Slime Rancher v1.3.1 represents a significant overhaul to the way that a lot of backend systems work and while overall it should produce significant gains in performance, it may produce unexpected issues that we did not catch in our testing process. Should you experience any issues with v1.3.1, please email support@monomipark.com and we’ll be sure to help you right away!


The Optimized Update is here to improve overall performance of Slime Rancher. Yes, even though we're nearly 3 years out from initial release, we're still hard at work to make Slime Rancher the best possible experience for everyone!

Game Optimization:
We have upgraded Slime Rancher’s game engine which will bring performance improvements for a majority of players!

- We did a lot of technical wizardry, but the short of it is we upgraded the game engine to Unity 2018 and all game data has been reorganized to optimize the way we store data and manage certain game states.
- Most PC players, as well as all Xbox and PS4 players should see improved performance and overall frame rate.
- DirectX 9 is no longer supported. More on this here.

Drone Improvements:
Drones got a nice little update that allows them to deliver to the Refinery and improves how they interact with some targets/destinations!

For plorts only:
- Refinery and Refinery Link have been added as a destination—for science!
- Updated “Outside Plots” to a new “Free Range” option. Drones set to “Free Range” will collect the target item from anywhere on the ranch expansion that is not in storage (e.g. Silos, Plort Collectors).
- Updated programming interface to clarify that drones can deliver to the Plort Market via Market Links when you’re in another ranch expansion. The destination will dynamically update to either read “Plort Market” or “Market Link” depending on where you are.

Miscellaneous:
- Updated incinerator programming so they now serve the sole purpose of feeding fire slimes rather than infinitely destroying items. Drones will only deliver food to incinerators until the ash trough is full. If you’re looking to burn two thousand carrots because you really hate carrots, you’re going to have to do that manually. But come on, they’re just carrots.
- Drones are now able to deliver food directly from silos to corrals.



New & Updated Translations:
- Added Korean translation! 어떻게 지내?
- Completely overhauled the French translation!
- Updated the Chinese translation!

Other:
- Updated the super secret Party Gordo schedule. Wondering who the Party Gordo is? Check out the details over in the Party Gordo Update notes.

Fixes:
- Fixed an issue where fruits and veggies would almost always be unripe in an area that you haven’t visited in awhile.
- Added a fix that will prevent some cases of items getting stuck below ground in Ogden’s Retreat.
- Fixed drone trail artifacts upon re-entering areas with drones.
- Fixed it so that drones would stop grabbing carrots out of gardens instead of odd onions while you’re not looking.
- Fixed a bug where certain other slime types were counting towards the Omnivorous achievement.
- Fixed gamepad bindings buttons being invisible in certain resolutions.
- Fixed an issue where the ash trough was not correctly remembering its fullness after a save/reload.
- Fixed a few instances where some game translations would overflow in the UI.
- Fixed the “Reset Defaults” button on the gamepad options panel leaving the invert-y-axis option in an inconsistent state which was resulting in some players not knowing what was up and what was down.
- Fixed an issue where plorts didn’t know if they should stay or they should go after a save/load.
- Fixed ferals sometimes cooling off after jumping into water while chasing you. This involved delicately balancing their ‘Hangry’ parameter. Game development is fun.
- Fixed a bug where gold slimes were leaving an incorrectly, unfabulously colored splat.

Again, if you encounter any oddities with this update please contact us at support@monomipark.com

Happy ranching! :slimehappy:

For the last couple of months we've been working with VR Studio, 3lb Games, to create a fun, new way to experience the Far, Far Range! We're really excited to announce that you will be able to play with some of your favorite slimes in our free VR Playground DLC!



The Slime Rancher: VR Playground is free DLC that will let you vac, feed, and play with slimes like never before! You will be able to enjoy unique VR playgrounds based off of the Dry Reef, Moss Blanket, and Ancient Ruins.

It's coming to Steam - for free - this Fall!

Wishlish now!



And yes, you can absolutely boop a tabby on the nose :slimeamazed:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/939480/Slime_Rancher_VR_Playground/

Bring home a lucky slime with the new Slime Rancher Collector’s Edition set by our friends at Fangamer! :slimeamazed:

Each Collector's Edition includes the following items, all packed up in a Kitty-Carrier window box:

• Lucky Slime coin bank and satin display pillow
  
• Beatrix bandanna
  
• Puffy slimes sticker sheet
  
• Newbuck collector's coin

You can pre-order now for PS4, Xbox One, PC, or standalone HERE!

But that's not all... :slimescared:




Our friends at Fangamer worked with the infamous Kari Fry to create the official Slimepedia Guidebook which you can pick up at a discount alongside the Collector's Edition or on its own HERE!

It's jam packed with ranching tips and hand-drawn notes from Hobson Twillgers himself! Worth a read if you want to go from newbie ranch-hand to veteran plort-producer!



Fangamer also recently released a vinyl of the OST, has all other Slime Rancher merchandise currently on sale, and is seriously the coolest merch partner.

You can see the entire collection at https://www.fangamer.com/collections/slime-rancher

Okay, that's all for today! No other crazy announcements happening this week. Promise. :slimehappy:

Today is Slime Rancher 1.0's birthday! Thank you everyone for supporting us this last year, the year before that, and all the many years to come!!

Stay wiggly~ :slimehappy:

DRONES ARE NOW AVAILABLE!!! Drones are happy little helper bots that can be programmed to help with various tasks around the ranch!



Drones:
Drones are a new gadget that can reduce some of the work a rancher needs to perform on the ranch. They will happily bring food to corrals, take plorts to the market, or help store excess crops in silos. There are many different types of tasks you can program a drone to do, so it will be up to you to figure out how they can help!

- A Blueprint for drones is now available for purchase at the Lab. Once you unlock the Blueprint, you will be able to craft the drones gadget from the Fabricator!
- Program drones by using three simple inputs: target, source, and destination.



- Drones can deliver to market links, silos, auto feeders, and more! Destination options will change dynamically depending on what the drone is targeting.
- Drones can only operate within a single ranch expansion and only two drone stations may be placed per expansion.
- Drones are smarter than you think! A drone will never empty a coop and will try its best not to overfeed your slimes.
- Drone stations are hydro-powered and require regular watering to stay active. A drone will run for about a day before its station requires another splash of water. If a drone station is out of water, the petals will close and the drone will go into stasis until it is watered.



When a drone completes its task it will sleep at its station until it is time to get back to work!


New Translations:
- Added Japanese translation! Konnichiwa, new friends!
- Added Brazilian Portuguese translation! Oi, tudo bem?

Other Changes:
- Optimized the experience when you return to an area of the world you haven’t visited in awhile. Feels more like “Welcome back!” and less like “Why did you leave?!”
- Added 10 drones to your Rush Mode inventory!
- Using a PS4 controller on PC now shows PS4 button prompts, nifty!
- Made some adjustments to SFX volume and balance.
- Updated some font choices to better-match Chinese/Japanese characters in spots where we use Latin characters.

Fixes:
- Fixed bug where when phase lemon trees in the ruins were watered, they would get overly excited and phase repeatedly.
- Fixed bug where a ball of water could sometimes spawn in the docks after a player knockout. But who was the water?!
- Fixed bug where some slimes (and especially Hunter Largos) stayed happy and calm and were not becoming agitated, even under the most extreme circumstances.
- Fixed bug where PS4 controllers on PC could not bring up the game menu.
- Fixed bug where items washed up in docks sometimes stood up unnaturally straight. We fixed this because it was really creepy.
- Fixed bug where puddle and fire slimes sometimes did not properly notice that they weren’t on their preferred surface.


Let us know what you think about drones on Twitter!
And until next time, happy ranching! :slimehappy:


July 24, 2018 - v1.3.0b
A small followup patch was issued to fix a few issues related to the last release.

- Fixed bug where drones could get stuck on gordos and slime toys
- Fixed bug where sometimes gardens would produce slightly less food than intended. To claim any carrots you may have lost, please send a postcard to 'Where's My Carrots?' c/o Monomi Park in Walla Walla Washington, or visit your local grocer.
- Fixed bug where drones sometimes did not properly perform their behaviors while the player was knocked out.
- Fixed bug where some drone behaviors were performing extra times while sleeping.
- Fixed bug resulting in drones sometimes trying to take a position inside the archways on the docks
- Fixed bug where gordos could sometimes be replaced by another gordo.
- Optimized some drone plort-selling behavior.
- Optimized some aspects of mosaic slime glints.

Hey ranchers!

We’re putting the finishing touches on drones this week and we’re happy to announce that drones are coming to Slime Rancher NEXT WEEK!

Drones are a much-anticipated feature, so we have been performing extensive tests to make sure that these little helper bots are as helpful as they can be.

I can confirm that drones will happily carry out their tasks, even when under the most extreme circumstances. Not even a barrage of pogofruits can slow these little worker bees down!


(No drones were harmed in the making of this gif)

Drones can be programmed to help with a variety of tasks around the ranch. Need them to carry plorts from collectors to the plort market? Easy as kookadoba pie! Want to throw a bunch of carrots into an incinerator? Let it burn, baby!



How do you want drones to help around your ranch? Tell us on Twitter or join in on the discussion below!

Did you miss the Drones Update Preview? Read the full post and learn more about drones HERE!

The Automatic Update is coming in early July and will introduce a new Slime Science gadget that will make ranch maintenance a breeze - drones! Drones are happy little helper bots that can be programmed to help with various tasks around the ranch.

This new feature is still in-development, but we couldn’t wait to share what we’ve been working on!




Drones and drone stations were inspired by bees; drones buzz around the ranch to complete their task and like to recharge in their flower-shaped stations once their job is complete.

When a drone returns to its station it will go to sleep until it is time to get back to work.

Wake up, little drone!



There are many different types of tasks you can program a drone to do, so it will be up to you to figure out how they can help!





Drones will be buzzing over to Slime Rancher this July!


Stay up to date on new game features and community events by following us on Twitter!

As you may have heard, Valve recently announced that they will be dropping support for Windows XP and Windows Vista operating systems. That means that in order for you to continue running games (like Slime Rancher) on Steam you will need to update to a more recent version of Windows.

We are also updating our game engine and, later this year, we will no longer be able to support DirectX 9. We are still developing new content for Slime Rancher and continued support of the DirectX 9 is no longer feasible for us to maintain.

If you currently use DirectX 9 and are unable to upgrade you will be able to keep playing using an offline, older version of the game. Keep in mind that game updates after 1.3.0 will no longer be supported.

The good news is, an overwhelming majority of ranchers don’t use DirectX 9 (less than half a percent of Steam users still use DX9). Check which version of DirectX you use and see if you are eligible to upgrade by following the instructions here.

Read more about Steam’s Windows XP and Windows Vista Support here.

We will post updates to this thread as we get more information on Steam’s XP/Vista support drop and a date on when we will no longer be able to support DirectX 9.

Thank you

Every weekend, the Party Gordo comes to the Far, Far Range, but you have to find him first! Hunt down the Party Gordo who is hiding somewhere on the map and pop him to receive lots of party presents containing festive ornaments for your ranch.





Pop the Party Gordo once per weekend to get an explosion of presents and a guaranteed RARE ornament!

But the party doesn't end there! You can also discover presents hidden around the world all weekend long! Because though the Party Gordo may be gone, the party... well it LIVES ON.

Presents contain one of two slime ornaments (plus a chance to contain a rare ornament!)



The Party Gordo is available all-day Friday, Saturday, and Sunday (local time) and will return every weekend with new treasures to discover!

Changes:
- Added an official Chinese translation. Welcome, friends!
- Added some improvements and optimizations around game saving and animated objects.
- Improved visual effects for crate breaking. Fun fact: this has been on our to-do list for like, 100 years.
- Added rich presence for Discord so now you can let your pals know where you are and what you’re up to on the range.

Fixes:
- Fixed bug with some Rush Mode translations not fitting on the end-game screen.
- Fixed bug with items sometimes getting stuck in corral barriers.
- Fixed some spots in Mochi’s Manor where players could get stuck.
- Fixed some spots in Moss Blanket where players could get stuck.
- Improved the damage indicator effect.
- Fixed a typo in Mochi’s dialogue. Mochi wanted us to make it clear that we made a mistake, not her.
- Fixed some animation issues for silo storage screens.
- Fixed a bug where gamepad button icons would show the wrong thing for a frame before switching to the correct icon.
- Fixed a bug where ornaments oriented themselves facing slightly downwards. We told them to keep their chins up.
- Fixed a bug allowing popping up certain screens while sleeping until morning.
- Fixed a bug sometimes causing inaccurate shooting while running in the Nimble Valley. Again, Mochi has stated this was your fault all along.

Party on, ranchers! Party on! :slimehappy:

June 1st - June 3rd



The Party Gordo is lighting up a gloomy cave with two new ornaments for you to collect this weekend!

Rush Mode is a special game mode for ranchers who want to prove that they are as quick as they are clever. Build the most efficient ranch you can within the allotted time and you could win over $250 in goodies!

You're competing with top ranchers from across the Far, Far Range, so keep these tips in mind as you race to earn the most newbucks!


- Ginger-hungry gold gordos have been spotted across the Far, Far Range - pop them and get as many gold plorts as you can!
- You earn gilded gingers and extra time bonuses by completing daily Range Exchange requests.
- Turn in 25 of any plort and receive a BONUS multiplier at the end of your run - try to get all 16!
- Experience speedier ranching with unlocked ranch expansions, semi-fed gordos, an open plort gate, fully upgraded power-ups, and a sweet selection of Slime Science gadgets!








Earn your title as the ultimate slime rancher by competing in our Rush Mode Contest. Submit a photo or video of your best Rush Mode score and you could win!


Show off your score by tweeting @MonomiPark using #RushRancher to be entered to win. You can submit your score once per day!


Submit your score and you could be one of ranchers who are randomly selected to receive a Gold Achievement Pin! (3 winners will be selected at the end of the event)

Up for a challenge?

Get a Final Score of more than 150,000 to show that you've mastered the rush and you will be entered to win a $200 Fangamer gift card, Gold Achievement Pin, Slime Rancher shirt of choice, and a mouse pad signed by all of us here at Monomi Park!

All ranchers who score above 150,000 will be entered to win the ultimate prize pack! (1 winner will be selected at the end of the event)

Remember: you can submit your score once per day! So get out there and give it your best shot!




Good luck, ranchers :slimehappy:

EDIT 1

Mochi got ahold of the contest and set the Final Score Goal a liiittle too high. We've moved it down to 150k so more ranchers can enjoy the contest.

But remember! You still get entered to win the Gold Achievement Pin regardless of your score!

EDIT 2

Added additional clarification on how to enter.