on the Tier 3 fishing ship for smoother movement
- Improved feedback when missions fail for better clarity
- Improved post-processing and lighting quality across the game
- Improved rope rendering and visuals, including docking lines and longlines
- Improved saving system for cargo and picked-up items
- Improved searchlight distance and brightness for better night visibility
- Improved synchronization of multiple propellers and rudders for accurate control
- Improved zooming functionality on tier 3 ships' instruments
- Improved inventory system with better usability and stability
- Improved crane and cargo handling systems for more responsive controls
- The locker in the shipyard is now functional, allowing character customization
- Rebalanced boats and ships for more consistent handling across vessel types
- Rebalanced XP progression for net fishing activities
- Removed the toggle map hint text from the HUD for a cleaner interface
- Service Boat 1 now also hold Medium cargo
- Updated localization across all supported languages