Patch 6 is here! Slightly less than a month since the last patch, and here I am, writing up the patch notes once again. So - there've been 3 major areas of focus for this patch:

SpiderBot!

The first and most immediately obvious of those will be the new upgrades and progression available for the SpiderBot https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CdsMLrtW4AIBJ_f.jpg:large
He's now capable of taking on entire waves by himself, with the appropriate upgrades, and is able to target 5 different enemies simultaneously!
You'll be introduced to the SpiderBot Dock at around the 2-4 hour mark, and from then on, he will be your faithful, native lifeform-murdering robot helper!

FALCOR!

Secondly, we have the new Fully-Automated Loot Collection Organisational Robot - or FALCOR for short.
This addresses the complaints I've had from players about loot dropping everywhere - a FALCOR automatically collects loot that has been retrieved by a FALCOR beacon. You shouldn't have any problems centralising your loot collection now!

Official Mod support!

And finally; we now have full Mod support. This includes partial XML overrides, DLL-based mods for larger game changes, and a full in-game UI to enable and disable mods. I don't like to brag, but there's a certain-other voxel-craft game that still has failed to come through on their promise - so go out there and make great mods! We'll be looking at Steam Workshop support in time for Patch 7! If you're interested in creating mods for the game, Please head over to here On top of all of this, as ever, a shedload of optimisations, quality of life fixes and improvements. There have also been improvements to the T4-level of machines; Patreon Subscribers should now have immediate access to working Trenchers and Conduits. ARTHER has also had a significant overhaul, and should now prove to be a lot more useful, and a lot less annoying - let me know what you think!
Sadly, the new OverMind model has slipped to Patch 7 - I'll be revisiting the Orbital Strike Controllers and progression onto T4 during this patch cycle.

Full patch notes are over HERE, as per usual!

Known issues

• TechAxe is shown on the back of non-Patreons
• Linux builds will potentially require -force-opengl (due to using Unity 5.3.2)

Major changes

• Doubled speed (and therefore halved power-per-item) of Organic Reassemblers
• Boosted DPS of MK3 turrets by 20%
• Fixed major issue with Ore Extractors. This would have meant that you were losing around 25% of the ore in normal resources (so a vein that reported 10m, extracted using 100% heads, would have given you only 7.5m) - worse, in Plentiful mode, you would have lost 75% (!) of the reported ore. This should also accidentally fix the 'infinite veins' bug that has been previously reported.
• Completely re-written ARTHER messaging, dynamic help and information system.
• V2 build gun will clear ore veins 4x faster. You do NOT get 4x more ore - you simply can dig through veins quicker. You're welcome!
• Bouncy Minecarts have been calmed, and should now be reliable.
• Increased vein richness and size in Plentiful resource mode.
• Hard Mobs mode now has much harder mobs, but won't blow up your CPH
• Added a bunch of VR stuff - really still don't recommend trying this unless you have a stomach of steel tho!

Minor changes

• Increased maximum power transfer rate of refineries when more are connected togerther
• Belt-and-braces fix for invisible machines at new world start
• Improved ARTHER hints for network clients (he should no longer go on about T2 materials just because you haven't happened to visit there this game)
• Better error on missing mod.config file for mods
• Brand-new GACs now work in mods
• Improved error handling when working with malformed or incorrect XML files
• Error returned to user when mod id is misnamed WRT folder name
• Multiple simultaneous Mods now work
• Fixed issues with spiderbot skins
• Reduced cost of Conduits to 33% of previous.
• Minor tweaks to T4 Ore Extractors ('Trencher Drills' - Patreons are welcome to give feedback!)
• You may now start creating mods for the game. Please head over to here : http://steamcommunity.com/app/254200/discussions/1/
• COPPER WIRE ISSUES NOW FIXED!
• You can no longer open the console whilst typing a chat command.
• SpiderBotDock effect improved
• Full modding support added. 4 little words, with such big scope. Please check out DataDefaultFortressCraft Evolved Modding API.pdf for many MANY more details.
• Added custom 'crafting' string to Generic AutoCrafters, so you can make your custom modded machine say Assembling or Fermenting
• Improved readout of GACs under all circumstances
• fixed lag when crafting lots
• fixed CRAFTING vocal spam
• ARTHER will no longer tell you he doesn't have a powercore when in fact he does
• Added a minor April Fool's 'in joke'
• CryoHoppers use up 50% less power when placed in the Cold Caverns
• Increased crafting cost of MK3 turrets, to use up more Eyes
• Reduced the size of ore veins by approximately 50% in Plentiful mode - this should still be around 175%-225% of the value of the Ore Veins in the previous patch!
• Charged Explosives can now be charged 5x faster
• Increased the research cost of a number of later recipes; much more use of Lithium.
• All recipes that use Iron Gears now use a multiple of 5
• Increased cost of upgraded minecarts
• Minecarts now delay at a station for 300 seconds without any arriving resources before moving on; this applies to both loading and unloading.
• Fixed a number of draw order UI issues
• Smelters now capped to 25 bars; this should avoid the state where a previously-blocked smelter cannot offload into a 100 capacity hopper. It also stops players using the Smelter as a free hopper.
• The same fix has been applied to Refineries.
• You can no longer collect items whilst dead. Cheers DivineLumen
• SpiderBot UI improvements
• [T4]Thresher now works again
• [T4]Conduits have second-pass graphics (but placeholder textures)
• Fixed race condition where player would randomly lose half of their suitpower, once the larger battery has been fitted.
• Fixed collision race condition with spiderbot projectiles
• You can no longer insta-redie from HurtBoxes (like conduits or overminds)
• Easy Resources should now give larger-sized veins
• Easy Resources should now give veins of approximately double the richness
• Fixed ARTHER Solar Warning Spam
• Fixed ARTHER detection of mining types on a network game
• Fixed ARTHER detection of PTGs on a network game
• Fixed Minecart Factory Duplication issue
• Added ARTHER Power Bar on the UI
• ARTHER readout now readable on Fast detail
• Hard Mobs no longer means a unrepairable CPH. You can still select Hardcore mode to get this effect.
• Hard Mobs should also mean many more mobs around, all with much boosted health. Mynocks will also prove to be a much, much harder challenge.
• SpiderBot Base can now be destroyed.
• Alternative SpiderBot damage systems for dedicated servers.
• You can no longer host a multiplayer game before completing the tutorial (Thanks Deluks_Gaming)
• Threat Scanners now have much reduced power requirements.
• CPH now burns Enriched Coal correctly.
• ARTHERs readout display has had a massive overhaul - feedback wanted!
• Reduced heat distortion on Ore Smelters
• Minecart stations now authoritatively update attached Storage Hoppers.
• Player blaster shots should register on servers that aren't hosting, ie single player games
• Detected and warned users running on Intel chipsets. I really shouldn't have to do this for you guys, but, it's done!
• Fixed spelling of 'Complete' and 'Efficiency' in the help. Did not fix the spelling of 'manoeuvring',as I'm British and this is the correct spelling.
• Ore Extractors are no longer rotatable by players.
• Shift-R now rotates in the opposite direction.
• Iron Gears no longer researchable until you've located Iron
• Items that need the Lab no longer list 0 RP.
• Lab-based research is now all hidden until you research how to make a Lab.
• Ore Extractors with no cutter heads fitted no longer show a random '0' in the durability field
• Added Description to all crystals, indicating how useful they are, after research has been carried out on them.
• Added Description to all plants, giving much clearer hints on progression, after research has been carried out on them.
• Changed PSB interaction keys to match up to Storage Hopper behaviour. Old keys still work for experienced players.
• PTGs no longer allow direct removal of power. This was never actually intended!
• Music is no longer dimensional, and can now be heard. Oops.
• Loads of SpiderBot improvements, especially for networking.
• Improvements to Spaceships, including calculation of Delta/V
• Generic AutoCrafters should now research their target. No more auto-crafting of 'Unknown Items' !
• Fixed drill head materials. Learned not to trust artists.
• Bling Skin now available, as I've gotten a little less incompetent now I've had coffee.
• SpiderBot should no longer stomp ALL the way to the enemy base during at attack, but will hang on the (expected) perimeter of your base.
• SpiderBot should now target mobs more accurately
• SpiderBot audio now significantly cheaper on the CPU
• SpiderBot's Basic Blaster will no longer target large mobs that he has no chance of killing.
• Added SpiderBot Cannon
• Added SpiderBot Pulse Rifle
• These weapons are smart, have preferential targets, and SpiderBot can target 5 different mobs simultaneously! A fully-upgraded SpiderBot has no trouble demolishing 50+ heavies and many bosses - power permitting!
• SpiderBot attacks now require power
• Added SpiderBot Upgrade and Recharge Dock; he'll automatically return there when low on power, or an upgrade is available, or he's at less than full power and there's no attack active.
• Added SpiderBot Charge Core; give it 1,000 power and SpiderBot can go murder things for you.
• Added loads of related SpiderBot research and crafting. You may need to read up on locating hiveminds and extricating their brains for research points!
• Fixes to various fog shaders.
• Tweaks to the MobSpawner; you can now spawn 100 mobs with shift-e. Not recommended.
• FALCORs should now be correctly network sync'd
• FALCOR graphics and UI now first-pass final
• ZipperMerge network behaviour improved
• Redid Patreon CPH skin to second pass.
• Removed the music track 'Promises' from the game, to avoid any future tuneid matching issues.
• Hotbar should now update on research and usage of consumables
• Upgrades should now be applied and removed under ALL circumstances (especially storage crates)
• Re-did selection glow. Thoughts?
• Added Fully-Automated Loot Collection Organisational Robots (F.A.L.C.O.R. for short). FALCORs will fly from their base to FALCOR beacons and automatically collect loot near them. Right now they will collect ANYTHING - best used to collect Organic parts. Also useful for Auto Excavators and BFLs.
• Fix for items being transmitted over the network.
• [VR]Ins/Home/End now select VR quality low/med/high (this defaults to POTATO, so your framerate is high)
• [VR]F1 will toggle the VR being sent to the viewport. This can improve performance slightly
• [VR]Added virtual VR mouse cursor; all menus should now be navigable in VR
• Reworked Sun and Moon shafts and visuals; Shafts disable when deep underground; VR no longer attempts to render shafts (Can be toggled; will need a good video card (980ti or better))
• Organic Items spoil in hoppers correctly again.
• MK5 batteries now respect WantsPowerFromEntity correctly.