Ahoy Sailors!
With Ships At Sea, we´re striving to deliver more than just realistic ships—we aim to create an immersive maritime environment where everything feels accessible, interactable, purposeful, and believable. As part of that commitment, Update v0.8.3 marks a major milestone, starting with an overhaul of the interaction system.
This isn't just a visual update—it's the foundation for smarter, more intuitive interaction across the entire game as we head toward larger, more complex ships and deeper gameplay systems.
What's Changing?
The old interaction system served its purpose in the early stages of development. But as the game evolved, it became clear we needed more flexibility, clarity, and customizability. With v0.8.3, we’re introducing:
✅ A Clearer Interface
Each interaction now displays with a clean background, helping text and icons stand out against the environment.
Objective names are now clearly labelled, making it easier to understand what each interaction does at a glance.
Indicators provide instant feedback that something is interactable or working—whether it’s a switch, control panel, or cargo crane.
⚙️ New Player Settings Planned
Toggle options for backgrounds, objective names, indicators, and even highlighters—choose what you want visible.
Adjustable highlighter brightness, perfect for players who prefer subtlety or those who want maximum visibility.
Why This Matters?
With larger ships already on the horizon and more detailed subsystems becoming standard, the interaction system needs to scale with the gameplay. Whether you're navigating a Tier 1 boat or operating complex equipment on a Tier 4 vessel, this new system ensures that clarity never gets lost in complexity.
It's all part of our ongoing mission: to make Ships At Sea not only authentic, but playable, accessible, and enjoyable—whether you're a newcomer or a veteran mariner.
Looking Ahead
The new interaction system is modular by design, allowing us to expand it further in upcoming updates. Expect even more interaction logic, visual improvements, and context-specific feedback as the game matures.
This overhaul also lays the groundwork for better gamepad support. While controller interaction will naturally differ slightly—especially in areas like the wheelhouse—the new system is designed with both keyboard/mouse and gamepad players in mind. Expect more intuitive and responsive controls as we continue to refine the experience across all input methods.
Thanks for sailing with us—and stay tuned for more as Update v0.8.3 docks soon!
Team Misc Games