Hi Directors,
First of all, thank you.
I am genuinely grateful to everyone who shared feedback, took part in the poll, described what felt wrong, and suggested ideas for how colonist automation could work better. This update is fully based on that feedback.
The main thing I heard was clear: the game is interesting, but the early experience asks for too many repeated actions, and colonist automation did not go far enough to solve that. UX improvements are still planned for the next patch, but the colonist automation system was the more important mechanical issue, so I wanted to address it first.
Version 1.1.1 changes the direction of colonist automation. The original design intentionally limited how much could be automated with colonists. After reading your feedback and testing several different approaches, I decided that the better direction is to let colonist automation theoretically cover everything, while still keeping the system structured, readable, and balanced.
The biggest change is colony capacity. Reaching a new highest research tier now grants +15 colonists from Tier 1 through Tier 6. Higher tiers no longer add more colonists, so the extra capacity is focused on the part of the game where colonist automation matters most. Difficulty starting bonuses are unchanged: Hard starts with 0 colonists, Normal with 10, and Easy with 20.
Rest blocks were also reworked. Colonist automation still needs proper recovery structure, but Rest blocks now have a Rest multiplier. Each multiplier unit adds 5 seconds and counts as one Rest unit for validation. This means one x3 Rest block counts like three Rest blocks and lasts 15 seconds. Larger automation schemes should now be much cleaner and easier to build.
The other major change is tool durability in automation. Previously, automated recipes using tools could waste unused durability each cycle. Now automation keeps remaining tool durability inside each Production block between completed cycles. Every recipe iteration uses 1 durability, and the unused remainder stays available for that same block later.
This works in both colonist automation and electronic automation. For example, if a tool has 20 durability and an automated block runs 5 iterations per cycle, that one tool can now properly last through four cycles. In other words, recipes with tools now use their tools at full efficiency during automation.
I tested this update several times and tried multiple versions before settling on the current one. The goal was to make automation do what many players expected it to do: reduce repeated work, support long production chains, and make it possible to automate much more of the game without fighting the system.
Updated the game version to 1.1.1.
Rebalanced colony capacity: each new highest research tier from Tier 1 to Tier 6 now grants +15 colonists.
Higher research tiers after Tier 6 no longer add more colonists.
Updated tier unlock notifications to show the new +15 colonist bonus only when that tier grants colonists.
Added +15 colonist labels to research tier backgrounds where relevant.
Updated the Guide, tutorial text, voice script, and localized game data to explain the new colonist capacity rules.
Added a Rest multiplier to colonist automation Rest blocks.
Rest validation now counts Rest multiplier units instead of only counting physical Rest blocks.
Repeating production cycles now correctly validate multiplied Rest capacity.
Rest block duration now scales with its multiplier: 5 seconds per Rest unit.
Updated the sequential colonist automation template to use the new Rest structure.
Automation now stores remaining tool durability per Production block.
Tool durability carry-over works in both colonist automation and electronic automation.
Tool recipes in automation now use durability efficiently across repeated cycles.
Stopping or completing an automation scheme clears stored tool durability.
Added a Remaining Durability display and tooltip to automation Production blocks.
Automation estimates now account for carried tool durability in continuous loops.
Expanded rate summaries can now show more resource entries with scrolling instead of cutting the list short.
Improved interaction handling in the automation editor.
Improved notification positioning so automation controls are not blocked by popups.
Fixed several overlay layering issues around the Registry and automation UI.
Thank you again for the feedback, the poll participation, and the many ideas. This patch exists because of that discussion.