Big systems come online in Update 13, expanding how you grow your timeline and shape your strategy. From new long-term upgrades to stronger rewards and better early-game tools, this update brings momentum. Scientific Research is now activeand with it, the first functional tab of the VR Pod. Every staffed science building now contributes to a new strategic resource, which you can spend to generate inspirations across ten upgrade categories. That means more direct control, faster development, and a clear new role for your scientists beyond their original use. Update 13 also adds three new daemon types to the hacking grid, including the Bomb and Greater Wanderer, each with distinct movement and threat patterns. Full hacks now yield tangible rewards like Tungsten Scraps and Human Biodata, linking short-term tactics to long-term outcomes. Beyond that, youll find over a dozen new upgrades, deeper customization through expanded choice pools, clearer infiltration visibility, and streamlined setups for timelines beyond the first. [quote]The future is already here its just not evenly distributed. Pattern Recognition, William Gibson[/quote]

To the Community

Update 13 Changelog

Clarity

• Attack From Vehicles: A new handbook entry is available starting in chapter 2, explaining that androids can fire from the open doors of flying vehicles and highlighting the tactical value of this.
• Infiltration Visibility: Infiltrations now display separately from Investigations in the task stack, with additional explanatory text that clarifies how the system works; a new handbook entry also appears the first time you complete an infiltration.
• Counterattack Preview: When constructing a building that will trigger a counterattack, the task stack now shows a clear warning ahead of time, and a related handbook entry titled "Counterattacks Against You" opens the first time it applies.
• Task Stack Icons: The task stack now includes more distinct icons, making it easier to visually scan and understand individual entries.
• Minor Wording Changes: Several small edits have been made throughout the game for better clarity and consistency.

Scientific Research and the VR Pod

• Strategic Resource Generation: Staffed science buildings now generate a new strategic resource called Scientific Research, giving long-term value to science facilities and making their benefits more visible.
• VR Pod Menu: The VR Pod screen now includes a four-section menu; only one tab is functional for now, while the remaining three display coming soon notices to preview future functionality.
• Generate Inspiration: The first VR Pod tab lets you spend Scientific Research across 10 categoriesincluding Small Arms Research, Android Optimization, and Structural Improvementgiving more direct control over your strategic progression.

Hacking Minigame Improvements

• New Daemon Bomb: This new daemon moves like a Gnath but detonates in a ring of destruction when killed, clearing adjacent cells.
• New Daemons Greater and Lesser Wanderers: These add unpredictable movement to hacking encounters, with the Greater version appearing in more difficult hacks.
• Removed Inspiration Farming: The old method of farming inspiration through repeated hacking has been removed to reduce grind and confusion.
• New Hack Rewards: Full hacks now reward you with Tungsten Scraps, Human Biodata, or both depending on the hacked unit; this gives hacking an ongoing reward while avoiding the previous grind loop.
• Tungsten Methylator Structure: Gained when you obtain Tungsten Scraps, this structure allows you to convert them into Prismatic Tungsten, offering a side benefit to hacking without encouraging farming.
• Human Biodata Sales: Human Biodata can now be sold for Wealth at casinosnot the most efficient income method, but a useful bonus nonetheless.

Upgrades

• New Upgrade Types: Fourteen new upgrades have been added across Procurement Efficacy, Vehicle Development, Android Optimization, and Martial Expansion, expanding available build paths.
• Expanded Choice Pools: Structural Improvement now offers six choices (up from four), and additional options such as increased mech capacity and 18cm Spiders have been added to existing upgrade pools.
• Targeted Research Spending: With Scientific Research now available, players can directly pursue desired upgrades through strategic investment.

Conveniences for Timelines Beyond the First

• Improved Starting Resources: New timelines begin with 20k Wealth, 6k Prismatic Tungsten, 9.4k Bovine Tissue Cells, and 6.2k Vegetable Seeds, reducing startup friction.
• Keanu Unlocked: Keanu now begins unlocked, though the pollinator event that usually precedes him still requires an in-game choice.
• Black Market Setup Skipped: The three early black market interactions are marked as completed, and players receive the associated items automatically.
• Science Roster Recognition: If youve previously unlocked the Complete Science Roster, you now automatically receive Automated Personnel Management.
• Reduced Setup Time: These changes reduce repeated early-game steps from 1015 minutes down to about 5, focusing attention on new decisions rather than repeated busywork.

Bug Fixes

• Mining POI Correction: Fixed an issue where one mining point of interest lacked any mineshafts; this fix applies to timelines generated in this build or later.
• Territory Flag Timing: Fixed a regression from the prior build where territory control flags unlocked too early, which prevented related structures from functioning properly due to deterrence not being enabled.
• Repair Spider Reliability: Fixed an issue where sometimes repair spiders were not unlocked the first time your structures took damage during chapter one.

Full Changelog

Guides to Tame the Machine

• Aggro, Awareness, and Alarms
• How to Improve Engineering
• Should I Restart If I Skipped to the Final Doom?

New Minds, Start Here

Connect with the Machine

Screenshots