To get this update, you have to opt in inside your library: Necesse -> Properties -> Betas -> Select 0.21.x in dropdown. I think this has been the longest time between updates yet. This also means this one has got a lot of new content, but also a lot done behind the scenes in areas like optimization and outside the game. A big thanks go out to Maria O. Christensen who has been helping me with the artwork In the past 4 weeks. She is currently also working on her own game, which is an indie horror called The ER Patient Typhon. So go check that out! And a thank you to everyone who has been contributing to the Official Wiki! I have started to work on it behind the scenes, creating some templates and semantic data which will make it easier to create new pages and keep the information up to date with the current patch. The settlement system has gotten a few upgrades, including the ability to change your settlers work priorities, which can be done by talking to them. Storage filters have gotten a complete rework. This new system allows for much easier management and has always been the way I wanted it to be from the beginning, and now it's finally in.
With a completely new work zone system, it is now possible to define forestry and husbandry areas for your settlers to chop down trees and manage your animals. The system is also built to be customizable, with the ability to configure each zone in future updates.
The food system is evolving and getting new additions. This time it has gotten 4 new crops, 3 new fruit trees, common fish only for food and a lot of new dishes for you to cook. This is obviously still an area that I keep looking at for improvements and changes, so keep that feedback coming!
Some of the many other smaller changes are: - 2 new difficulty options, one for the more casual and one for the more hardcore. - Item tooltip backgrounds and better looking menu outlines. - Many new cosmetic items, mostly bought from Traveling Merchant when in stock. - Angler fishing trips, similar to Explorer expeditions. - New ore found in snow caves with a complete set of tools and weapons. - Doors will now rotate to look like double doors when placed next to each other. - Zombie archers now walk around with a bow on their back. - A lot of fixes and balance tweaks. And much more. See the full changelog below

Changelog

Additions:

Added forestry work zones. Added husbandry work zones. Added ability to share quests with team members. Added custom settler work priorities. Added controls for each hotbar slot. Added completely new item filter system. Added angler fishing trips, similar to explorer expeditions. Added ability to disable raids using settings command. Added 2 more difficulties, for the more casual and more hardcore. Added coconut trees, grows in desert biomes similar to apple trees. Added lemon and banana trees, obtained in deep cave chests or bought from farmer after Sage and Grit. Added 4 new crop types. Added 24 new food items. Added deep cave ruins, where the new crops can be found. Added 7 common fish, found in various places that can be used in food. Added new frost shard ore, found in snow caves. Added frost armor set with a complete set of tools and weapons. Added turtle critter to desert biomes. Added chicken costume set, obtained rarely from settlement quest rewards. Added swimsuits and sunglasses cosmetics, bought from Traveling Merchant when in stock. Added jester cosmetic set, bought from Traveling Merchant when in stock. Added hula cosmetic set, bought from Traveling Merchant when in stock. Added snow cosmetic set, bought from Traveling Merchant when in stock. Added sailor cosmetic set, bought from Traveling Merchant when in stock. Added minion, knockback and rapid potions. Added banners of defense, damage and summon speed. Added Cooking Station object, crafted in Advanced Workstation. Added background to all item tooltips, can be disabled in interface settings. Added a better outline to menu backgrounds.

Changes/misc:

Bathtub recipes now no longer require a water bucket. The starter house chests now also has a small amount of food. Doors will now mirror when placed like a double door. Rooms now have a max size of 300 tiles before they are considered outside. Made players unable to recruit to settlements they don't have permission for. Starving debuff will now only be active when having a completely empty hunger bar. Brain on a Stick will now summon and archer half the time. Raiders will now spawn in smaller waves instead of continuously. Glacial Boomerang now throws 2 boomerangs at once. Reduced the velocity of bullets. Touched up some UI components, making some of them bigger and more clear. Increased range of Quartz Staff and Icicle Staff. The same traveling humans now have a much lower chance to spawn multiple times in a row. It is now possible to spawn multiple bosses at the same time with a small cooldown. It is now no longer possible to drop locked items. Evils Protector first stages are now easier while the last ones a bit harder. Villagers are now much less rude. It is now no longer possible to use fruit tree and berry bush saplings while making torches. Traveling humans can now no longer be hit by settlement team members, similar to settlers. Updated iron armor textures. Updates copper armor and tool textures. Worm and swamp larva will now slowly sink into the ground. Starter house now spawns with a Roasting Station in front of it. Optimized level loading, will now cause less lag when still loading level after having spawned. Pouches is now prioritized when pressing loot all and restocking works properly. Ducks now have legs and can go on land. Zombie archers now walk around with a bow on their back. Updated cow and sheep textures. Tweaked some potions recipes and duration.

Fixes:

Fixed possible crash when joining a server. Fixed possible crash from Reaper boss when fighting multiple people. Fixed possible crash when trying to communicate with servers or clients running another version. Fixed rare crash when removing entities and particles. Fixed a bunch of settlement room assign issues. Fixed possible crash when trying to generate snow cave. Fixed players sometimes being invisible. Fixed possible crash in main menu while connecting. Fixed projectiles sometimes getting stuck. Fixed mobs not able to path when stuck inside an object. Fixed being able to keep attacking with certain weapons after death. Fixed being able to make multiple settlement workstations on multi tiles. Fixed feeding through wheat sometimes being messed up. Fixed player hunger setting not being applied to new saves. Fixed Explorer find island not working correctly. Fixed husbandry mobs sometimes still following the player after taking off rope. And other smaller changes and fixes.