Hey guys, hope everyone’s doing great!
Over the last two months, I’ve started experimenting with some marketing, and since August we’ve gained almost 10,000 new wishlists, bringing the total to nearly 33,000! I really appreciate each one of them, thank you all for your support!
There have been quite a few changes to how things work, and I’d like to talk about them today.
Bigger Map
The map size was fine for the demo, but it became quite a challenge to fit all the late-game buildings. So, I’ve added one more vertical level to the map and changed the sprite, while keeping the width roughly the same so it’s not harder to scroll. In the end, the buildable area increased by about 40%.
I’ve also added paths on both sides of the waterfall to make it easier to traverse the hill. This was tricky because of the original pathfinding system, so I had to write a new one. Overall, I’m very happy with how it turned out.
Haulers
For a long time, players have been asking for a dedicated hauler job, and it’s finally here!
I’ve reworked how logistics function in the game. I’m trying to strike a balance between complexity and simplicity, which isn’t easy! Here’s how it works now:
Workers still haul their own resources unless a hauler’s hut is present in the area.
Haulers travel between buildings, collecting finished goods, delivering materials for production or construction, and stocking warehouses with the minimum required resources (more on that below).
Carrying resources now applies a movement speed penalty.
I’ve added new research options related to logistics.
Haulers use a smart AI system to decide when and what to haul based on internal scoring.
Warehouses now have storage capacity limits.
You can now set minimum stock levels for each resource in your warehouses. If stocks drop below that threshold, nearby haulers will automatically fetch the needed materials from other warehouses (even from far away) to keep production buildings supplied at all times.
Relocating Buildings
Another highly requested feature was the ability to relocate buildings, and it’s here too!
Relocating is much more convenient than demolishing and rebuilding. Assigned workers stay assigned, resources are automatically moved to the new location, and construction materials go directly from the old site to the new one (instead of old site → warehouse → new site). You only pay a small amount of gold for the relocation.
Right now, Core Buildings and Hot Springs cannot be relocated, but I’m hoping to make them movable in the future.
Better Cues
When you place or select a building, nearby relevant structures like warehouses, wells, markets, or trees will now pulse to show their proximity. If a new building is placed too far from the others, warning icons appear to let you know.
New Event & Relic for the Demo
I’ve added a new event with real consequences and a relic that most players will be able to acquire, so everyone can experience how these systems work in the game.
Cat & More Decorations
Our village doggo has been feeling lonely, so now we have a cat! 🐱
It’ll be unlocked through an event or another method later (not available in the demo).
I also fixed an issue where animals wandered outside the gates at night.
On top of that, there are new decorations: reworked bonsai, customizable pots, and flower pots that bloom with different flowers each season. I’ve also added wind chimes and a few other cool details!
Contrast Improvements
Some players mentioned that the game looked a bit too foggy, so I’ve increased the contrast. It’s a subtle change, but it really improves visibility. (This was actually done in August, but I wanted to share it anyway!)
I’ve also simplified tutorial popups to make them less intrusive, rearranged and split some quests, and made lots of small improvements and bug fixes.
Save Compatibility & Steam Cloud
Unfortunately, older save files won’t work with this version of the game. This is due to major, game-breaking changes in the underlying code architecture, especially related to the new pathfinding system.
Additionally, I’ve corrected the game’s save folder name, it was previously (and mistakenly) named DreamDec, but it’s now properly called faraway_lands_rise_of_yokai.
If you’d like to keep your unlocked Lords and Titles, you can manually transfer your progress files:
Go to your old save folder:
%LOCALAPPDATA%\\DreamDec\\savesCopy the following files:
meta_stats.json meta_progress.jsonPaste them into the new save folder
%LOCALAPPDATA%\\Faraway_Lands_Rise_of_Yokai\\saves\\{steamUserId}
I’ve also enabled cloud support which now works correctly with multiple users on the same PC. I am sorry about the incompatibility! :(
I know there’s still no beta or release date, and there’s not much I can say yet, other than thank you so much for your patience. ❤️
The next update will probably cover Festivals and/or Events, so stay tuned!
See you then!