Howdy Folks!

Patch Update 28.1 is now available and includes additional modding support as well as a few tweaks, changes and fixes.

Modding

Mods can now support custom artwork including 3D models and icons. There is a new mod tool available for setting up your custom artwork. A new guide covering custom artwork has been added to the Steam guides section.

UI Changes

A few UI tweaks have been added, but the most notable is a rework of the Add Item Order interface for crafting stations. The recipe list is now visible via icons on the left hand side instead of buried in drop downs.

Check out the release notes below for the full list of changes.

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Release Notes

Modding

• Uploading a mod will display a new window where a mod tag can be set before upload.
• Updated how models/icons are handled via xml files to allow for modded content
• Mod Tools now available on Steam as a separate download under Tools
• Added new guides added to Steam guides
• Updated existing mod guides
• Updated downloadable tutorial mods

UI

• Updated look of craft queue Add Item Order window
• Added Disable All Mods button to mod manager list
• Improved the look of input field text
• Improved the look of drop down menu text
• Changed look of enable/disable button in info window footer
• Removed enable/disable button from colonist info window

Misc

• Create Expedition window now includes information stating that setting destinations is an optional step
• Can now embark without food items if expedition team only contains robots
• Minor update to Surface Resources guide section
• Minor update to Rooms guide section to include information on maximum room size
• Xeno mold event can now only spawn after day 50 instead of day 25
• Change to button click sound effect

Fixes

• Fixed: Resource scanner guide topic button opens POI info instead of resources section
• Fixed: Explore POI vehicle action not cancelled if no POI destinations selected
• Fixed: Job roles still limited by attributes in challenge mode. This was not intended in update 28.
• Fixed: Crop disease not removed correctly after clearing the crop. This caused colonists to not use crop fields that previously had crop disease. Also caused crop disease to spread invisibly to other crop fields.
• Fixed: Crop disease visual effect not appearing right away when event is triggered
• Fixed: Placed arcade cabinet causing in game menu to not work correctly if construction not finished

Howdy Folks!

In the previous Developer Log I covered the new content coming to the game. This included additional mod support, training equipment and new game options. I had originally intended to group all of this content together for the next major update, but I’ve decided to get the additional modding support out the door first as a smaller point release.

I’m also currently considering breaking up some of the other content into smaller incremental updates. This would mean getting smaller content updates out quicker. This is not always possible as some content changes require quite a bit of additional work to support.

Additional Mod Support

Update 28.1 is now available on the Test Build branch. As this is a smaller release I’m skipping the experimental branch. Mods in 28.1 can now support custom 2D and 3D artwork which means modders can now add new objects and icons to the game.

If you’re a modder and want to check out the new modding tools be sure to check out the Test Build branch. Be sure to join the Mercury Fallen discord where you can find the modding text channel to ask questions, report issues or let me know what you think.

Update 28.1 Test Build Info
https://steamcommunity.com/app/704510/discussions/3/3079873089690344890/

Modding Documentation
http://www.mercuryfallen.com/modding-guide/

About Test Build Branch
The optional Test Build branch is for testing the latest features before they go live to everyone. As it is a testing version there can be more bugs/issues than in the normal version. If using the Test Build branch, please report any issues you encounter or any feedback on new game play mechanics. Your feedback and/or reports will help to ensure the final version is the best it can be.

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Howdy Folks!

Hope everyone out there is doing well. A huge thanks for all the great feedback on the Stressed Out update. It’s always great to hear what you like and what you don’t. While there may still be further tweaks and additions to the content that was added so far, I wanted to cover some of the new content that is in development.

New Game Options

The New Game interface is getting an overhaul that will allow for more control over starting conditions and colonist selection. The new game design and options are still in development so there aren’t any pretty pictures yet. More information coming later.

Training Equipment

Training equipment will allow you to increase your colonists muscles, athletics, smarts and train job roles.

This will include new rooms and objects so you can train up the best colonists. This is still in the design phase, but the current concept includes the ability to assign colonists for training. While colonists are assigned for training they won’t perform other tasks.

Job roles would be increased at a VR Training Station and require consumable training cards. Training cards would be craft-able items that train specific jobs.

Additional Mod Support

Mods are currently limited to adding or changing xml data. While this will continue there are a new set of tools in development that will allow for visual assets.

Mercury Fallen is developed using the Unity Game engine. The Mod Tool will depend on using Unity to export visual assets. While some basic familiarity with the Unity game engine would be very helpful, I’m currently writing new documentation to cover the new tools.

The Mod Tool is only required if creating custom visual assets for your mod, but can be used to setup your mod folder and edit mod info.

If you’re creating a language mod or just game tweaks then the existing mod creation methods will remain the same. The creation of xml data is still required to define new objects and is done separately from the Mod Tool.

When the next update enters the experimental branch for testing, the Mod Tool and initial documentation will be made available at that time.

If you’re a mod developer, certainly let me know what you would like to be able to create.

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Howdy Folks!

How is everyone doing out there in internet land? I’m doing pretty well and I’m super excited to announce the release of the Stressed Out update. A huge thanks to everyone who provided feedback and reports during the testing phases.

The Stressed Out update is packed with new content, including new stress mechanics, overhauled quirks, a new job role and many tweaks, changes and fixes.

Stress

Colonist stress will now change over time based on stress effects instead of changing immediately. Quirks add new ways for colonists to get stressed or reduce stress.

Quirks

The quirk system has been completely re-worked to allow for many new types of quirks. Existing quirks have been migrated to this new system, but new quirks such as “charming,” “like/dislike job,” “like/dislike food” and more have been added.

Quirks are now visible on the colonist management screen.

Stress Management

There has been little penalty for high stress in the past. Colonists still have a reduction in work speed when stress is high, but will now also have a negative reaction if stress reaches 100%.

Each colonist can receive one positive quirk, one negative quirk and stress reaction quirk. Some stress reactions can get messy.

New objects have been added for the recreation room. These new objects help colonists to relieve stress and are used when a colonist is not currently doing other tasks.

Janitor Job Role

The new janitor job role has been added to clean up spills from messy colonists. Spills and puddles can appear when a colonist critically fails at certain jobs.

Xeno Mold Event

The new xeno mold event is a random event that generates a fast-growing alien mold in the underground facility. This mess should be cleaned up quickly to prevent it from growing out of control.

Additional Changes

Control+clicking on a structure will put you into build mode and allow you to quickly build more of that object.

Assigned job roles are now shown on the colonist selection list when managing a roster.

The solid fuel generator can now accept different types of fuel. Allowed fuel can be toggled on the solid fuel generator interface. The biofuel pellets item, created from seeds, has been added as a secondary fuel type.

Check the release notes below for the full list of additions, changes and fixes.

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Release Notes

Quirks

• Update to colonist quirks to allow for new quirk types
• Migrated existing quirks to new quirk system
• Added favorite/hated food quirks
• Added favorite/hated job quirks
• Added charming/annoying quirks
• Added high stress reaction quirks
• Added quirks that can disable one or more job role
• Quirk icons added to colonist cards in management window
• Quirks in info window now displayed as icons
• Quirk icons are colored to denote positive/negative
• Quirks are now defined with a spawn chance. This means that some quirks are more rare than others.
• When loading a save game from a previous version old colonist quirks are removed and new ones added. Colonists are not guaranteed to have the same quirks as before.

Janitor Job Role

• Added Janitor job role. This job is used to clean up spills on the floor.
• Water puddles will now appear if a colonist critically fails at cooking or harvesting from water trap
• Fuel Spill puddles will now appear if a colonist critically fails while refueling generator
• Spills reduce decor and movement speed

Additions

• Added Xeno Mold event. Xeno mold is removed by a Janitor.
• Added eyedropper functionality. Can now Shift + Left Click on an object to construct more of that object.
• Added Entertainment research
• Added Arcade Cabinet.
• Added Dart board. Unlocked by Recreation research.
• Added Biofuel Pellets item, recipe and research

Changes

• Stress will now change over time as a result of stress effects instead of the current value changing immediately.
• Game Seed now shown in escape menu
• Attribute effects now have a stack limit. Some attribute effects like eating a food a colonist doesn’t like can be applied more than once.
• Added audio effect when colonists eat
• Decreased crop disease spread frequency
• Particle effect speed now uses game speed. Particle visual effects will no longer animate when the game is paused.
• Increased effect time of eating a meal from 3 hours to 4 hours
• Minor tweak to deep driller bot material to improve performance
• Deep driller can now be assigned the hauler job role
• Notification will now appear when a colonist has been produced in the clone chamber.
• Updated look of job role selection list items.
• Job role selection list items now show their current priority assignment.
• Roster selection list now shows assigned job roles for colonists
• Limited job roles in challenge game mode removed
• Room efficiency now scaled from 0% – 100% and can no longer be a negative value
• Crafting stations are now 25% percent efficient when not in a room. When in a valid room their efficiency is increased by up to 75% based on room efficiency.
• Updated tooltip for craft station efficiency
• Solid Fuel Generator UI now has an “Allowed Fuel” section which allows fuel items to be toggled on/off. Disabled fuel items will not be used to power the generator.
• Updated game guide to reflect changes
• Data log discoveries now found in order instead of random entries

Modding

• CElectricCreatorSolidFuel no longer uses fuel_item value. Replaced with fuel_item_tag. This must reference a tag that is applied to GDItems.
• Changed how colonist attachments are handled. Mods that made changes to EColonist data will require updating.

Fixes

• Fixed: Aeroponics Farm not providing growth speed bonus
• Fixed: Vehicle/Building buttons in list don’t move camera to selected target after returning to main menu and reloading a save game in some instances.
• Fixed: Changing scenario in new game window changes ore generation. This caused missing ores on some map seeds. Fix applies only to new games.
• Fixed: Some attribute effects in colonist stats colored incorrectly for positive/negative values
• Fixed: Grammar issue with Tendril Rainforest description
• Fixed: Missing audio when colonist is hurt or dies
• Fixed: Missing action description for hauling fertilizer/fish food
• Fixed: Ores mined from the floor not replaced with dirt if debugging is on
• Fixed: Internal error when using shortcut keys to select next/previous colonist if no colonist is currently selected
• Fixed: Haul requests for delivering crop nutrient and fish food not cleared properly causing duplication haul requests after saving/loading. This would cause biologists to become stuck when delivering these items in some instances.
• Fixed: Incorrect decor value on newly uncovered tiles
• Fixed: Biologist gathering from traps before feeding fish
• Fixed: Crop fields showing crop visual after loading a saved game even if the crop hasn’t been planted yet.
• Fixed: Surface resource deposit icon not removed when resource is depleted
• Fixed: Expedition list item in planet map interface not refreshed correctly. This caused various issues with expeditions including not heading out after colonists board even if destinations had already been set.
• Fixed: Cancelling an expedition doesn’t remove expedition vehicle and causes game crash in some instances
• Fixed: Missing language string for hologram drop down label
• Fixed: Hologram not showing when selecting male from the drop down. Added None option.
• Fixed: Missing language string for job role list items
• Fixed: Craft amount info not updating in add/update craft item when changing craft amount
• Fixed: Missing header text for Glowing Spheres POI story