Update 0.7.8 - Quality of Life & The Next Chapter

# Update 0.7.8

Update **0.7.8** focuses on quality-of-life improvements, implementing many community-requested features, adding new customization options, refining gameplay, fixing bugs, improving the official website, updating the Player Manual, and completing several core systems that will serve as the foundation for upcoming versions.

## New Options

* Removed menu options that were only functional during gameplay.
* Added the **"Pause with Phone"** option. Opening the in-game phone now pauses the game, and closing it resumes gameplay. *(Disabled by default.)*
* Added the **"Auto Start Engine"** option. Pressing the accelerator automatically starts the engine. If the vehicle remains idle for 30 seconds without any interaction, the engine will turn off automatically. The manual engine button still works normally. *(Disabled by default.)*
* Added the **"Instinct Mode"** option. When enabled, fuel and vehicle condition percentages are hidden from the HUD. Fuel must be monitored only through the fuel gauge and the icon color, while vehicle condition is indicated by visual and mechanical signs such as smoke and difficulty starting the engine. *(Disabled by default.)*
* Adjusted the position of the **Phone Controls** option in the settings menu. *(This menu layout is still temporary and will be reorganized in the future.)*
* Added new **Freelook Camera** settings:

* Auto Return;
* Auto Return Delay (0–3 seconds);
* Default Camera Angle adjustment.
* Added an option to skip the vehicle entry animation when entering shops.
* Added an option that makes the police use spike strips more frequently and attempt to overtake the player before deploying them.

## Gameplay

* Improved the jump system.
* Added jump statistics.
* Added police chase statistics.
* Added statistics for money and XP collected from collectibles.
* Added the **Taxi Driver** job.
* Added a new challenge unlocked after purchasing the apartment.
* Added the possibility of receiving **night shift bonuses** while working.
* Completed the part unlock system. Some parts now require completing specific races before becoming available. *(This change may affect older save files.)*
* Added a new cheat and a new hidden easter egg on the map.
* Added a new hint related to a cheat mentioned in the previous changelog.

## Missions

* Improved **Gabriel's** mission. He now offers one free part on your first visit. *(One-time offer. Leaving the shop forfeits the reward.)*
* Improved **João's** mission. It now grants a **10% discount** on your first purchase. *(One-time offer. Leaving the shop forfeits the reward.)*

## Shops

* Added a **Shopping Cart** system to the Workshop and Audio Shop. Players can now select multiple items and purchase everything at once before leaving the shop.

## Vehicles

* Improved exhaust smoke effects.
* Exhaust smoke now appears automatically on older vehicles and on any vehicle during very cold temperatures.
* Vehicles with less than **20% durability** now emit black smoke from the exhaust.
* Further improved ambulance AI.

## World

* Added new objects to the drag racing area.
* Added pedestrians waiting at bus stops, making the city feel more alive. *(This system serves as a foundation for future features.)*
* Continued development of the airport travel settings.

## Interface

* Updated several radar icons.
* Added a notification showing which song has started playing.
* Players can now change songs using **Page Up** and **Page Down**, provided they are connected to a speaker.
* Fixed incorrect text in the Fast Travel app.

## Visual Effects

* Improved the rain effect, reducing its pixelated appearance.
* Added lighting that simulates traffic light reflections on wet asphalt during rain.

## Official Website

* Updated the overall design of the official website.
* Improved page organization and navigation.

## Player Manual

* Updated the Player Manual with the latest information.
* Revised instructions and descriptions to reflect the newest features and gameplay changes.

## Fixes

* Fixed a possible conflict involving the **RenderingEffects** system.
* Fixed the solid traffic cone found in the tutorial.
* Fixed a case where the minimap could remain active after completing the first mission introduced in Update **0.7.5**.
* Fixed the minimap disappearing after being arrested during a race.
* Fixed an issue with speaker detection.
* Fixed the Freelook camera failing to reactivate after leaving interiors.
* Restored missing traffic signs that disappeared in some regions after Update **0.7.6**.


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# What's Next

Update **0.7.8** marks the completion of an important stage in the game's development. With this release, several core systems have been finalized, and many community-requested improvements have been implemented.

From this point forward, new updates will only be released if critical issues affecting progression or gameplay are discovered. This will allow us to dedicate our full attention to the research, validation, and development of **Multiplayer**, which will be the primary focus of the next major milestone.

If everything goes according to plan, **Version 0.8** will focus mainly on introducing Multiplayer and completing the game's endgame content. Afterwards, **Version 0.9** will be dedicated to polishing, balancing, and refining the systems already in place.

Thank you to everyone who shared suggestions, reported bugs, and supported the game's development so far. Every piece of feedback has helped shape the project, and your continued support will be essential as we move toward the next chapter.