v0.5.09 - Playstyle Settings, Mineral Rebalance, and Employee Behavior Updates

Hi miners, 😄

Thank you very much for your continued support, feedback, bug reports, and suggestions since the Early Access launch of Mineral Mining Simulator. This is our first update after launch, and we have already received a lot of valuable input from the community.

For this week, we have prepared a number of improvements and updates based on that feedback. Not all recorded suggestions are included in this update yet, and we will continue processing them step by step in an iterative and incremental way based on feasibility and development priority.

Here is what we prepared for this week:

Main Updates

1. Gem Randomizer and Mining Spot Variant Overhaul

We received a lot of feedback about gem progression feeling too routine in some areas while also being too varied during the early game. Because of that, we made several adjustments to the gem randomizer and mining spot results.

The changes include:

• The gem randomizer ratio has been updated, and getting higher grades now depends more on surveying the mining spot properly. Surveying will help unlock access to higher grades as well as additional crystal mineral variants.

• The gem processing flow has also been rebalanced so it no longer produces too many items after crushing and cutting.

Previously, crushing and cutting both had a chance to increase item count, which could create overly large final output numbers. With the latest version:

• Crushing still has a chance to produce 1 or 2 items

• Cutting no longer adds another extra quantity chance

This should make the final item output feel more controlled and balanced.

2. Mineral Ownership Detection Updated

We updated how the game records whether a mineral type has been owned or discovered.

Previously, there were situations where players could not select a certain Focus Commodity because the game had not yet considered that mineral as owned or previously found.

With this update, mineral ownership detection is now recorded once the mineral reaches the Ore Breaker output, so the type is registered earlier in the discovery data.

3. New Playstyle Settings Mode on the Tablet

We understand that every player has their own preferred way to play, so we introduced a new Playstyle Settings menu in the Tablet.

This menu allows players to adjust certain gameplay-affecting options. For this first stage, based on community feedback, we have added the following options:

• Toxic Gas Leaked Event Frequency

  Players can decide how often Toxic Gas Leaked Events should occur, or disable them entirely for a more relaxed experience.

  

• Platform or Machine Support Pillar Visuals

  Players can choose whether the visual support pillars for platforms or machines placed above should be shown or hidden.

  

We already have more playstyle-related ideas recorded, but for now these are the first two options we have finished implementing.

4. Toxic Gas Leaked Event Survey Popup Added

We added a Survey Popup related to the Toxic Gas Leaked Event.

This popup will appear when you successfully neutralize your first Toxic Gas event. Your answer in that survey will determine the playstyle option for Toxic Gas Leaked Events in your game going forward.

This setting can still be changed later through the Playstyle menu on the Tablet.

5. Toxic Gas Leaked Event Rebalanced

Based on player experience, internal testing, and feedback gathered from discussions, we concluded that the appearance rate of Toxic Gas Leaked Events needed rebalancing.

In the latest version:

• The frequency of Toxic Gas Leaked Events has been reduced

• The bonus mining spot content that appears after neutralization has also been rebalanced

This should make the event feel less overwhelming while still keeping it meaningful.

6. Employees Can Now Merge Partially Filled Crates

Employees can now merge the contents of partially filled crates with other crates of the same item type that are also not full. This behavior is included in the Supply Rack task, so employees will first try to fill crates more efficiently before placing them back onto the rack.

This update was added based on player feedback, especially from situations around the Crate Packer Machine where partially filled crates could be store by employee because the crate is tumbling down.

7. Train Employee Settings Now Count Total Items Instead of Total Crates

Based on feedback from the community, we updated the Train Employee Settings system because the previous setup could feel confusing in certain situations.

Previously, the target was counted based on the number of crates, which could create a problem when employees loaded crates that were not completely full. In that situation, the expected target amount might not actually be reached.

With this update, the system now counts the target based on the total item quantity instead of total crates. This means that even if some crates are only partially filled, employees will continue loading until the total targeted item amount has been reached.

8. Train Delivery Process Updated

We updated the Train Delivery process so the operational cost is no longer charged at the beginning.

Instead, the travel cost is now deducted from the income earned after delivery. This change was made based on community feedback, because paying the travel cost upfront could create soft-lock situations when the player had less money than the required trip cost.

9. New Conveyor Variants Added

We have seen players build many interesting layouts, so we decided to add new Conveyor Belt variants with longer sizes:

• 1x3 Conveyor

• 1x5 Conveyor

These new variants should make it easier to build for longer or more distant areas without needing to place as many short conveyor sections.

Improvements

1. Employee Upgrade Costs Rebalanced

We rebalanced the employee upgrade costs so they are more accessible during the early stages of gameplay.

2. Employee Base Movement Speed Rebalanced

We rebalanced the base movement speed of employees, so the starting speed is now faster and the maximum possible speed is also higher.

3. Toxic Gas Handling Employees Now Have Temporary Immunity

Employees assigned to handle Toxic Gas Leaked Events will now have temporary immunity while processing neutralization, as long as the Toxic Filter Machine and Neutralizer Kits are already prepared.

4. Train Employee Settings Default Value Updated

We updated the Train Employee Settings so the default Any Products value will now automatically increase its target based on the latest maximum capacity.

This only applies if the setting has never been manually changed by the player.

5. Added easier access to Train upgrades and Employee Settings

Now, these options are no longer only available through the Employee Train NPC. Players can also access them directly by hovering over the Train, so upgrading capacity and changing Employee Settings no longer feel separated across different access points.

6. Travel Cost to the Mining Depot Is Now Free

We changed the travel cost to the Mining Depot so it is now free.

This helps prevent possible soft-lock situations when players have very little money.

7. Platform Price Rebalanced

We rebalanced platform prices so they are now cheaper and easier to access.

8. New Setting for Toxic Gas Visual Effect

We added a new option in Game Settings that allows players to choose whether the green visual effect during Toxic Gas Leaked Events should be shown or hidden.

9. Faster Skip Animation Timing

We sped up the skip animation process. Previously, players had to wait around 3 seconds, and now the skip response is faster.

10. Several Tutorial Localization Issues Updated

We fixed and improved several localization issues in the tutorial.

11. Global Log Localization Issues Updated

We also updated localization issues in the Global Log information.

Bug Fixes

1. Box Packer Machine (Mirrored) Monitor Access Fixed

Fixed an issue where the Box Packer Machine (Mirrored) monitor could not be accessed.

2. Potential Fix for Certain Survey Machines Not Processing

Added a potential fix for cases where certain Survey Machines would not start processing after a Survey Kit was inserted.

3. Translation Issues in Several Locations and Event Triggers Fixed

Fixed translation issues in several locations and event triggers.

Once again, thank you very much for all the support, feedback, and suggestions you have shared since the Early Access launch. Every discussion we have responded to means that we have already noted that feedback, so please do not worry if your suggestion is not included in this update yet. It may already be in our backlog for a future update, or it may still be in a deeper planning stage for implementation.

If you encounter bugs or defects, please report them through the in-game report feature or through the Steam Discussions page. We will continue monitoring both and processing updates step by step.

See you in the next update!

Mineral Mining Simulator