Ahoy mateys!
We are hard at work on the next update and we wanted to give you a preview of what you can expect coming down the line. We don't have an exact estimate on when this update will be available, but it will probably hit the beta branch within the next 4-8 weeks. Let's dive in!
Village Islands
In the next update we'll be introducing a brand new island type we are calling Village Islands. Unlike Seaport Islands which mostly just contain merchants, these islands will contain villages with homes where the townsfolk have set up their permanent residence. You'll be able to talk to the villagers, learn the history of their community, go on unique quests, and get some unique rewards. These are primarily self contained to the island and have a much more hand-crafted feel than other content in the game.
Throwing Knives and Bombs
We'll also be introducing a brand new weapon type in the next update we are calling throwables. To start, we are adding throwable bombs and throwing knives. Bombs will have a fuse time and do a large area of effect damage, useful for blowing up pirates when they are in a group. Throwing knives will be a much more stealthy approach and do a lot of damage but require careful aim. Along with these weapon types we are introducing a new throwable skill tree so you'll be able to unlock unique talents along the way.
Female NPC Models
The next patch will also include female NPC models. Now you'll occasionally find pirates, merchants, and quest NPCs that are females.
Ship Wheel Mechanics
In the next update we are also adding the ability to lock your ship wheel position. Currently the ship wheel auto rotates back to center when you let go. While this might be fine for some sailors, others may prefer more control and want to be able to leave the wheel in its position to maintain an angle or certain direction. We've added a way you can now lock or unlock your ship wheel while using it, allowing you to decide on the fly whether you want it to auto recenter or not.
Content Coming In A Later Update
Although this won't be included in the next update, we are also working on localization and cooperative multiplayer. Both of these are going well and we will need your help in testing both localization and multiplayer once those updates go live.
As always thanks for reading and we'd love to hear your feedback.