Hey everyone,
We’re kicking off a three-day look at the next major update, which launches Wednesday, September 10.
Today’s focus is on performance and quality of life. These changes make every session feel snappier and more reliable, especially in larger settlements and on lower-end devices. The list below is not complete, and there are tons of other smaller changes and improvements, but we want to highlight a few key improvements that you've been asking for!
Map loading improvements: We have reworked the way the map data loads to improve performance on lower-end devices, and to prepare for supporting big map configurations with additional content. This includes chunk-loading parts of the map, on-screen and in-view detection and hundreds of optimizations to make sure the game runs smoothly for everyone.
Improved loading times: We took a new look at the loading and saving functionality, addressing several issues that caused slowness while games were being loaded. The end result is a severely improved loading experience for everyone, and especially for bigger saves.
Optimizations: Most of the game systems have been checked and re-visited to add performance optimizations and improvements where possible. Additional layers of caching have been added to speed things up, and some parts of the code has been rewritten for improved performance.
Task queuing system: Your villagers do things in a task-based system, but sometimes that system was being a bit ... dumb. Some tasks could easily block the progression of other tasks, and especially as your settlement grew, non-important tasks could overtake important tasks. After adding a new task queuing system, performance has improved dramatically across all tasks.
Tooltips: We've gone through the entire UI and added helpful tooltips and popups to explain things better. No more getting lost about what each button do or doesn't do.
Map generator improvements: We've sped up the map generator for new games, and updated the way it works so your map changes now apply instantly without a full regeneration. This makes it easier to tweak and change settings on maps you like.
We added a camera position overlay added to the minimap so you can easily see where on the map you're looking
A visual building highlight has been added when you pause your mouse over a building for easier selection and planning
While we haven't managed to reach the framerate target for full Steam Deck "supported" labelling yet, we've added support for several Steam Deck-specific functions such as correct input glyphs, framerate improvements and floating keyboard inputs.
That’s Day 1. Tomorrow we’ll cover the new systems that add depth to your settlements, including education, the tech tree, and more!