Changelog.ggBeta
HomeGamesUpdatesPricingMethodology
Steam News8 April 20262mo ago

Development Summary - March 2026

Hey there, the Monthly Summary for March is here! March was heavily focused on the new gate siege and yard combat, and I'm really happy with how it is shaping up🙂 TFE Development Summary - March 2026 Gate Sieges & Yard

Full notes

Full The First Explorers® update

Read the full published notes in a cleaner layout. The original post stays linked below.

Repeated intro

Hey there, the Monthly Summary for March is here!

What changed

3 fixes7 additions3 changes1 removal
  • Gameplay
  • Balance
  • Performance
  • Fixes
addedMarch was heavily focused on the new gate siege and yard combat , and I'm really happy with how it is shaping up🙂
addedGate Sieges & Yard Combat🛠️ Defenders can now hold the gate, take reduced damage, and retreat to Yard Defender slots if the gate HP drops below a certain threshold
addedGate Sieges & Yard Combat🛠️ Implemented the new Yard Combat mechanic, which starts after a gate is breached
changedGate Sieges & Yard Combat🛠️ When attackers win a Yard Battle, the building owner is changed correctly and the territory polygon is cleaned up
addedGate Sieges & Yard Combat🛠️ Added automated Functional Tests for the Yard Mechanic and Gate mechanics to keep everything robust
changedNavigation & Optimization🛠️ Utilized async pathfinding in the MoveTo function to improve the game thread performance

March was heavily focused on the new gate siege and yard combat, and I'm really happy with how it is shaping up🙂

TFE Development Summary - March 2026

Gate Sieges & Yard Combat

  • 🛠️ Defenders can now hold the gate, take reduced damage, and retreat to Yard Defender slots if the gate HP drops below a certain threshold

  • 🛠️ Gate attacks now utilize SmartObjects, and only specific soldier classes are able to attack the gate

  • 🛠️ Refactored attacker and defender slot logic to prevent overcrowding and ensure soldiers engage properly

  • 🛠️ Gates get repaired by defenders once the yard is safe and not under siege anymore

  • 🛠️ Implemented the new Yard Combat mechanic, which starts after a gate is breached

  • 🛠️ When attackers win a Yard Battle, the building owner is changed correctly and the territory polygon is cleaned up

  • 🛠️ Added automated Functional Tests for the Yard Mechanic and Gate mechanics to keep everything robust

Navigation & Optimization

  • 🛠️ Utilized async pathfinding in the MoveTo function to improve the game thread performance

  • 🛠️ Optimized NavigationMesh generation, especially when spawning ground patches or modifying the landscape with texture stamps

  • 🛠️ Disabled navmesh generation for buildings that are currently in preview or being demolished

  • 🛠️ Added a new tool to bulk build and save nav paths for maps

More Stuff

  • 🛠️ Enabled Bot AI to attack after a certain peacetime, if the Bot is set to offensive (this is just for testing for now, these kind of things will be configurable in the lobby later)

  • 🛠️ Implemented a scripted action to quickly export combat stats as a CSV file for faster balancing

  • 🛠️ Fixed builders and diggers not being properly committed to their construction sites

  • 🛠️ Fixed multiple character issues, e.g. the Weaponmaker & CoinMinter got stuck in door frames, and carriers became stuck at the tavern entrance

  • 🛠️ Fixed a bug where combat units were stacked or teleporting to barracks during infight

  • 🛠️ ... more bug fixes

  • ✨ Secrets

This month I took a big leap forward with the combat mechanics, ensuring Gate sieges and Yard combat feel rewarding. The new smart object system for the gates makes the whole flow much more robust.

Feel free to share your feedback in the comments!

And that's it for now, see you next time 🚩

Best, Sebastian 🙂

Source

Steam News / 8 April 2026

Open original post

Changelog.gg summarizes and formats this update. How we read updates.