Since releasing 0.5.2 last Friday, we've got a number of reports of small issues. Today, we'll release 0.5.3, which fixes issues like the stack size of stairs and adds a couple of small optimizations and updated translations. Thank you translators!

Next week, we're going to start working on 0.6.0 which will include the 'digger' feature. We've been thinking of how this feature should work. There already is an in-game 'savetool'. We used this tool to save the 'blueprints' of the trees that currently spawn in the world. You can see how it works in the screenshot below.


There's a group of trees in the middle, and I've selected them by clicking two blocks on opposite sides of the trees. The purple selection updates dynamically by hovering the cursor over blocks.

The final digger tool will not turn blocks solid purple, but give them a transparent colored overlay instead, like the banner tool currently does. That's step 1.

When you're happy with the area you've selected, you'll have to place 'job spots' similar to how you currently place miners or guards. These digger job spots can be placed on all the blocks that border the selected area.

Unemployed colonists will move to the job spots and start removing blocks from the selected area. They will move to crates regularly to deposit the blocks they've collected. When they're done and the entire area is removed, their job spots automatically disappear and they move back to the banner, like all other unemployed colonists.

In this approach, diggers will work pretty similar to most other jobs, which hopefully is the least confusing strategy!

Two weeks ago , we suggested a feature that could fix 'the bed problem'. We received a lot of enthusiastic replies and nearly all of you wanted to see the feature added. We'll work on diggers (and probably builders for 0.6.1 ) first, but there is a very big chance that job-specific beds will be added in 0.6.* or 0.7.*!

Another very common suggestion is melee guards. We've thought about this idea, but it results in a number of problems:
[olist]

Wheat farming is already a more efficient source of food than berry gathering, but this would make it even more overpowered. Which means we'd have to adjust the balance again... which would make the entire change pointless.[/olist]
The best fix would be to make growing wheat require some attention by the colonist. He could remove and prevent weeds, water the plants, etcetera. But that update would be nearly 100% visual in nature without any significant change in gameplay, so it doesn't have a high priority for us.

We read, consider and appreciate all suggestions, but we wanted to let you know why we're currently not working on some of those common suggestions :)


Miscellaneous info

• Berry bushes do not need to grow before the berries are ripe. The limit for the effectiveness of the berry gatherer is limited by the time he needs to gather one berry, the low food value of one berry, and the time he needs to travel to and from crates. The amount of berry bushes in one 'berry field' is irrelevant. Creating larger 'berry fields' than the bare minimum is not necessary. For wheat/flax/herb farmers, the biggest field possible is the best option.
• When scientists consume science bags, there's a 90% chance an empty linen bag is added to the stockpile. When musketeers consume gunpowder pouches, there's also a 90% chance an empty linen pouch is returned to the stockpile.
• A forester plants 9 saplings in a 9x9 field. He also plants 9 saplings in a 10x10 field. He can plant 11 saplings in a 3x33 field.
• Our recent review rating exceeded 85% positive for the first time ever last week! :D

Bedankt voor het lezen!