Hi everyone, 😄
Thank you very much for all the feedback, reports, and suggestions you have continued to share with us. Alongside reviewing player feedback, we have also been evaluating several existing systems internally to make larger factories easier to navigate and manage.
This update introduces a new centralized way to control and upgrade machines, adds Machine Aliases for clearer identification, and expands character movement with a new Crouch control. We have also continued improving item filtering and included an important crash fix related to Packaging stock.
With that in mind, here is what is included in this update.
Main Updates
1. Machine Management
A new Management Machine is now available, allowing players to manage machines throughout their factories from one centralized panel.
The Management Machine must be purchased and placed before its panel can be accessed. Players may also place multiple Management Machines if they want access to the panel from different locations.
The system supports all machines, including Conveyors and other production-line components. Equipment such as Racks, Box Carriers, and similar objects is not included.
a. Individual and Bulk Machine Controls
Players can now turn machines on or off directly through the Management Machine.
Machines can be controlled individually, or players can use the bulk controls to turn every machine within the selected category on or off at once.
A machine that is turned off will stop operating, while any items already stored inside it will remain in place. Its active state is also preserved after saving and reloading the game.
b. Factory Area Information and Filtering
Each machine entry shows which Factory Area it belongs to.
The machine list can be filtered using:
Any Factory
First Factory
Second Factory
This makes it easier to locate and manage machines when production lines are spread between multiple factory buildings.
c. Individual and Batch Speed Upgrades
Machine Speed Levels can now be upgraded directly through the Management Machine.
Players can upgrade one machine individually or perform a Batch Upgrade for all eligible machines within a selected category.
Each Batch Upgrade increases the affected machines by one Speed Level. The total cost is shown before confirmation, while machines that have already reached their maximum level or cannot be upgraded are automatically excluded.
d. Machine Aliases
Players can now assign a custom alias to a machine through its direct interaction menu.
Aliases do not need to be unique, allowing players to name machines according to their production line, purpose, location, or any other organizational preference.
The original machine name remains available, while the custom alias is highlighted across supported machine displays, including the Management Machine. Aliases will not appear while a machine is still packed inside its box.
Machines without a custom alias will continue displaying their original name without an automatically assigned number.
2. Crouch and Movement Controls
Players can now crouch to move through production areas with limited vertical space, including spaces beneath Elevated Conveyors.
Crouch uses a hold-based control:
Keyboard: Hold Ctrl
Controller: Hold Left Bumper and Right Bumper
The keyboard control can also be changed through the Key Bindings menu.
While crouching:
Movement speed is reduced.
Sprinting is disabled.
Jumping is disabled.
The camera moves to a lower position.
The player will remain crouched when an object above prevents them from standing safely.
This provides more flexibility when navigating compact or vertically layered production layouts.
Improvements
1. Expanded Cold Storage Rack Filtering
The product selection menu for Cold Storage Racks has been updated with additional filtering based on:
Commodity Category
Packaging Type
This continues the filtering improvements introduced in the previous update, which were not yet available for Cold Storage Racks.
The available Packaging Types are:
Thinwall Bowl
Bottle
Jar
Pouch
Sachet
Aseptic Carton
Can
These filters help narrow the product list before selecting one specific product for the rack.
When Commodity Category and Packaging Type are used together, a product must match both conditions to appear.
Commodity Category matching is based on the commodities used by the product’s Label. For Labels containing multiple ingredients, the product will remain included as long as at least one ingredient matches the selected category.
The selected categories also become additional acceptance rules for the rack, helping players maintain more organized Cold Storage layouts.
2. Show Control Legend Setting
A new Show Control Legend option has been added to the Gameplay Settings.
When enabled, the on-screen legend displays controls for:
Move
Sprint
Crouch
Jump
The setting is enabled by default and can be turned off by players who prefer a cleaner interface.
The selected preference is saved and will remain the same after closing and reopening the game.
3. Updated Cursor Lock Behavior
Because Ctrl is now used as the default keyboard control for Crouch, the previous shortcut for releasing the cursor during gameplay has been removed.
The mouse will continue controlling the camera during regular gameplay, while the cursor will become available automatically whenever a UI menu is opened.
There is no longer a separate free-cursor mode outside UI menus.
Bug Fixes
Fixed an issue related to Packaging stock that could cause the game to crash unexpectedly.
Thank you again for your continued support, reports, and feedback. We are still reviewing everything you share and will continue prioritizing further improvements based on feasibility and impact.
Some suggestions may require additional design, testing, or technical preparation before they can be implemented, but not seeing an idea in the current update does not mean it has been ignored.
If you encounter any issues or unexpected behavior, please report them through the in-game Bug Report Menu and/or the Steam Discussions so we can investigate further.
See you in the next update! 🥗🚚