We're hard at work on the next patch, and we wanted to share some details!
Yes, Fahrenheit is coming 🌡️
Two of the focuses of this update are Lighting 💡 and Clothing 👕. Below details are subject to change as we test them internally, and based on feedback.
Due to limited lighting buildings, we previously didn't include a "light" stat for colonists. As part of this update, lighting is now a system that effects work speed and sleeping. Objects that offer light will show a new light range circle, and the actual light they provide is brighter and more obvious.
We are keeping the fuel based torches (which provide light and heat), but we're adding a new type of glow lamp for light only, that doesn't require fuel and turns on automatically when it's dark. They have a decent upfront cost since they provide "free" light once built.
We've also heard you in regards to accessibility. So we are adding a new option to control how dark the night is, you can reduce this or increase it if you want nights to be even darker. This affects the visual aspect, not how "light" your characters think it is. Here's an example, you can choose the setting that is most comfortable for you.
Everyone loves being able to change the look of their colonists and have outfits match the role, but currently it's a little annoying having to swap outfits for the weather.
We decided that we want to keep the visual element separate in most cases, because it's just more fun. To handle this we've added two new equipment slots on the character sheet for "clothes lining". You can craft linings that provide Cold Resistance, Heat Resistance and Armor. (Cold Resistance and Heat Resistance will replace the previous "insulation" stat).
This means you can have your Master Chef all dressed in chef clothes + hat, with resistances from lining so you don't need to equip a snow coat on an expedition.
You'll still have a bit of management here, and will need to decide what to put in those two slots. You could balance it out with heat and cold resistance, double up on cold resistance, or go all out on armor.
New Clothing
Around 8 new outfits will become available to complete your look (Chef, Farmer, Lumberjack etc). These don't have stats, their purpose is to make colonists look like their role. We will be keeping existing outfits as well, so you can still get the benefit of the Snow Coat etc.
We mentioned armor above. This is an entirely new stat for characters. Initially you will be able to have some armor with lining, but this is a system we will expand in the future (likely with dedicated armor outfits), and allow us to have higher tiers of enemies.
The first set of backpacks is also on the way. These will be a mix of equipment slot increases and role-based backpacks that will give stat bonuses. They are focused on tasks you tend to do away from home. For example there is the Mining Backpack which gives bonuses to mining.
Between backpacks and the new lining equipment, we have some fun things to play with and expand upon in the future, and you have plenty of things to craft to equip your colonists.
All of the above means there is a range of new tech, resources and crafting recipes that are just around the corner. From the Jellyfish Farm to Polyweave Mesh, you'll find a few new small production lines to manage.
Thanks for taking part in our Early Access journey! We'll keep you updated on progress, I'd expect the patch to take another week or so before it is put on the public test branch, depending on how everything feels during out internal tests.
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A huge thanks to all of the players helping each other out on the forums and in discord. It's really cool seeing tips being shared.
Keep your feedback coming as well, we read it all!
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