Things have been quiet for a few weeks - that's because of the vacation period and our annual studio meet-up. As we do every year, all studio members met in person to discuss Exciting Things coming to Timberborn down the road. But shhh, more on that in the future.
Also, we've been working on a few extra tweaks we need to implement before releasing Update 6 - Wonders of Water (yes, that's the official name!) onto the main branch. Here’s the first bunch.
Patch notes 2024-09-05 (Experimental)
Construction guidelines
With the addition of overhangs, aqueducts, and increased focus on vertical building, it was time to implement a new quality-of-life feature. When constructing new buildings, it is now possible to toggle the construction guidelines view. This view helps you align new buildings correctly despite height differences or large distances.
Added construction guidelines view to the construction mode. This view can be toggled with a new button added to the top right corner of the screen (default key binding: Shift+X) or by holding X.
Maps
We’re on track to revise all built-in maps for Update 6! Today, four more join our updated roster.
Reworked the Lakes, Plains, Beaverome, and Mountain Range maps. The implemented changes range from slight to very significant.
Performance
Significantly lowered saving times, especially on larger settlements.
Mods
The mod incompatibility warning screen now uses different icons. It’s easier to tell which mods are outdated, and which are missing.
Because of some under-the-hood changes, this update might break most buildings added by mods. To remedy that - at least partially - we’ve uploaded a dedicated script onto our modding repository. If you’re a modder and today’s update affected your creations, you must select a broken prefab and run the script (Timberborn -> Fix Prefab Components). Sadly, this will only fix some related issues.
Misc.
Increased the tolerance for slight mouse movements with the RMB pressed down before the camera moves. We recently removed that annoying camera delay but as a result, the camera would sometimes jerk on short RMB presses (for example, when using that to close a window). Hopefully, we’ll strike a good middle ground now.
Removed the Unlock camera checkbox from settings. The camera is now always unlocked.
It is now possible to build all non-Ground-only buildings on Impermeable Floor. Its model was updated to make it easier to see buildings underneath it when using the layer-hiding tool.
Updated the layer-hiding tool so that it’s possible to see Impermeable Floor tiles placed under buildings.
Impermeable Floor tiles now look consistent no matter what they’re built on.
Earth Recultivator’s lanterns now cast shadows.
Added missing flavor texts to several Update 6 buildings.
Simplified the model for crop leftovers (a.k.a. these little crates sometimes left next to harvested crops).
Beehive is no longer a Ground-only building.
Slope now needs to be demolished by builders rather than with a single click.
Did you know that Underground Pile was asymmetrical? Well, it no longer is, and you can no longer flip it.
Borders on the Wonder’s congratulatory screen are now consistent.
Changed the default console key binding on macOS to Alt+~.
Changing key bindings no longer triggers related actions (for example, changing a screenshot key binding no longer takes a screenshot).
Bug fixes
The deletion tool now works correctly with Sluices.
Ranges for buildings are no longer displayed on layers that are still in construction.
Fixed the lag caused by highlighting lots of objects, for example when using the Mark trees for cutting tool.
Fixed the selection collider for Mine and Efficient Mine.
Fixed the incorrect height for Wood Workshop.
Campfire’s light is now emitted at the correct height.
Kits that visited the Detailer no longer apply parts of the design to their... teeth.
Restored the visual differences between dry and irrigated areas marked for planting.
Fixed some visual issues with how badwater mixed with fresh water compared to Update 5.
Power Shaft connectors should now be positioned correctly when attached to buildings.
Fixed an issue with water sometimes appearing cut out when rendered at the top levels of the map and under specific camera positions.
Fixed Barrack’s rooftops messing up construction sites for buildings placed on its top, such as the Rooftop Terrace.
Platforms no longer clip through the dirt on construction sites.
Tweaked Levee, Sluice, and Dam to display construction sites for buildings constructed on their top correctly.
The construction site’s entrance no longer clips with several flat-roofed buildings such as warehouses.
Excavator’s model no longer clips through Overhangs.
Added that one missing plank to Roof (1x1). We’re the first to admit that this was an inexcusable design flaw.
Fixed several issues with the Japanese localization.
Fixed a few key binding bugs related to opening the console.
Fixed a rare crash related to persisting player data.
Fixed a bug with save game labels not being refreshed correctly when switching between settlements in the Load Game window.
Fixed a rare crash caused by the settlement panel and dead beavers... again.
In addition to the usual tweaks and fixes, today’s update to Update 6 includes a highly requested feature: custom construction models for all in-game buildings! Also, completing a wonder now rewards you with some pretty art depicting your humanoid beavers at their best!
Construction stages
After we revealed wonders and how they’re built across several construction stages, you made it clear that the rest of the in-game buildings could use a similar feature. Fast forward a few weeks, and here we are! Now, each building in the game uses a custom construction model!
Added construction stages to all in-game buildings. A building-specific construction model appears after materials have been brought to an empty construction site. All non-wonder, non-monument buildings in the game receive one such extra construction stage before they’re finished. The regular monuments have two.
Updated the initial construction site for Dynamite (all types) so that it doesn’t cover the path underneath as much.
Wonders
Your accomplishments deserve special treatment!
Added new, faction-specific 2D art to the congratulatory screens displayed upon completing the wonder for the first time. You better get that construction going!
Maps
We’re continuing our work on all built-in maps.
Updated Canyon with a dedicated flexible start area.
Tweaked waterfalls on Cliffside.
Fixed that terrible one-tile misalignment spotted in the aqueduct ruins on Meander.
Fixed the incorrect initial water simulation on Diorama and Meander.
Mods
We’ve made several changes that should make the lives of our modding community easier.
When you attempt to load a save file created while mods were installed, the game checks which mods are currently active. If anything's missing, a warning with a list will be displayed.
Added a new button to the Load game window, allowing you to check which mods were installed during a particular save file's creation.
In the mod manifest file, you may now list optional mods on top of the required mods. The optional mods are included in the launch order, but when not installed, they won’t display a warning message the required mods have.
Holding the default modifier key (Shift) when clicking arrows in the mod manager now moves the selected mod to the top or bottom.
Added Ctrl + ~ as a new keybinding that opens an in-game console, allowing you to view logs.
Added game version information to the mod manager window displayed at the game’s launch.
The IModStarter interface now has a method that lets you retrieve the mod’s system path.
To prevent some possible crashes, only a single instance of the game can now run at the same time.
Updated the Large Windmill’s model so that it now actually uses the Paper it was built with. Conversely, the (small) Windmill no longer uses Paper in its model.
Tweaked the Blockage’s model, making it a little more rockish.
It is now possible to build Dynamite below Sluice’s front part.
Bug fixes
Unfinished shafts no longer appear to be completed upon reloading the game.
The sliders in the Sluice’s panel should now be more accurate when the building is built high above the ground.
The deletion tool should now correctly mass-select objects placed on the Impermeable Floor such as paths and shafts.
Fixed a bug with terrain tiles appearing inside the underground buildings. Hopefully, we won’t need to fix it for the third time.
Status icons no longer appear way too high above buildings still under construction. Wonders were the worst offenders here.
It is now possible to select Overhangs by clicking their “legs”.
Fixed a visual bug with irrigated areas appearing to be cut off in a straight line.
Aquatic plants exposed to a fatal badwater wave now display a correct obituary. ;(
Here's another bunch of tweaks and bugfixes, including map updates and a fix to the right mouse button delay.
Maps
We’ve reworked Diorama, Waterfalls, and Meander by applying some U6-specific changes.
Added a small overhang to the Diorama waterfall.
Added an overhang bridge to the Waterfalls map, as well as a small secret behind the titular feature.
Added some new ruined hooman structures to the Meander map.
Made minor fixes to terrain or misplaced resources across all listed maps.
Fixed some water quirks on the Cliffside map.
Misc.
Added a tooltip to the grayed-out “Delete” icon in the building that can’t be removed that way because of other buildings placed on top of it.
The congratulatory pop-up shown after completing the wonder now includes the number of days it took your beavers to reach that milestone.
Updated Badwater Rig so that it neatly fits under Overhangs.
Added compatibility warning for macOS users who use the mod manager with the game launched in Silicon mode instead of Rosetta and a similar warning about Rosetta’s performance impact
Made small changes to the analytics system, i.e. now we know not only what building was built, but when.
Tweaked the way the game state and maps are saved. We hope it will result in fewer broken save files.
Bug fixes
Removed that weird delay when rotating the camera with the right mouse button.
Fixed a crash related to the District Crossing.
It is now possible to place Impermeable Floor under Upward Shafts.
The game no longer crashes when it cannot access the Documents folder on macOS.
Fixed a bug with water passing through Sluices too slowly.
Badwater should no longer magically change into pure, clean water. It’s baaad for a reason, you know.
Wonder workers should now correctly receive bonuses for their well-being.
The game should no longer crash when Upward and Vertical Shafts’ models updated while building vertical power lines.
It’s time for another batch of experimental Update 6 tweaks and bugfixes. Enjoy!
Buildings
Updated buildings: Engine and Large Power Wheel. Following a similar change to windmills, it is now possible to attach a Vertical (or Upward) Power Shaft to the central bottom tile of these power-producing buildings. They can also power up Solid buildings placed directly below (such as the Bot Part Factory).
Updated buildings: Mine, Efficient Mine, and Underground Pile. These buildings’ entrances are now at the ground level.
Misc
Added the ability to assign keybindings for upward and downward camera rotation.
The camera position is no longer saved in the map editor.
Added warnings for Downward and Upward Power Shafts when you’re about to block their connectors.
The game no longer warns about blocked power connectors when there’s at least one connector still available. And if all connectors are blocked, the warning says just that.
Added a tooltip to the grayed out “Delete” button when the building cannot be deleted because of other structures placed above.
Updated icons for the Local indicator on the map and mod selection screens.
Updated shaders for some crops.
Added flavor texts for both factions’ wonders.
Bugs
Fixed a relatively common issue related to the player.data file that would crash the game at launch.
Builders carrying goods were once again reminded not to ignore paths. Safety first!
Cleared the 0,0 camera position saved as the default restorable position on Plains and Helix Mountain.
Fixed a bug with beavers creating a moshpit right at the Underground Pile’s entrance.
Water particles on Buildings such as Water Dump or Mechanical Water Pump no longer clip through Impermeable Floor, Levees, Dams, Sluices, or even ground.
Water Sources are now hidden when using the layer-hiding tool.
Fixed plant life not changing its status after being flooded in the map editor.
Fixed a bug with paths attempting to connect to Stairs from the side. We know, we know.
Beavers no longer pretend to be ghosts and cannot enter buildings through walls.
Fixed the missing Network power supply / demand header not appearing for the first group of buildings listed in the Power tab of the Settlement Panel.
Water Gauge and Badwater Rig no longer clip through other buildings.
Fixed the occasional overflowing on the Canyon map.
We expect today's changes to help with the "invisible water" bug on some older configurations. If you've experienced this, please let us know if the problem persists, or if it’s gone, on your hardware.
We've had our share of hotfixes, so it's time for some extra Update 6 content! Today, Cliffside joins our official map roster - and it's a perfect choice for the enthusiasts of smaller settlements! Also, we're adding Vertical Power Shafts to the game. With 3D water physics now available, the demand for vertical builds skyrockets, and these things are very handy!
Patch notes 2024-07-03 (experimental)
As a reminder, to play on the experimental branch, follow the steps described here:
The old way of running power between elevations was a little clunky - both in tight spaces and when you needed to cover a great height distance. Today, we're replacing the old High Power Shaft with three separate modules. Vertical Power Shafts stack vertically one atop another, and they can even power up buildings through the floor. There are also some other tweaks.
New building: Vertical Power Shaft (40 SP; 2 logs, 2 planks, 1 gear; Solid; must be placed above ground). Use this shaft to build vertical power lines and, thanks to its integrated platform, to power up buildings through the floor.
New buildings: Upward Power Shaft and Downward Power Shaft (20 SP; 2 logs, 2 planks, 1 gear each). These are used in connection with Vertical Power Shafts but since they’re separate buildings, power lines can now turn in any direction without wasting space.
Updated buildings: Mechanical Fluid Pump and Deep Mechanical Fluid Pump. Power shafts can now connect from front and back (or even bottom!), and not just from the sides. Also, the Pump’s lower part now acts like a three-block levee, blocking water.
Updated buildings: Windmills and Large Windmills. When placed on Vertical Power Shafts, windmills' power output is transferred directly downwards.
3D water physics
We absolutely love what you're doing with the updated water physics system, so we wanted to expand it a little more. Keep your crazy builds coming!
When a fluid reaches the ceiling above a covered fluid source and there’s a way for it to escape, for example to the side and upwards, it will do just that. In short, this means that you can now assemble pipe-like setups.
Water Sources can now be built over Natural Overhangs in the Map Editor.
Platforms covered with Impermeable Floors no longer allow water to pass through from below.
Maps
We're adding our thirteenth official map, Cliffside, to the game. It's on the smaller side, making it an interesting - but a little more forgiving - choice for Diorama enjoyers. It is also our first official map featuring Natural Overhangs, encouraging you to play with 3D water physics.
After you’ve had a chance to play on the new map, please share your feedback on our Discord, in the thread we pinned in #experimental!
Added the new map to the game: Cliffside (100x50).
Misc.
Extended building times for most buildings so that you can enjoy the view of beavers hammering away a little more often.
When using the layer hiding tool, hidden layers of terrain are now more prominent so that it's easier to notice the tool is active.
When placing multiple Levees at once, you can now draw rectangles rather than just lines. Go crazy with the aqueducts!
Icons in the Power category on the toolbar are now more consistent color-wise.
Reduced the RAM and VRAM usage related to 3D water physics.
Bugs
Fixed a bug with Sluices that would stop being one-directional (again!).
Impermeable Floor no longer blocks building a Lido or Swimming Pool above.
Fixed ranges not displaying correctly for buildings placed on platforms.
Fixed some broken text in the mod uploader.
Fixed textures on Floodgates.
Fixed a crash caused by deleting Detailer.
Fixed the incorrect construction site for the Badwater Rig.
Fixed the Large Water Wheel so that it’s possible to build Overhangs above its connection
Updated water particles for the Fluid Dump and the Mechanical Fluid Pump.
