Several polishing changes in v0.13.15:
Controls
Hotbar + Toolbox controls & UI
- Items are now automatically held when selected. You can still 'keep' items into your bag.
- Added 'Hold hotbar items automatically' toggle in gameplay options. Default is on, though for the most of Early Access (before v0.13.15), the default has been off.
- A held item is kept when opening the toolbox/equipping a tool.
- [KBM] Toolbox closes when clicking to equip a tool.
- [Visual] While trowel has a crop, hotbar items will have lowered opacity (since they can't be used).
- [Visual] Added cross icon and lowered opacity when tool is not being used (i.e. when the player is holding an item).
- [Visual] Recoloured toolbox. Image for Toolbox tutorial is also updated.
Dev note: Since the above changes how the game feels to play, I thought to share more about the reason behind the change. Now and then, I get feedback regarding the controls for hotbar/tools in the game. I think most of it stems from the fact that Research Story gives permanent tools a separate inventory from all the other obtainable items, which is different from how several well-known games in the genre do it. While this has its own perks (tools don't take up the usual bag inventory/you won't forget them in a chest), players may find it more cluncky and unfamiliar. I've given it a lot of thought throughout development, and without re-doing how the game handles tools/bag inventory, I've tried to further improve this aspect of the game. If you prefer the previous controls, you can toggle 'Hold hotbar items automatically' in Options > Gameplay to Off.
Dialogue
- [Keyboard] Dialogue options can now be cycled through with up/down or up/down arrow keys.
- [Keyboard] Interact/Enter can be used to choose an option.
General Changes
Creature Pen
- Adjusted collision box for adding Feed to creature pen trough.
- Added white outline to trough when hovered over.
- On rainy days, creature pens now have a leaf shelter for creatures (purely cosmetic). The leaf shelter can be opened/closed.
Creature UI
- Animal portraits are better centered.
Furniture Interaction
- The Stone Bathtub can now be entered to regenerate Energy.
Options
- Added 'Time pauses at 2AM' gameplay option. Default is Off.
Misc
- Fish bait is also shown in the fishing rod above player's head when switching to Fishing Rod.
- Adjustments to several NPC cutscenes: the player will return to where they entered the map instead of where the cutscene ended.
Fixes
- Fixed a typo in Theo's Yellow Heart cutscene.
- Fixed a typo in Let's Make Some! (11) notice.
- Fixed being able to place items in hotsprings.
- Fixed a misalignment of player customisation in a cutscene with Vallee in the Puzzle Cave.
- Fixed a misalignment of player customisation that can happen during Spring/Autumn Festival cutscenes.
- Fixed held item being drawn above player's head during certain Hangout Activities.
More of such small adjustments to come as we prepare for 1.0! ^_^
- Miki