Update.02: The Red Planet

Welcome to “Helnera”: The Red Planet

Greetings Space Realtors!

The Red Planet update is here, and we couldn’t be more excited to introduce you to Helnera!

Close to the local star, this sizzling world offers HOT beaches, rich natural resources, and 11 exciting regions to uncover. From arid mountains to acidic peninsulas and the smoldering heart of Mount Deth, there’s no shortage of real estate opportunities—or challenges!

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New Helneran Creatures, World Features & Constructions:

• Bollwarks
  Skilled builders who prefer their privacy but can become aggressively protective of their homes. Best to keep things neighborly unless you want trouble!
• Stonecrows
  These rare creatures defy biology and geology alike. Catching a closer look might unlock new research, but good luck—they're as skittish as they are fascinating.
• World Feature: “Mount Deth”
  Despite the intimidating name, Mount Deth (which totally means “friendship” in the ancient Hoxolot language) is a prime source of energy. Harnessing its lava flow with the right tech could be a game-changer!
• Base Building: “Synthide Extractor”
  Extract valuable Synthetics from Helnera’s mineral-rich soil to fuel your expansion.

New Main Project and Events

On top of the new planet we are also introducing a bunch of new events to be explored. Note that these can be played on both the new red planet Helnera, as well as the previous green planet Autica.

• Main Project: “Fuseburner Contract”
  Team up with the eccentric Sir Fuseburner to prototype an invention, come up with a stellar marketing strategy, and (hopefully) prosper!
• Event: “Galob Predicament”
  Someone’s in a sticky situation on the planet, and their distress signal is counting on you to save them.
• Event: “Crusty Crustaceans”
  The elusive subterranean Rock Lobster has emerged—and its odd behavior might just spell trouble!
  General Improvements

An update wouldn’t be complete without us sprucing things up and tweaking. Below, you’ll find a list of improvements and bug fixes!

• Revised multiplayer connectivity
• Interface Polish: Updated glyphs and icons, increased readability, layout adjustments, color tuning and much more!
• Enabled deletion of developments: Sometimes you need to abandon something to start over fresh!
• Overhauled the Controller Legend page in settings
• Tuned the Camera Sensitivity parameters for a literally smoother experience
• Improved performance on Spaceship

Squashed Bugs:

• Added description for “Young Blarfair” construction
• Removed some interaction quirks occurring in the toolbox for clients
• “Dots” in the Codex now updates individually in multiplayer
• Curated the creatures preview images in the Codex
• Various minor fixes syncing issues in multiplayer
• Fixed an issue of clients not able to move buildings in base correctly
• Stopped Region and Hub summary windows from stacking on top of each other in the Teleporter map
• Fixed an issue where an World Feature could be improved on twice for clients in multiplayer
• Removed unnecessary glyphs in some cutscenes
• Fixed various instances of music not triggering correctly
• Features that are blocked for the client in multiplayer now display messages when tried to be interacted with.
• Fixed interfaces not adjusting correctly when playing the game in 16:10
• Removed instances of players turning invisible in multiplayer
• Various minor fixes to interfaces
• Fixed pot holes on the Green Planet where the player could walk into the environment
• Added text to some descriptions that were missing
• Fixed an issue where the player could disable interaction on the Spaceship when switching between languages
• Added and updated various icons
• Fixed issue where transfer from dead player storage to inventory did not behave correctly
• Clients now pointing in correct direction when spawning from building their houses
• Rewrote some text for clearer instructions in objectives that were vague
• Active gadgets and tool positions in Radial Menu is now saved between sessions
• Clients can now hold their picnic basket correctly
• Fixed instance of Mini Map markers duplicating for client in multiplayer
• Refinery interface now update correctly for client in multiplayer

For those returning since the Lift-Off update back in September, you can also look forward to a good number of UI improvements and general fixes from our interim updates released during our work on the Red Planet, including:

• Interface Glow-Up: Status, Faction, and the Objectives pages has received lots of love for smoother navigation, better overview and in general a more stylish look!
• Dynamic Resolution Upgrades: New settings and expanded support for a wider range of setups
• Gamepad Love: Improved Codex navigation and updated legends—gamepad users, enjoy!
• Cleaner Views: Hide UI glyphs with a new toggle
• World Map Overhaul: Hover for instant context—no more flipping between menus!
• Tooltip For Everyone: Inspection and Tooltips added to interfaces like the World Map, Crafting & Storage UIs, the Market Prospect, and more.
• Audio Upgrade: Enhanced sound effects for buildings, and your trusty wrench—what does the frog say? SPLAT!
• Early Access Reminder: A shiny new label in the main menu to remind you that the best is yet to come.
• Extra Polish: A sprinkle of improvements across various icons and interfaces for that final touch!

For the whole list of improvements and squashed bugs featured in the interim updates, see linked discussion thread of Past Patch Notes

We can’t wait for you to dive into Helnera and make it your own! As always, we’d love to hear your thoughts on Discord.

Thank you for playing, and we’ll see you on Helnera!