Hey, Chieftains!
Time flies — it's been a while since we last talked about our optimization progress. As outlined in our previous roadmap, this dev log is dedicated to the building system changes arriving next week — one of the modules we've invested the most effort into during this phase.
Before we dive in, some good news: Our Public Test Branch (PTB) is now fully open — no password required. Simply right-click the game → [Properties] → [Betas], select "Public test," and you're in.
Everything mentioned in this dev log is already deployed on that branch, so you can try it all out ahead of time.
The PTB also features the brand-new Red Crystal affix system — an experimental take on loot-grinding gameplay. You can quickly obtain these new Red Crystals from dungeon enemy drops in the PTB. We'd love to hear your first round of feedback on this.
Oh, and with next week's July update, our new summer sale will also go live — this will be the last sale window before our major update, so don't miss it!
Alright, let's get into it.
New System: Building Mode
This is the biggest change in this update.
In the new Building Mode, while holding any building hammer, press [B] to bring up a building component list. From this interface, you can clearly see the exact raw materials required for each component, and directly pull from your inventory or camp storage chests to build instantly — meaning you can skip the previous workflow of "run to a crafting station to mass-produce components, then carry them over to place." As long as your camp has the resources, you can build on the spot.
To be clear, this isn't replacing the existing building logic. Planning Mode, Infinite Build Mode, and the traditional inventory-based building method are all fully preserved. You can still have your Tribesmen auto-produce component stockpiles before building, or assign them to handle construction directly. The new Building Mode simply offers a more direct path for when you think: "I have the materials right now, and I want to build this thing immediately."
Other Building Improvements
Beyond Building Mode itself, we've also made a batch of focused improvements to other aspects of the building system:
New Small Crop Plot: We noticed many Chieftains wanted to set up farming in space-limited camps, so we've added a 3×3 meter small crop plot that fits into tighter areas for agricultural planning.
Elephant Deck Saddle Enhancement: Thanks to further applications of anti-gravity technology, elephant mounts now have significantly increased load capacity — you can use any floor component on the saddle to construct large buildings, or even an entire mobile fortress.
Building Snap Logic Adjustments: We've overhauled the snap detection logic, with particular focus on roof piece connections. The goal is to lower the barrier when constructing complex roof structures.
New Zipline Network: Powered ziplines will now support connecting up to three nodes on a single line. During the build preview, the system will automatically detect and connect nearby eligible zipline structures, while still allowing manual adjustments. We hope this change pushes resource transport networks further in both efficiency and flexibility.
About Building Blueprints
We want to be upfront about a schedule adjustment here: The building blueprint feature unfortunately won't make it into the July update. The technical complexity behind achieving "save and freely place buildings anywhere, anytime" turned out to be significantly higher than our initial estimates, and after assessment, we determined that forcing it live would carry unacceptable risk.
We've actually achieved a similar goal with ships before, but given the more complex use cases and the unique nature of buildings, we need to approach this with a different method. As soon as there's new progress, we'll keep you updated.
About the HUD
We're extremely grateful to everyone on the PTB servers, as well as those who shared feedback in community discussions earlier. Ultimately, we landed on a design that keeps information cleaner while preserving existing player habits:
Two changes that received positive feedback during PTB testing will be kept and further refined: press [F10] to view full status details at any time; press [F9] for more detailed quest guidance to help Chieftains who are new to the world quickly orient themselves on their current objectives.
Additionally, pressing [F11] will hide all control prompts until you press it again — we've also optimized the state-saving logic for this feature to prevent settings from being lost.
We still welcome all feedback on HUD and UI — more targeted improvements will follow.
What Else?
It's been over two months since Soulmask 1.0 launched, and during this time our focus has been on systematic optimization. But at the same time, the unsolved mysteries deep within the Shifting Sands have never left our minds.
The records of a collapsed dynasty, the fragments of a war among gods, the legends of the Sun God who created it all — the destination they point toward is about to be truly unveiled.
We'll have more to share next week. See you then!