This patch brings in a number of new features including tutorials, coal mines, and the enchanting recipe tree. It also adds a few visual improvements such as GPU instanced grass and anti-tiling shaders for distant terrains. But more importantly than anything, bug fixes! There was a lot of small polish that went into the more recent patches that should clear up a lot of small errors both old and new.
One big change was an upgrade to the Unity engine. We went from 2018.2.2 to 2018.3.9. This meant a lot of new systems and changes to code that should produce a slight improvement in performance for everyone. It's always an arduous task to upgrade a project to a new Unity version, but cursor lock was completely broken in the version we were using and it was causing a lot of player headaches. This should fix that once and for all. Note that the mouse is still not confined to the window when the cursor is enabled, for example when looking at the menu or inventory. If an option for enabling cursor confinement is needed I can certainly add one in!
The tutorials that have been added in required a quest system to be built from scratch, and so I created one with, as usual, modding in mind. In the future it will be possible to add quests into the game without too much effort, though a system of quest givers has yet to be added, so we're not quite ready for that.
Building snapping was a favorite addition among many players that allows building and pre-made structures to be placed "snapped" to a world grid, so that other buildings and structure can be placed in perfect alignment.
Coal mines have also been added in, though their true purpose is still just around the corner as I move on to adding more crafting progression content to open up the next phase of adventuring progression!
As always a huge thanks to everyone suffering through my mistakes and mishaps on the beta branch, all while diligently reporting bugs. And to everyone in general joining us in open-beta!
Note that this patch will require you to "update" older saved games via the update button on them. This will reset map data, encounters, and resources, and will attempt to reposition buildings if the area they are in has changed due to changes in world generation. This may also cause a solace inside of a cave to end up in a void of empty space due to changes in cave generation. It's best to start a new world, but the update option is there so no one is forced to wipe their world and start over from scratch.
The condensed patch notes are as follows:
v 0.4.5c3 - 2019.04.18
Quests
- Added a quest journal via the J key (not built-in to key binding menu yet)
- Added a branching series of tutorial quests
Building
- Control keys can now be used to "snap" buildings and facilities positions to a 1 per meter grid
- Control will also "snap" rotation of facilities and town buildings to the nearest multiple of 22.5 degrees
Enchanting
- Enchants are now unlocked via skill points rewarded for leveling enchanting
- Added minor and major versions of attribute enchants
Map
- Map markers are now stored in a specific compact format, rather than attempting to make use of resource and encounter data
- Resource scanning (and all map markers) can now display from all known terrain, not only those loaded during the current session
- Added "Town Encounter" and "Small Encounter" toggles to the map
- Added coal mines and monoliths to the map
Environment
- Added GPU instanced grass and settings under the in-game video settings
- Grass will now automatically be removed beneath foundations (not around them)
- Reduced smoothness of most terrain textures
- Trees no long use the "forest" method of simulated placement, now using perlin noise
- Improved distant terrain texturing
Towns
- Harvester NPCs can now be summoned from the facilities if they are in a closed room and certain building and furniture requirements are met (WIP)
- Towns now know what biome they are in
- Town Crafters now require 50 metal and 50 of the resource they specialize in to construct
General
- Upgraded Unity to 2018.3.9 (Fixes cursor lock problems)
- Added an animation toggle to the character creation screen
- Added a music toggle to the character creation screen
- Added a tooltip system, currently only used on the facility upgrade screen
- Having less than 10 hydration now makes you thirsty, stopping energy and mana regeneration
- Having less than 10 fullness now make you hungry, stopping health regeneration
- Hunger, Starvation, Thirsty, and Dehydration, will now display effect icons in the upper right
- Added Light as a player stat, increased via enchanting, that increases the range and intensity of the player's illumination
- Skill tiers not yet unlocked for purchase are now greyed out
- Crafting and building can now pull resources from bags in your inventory
- Added ragdoll to crystal and obsidian golems after death
- Added "final" stats in parenthesis next to the base numbers in skill detail windows that factor in player attributes and equipment (where applicable)
You may need to restart Steam for the update to begin.
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