1.0.38.4 - Codex, Cooking, and Content

I know it has taken altogether too long to get a new update out and I appreciate you patiently waiting. This update focuses on improving stability and polish across nearly every part of the game. You’ll find dozens of bug fixes alongside performance improvements and new quality-of-life updates. There’s also a fresh batch of tuning for NPC behavior, fish spawning, and weather systems, plus a few fun additions like the new Codex window, stone walls, and a “Mouse” boss scenario among others.

(Image and cover courtesy of discord member and wiki master Kingfisher)

(Image courtesy of discord member LassoJack)

Let's take a look!

Codex

The codex is a new window (opened with the '/' key) that shows you all the things you've discovered in the game. It's meant to be a single location to show you helpful tooltips on various items, blueprints, plants, etc.

It also shows you the things you've haven't discovered (the name at least) in the world. These are denoted by ? and some of these entries will show you flavor text or possibly a hint as to where to find them in the tooltip.

Bosses

I've re-enabled a boss that used to be in the game but had some bugs that needed to be addressed. Plus I've added a new boss that is based on one of the game's legendary patrons (TwistedSteele!). I won't spoil too much about them, but here's a preview:

Improved New Game Screen

I also did some working polishing the new game screen. Hopefully you find it much easier to use and read. I tried organizing elements in addition to adding some functionality to current inventory lists.

Cooking Items

I added several new items to supplement the cooking profession. I quite like this addition as it makes cooks stand out and adds more character to the individual settlers.

Moss Kuplin

I added a new critter that the Gwdir can create called the Moss Kuplin. This creature is intended to help out with hauling, but is also quite good at evading. Maybe a valuable addition to defenses?

Various UI Polish

I did even more clean up on notifications and I added some new ones to help communicate work and combat failures/successes. Hovering all notifications should give you a much better detailed tooltip explaining the why and how of things.

As well, I went through a huge amount of tooltips to add more lore and flavor descriptions, and I added new icons for all plants. So they no longer share the one.

Hermit Status

All the single (non custom) settler loadouts now apply the "Hermit" status to the settler. Those that still want to play more of a hardcore mode without this can do so with the custom loadout.

Skill Failures

I added in a new system to jobs called Skill Failures. The intention of this is to add some progression to jobs. I feel that, previously, jobs were way too forgiving and there was no real sense of "getting better" for individual settlers. You could easily change your settler professions around and it didn't quite matter. Now, if you put a settler onto making, say, Rutile, they will struggle to make these. Whereas, your master blacksmith will have no problem. To me, it's a much more satisfying experience to have this difficulty at first and it showcases the difference in materials a lot better.

This system is a small part of a larger plan for jobs. I will also be adding "Critical Failures" and "Critical Successes"