0.7.8.1-6eeaeed-gw (2025-05-08)

Patch notes 2025-05-08 (Update 7 - Ziplines & Tubeways)

Note: Saves created on Update 6 or before should load just fine, although due to the addition of 3D terrain, there might be some small quirks and surprises. Maps on older saves are also not updated to their revised versions, so… maybe it’s time for a new playthrough?

Ziplines

As colonies grow, the need for efficient transportation of beavers, bots, and resources also increases. In Update 7, both factions get a speed boost with unique means of mass transit, offering the dwellers several advantages over treading the dirt paths or swimming.

Our nature-friendly Folktails enjoy high-speed thrills and get to ride Ziplines. Created with Stations, Pylons, and Beams, zipline networks easily cover large distances and elevation differences. Setting them up is a matter of choosing the connections with a few clicks.

• New feature: Ziplines (Folktails-only). Beavers and bots use Ziplines like paths, except they allow for travel above terrain while moving 2,5 times faster. Each Zipline connection requires at least two Stations, and any number of Pylons and Beams in between.
• Each building in the zipline network can be connected to up to two other structures, selected at any time from its panel. All connections are two-way. A single connection can be up to 30 metres long and have a maximum inclination of 50 degrees.
• New building: Zipline Station (20x Log, 40x Plank, 20x Metal Block, 700 SP). Bots and beavers use this building to hop onto and off a zipline. Within a single zipline network, all Stations must belong to the same district.
• New building: Zipline Pylon (20x Plank, 10x Gear, 10x Metal Block, 500 SP). Use these tall structures to route your ziplines around the settlement without colliding with terrain, buildings, and other ziplines.
• New building: Zipline Beam (20x Plank, 10x Gear, 10x Metal Block, 600 SP). The beams' role is similar to that of the Pylons, but since they’re smaller and the zipline is hooked to the side, they help in tight areas with large height differences.

Tubeways

The Iron Teeth’s new transport method requires a little more careful setup than Ziplines but rewards you with extra flexibility and can be integrated into the city as it grows. Our industrious faction builds Tubeway networks, consisting of Stations serving as endpoints, and the 1x1 modules that connect them - Tubeways and Solid Tubeways. Notably, the modules are water- and badwater-proof, and they can be joined just like regular paths… but also vertically.

• New feature: Tubeways (Iron Teeth-only). Beavers and bots use Tubeways to travel significantly faster (think: four times as fast) than on paths. Tubeways are built using the two 1x1 adaptive module types that adjust their shape as extra lines are connected. Tubeways can be submerged in water and badwater. Oh, and here’s a tip: it is possible to build things from inside Tubeways.
• New building: Tubeway Station (40x Plank, 20x Gear, 20x Metal Block, 700 SP). This is the entrance to the Tubeway network. Tubeways can be connected from the sides or from the bottom.
• New building: Tubeway (2x Plank, 1x Metal Block, 500 SP). Use this module to create Tubeway lines. Modules placed next to each other connect automatically.
• New building: Solid Tubeway (4x Plank, 1x Metal Block, 600 SP). Use this module to create Tubeway lines that go upwards or are built directly below buildings and terrain. Modules placed next to each other connect automatically. Vertical intersections are also possible.

3D Terrain

While the in-game terrain has always been made of little 3D cubes, you could only place them one atop another. With Update 7, terrain blocks go on all Solid surfaces - roofs, platforms, and overhangs. This gives you much more flexibility in reshaping maps and choosing where to grow your fields and forests. You can finally cultivate crops on top of lodges and warehouses. You may create extra-compact hanging gardens where plants grow on multiple levels. You might even hide your beavers’ settlement in a cave, with a river irrigating its green dome.

Speaking of caves, it is now also possible to overhang terrain blocks. The overhanging terrain needs to be attached to another terrain block and you cannot have more than three unsupported blocks protruding sideways, but it is still regular terrain that can be irrigated and contaminated.

• The terrain system is now truly three-dimensional, allowing you to put terrain blocks on all Solid surfaces.
• Added the ability to overhang terrain, up to three blocks to the side. To add overhanging blocks, start dragging the cursor from a vertical surface.
• As soon as you remove supporting terrain further than the allowed limit of three overhanging blocks, everything beyond that limit is destroyed. This also applies to buildings. Please be careful.
• Tweaked the models for Natural Overhangs.

Tunnels

Your beavers now finally know how to dig into walls, building tunnels of any width. Need to transport something, but there’s a huge landmass in the way? Just cut through. Want to move your beavers into a cave? Find a mountain and dig a hole!

• New building: Tunnel (2000 SP; 1x Explosives, 1x Extract, 6x Plank). With the power of explosives, beavers remove a terrain block from the side and install a Platform to support the ceiling. Use the layer tool to easily plan out larger digging areas inside landmasses.

Layer tool

We’re expanding the usability of the layer tool since terrain is now three-dimensional and you can turn your beavers into moles, a.k.a build tunnels.

• The layer tool (Alt+mouse wheel, remember?) now uncovers terrain in addition to buildings and water, allowing you to look inside areas like caves, tunnels, and complicated structures.
• When using the layer tool, all ground-only objects now display a shadow on the terrain layer they occupy.
• Added the ability to select a particular layer by clicking any tile on that layer with a new keybinding (by default: Alt+middle mouse button). Click that layer with the keybinding again, and the layer visibility resets.
• When trying to delete buildings in a way that causes objects on layers hidden by the Layer tool to also be deleted, the terrain is temporarily uncovered so that you don’t accidentally delete too much of your beavers’ livelihood.

Adaptive Power Shafts

Similarly to the Tubeways, the good ol’ Power Shafts are now also adaptive. We’ve replaced the existing fixed-shape Power Shafts with two new, adaptive modules - Power Shafts and Solid Power Shafts. As you expand and update your power grid, you no longer need to delete old connections, causing outages for entire districts. The new Power Shafts simply change their shape as new connections are added or removed. And yes, that also enables vertical junctions!

• New building: Power Shaft (No SP cost; 1x Log)
• New building: Solid Power Shaft (40 SP; 2x Log, 2x Plank, 1x Gear; Solid)
• Removed old, fixed-shape Power Shafts from the game. Setups on existing saves are still compatible - the old shafts have been automatically converted to Power Shafts and Solid Power Shafts.
• Removed the "Blocked power connection" status displayed while placing Power Shafts, as it was not very helpful.

Quality-of-life

One cannot argue Adaptive Power Shafts are a big W here, but it’s also the smaller things!

• When using most area selection tools - to plant trees, build multiple platforms, plan out a tunnel etc. - the size of the selected area is now displayed in the middle of the screen (for example "5x5").
• Plants’ drought resistance is now displayed in their description.

Maps

With the addition of 3D terrain, Ziplines, and Tubeways, we’ve reviewed all built-in maps to incorporate, and give you opportunities to play with, the new features.

• Revised 12 out of 13 in-game maps to a varying degree. The only unchanged map is Diorama (yes, it’s that perfect).

Map Editor

The map editor itself now also has more tools toys to play with.

• In the map editor, it is possible to use the terrain brush on Natural Overhangs.
• Added a new tool for sculpting overhanging terrain to the map editor.
• Added the layer tool to the map editor.
• Underground Ruins, Water Sources, and Badwater Sources now require continuous support from the bottom of the map. In other words, you can't dig tunnels under them, or place them on a terrain that has some gaps on lower layers. All that water and metal has to come from somewhere, right?
• In the map editor, brushes now only spawn and delete resources on the initial level.
• In the map editor, the relative terrain brush shows grayed out tiles if they’d end up outside of the map’s limit.
• The terrain tools are no longer blocked by objects like trees, ruins, or water sources. They now simply replace them with terrain blocks or, if the terrain is lowered, remove them outright.

Balance

With Update 7, we’re reducing the amount of downtime the players experience, and that - paired with the new content - required a significant rebalancing. This includes changes to mines and metal production, platforms, and tweaks to the effects of well-being. Also, Birches should now be better in the early game.

• Changed Mine’s and Efficient Mine’s basic recipe. The input is now Treated Plank 1x, the output is now Scrap Metal x5.
• Folktails’ Mine no longer has an extra recipe for Science Points.
• Iron Teeth’s Efficient Mine’s second recipe now has an input of 1x Treated Plank, 2x Extract, and an output of Scrap Metal x10.
• Mines and Efficient Mines now have 10 workers enabled by default, up from 5.
• Smelter now produces Metal Blocks twice as fast.
• For a small fee of 7500 SP, bots can now work in the Observatory. Just don’t come to us when they revolt.
• Power Wheel - lowered the cost from 40 Logs to 20 Logs.
• Large Power Wheel - lowered the cost from 100 Logs to 50 Logs.
• Mechanical Fluid Pump and Deep Mechanical Fluid Pump - lowered the cost from 100 Gears, 50 Treated Planks, and 50 Metal Blocks to 50 Gears, 25 Treated Planks, and 25 Metal Blocks. Lowered the SP cost from 5000 SP to 2500 SP.
• Lowered the unlock cost of Forester from 70 SP to 30 SP.
• Lowered Birch growth time from 9 days to 7 days.
• Slightly decreased planting and harvesting times for Birches and Oaks.
• Slightly increased harvesting times for Pines.
• Lowered Underground Pile’s capacity from 1800 to 1000 to make it less OP when combined with 3D terrain. But don’t fret, we also lowered its cost from 20x Logs, 80x Planks, 40x Gears to 20 Logs, 40x Planks, 20x Gears.
• Updated Platform’s cost from 2x Log, 4x Plank to 6x Plank.
• Updated Double Platform’s cost from 4x Log, 4x Plank to 8x Plank.
• Updated Triple Platform’s cost from 6x Log, 4x Plank to 10x Plank.
• Work speed now always increases by 20% with each well-being milestone.
• The work speed bonus at maximum well-being is now 260%, up from 170%.
• The base work speed bonus for bots is now 65%, up from 45%.
• Bots' Condition 1 work speed bonus is now 110%, up from 90%.
• Bots' Condition 2 work speed bonus is now 170%, up from 120%.
• Increased all attractions’ need gains to 0.6 per hour.
• Beaver Statue (Iron Teeth) - lowered the cost from 30 Metal Blocks to 20 Metal Blocks.
• Tweaked how much the needs satisfied by decorations and attractions deplete each day. For advanced attractions, their needs go down by 0.1, and for basic ones, by 0.2. For advanced decorations, their needs go down by 0.3, and for basic ones, by 0.4.
• Slopes’ and Stairs’ effect on range lines is now significantly lower.
• Excavator no longer needs Extract to operate.

Visuals and audio

Everyone likes pretty shadows. No RTX needed!

• On the Ultra preset, in-game shadows now use 8K resolution.
• As the above affects the game’s performance, the default graphics quality is now set to High rather than Ultra. If you have never changed anything and are on Ultra by default, the game will switch to High which is the equivalent of the old Ultra.
• Changed the maximum number of objects affected by light sources to 6 on Ultra and to 4 on High.
• Updated the collider system for beavers and bots to make them easier to select.
• Cleaned up some unit animations.
• Buildings’ ambient sounds now fade out at larger distances.
• Optimized explosion particles.

Performance

• Made tweaks to save files to make them smaller and improve saving times. We expect savefiles to be about 20% smaller and saving times to be about 20% shorter.
• The loading process no longer gets suspended in the middle if the Run in background checkbox is unchecked when the game is out of focus. So when you Alt-Tab back to the game, the loading process should now be 100% complete instead of taking a few more seconds to wrap up.
• The loading screen now always disappears after loading, even if the Run in background checkbox is unchecked.
• The game now loads 1 second faster.

Misc.

• Barriers placed next to each other now form a more seamless, larger structure, similar to how in-game fences work.
• Barriers no longer block relevant ground effects when placed in a diagonal line. This is communicated by the new visuals, as the corners of the barriers aren’t connected.
• Water Source is now Ground-only.
• On the toolbar, Spadderdock now comes before Cattail.
• Decluttered the bottom right corner of the screen by moving the version number to the game menu and removing the Bug report button. And no, that does not mean the game won’t have any bugs anymore. You can still send bug reports at logs@mechanistry.com, report them on Steam, Discord, and Feature Upvote, and use the post-crash screen.
• Capped the number of entries in the in-game console to 20,000 characters.
• Added a keybinding to switch worker type in workshops (not assigned by default).
• Added a keybinding to reset the camera (Shift-Z).
• The game no longer displays a game over pop-up right after loading if there are no live beavers in that saved file to begin with. Press F to pay respect without interruptions.
• Units now calculate the time needed to reach their destinations more accurately.
• On macOS, in keybindings, renamed Alt to Option.
• In key bindings, removed localizations for Shift/Ctrl/Alt/Cmd.
• Tweaked the format of descriptions for bonuses provided by buildings, such as carrying speed.
• Added the Build-a-Map Contest #4 winners to the in-game credits.
• Moved the tutorial’s window higher so that it doesn’t overlap with the looongest of toolbars.
• Changed the tree planted as part of the tutorial from Pine to Birch. This change is sponsored by the Balance section somewhere above.
• Cleaned up building tooltips to be more consistent.
• Removed the “Click a single tile or hold the button to select an area.” bit from several tooltips, as it cluttered them too much.
• Slightly shrunk that Hauling Post’s thingamabob at the top to fit the building under Overhangs.
• Replaced "Water-dependent" with "Badwater-dependent" in badwater buildings' descriptions.
• Underground Pile now informs about its underground depth (2).
• Keybindings used to control in-game speed are now correctly distinguishable on the key bindings screen.
• Renamed the "Pause/unpause selected building" to simpler "Pause selected building".
• Made some tweaks to the Polish translation.
• Added the new Update 7 key art to the main menu.
• Made minor tweaks to the tutorial’s text.

Modding

We are continuing our efforts to make creating mods for Timberborn easier and today’s release brings a few important changes.

• New features were added to our mods repository, such as: built-in code publicizer, zip files builder, and directory browsing controls.
• Added the Bootstrapper (global) context for the purpose of configurator installation.
• Removed PrefabConfigurators support which is now replaced with [Context] attributes and blueprints.
• Numpad Enter can now be used as a confirmation button in the Mod Manager.
• The Timbermesh plugin now supports newer Blender versions.
• In Update 7, we continue the changes you could see in the last patches of Update 6. The remaining prefab components have been simplified and renamed to "Spec". There is still a "Fix prefab components" button inside our modding tools, which should help with the rename slightly (remember to make a backup, though). On top of that, Specifications are now called Blueprints and can have multiple components, also called Specs.
• Our example mods - including Shanty Speaker - are now fully compatible with Update 7.
• Workplaces no longer softlock themselves if a mod adds a new recipe and then you remove that mod.
• Crash reports are no longer sent when the game is modded. Broken mods have always been the most common crash cause, making it harder to identify the issues broken on our end that we can actually fix.

Bug fixes

• Fixed units breakdancing when traversing and rotating multiple sets of stairs.
• Fixed Alt-Tab and Shift-Tab (Steam Overlay) breaking keyboard input.
• Fixed the incorrectly looped animations for stranded beavers. They are already in a pickle, why make it worse?
• Fixed range indicators overlapping incorrectly.
• Fixed character attachments (such as builders’ hammers) not highlighting upon selection.
• Fixed a bug with most workshops animating too fast at higher game speeds.
• Fixed a rare situation with rubble disappearing after reloading the game.
• In the map editor, the “Relative height" brush no longer displays a green preview after reaching the map’s height limit.
• In the map editor, the irrigation now correctly reaches its final state without reloading.
• Selecting a construction site for a bridge or stairs now displays the range lines, similar to when selecting a building in construction.
• In the construction mode, warehouses’ and tanks’ entrances no longer light up.
• You no longer need to press Enter twice in dialog boxes with input fields, for example when renaming units or districts.
• Buildings that cut out terrain - such as Motivatorium - no longer also cut out shadows when being placed.
• Fixed beavers disappearing randomly while moving the camera.
• Key bindings in the map editor tools are now displayed correctly.
• Restored sounds to buildings placed on high elevations.
• All area selection tools should correctly select objects on the layer chosen initially.
• Settlement Panel now correctly updates its numbers as new buildings are added.
• Fixed the Farmhouse’s prioritized action working only on the prioritized resource.
• Fixed floodable buildings that were becoming flooded even if their entrances were above water.
• Fixed the incorrectly calculated building ranges.
• Impermeable Floor now correctly blocks contamination and moisture.
• Removed the random shining pixels from some models. Beavers like it fancy but come on.
• Fixed the Scarecrow’s crooked base.
• Fixed the too-deep entrance to the Hauling Post.
• Fixed the incorrect shading on ropes in Double and Triple Floodgates.
• Range previews for buildings in construction are now correctly displayed on the preview of unfinished terrain.
• Rubble no longer loses its assigned priority after moving to another tile.
• Selecting Lido while it’s in the construction phase now works correctly.
• Bases for the Lido and Swimming Pool no longer clip through terrain and objects below.
• Fixed some carried goods clipping with the entrance to the Underground Warehouse.
• Key bindings that cannot be changed are now displayed as such.
• Impermeable Floors no longer become invisible in certain situations.
• Added the missing contamination reminder to the Deep Water Pump’s description.
• Beavers who lost their jobs upon loading the game due to backward incompatibility no longer keep their outfits.
• Fixed the lag occurring when drawing paths, connecting new buildings to existing paths, and selecting such buildings.
• Fixed beavers’ models stuttering when moving along paths.
• Beavers under platforms should no longer block their construction.
• Contaminated beavers are now correctly cleared from the Bee sting condition, and the poor victim’s model reflects that.
• Fixed a bug with Water Wheels’ direction not affecting how connected Power Shafts rotated.
• Ruin models no longer stick outside of their tiles.
• Fixed a bug with crops being dry or contaminated when they shouldn't be, after loading the save.
• It's now possible to build Teeth Grindstones under overhangs.
• The district-wide beaver/bot setting is now correctly applied to workplaces that were not connected to a built path (but were connected via stairs in construction, for example).
• Fixed a tiny typo in the Maple Pastry need.
• Fixed the game hanging around in Processes when closed with Alt+F4.
• Limited the number of used threads to 8 to prevent crashes and stuttering. We keep working on this.
• On Apple Silicon, the game no longer uses halved amount of threads for physics simulation.
• Fixed the flickering Ruins preview in the map editor.
• Fixed terrain texturing at low camera angles.
• Fixed the incorrectly looping building animation.
• In the map editor, some objects - such as Berry Bushes - can no longer be overridden by other objects - such as Water Sources.
• In Windowed mode, the cursor's tooltip no longer clips with the cursor itself.
• Pressing RMB while selecting an area with a tool no longer exits that tool as it should only cancel the current action. The Demolish tool was the worst offender here, as it also broke in half when you did that.
• With the Flexible Start unlocked, the starting district's default name is now always District 1 rather than increasing by 1 with each new start location. Just imagine what would happen after getting to "9".
• Fixed the map editor's relative terrain brush showing terrain blocks even if they’d end up outside of the map’s limit.
• Added the missing “of” to the Metal Fence’s description.
• Some panels in the map editor no longer open twice, doubling the number of clicks needed to save a map.
• Fixed the crash upon deleting a settlement.
• Fixed the crash upon uploading a map to Steam Workshop.
• Fixed a crash caused by deleting a District Center in an unfortunate moment.
• Fixed a crash caused by placing a District Center in an unfortunate moment.
• Fixed a crash caused by Badwater Sources vanishing due to compatibility reasons.
• Fixed a crash occurring when you removed mechanical buildings from really big networks. Like really, really, really big networks.
• Fixed a crash caused by loading a save with a District Crossing that wasn’t backward compatible.

Known issues

We’re aware of some persistent issues related to multi-threading, especially on the i9 CPUs. These issues are experienced only by a small percentage of players, and range in severity. We’re working on a fix but in the meantime, should you experience serious crashing even after disabling all mods, consider switching back to the Update 6 branch.

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0.7.8.1-6eeaeed-gm (2025-05-08)

Patch notes 2025-05-08 (Update 7 - Ziplines & Tubeways)

Note: Saves created on Update 6 or before should load just fine, although due to the addition of 3D terrain, there might be some small quirks and surprises. Maps on older saves are also not updated to their revised versions, so… maybe it’s time for a new playthrough?

Ziplines

As colonies grow, the need for efficient transportation of beavers, bots, and resources also increases. In Update 7, both factions get a speed boost with unique means of mass transit, offering the dwellers several advantages over treading the dirt paths or swimming.

Our nature-friendly Folktails enjoy high-speed thrills and get to ride Ziplines. Created with Stations, Pylons, and Beams, zipline networks easily cover large distances and elevation differences. Setting them up is a matter of choosing the connections with a few clicks.

• New feature: Ziplines (Folktails-only). Beavers and bots use Ziplines like paths, except they allow for travel above terrain while moving 2,5 times faster. Each Zipline connection requires at least two Stations, and any number of Pylons and Beams in between.
• Each building in the zipline network can be connected to up to two other structures, selected at any time from its panel. All connections are two-way. A single connection can be up to 30 metres long and have a maximum inclination of 50 degrees.
• New building: Zipline Station (20x Log, 40x Plank, 20x Metal Block, 700 SP). Bots and beavers use this building to hop onto and off a zipline. Within a single zipline network, all Stations must belong to the same district.
• New building: Zipline Pylon (20x Plank, 10x Gear, 10x Metal Block, 500 SP). Use these tall structures to route your ziplines around the settlement without colliding with terrain, buildings, and other ziplines.
• New building: Zipline Beam (20x Plank, 10x Gear, 10x Metal Block, 600 SP). The beams' role is similar to that of the Pylons, but since they’re smaller and the zipline is hooked to the side, they help in tight areas with large height differences.

Tubeways

The Iron Teeth’s new transport method requires a little more careful setup than Ziplines but rewards you with extra flexibility and can be integrated into the city as it grows. Our industrious faction builds Tubeway networks, consisting of Stations serving as endpoints, and the 1x1 modules that connect them - Tubeways and Solid Tubeways. Notably, the modules are water- and badwater-proof, and they can be joined just like regular paths… but also vertically.

• New feature: Tubeways (Iron Teeth-only). Beavers and bots use Tubeways to travel significantly faster (think: four times as fast) than on paths. Tubeways are built using the two 1x1 adaptive module types that adjust their shape as extra lines are connected. Tubeways can be submerged in water and badwater. Oh, and here’s a tip: it is possible to build things from inside Tubeways.
• New building: Tubeway Station (40x Plank, 20x Gear, 20x Metal Block, 700 SP). This is the entrance to the Tubeway network. Tubeways can be connected from the sides or from the bottom.
• New building: Tubeway (2x Plank, 1x Metal Block, 500 SP). Use this module to create Tubeway lines. Modules placed next to each other connect automatically.
• New building: Solid Tubeway (4x Plank, 1x Metal Block, 600 SP). Use this module to create Tubeway lines that go upwards or are built directly below buildings and terrain. Modules placed next to each other connect automatically. Vertical intersections are also possible.

3D Terrain

While the in-game terrain has always been made of little 3D cubes, you could only place them one atop another. With Update 7, terrain blocks go on all Solid surfaces - roofs, platforms, and overhangs. This gives you much more flexibility in reshaping maps and choosing where to grow your fields and forests. You can finally cultivate crops on top of lodges and warehouses. You may create extra-compact hanging gardens where plants grow on multiple levels. You might even hide your beavers’ settlement in a cave, with a river irrigating its green dome.

Speaking of caves, it is now also possible to overhang terrain blocks. The overhanging terrain needs to be attached to another terrain block and you cannot have more than three unsupported blocks protruding sideways, but it is still regular terrain that can be irrigated and contaminated.

• The terrain system is now truly three-dimensional, allowing you to put terrain blocks on all Solid surfaces.
• Added the ability to overhang terrain, up to three blocks to the side. To add overhanging blocks, start dragging the cursor from a vertical surface.
• As soon as you remove supporting terrain further than the allowed limit of three overhanging blocks, everything beyond that limit is destroyed. This also applies to buildings. Please be careful.
• Tweaked the models for Natural Overhangs.

Tunnels

Your beavers now finally know how to dig into walls, building tunnels of any width. Need to transport something, but there’s a huge landmass in the way? Just cut through. Want to move your beavers into a cave? Find a mountain and dig a hole!

• New building: Tunnel (2000 SP; 1x Explosives, 1x Extract, 6x Plank). With the power of explosives, beavers remove a terrain block from the side and install a Platform to support the ceiling. Use the layer tool to easily plan out larger digging areas inside landmasses.

Layer tool

We’re expanding the usability of the layer tool since terrain is now three-dimensional and you can turn your beavers into moles, a.k.a build tunnels.

• The layer tool (Alt+mouse wheel, remember?) now uncovers terrain in addition to buildings and water, allowing you to look inside areas like caves, tunnels, and complicated structures.
• When using the layer tool, all ground-only objects now display a shadow on the terrain layer they occupy.
• Added the ability to select a particular layer by clicking any tile on that layer with a new keybinding (by default: Alt+middle mouse button). Click that layer with the keybinding again, and the layer visibility resets.
• When trying to delete buildings in a way that causes objects on layers hidden by the Layer tool to also be deleted, the terrain is temporarily uncovered so that you don’t accidentally delete too much of your beavers’ livelihood.

Adaptive Power Shafts

Similarly to the Tubeways, the good ol’ Power Shafts are now also adaptive. We’ve replaced the existing fixed-shape Power Shafts with two new, adaptive modules - Power Shafts and Solid Power Shafts. As you expand and update your power grid, you no longer need to delete old connections, causing outages for entire districts. The new Power Shafts simply change their shape as new connections are added or removed. And yes, that also enables vertical junctions!

• New building: Power Shaft (No SP cost; 1x Log)
• New building: Solid Power Shaft (40 SP; 2x Log, 2x Plank, 1x Gear; Solid)
• Removed old, fixed-shape Power Shafts from the game. Setups on existing saves are still compatible - the old shafts have been automatically converted to Power Shafts and Solid Power Shafts.
• Removed the "Blocked power connection" status displayed while placing Power Shafts, as it was not very helpful.

Quality-of-life

One cannot argue Adaptive Power Shafts are a big W here, but it’s also the smaller things!

• When using most area selection tools - to plant trees, build multiple platforms, plan out a tunnel etc. - the size of the selected area is now displayed in the middle of the screen (for example "5x5").
• Plants’ drought resistance is now displayed in their description.

Maps

With the addition of 3D terrain, Ziplines, and Tubeways, we’ve reviewed all built-in maps to incorporate, and give you opportunities to play with, the new features.

• Revised 12 out of 13 in-game maps to a varying degree. The only unchanged map is Diorama (yes, it’s that perfect).

Map Editor

The map editor itself now also has more tools toys to play with.

• In the map editor, it is possible to use the terrain brush on Natural Overhangs.
• Added a new tool for sculpting overhanging terrain to the map editor.
• Added the layer tool to the map editor.
• Underground Ruins, Water Sources, and Badwater Sources now require continuous support from the bottom of the map. In other words, you can't dig tunnels under them, or place them on a terrain that has some gaps on lower layers. All that water and metal has to come from somewhere, right?
• In the map editor, brushes now only spawn and delete resources on the initial level.
• In the map editor, the relative terrain brush shows grayed out tiles if they’d end up outside of the map’s limit.
• The terrain tools are no longer blocked by objects like trees, ruins, or water sources. They now simply replace them with terrain blocks or, if the terrain is lowered, remove them outright.

Balance

With Update 7, we’re reducing the amount of downtime the players experience, and that - paired with the new content - required a significant rebalancing. This includes changes to mines and metal production, platforms, and tweaks to the effects of well-being. Also, Birches should now be better in the early game.

• Changed Mine’s and Efficient Mine’s basic recipe. The input is now Treated Plank 1x, the output is now Scrap Metal x5.
• Folktails’ Mine no longer has an extra recipe for Science Points.
• Iron Teeth’s Efficient Mine’s second recipe now has an input of 1x Treated Plank, 2x Extract, and an output of Scrap Metal x10.
• Mines and Efficient Mines now have 10 workers enabled by default, up from 5.
• Smelter now produces Metal Blocks twice as fast.
• For a small fee of 7500 SP, bots can now work in the Observatory. Just don’t come to us when they revolt.
• Power Wheel - lowered the cost from 40 Logs to 20 Logs.
• Large Power Wheel - lowered the cost from 100 Logs to 50 Logs.
• Mechanical Fluid Pump and Deep Mechanical Fluid Pump - lowered the cost from 100 Gears, 50 Treated Planks, and 50 Metal Blocks to 50 Gears, 25 Treated Planks, and 25 Metal Blocks. Lowered the SP cost from 5000 SP to 2500 SP.
• Lowered the unlock cost of Forester from 70 SP to 30 SP.
• Lowered Birch growth time from 9 days to 7 days.
• Slightly decreased planting and harvesting times for Birches and Oaks.
• Slightly increased harvesting times for Pines.
• Lowered Underground Pile’s capacity from 1800 to 1000 to make it less OP when combined with 3D terrain. But don’t fret, we also lowered its cost from 20x Logs, 80x Planks, 40x Gears to 20 Logs, 40x Planks, 20x Gears.
• Updated Platform’s cost from 2x Log, 4x Plank to 6x Plank.
• Updated Double Platform’s cost from 4x Log, 4x Plank to 8x Plank.
• Updated Triple Platform’s cost from 6x Log, 4x Plank to 10x Plank.
• Work speed now always increases by 20% with each well-being milestone.
• The work speed bonus at maximum well-being is now 260%, up from 170%.
• The base work speed bonus for bots is now 65%, up from 45%.
• Bots' Condition 1 work speed bonus is now 110%, up from 90%.
• Bots' Condition 2 work speed bonus is now 170%, up from 120%.
• Increased all attractions’ need gains to 0.6 per hour.
• Beaver Statue (Iron Teeth) - lowered the cost from 30 Metal Blocks to 20 Metal Blocks.
• Tweaked how much the needs satisfied by decorations and attractions deplete each day. For advanced attractions, their needs go down by 0.1, and for basic ones, by 0.2. For advanced decorations, their needs go down by 0.3, and for basic ones, by 0.4.
• Slopes’ and Stairs’ effect on range lines is now significantly lower.
• Excavator no longer needs Extract to operate.

Visuals and audio

Everyone likes pretty shadows. No RTX needed!

• On the Ultra preset, in-game shadows now use 8K resolution.
• As the above affects the game’s performance, the default graphics quality is now set to High rather than Ultra. If you have never changed anything and are on Ultra by default, the game will switch to High which is the equivalent of the old Ultra.
• Changed the maximum number of objects affected by light sources to 6 on Ultra and to 4 on High.
• Updated the collider system for beavers and bots to make them easier to select.
• Cleaned up some unit animations.
• Buildings’ ambient sounds now fade out at larger distances.
• Optimized explosion particles.

Performance

• Made tweaks to save files to make them smaller and improve saving times. We expect savefiles to be about 20% smaller and saving times to be about 20% shorter.
• The loading process no longer gets suspended in the middle if the Run in background checkbox is unchecked when the game is out of focus. So when you Alt-Tab back to the game, the loading process should now be 100% complete instead of taking a few more seconds to wrap up.
• The loading screen now always disappears after loading, even if the Run in background checkbox is unchecked.
• The game now loads 1 second faster.

Misc.

• Barriers placed next to each other now form a more seamless, larger structure, similar to how in-game fences work.
• Barriers no longer block relevant ground effects when placed in a diagonal line. This is communicated by the new visuals, as the corners of the barriers aren’t connected.
• Water Source is now Ground-only.
• On the toolbar, Spadderdock now comes before Cattail.
• Decluttered the bottom right corner of the screen by moving the version number to the game menu and removing the Bug report button. And no, that does not mean the game won’t have any bugs anymore. You can still send bug reports at logs@mechanistry.com, report them on Steam, Discord, and Feature Upvote, and use the post-crash screen.
• Capped the number of entries in the in-game console to 20,000 characters.
• Added a keybinding to switch worker type in workshops (not assigned by default).
• Added a keybinding to reset the camera (Shift-Z).
• The game no longer displays a game over pop-up right after loading if there are no live beavers in that saved file to begin with. Press F to pay respect without interruptions.
• Units now calculate the time needed to reach their destinations more accurately.
• On macOS, in keybindings, renamed Alt to Option.
• In key bindings, removed localizations for Shift/Ctrl/Alt/Cmd.
• Tweaked the format of descriptions for bonuses provided by buildings, such as carrying speed.
• Added the Build-a-Map Contest #4 winners to the in-game credits.
• Moved the tutorial’s window higher so that it doesn’t overlap with the looongest of toolbars.
• Changed the tree planted as part of the tutorial from Pine to Birch. This change is sponsored by the Balance section somewhere above.
• Cleaned up building tooltips to be more consistent.
• Removed the “Click a single tile or hold the button to select an area.” bit from several tooltips, as it cluttered them too much.
• Slightly shrunk that Hauling Post’s thingamabob at the top to fit the building under Overhangs.
• Replaced "Water-dependent" with "Badwater-dependent" in badwater buildings' descriptions.
• Underground Pile now informs about its underground depth (2).
• Keybindings used to control in-game speed are now correctly distinguishable on the key bindings screen.
• Renamed the "Pause/unpause selected building" to simpler "Pause selected building".
• Made some tweaks to the Polish translation.
• Added the new Update 7 key art to the main menu.
• Made minor tweaks to the tutorial’s text.

Modding

We are continuing our efforts to make creating mods for Timberborn easier and today’s release brings a few important changes.

• New features were added to our mods repository, such as: built-in code publicizer, zip files builder, and directory browsing controls.
• Added the Bootstrapper (global) context for the purpose of configurator installation.
• Removed PrefabConfigurators support which is now replaced with [Context] attributes and blueprints.
• Numpad Enter can now be used as a confirmation button in the Mod Manager.
• The Timbermesh plugin now supports newer Blender versions.
• In Update 7, we continue the changes you could see in the last patches of Update 6. The remaining prefab components have been simplified and renamed to "Spec". There is still a "Fix prefab components" button inside our modding tools, which should help with the rename slightly (remember to make a backup, though). On top of that, Specifications are now called Blueprints and can have multiple components, also called Specs.
• Our example mods - including Shanty Speaker - are now fully compatible with Update 7.
• Workplaces no longer softlock themselves if a mod adds a new recipe and then you remove that mod.
• Crash reports are no longer sent when the game is modded. Broken mods have always been the most common crash cause, making it harder to identify the issues broken on our end that we can actually fix.

Bug fixes

• Fixed units breakdancing when traversing and rotating multiple sets of stairs.
• Fixed Alt-Tab and Shift-Tab (Steam Overlay) breaking keyboard input.
• Fixed the incorrectly looped animations for stranded beavers. They are already in a pickle, why make it worse?
• Fixed range indicators overlapping incorrectly.
• Fixed character attachments (such as builders’ hammers) not highlighting upon selection.
• Fixed a bug with most workshops animating too fast at higher game speeds.
• Fixed a rare situation with rubble disappearing after reloading the game.
• In the map editor, the “Relative height" brush no longer displays a green preview after reaching the map’s height limit.
• In the map editor, the irrigation now correctly reaches its final state without reloading.
• Selecting a construction site for a bridge or stairs now displays the range lines, similar to when selecting a building in construction.
• In the construction mode, warehouses’ and tanks’ entrances no longer light up.
• You no longer need to press Enter twice in dialog boxes with input fields, for example when renaming units or districts.
• Buildings that cut out terrain - such as Motivatorium - no longer also cut out shadows when being placed.
• Fixed beavers disappearing randomly while moving the camera.
• Key bindings in the map editor tools are now displayed correctly.
• Restored sounds to buildings placed on high elevations.
• All area selection tools should correctly select objects on the layer chosen initially.
• Settlement Panel now correctly updates its numbers as new buildings are added.
• Fixed the Farmhouse’s prioritized action working only on the prioritized resource.
• Fixed floodable buildings that were becoming flooded even if their entrances were above water.
• Fixed the incorrectly calculated building ranges.
• Impermeable Floor now correctly blocks contamination and moisture.
• Removed the random shining pixels from some models. Beavers like it fancy but come on.
• Fixed the Scarecrow’s crooked base.
• Fixed the too-deep entrance to the Hauling Post.
• Fixed the incorrect shading on ropes in Double and Triple Floodgates.
• Range previews for buildings in construction are now correctly displayed on the preview of unfinished terrain.
• Rubble no longer loses its assigned priority after moving to another tile.
• Selecting Lido while it’s in the construction phase now works correctly.
• Bases for the Lido and Swimming Pool no longer clip through terrain and objects below.
• Fixed some carried goods clipping with the entrance to the Underground Warehouse.
• Key bindings that cannot be changed are now displayed as such.
• Impermeable Floors no longer become invisible in certain situations.
• Added the missing contamination reminder to the Deep Water Pump’s description.
• Beavers who lost their jobs upon loading the game due to backward incompatibility no longer keep their outfits.
• Fixed the lag occurring when drawing paths, connecting new buildings to existing paths, and selecting such buildings.
• Fixed beavers’ models stuttering when moving along paths.
• Beavers under platforms should no longer block their construction.
• Contaminated beavers are now correctly cleared from the Bee sting condition, and the poor victim’s model reflects that.
• Fixed a bug with Water Wheels’ direction not affecting how connected Power Shafts rotated.
• Ruin models no longer stick outside of their tiles.
• Fixed a bug with crops being dry or contaminated when they shouldn't be, after loading the save.
• It's now possible to build Teeth Grindstones under overhangs.
• The district-wide beaver/bot setting is now correctly applied to workplaces that were not connected to a built path (but were connected via stairs in construction, for example).
• Fixed a tiny typo in the Maple Pastry need.
• Fixed the game hanging around in Processes when closed with Alt+F4.
• Limited the number of used threads to 8 to prevent crashes and stuttering. We keep working on this.
• On Apple Silicon, the game no longer uses halved amount of threads for physics simulation.
• Fixed the flickering Ruins preview in the map editor.
• Fixed terrain texturing at low camera angles.
• Fixed the incorrectly looping building animation.
• In the map editor, some objects - such as Berry Bushes - can no longer be overridden by other objects - such as Water Sources.
• In Windowed mode, the cursor's tooltip no longer clips with the cursor itself.
• Pressing RMB while selecting an area with a tool no longer exits that tool as it should only cancel the current action. The Demolish tool was the worst offender here, as it also broke in half when you did that.
• With the Flexible Start unlocked, the starting district's default name is now always District 1 rather than increasing by 1 with each new start location. Just imagine what would happen after getting to "9".
• Fixed the map editor's relative terrain brush showing terrain blocks even if they’d end up outside of the map’s limit.
• Added the missing “ov” “of” to the Metal Fence’s description.
• Some panels in the map editor no longer open twice, doubling the number of clicks needed to save a map.
• Fixed the crash upon deleting a settlement.
• Fixed the crash upon uploading a map to Steam Workshop.
• Fixed a crash caused by deleting a District Center in an unfortunate moment.
• Fixed a crash caused by placing a District Center in an unfortunate moment.
• Fixed a crash caused by Badwater Sources vanishing due to compatibility reasons.
• Fixed a crash occurring when you removed mechanical buildings from really big networks. Like really, really, really big networks.
• Fixed a crash caused by loading a save with a District Crossing that wasn’t backward compatible.

Known issues

We’re aware of some persistent issues related to multi-threading, especially on the i9 CPUs. These issues are experienced only by a small percentage of players, and range in severity. We’re working on a fix but in the meantime, should you experience serious crashing even after disabling all mods, consider switching back to the Update 6 branch.

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0.6.8.4-e18214b-gw (2024-10-10)

Patch notes: 2024-10-10 (Update 6)

NOTE: Saves created on Update 5 will load fine. However, Update 6 replaces some buildings. This includes the old Metal Platforms or the deprecated High Power Shaft. If you load a save with those, they will be there, but you won’t be able to add more. The map you played on will not be updated. Also, if you started the save before the February hotfix, the flexible start won’t unlock.

Three-dimensional water physics

One of Timberborn’s hallmark features is water physics. Yet, until now, we’ve used a cleverly designed 2.5-dimensional system. Our water had variable depths and formed waterfalls, but it was like a sheet thrown over the map’s topography. With Update 6, we’re finally implementing the real, three-dimensional system, which allows way more complex interactions with fluids.

Under the new physics, it is possible to run layers of fluids atop one another and over buildings. As Levees and Dams can now be placed everywhere, the most obvious application is the long-requested ability to build aqueducts. Thanks to the newly added Impermeable Floor, water can also flow over platforms or the roofs of all Solid buildings. Pair that with the new ways of building vertically, and you may even build an entire underwater city!

• Fluids now use three-dimensional physics. This, among other things, means it is possible to have horizontal layers of water or badwater atop one another, with buildings in between. Also, the new water physics respects the laws of communicating vessels.
• New building: Impermeable Floor (200 SP; 1 Metal Block). Put this on any Solid surface (could be a platform, a lodge’s roof etc.) and water will not pour through. You can still run your paths on the Impermeable Floor.
• It is now possible to build and stack Dams and Levees anywhere, for example on platforms or on top of buildings (think: aqueduct walls). This also means you can now form a wall with lots of Levees and a Dam block in the middle.
• Reworked the way water is rendered. Fluids now spill over more fluidly, and no longer look like their edges could cut through one’s tail. Falling water now looks better. We also removed these visible but not real “leaks” in the corners of dams and terrain.
• The layer tool now uncovers layers of water in addition to buildings.
• Water Wheels no longer slow the water flow. While this seemed a little more immersive, the water wheels would sometimes stop working as a result. This was causing way too much confusion.

Automated sluices

The new water physics system finally allowed us to add one of the most often-requested building blocks to Timberborn, the Sluice. And it’s automated!

• New building: Sluice (400 SP; 5 Planks, 5 Metal Blocks; Solid). This 1x1 building passes water through in one - unchangeable - direction. Notably, sluices may be used at the bottom or in the middle of a larger dam. Adjacent sluices can be synchronized, just like floodgates.
• Sluices can be set to be open, closed, or automatically operated. The automation opens or closes the sluice depending on contamination levels and downstream water levels picked by the player. This should remove lots of typical micromanagement headaches!

New platforms

Three-dimensional water physics just asked for cool new toys! So, we’ve remade the existing Metal Platforms and added Overhangs - including natural ones available in the map editor. Use these tools to raise multi-layered airborne cities and save space on the ground.

• New buildings: Overhangs (available variants: 2x1, 3x1, 4x1, 5x1, 6x1; costs include increasing amounts of SP, logs, planks, and metal blocks). These platforms need to be supported from one side, similar to suspension bridges. You can build on them, and they’re not ground-only, which means you could chain them almost ad infinitum.
• Updated buildings: Metal Platforms. These are now equally available to both factions, and available in two sizes (3x3, 5x5; costs updated to 1000/2000 SP and 30/90 Metal Blocks, respectively). They now have much shorter “legs” but are no longer ground-only, so you could put them on platforms or even pile them one atop another, up to the map’s height limit. Just do not ask us how this doesn’t collapse. That’s beaver engineering!
• Updated buildings: Suspension Bridges. Because of the addition of overhangs, we’ve rebalanced costs for all six bridge sizes. In short, they’re all much cheaper than before, and they no longer use metal.
• Updated buildings: Mechanical Water Pump and Deep Mechanical Water Pump: max pipe length increased to 5 and 8 tiles, respectively. With all the aqueduct shenanigans now possible, it made sense to give beavers more freedom in creating their water transportation setups.
• New objects: Natural Overhangs (2x1, 3x1, 4x1). These are available in the map editor. It is possible to build on them, but crops won’t grow on them, and they do not transfer irrigation and contamination. Builders can destroy them, just like the Blockages.

Vertical Power Shafts

No beaver city is complete without an efficient power grid. With the Vertical Power Shafts we’re adding today, you’ll save lots of space when connecting areas on different elevations. For extra efficiency points, you can even a building directly on top of them.

• New building: Vertical Power Shaft (40 SP; 2 logs, 2 planks, 1 gear; Solid; must be placed above ground). Use this shaft to build vertical power lines and, thanks to its integrated platform, to power up buildings through the floor.
• New buildings: Upward Power Shaft and Downward Power Shaft (20 SP; 2 logs, 2 planks, 1 gear each). These are used in connection with Vertical Power Shafts but since they’re separate buildings, power lines now turn in any direction without wasting space.
• Updated buildings: Mechanical Fluid Pump and Deep Mechanical Fluid Pump. Power shafts can now connect from front and back (or even bottom!), and not just from the sides. Also, the Pump’s lower part now acts like a three-block levee, blocking water.
• Updated buildings: Windmill, Large Windmill, Engine, Large Power Wheel. When placed on Vertical Power Shafts, their power output is transferred directly downwards. They can also directly power up Solid buildings placed below.

Wonders

Timberborn is a highly replayable sandbox experience with self-imposed goals - and we stick to that! However, we’ve also heard your requests for more clearly defined end-game objectives. Hence the addition of faction-specific wonders - large, expensive buildings that can be activated to “complete” the run if you wish. Launching a wonder comes with a reward, too.

• New feature: wonders. These very advanced structures are larger and more expensive than anything else in the game, and because of that they even go through five visible construction stages. A finished wonder can be activated for an extra cost, resulting in “completing” the map. You can build multiple wonders on the map.
• After the first activation of the wonder on the map, the game displays a congratulatory pop-up with statistics of the current playthrough. After that, you can continue playing.
• When a wonder is activated for the first time, a faction badge is added to the current map on the map selection screen. The flexible start is also unlocked - see below.
• New building: Earth Recultivator. (20 000 SP; 2000 gears, 2000 treated planks, 1500 metal blocks; Folktails-only). Our expert farmers’ primary goal is to turn the entire planet green again - and this huge seed bank helps achieve that!
• Earth Recultivator can be activated for 500 Extract and 500 Paper. When activated, it sends out balloons with extra-durable tree seeds. This effect is visual and lore-bound only. On top of that, a huge boost to well-being is added to all beavers in a large area.
• New building: Earth Repopulator (20 000 SP; 1500 Gears, 2000 Treated Planks, 2000 Metal Blocks; Iron Teeth-only). Our industrious faction uses this mechanized beaver ejector to rebuild civilization across the troubled globe.
• Earth Repopulator can be activated for 500 Treated Planks and 500 Berries. The building’s workers hop into gliders and fly away to start new settlements elsewhere in the world. This effect is visual and lore-bound only… but the pioneers are not coming back. There’s also a huge boost to the well-being of all beavers in a large area.

Flexible start

Your playing experience on a map may differ vastly depending on where you start. Now, after you complete a wonder, you can change the starting location for future runs on the map.

• Activating the wonder for the first time on a map on any faction unlocks a flexible start for both factions. Further playthroughs on that map will allow picking a different location for the initial District Center.

Modding support

We’ve also remade the modding system to make the most common modding tasks easier to accomplish, less prone to errors, less prone to compatibility issues, and overall, make the game more fun to experiment with. If you’re a mod creator, read the documentation on Timberborn Wiki and check out the GitHub repository with some sample mods and tools.

• Added new tools and made multiple changes to the game's architecture to make modding easier. If you're a modder, you can find the details in the documentation and the GitHub repository.
• Added a built-in mod manager accessed via the main menu that allows you to turn mods on and off, and to rearrange their launch order. If you have any compatible mods installed, the manager also launches before the game.
• Added an in-game console. By default, it’s accessed with Alt+`.
• Added an official sample mod, available from Mod.io. This is a simple, not-very-serious Iron Teeth building that continuously plays “Shores of Beaver Bay”, the song we recorded with our community back in 2022. Find it here.

Tail customization, a.k.a. detailing

High fashion finally arrives at Timberborn thanks to the most punny building, the Detailer! You can pick from a few default faction-specific designs and have them temporarily tattooed on the visitors’ tails. Or, you can add your own custom images! (Just the SFW stuff, please).

• New building: Detailer (1000 SP; 15 gears, 5 treated planks, 10 metal blocks). This new attraction satisfies Fun while making your beavers’ tails prettier with floral-ish designs.
• Custom images can also be used in Detailer. Transparent 1024x1024 PNGs are preferred, but the game also accepts JPGs and lower resolutions.

Mud Pit and other changes to buildings

Beavers like mud, but some more than others. We’re giving Folktails a larger new building, the Mud Pit. The Iron Teeth retain the old Mud Bath. There are also quite a few other changes to buildings and their construction.

• New building: Mud Pit (1800 SP; 60 logs; 40 treated planks, 20 wheat; Folktails-only). This 3x3 building allows Folktails to chill out even more, with a larger leisure area and several comfy spots to choose from.
• Updated building: Mud Bath. This building is now Iron Teeth-exclusive. They just don’t mind being squeezed in like that.
• When synchronizing Floodgates, all neighbors will synchronize to the same height.
• Floodgates’ height can now be adjusted accurately, with 0.05 increases.
• Beehive is no longer a Ground-only building.
• It is now possible to build dynamite on paths. This is a quality-of-life feature, and NOT a way to play whack-a-beaver, you psychos.
• When placing multiple Levees at once, you can now draw rectangles rather than just lines. Go crazy with the aqueducts!
• Updated the Large Windmill’s model so that it now actually uses the Paper it was built with. Conversely, the (small) Windmill no longer uses Paper in its model.
• Updated terrain blocks to look better with the new water.
• Updated buildings: Mine, Efficient Mine, and Underground Pile. These buildings’ entrances are now at the ground level.
• Tweaked the Blockage’s model to be a little more rockish, less contrasting, and using fewer polygons. We now expect them to be used in higher numbers, for example when placing “natural aqueducts” on Natural Overhangs.
• Pines no longer scale up to the point where they clip through bridges etc.
• Simplified the model for crop leftovers (a.k.a. these little crates sometimes left next to harvested crops).
• Slope now needs to be demolished by builders rather than with a single click.
• Added a warning text when trying to build something beyond the map’s height limit.
• Removed tile highlights under selected buildings.
• Some small textures are no longer compressed, resulting in better looks on Low graphical settings.

Construction stages

• Each building in the game uses a custom construction model, with monuments getting extra construction stages!
• Added construction stages to all in-game buildings. A building-specific construction model appears after materials have been brought to an empty construction site. All non-wonder, non-monument buildings in the game receive one such extra construction stage before they’re finished. The regular monuments have two.
• Updated the initial construction site for Dynamite (all types) so that it doesn’t cover the path underneath as much.
• Extended building times for most buildings a little so that you can enjoy the view of beavers hammering away a little more often.

Construction guidelines

With the addition of overhangs, aqueducts, and increased focus on vertical building, it was time to implement a new quality-of-life feature. When constructing new buildings, it is now possible to toggle the construction guidelines view. This view helps you align new buildings correctly despite height differences or large distances.

• New feature: construction guidelines. This view can be toggled with a new button added to the top right corner of the screen (default key binding: Shift+X) or by holding X.

New animations

Beavers, bots, and their animations have received extra love from us!

• Farmers (both beavers and bots) now don cute little hats.
• Farmers now use new farming animations.
• Builders (both beavers and bots) now carry hammers.
• Builders now use new, hammer-y building animations.
• Builders and Foresters now also use hammers to demolish, um, whatever they demolish.
• Kits are now slightly smaller compared to adults.
• Backpack straps now use textures rather than 3D models.
• Spadderdock now has a smaller range of possible height so that it looks better at certain depths.

Maps and map editor

Timberborn now has 13 built-in maps! In addition to the pretty new map, Cliffside, all previously available maps have been updated to better work with the features of Update 6.

• New map: Cliffside (100x50). Do you like the challenge of growing a settlement on a narrow scrap of land? This one is for you.
• Updated all other 12 maps to a varying degree to make them work with 3D water physics better, use the Natural Overhangs, and accommodate more flexible start options. While at it, we also solved many minor issues with their older layout.
• Added faction badges to the map selection screen to show the “completed” maps.
• Added separate tabs for official and custom maps to the map selection screen.
• With the Natural Overhangs added to the map editor, it is possible to put Ruins on them.
• In the map editor, hidden plantlife no longer reappears when it changes its state, for example when irrigation reaches it.
• In the map editor, it is now possible to flip Blockages and Water Sources. By default, these objects are now randomly flipped and rotated upon placing, but you can disable that behavior with a checkbox.

Performance

Our water physics rework as well as several other optimizations resulted in more gains on the performance front.

• Added support for VSync and the ability to set a frame rate limit.
• Decreased loading times thanks to fixing a certain well-hidden bug.
• Reduced VRAM usage, especially on larger maps.
• Revised all in-game particles to improve the game’s performance.
• Optimized water and beaver simulations to slightly increase the game’s performance.
• Optimized textures for some crops and buildings.
• Significantly lowered saving times, especially on larger settlements.

Analytics

We want to better understand how you play the game, and descriptive feedback is much more useful when paired with some hard data. That’s why when you open the game after the update, we will ask you to agree to the collection of data from your playthroughs. This helps us a lot but it is optional - and if you change your mind, you can always withdraw your consent and delete your data via the in-game settings. You can review our updated privacy policy here.

• Added optional analytics to the game. The first time you launch the game after the update, a prompt is displayed asking you to agree to data collection.
• Added a checkbox to settings that enables analytics.
• Added a button to settings that deletes all your collected data.

Localization

Timberborn is now available in a whopping 15 languages - and the original localizations should be improved. Let us know if you find any gaffes!

• Added Traditional Chinese, Turkish, and Thai language versions.
• Made a quality pass across all existing in-game translations, fixing multiple errors and inconsistencies across all languages.
• Updated the fonts in Simplified Chinese, Japanese and Korean to make them always legible.

Misc.

• Added a game over screen, displayed after the population dies.
• Decreased the tolerance for slight mouse movements with the RMB pressed down before the camera moves. This is to eliminate the annoying camera delay while also avoiding the equally annoying camera jerk with the tiniest of movements.
• Information such as unlocked factions or completed maps is now synchronized with the cloud.
• Removed the Unlock camera checkbox from settings. The camera is now always unlocked.
• The camera now also follows units vertically.
• Updated the default clipping plane to reduce the camera’s clipping through objects and terrain.
• The layer-switching tool’s UI is now more prominent when the tool is in use.
• When using the layer hiding tool, hidden layers of terrain are now covered with a diagonal pattern so that it's easier to notice the tool is active.
• Beavers are now granted a slightly randomized life expectancy at birth.
• Forward compatibility for saves was limited. This is mostly to prevent a surge of crashes when players try to load their new experimental saves on the older main branch build.
• Marking an area with a tool no longer marks areas at different levels.
• Dandelions swapped places with Blueberries on the toolbar.
• Icons in the Power category on the toolbar are now more consistent color-wise.
• Made some other minor UI tweaks.
• Added mouse wheel zoom speed slider to the settings.
• Floodgates’ key binds can now be held so that changing the height values doesn’t take forever!
• Added a tooltip to the grayed-out “Delete” icon in the building that can’t be removed that way because of other buildings placed on top of it.
• Tweaked the way the game state and maps are saved. We hope it will result in fewer broken save files.
• To prevent some possible crashes, only a single instance of the game can now run at the same time.
• Changing key bindings no longer triggers related actions (for example, changing a screenshot key binding no longer takes a screenshot).
• Added the winners of the Build-a-Map Contest 3 to the credits.
• Added new Eager Beavers to the credits.
• Added the game’s translators to the credits.
• Added the new studio member to the credits. Hi, Scott and Michal!
• Added new names to the game, chosen in cooperation with content creators who finished our toughest DareDrops challenge around the release of Update 5 - Badwater. As a reminder, the Update 6 campaign is live on DareDrops now!

Bugs

• Fixed a memory leak caused by warehouses.
• It is now possible to place the Underground Pile on terrain blocks that are still under construction.
• Stumps are no longer highlighted instead of trees when unmarking the tree-growing areas.
• Metal Platforms no longer unmark areas marked for planting.
• Fixed some erratic behaviors seen in beavers reaching ruins and construction sites.
• Fixed water wheels that would not stop during a drought. No more free power!
• Fixed a bug with some buildings not blocking in-game tools such as the demolish tool.
• Builders should now correctly build off bridges and corners.
• Builders should no longer build from within buildings.
• Paths drawn on yet-to-be-built terrain blocks now correctly display as connected.
• Scavengers should no longer pretend they have nothing to do when there is something to do (just very little).
• Fluid Dump’s bored workers no longer play hide and seek.
• Fixed badwater that would turn into clean water on evaporation. Talk about miracles!
• Newly built Breeding Pods should no longer start with negative progress in the Settlement Panel.
• Removed zombeavers from the game status icons such as “Hungry” displaying over beavers that had already dropped dead.
• Dead beavers are no longer resurrected assigned to districts upon loading the game.
• When the game is out of focus, it should now correctly pause water simulation.
• Having the game paused in the map editor no longer prevents auto-saving.
• Units should no longer enter the idle animation in between other animations.
• Fixed a bug with incorrectly displayed custom unit names.
• It’s now more difficult for the builders to get stuck in place.
• Plants and trees that died will now correctly include the cause of death in their status. ;(
• Fixed the Dirt Excavator drill that was sometimes unattached from the shaft, threatening structural and emotional damage in the area.
• Fixed the incorrect door shape in the Iron Teeth’s Badwater Pump.
• Fixed a ground tile sticking through the Underground Warehouse’s floor.
• Fixed the tiling on the badwater texture.
• Updated Slope to not stick out on the terrain’s edges.
• Patched up a small hole in the Slope.
• Fixed the beavers doing a little shuffle dance when entering and leaving buildings.
• Fixed the notifications wrapping incorrectly on some non-standard UI scales.
• After unlocking bot worker slots for a building via the Settlement Panel, all other buildings in its category will now correctly also appear as unlocked.
• Inventory percentages should now be correctly calculated.
• Selecting a save in the Save Game window now correctly updates the name field.
• It is now possible to build a working Badwater Pump directly over a Badwater Source.
• Underground Ruins should correctly block units from happily prancing over them.
• We heard you like to send crash reports when you crash, so the crash screen should now open more reliably when you crash.
• Updated water particles for the Fluid Dump and the Mechanical Fluid Pump.
• Fixed the incorrect construction site for the Badwater Rig.
• Aquatic plants exposed to a fatal badwater wave now display a correct obituary. ;(
• Fixed the lag caused by highlighting lots of objects, for example when using the Mark trees for cutting tool.
• Fixed the selection collider for Mine and Efficient Mine.
• Campfire’s light is now emitted at the correct height.
• Platforms no longer clip through the dirt on construction sites.
• Tweaked Levee and Dam to display construction sites for buildings constructed on their top correctly.
• Fixed a rare crash caused by the settlement panel and dead beavers... again.
• Adult beavers no longer become a little too floaty after entering water directly from the stairs.
• The “Hold LMB to place multiple objects” tip now appears even for buildings yet to be unlocked.
• Wind Tunnel’s particles no longer pause along with the building. Mother Nature won’t be tamed!
• Upon loading the game, particles such as smoke are now visible right away, not after unpausing.
• Hiding the UI no longer leaves some status icons invisible but clickable.

---

0.6.8.4-e18214b-gm (2024-10-10)

Patch notes: 2024-10-10 (Update 6)

NOTE: Saves created on Update 5 will load fine. However, Update 6 replaces some buildings. This includes the old Metal Platforms or the deprecated High Power Shaft. If you load a save with those, they will be there, but you won’t be able to add more. The map you played on will not be updated. Also, if you started the save before the February hotfix, the flexible start won’t unlock.

Three-dimensional water physics

One of Timberborn’s hallmark features is water physics. Yet, until now, we’ve used a cleverly designed 2.5-dimensional system. Our water had variable depths and formed waterfalls, but it was like a sheet thrown over the map’s topography. With Update 6, we’re finally implementing the real, three-dimensional system, which allows way more complex interactions with fluids.

Under the new physics, it is possible to run layers of fluids atop one another and over buildings. As Levees and Dams can now be placed everywhere, the most obvious application is the long-requested ability to build aqueducts. Thanks to the newly added Impermeable Floor, water can also flow over platforms or the roofs of all Solid buildings. Pair that with the new ways of building vertically, and you may even build an entire underwater city!

• Fluids now use three-dimensional physics. This, among other things, means it is possible to have horizontal layers of water or badwater atop one another, with buildings in between. Also, the new water physics respects the laws of communicating vessels.
• New building: Impermeable Floor (200 SP; 1 Metal Block). Put this on any Solid surface (could be a platform, a lodge’s roof etc.) and water will not pour through. You can still run your paths on the Impermeable Floor.
• It is now possible to build and stack Dams and Levees anywhere, for example on platforms or on top of buildings (think: aqueduct walls). This also means you can now form a wall with lots of Levees and a Dam block in the middle.
• Reworked the way water is rendered. Fluids now spill over more fluidly, and no longer look like their edges could cut through one’s tail. Falling water now looks better. We also removed these visible but not real “leaks” in the corners of dams and terrain.
• The layer tool now uncovers layers of water in addition to buildings.
• Water Wheels no longer slow the water flow. While this seemed a little more immersive, the water wheels would sometimes stop working as a result. This was causing way too much confusion.

Automated sluices

The new water physics system finally allowed us to add one of the most often-requested building blocks to Timberborn, the Sluice. And it’s automated!

• New building: Sluice (400 SP; 5 Planks, 5 Metal Blocks; Solid). This 1x1 building passes water through in one - unchangeable - direction. Notably, sluices may be used at the bottom or in the middle of a larger dam. Adjacent sluices can be synchronized, just like floodgates.
• Sluices can be set to be open, closed, or automatically operated. The automation opens or closes the sluice depending on contamination levels and downstream water levels picked by the player. This should remove lots of typical micromanagement headaches!

New platforms

Three-dimensional water physics just asked for cool new toys! So, we’ve remade the existing Metal Platforms and added Overhangs - including natural ones available in the map editor. Use these tools to raise multi-layered airborne cities and save space on the ground.

• New buildings: Overhangs (available variants: 2x1, 3x1, 4x1, 5x1, 6x1; costs include increasing amounts of SP, logs, planks, and metal blocks). These platforms need to be supported from one side, similar to suspension bridges. You can build on them, and they’re not ground-only, which means you could chain them almost ad infinitum.
• Updated buildings: Metal Platforms. These are now equally available to both factions, and available in two sizes (3x3, 5x5; costs updated to 1000/2000 SP and 30/90 Metal Blocks, respectively). They now have much shorter “legs” but are no longer ground-only, so you could put them on platforms or even pile them one atop another, up to the map’s height limit. Just do not ask us how this doesn’t collapse. That’s beaver engineering!
• Updated buildings: Suspension Bridges. Because of the addition of overhangs, we’ve rebalanced costs for all six bridge sizes. In short, they’re all much cheaper than before, and they no longer use metal.
• Updated buildings: Mechanical Water Pump and Deep Mechanical Water Pump: max pipe length increased to 5 and 8 tiles, respectively. With all the aqueduct shenanigans now possible, it made sense to give beavers more freedom in creating their water transportation setups.
• New objects: Natural Overhangs (2x1, 3x1, 4x1). These are available in the map editor. It is possible to build on them, but crops won’t grow on them, and they do not transfer irrigation and contamination. Builders can destroy them, just like the Blockages.

Vertical Power Shafts

No beaver city is complete without an efficient power grid. With the Vertical Power Shafts we’re adding today, you’ll save lots of space when connecting areas on different elevations. For extra efficiency points, you can even a building directly on top of them.

• New building: Vertical Power Shaft (40 SP; 2 logs, 2 planks, 1 gear; Solid; must be placed above ground). Use this shaft to build vertical power lines and, thanks to its integrated platform, to power up buildings through the floor.
• New buildings: Upward Power Shaft and Downward Power Shaft (20 SP; 2 logs, 2 planks, 1 gear each). These are used in connection with Vertical Power Shafts but since they’re separate buildings, power lines now turn in any direction without wasting space.
• Updated buildings: Mechanical Fluid Pump and Deep Mechanical Fluid Pump. Power shafts can now connect from front and back (or even bottom!), and not just from the sides. Also, the Pump’s lower part now acts like a three-block levee, blocking water.
• Updated buildings: Windmill, Large Windmill, Engine, Large Power Wheel. When placed on Vertical Power Shafts, their power output is transferred directly downwards. They can also directly power up Solid buildings placed below.

Wonders

Timberborn is a highly replayable sandbox experience with self-imposed goals - and we stick to that! However, we’ve also heard your requests for more clearly defined end-game objectives. Hence the addition of faction-specific wonders - large, expensive buildings that can be activated to “complete” the run if you wish. Launching a wonder comes with a reward, too.

• New feature: wonders. These very advanced structures are larger and more expensive than anything else in the game, and because of that they even go through five visible construction stages. A finished wonder can be activated for an extra cost, resulting in “completing” the map. You can build multiple wonders on the map.
• After the first activation of the wonder on the map, the game displays a congratulatory pop-up with statistics of the current playthrough. After that, you can continue playing.
• When a wonder is activated for the first time, a faction badge is added to the current map on the map selection screen. The flexible start is also unlocked - see below.
• New building: Earth Recultivator. (20 000 SP; 2000 gears, 2000 treated planks, 1500 metal blocks; Folktails-only). Our expert farmers’ primary goal is to turn the entire planet green again - and this huge seed bank helps achieve that!
• Earth Recultivator can be activated for 500 Extract and 500 Paper. When activated, it sends out balloons with extra-durable tree seeds. This effect is visual and lore-bound only. On top of that, a huge boost to well-being is added to all beavers in a large area.
• New building: Earth Repopulator (20 000 SP; 1500 Gears, 2000 Treated Planks, 2000 Metal Blocks; Iron Teeth-only). Our industrious faction uses this mechanized beaver ejector to rebuild civilization across the troubled globe.
• Earth Repopulator can be activated for 500 Treated Planks and 500 Berries. The building’s workers hop into gliders and fly away to start new settlements elsewhere in the world. This effect is visual and lore-bound only… but the pioneers are not coming back. There’s also a huge boost to the well-being of all beavers in a large area.

Flexible start

Your playing experience on a map may differ vastly depending on where you start. Now, after you complete a wonder, you can change the starting location for future runs on the map.

• Activating the wonder for the first time on a map on any faction unlocks a flexible start for both factions. Further playthroughs on that map will allow picking a different location for the initial District Center.

Modding support

We’ve also remade the modding system to make the most common modding tasks easier to accomplish, less prone to errors, less prone to compatibility issues, and overall, make the game more fun to experiment with. If you’re a mod creator, read the documentation on Timberborn Wiki and check out the GitHub repository with some sample mods and tools.

• Added new tools and made multiple changes to the game's architecture to make modding easier. If you're a modder, you can find the details in the documentation and the GitHub repository.
• Added a built-in mod manager accessed via the main menu that allows you to turn mods on and off, and to rearrange their launch order. If you have any compatible mods installed, the manager also launches before the game.
• Added an in-game console. By default, it’s accessed with Alt+`.
• Added an official sample mod, available from Mod.io. This is a simple, not-very-serious Iron Teeth building that continuously plays “Shores of Beaver Bay”, the song we recorded with our community back in 2022. Find it here.

Tail customization, a.k.a. detailing

High fashion finally arrives at Timberborn thanks to the most punny building, the Detailer! You can pick from a few default faction-specific designs and have them temporarily tattooed on the visitors’ tails. Or, you can add your own custom images! (Just the SFW stuff, please).

• New building: Detailer (1000 SP; 15 gears, 5 treated planks, 10 metal blocks). This new attraction satisfies Fun while making your beavers’ tails prettier with floral-ish designs.
• Custom images can also be used in Detailer. Transparent 1024x1024 PNGs are preferred, but the game also accepts JPGs and lower resolutions.

Mud Pit and other changes to buildings

Beavers like mud, but some more than others. We’re giving Folktails a larger new building, the Mud Pit. The Iron Teeth retain the old Mud Bath. There are also quite a few other changes to buildings and their construction.

• New building: Mud Pit (1800 SP; 60 logs; 40 treated planks, 20 wheat; Folktails-only). This 3x3 building allows Folktails to chill out even more, with a larger leisure area and several comfy spots to choose from.
• Updated building: Mud Bath. This building is now Iron Teeth-exclusive. They just don’t mind being squeezed in like that.
• When synchronizing Floodgates, all neighbors will synchronize to the same height.
• Floodgates’ height can now be adjusted accurately, with 0.05 increases.
• Beehive is no longer a Ground-only building.
• It is now possible to build dynamite on paths. This is a quality-of-life feature, and NOT a way to play whack-a-beaver, you psychos.
• When placing multiple Levees at once, you can now draw rectangles rather than just lines. Go crazy with the aqueducts!
• Updated the Large Windmill’s model so that it now actually uses the Paper it was built with. Conversely, the (small) Windmill no longer uses Paper in its model.
• Updated terrain blocks to look better with the new water.
• Updated buildings: Mine, Efficient Mine, and Underground Pile. These buildings’ entrances are now at the ground level.
• Tweaked the Blockage’s model to be a little more rockish, less contrasting, and using fewer polygons. We now expect them to be used in higher numbers, for example when placing “natural aqueducts” on Natural Overhangs.
• Pines no longer scale up to the point where they clip through bridges etc.
• Simplified the model for crop leftovers (a.k.a. these little crates sometimes left next to harvested crops).
• Slope now needs to be demolished by builders rather than with a single click.
• Added a warning text when trying to build something beyond the map’s height limit.
• Removed tile highlights under selected buildings.
• Some small textures are no longer compressed, resulting in better looks on Low graphical settings.

Construction stages

• Each building in the game uses a custom construction model, with monuments getting extra construction stages!
• Added construction stages to all in-game buildings. A building-specific construction model appears after materials have been brought to an empty construction site. All non-wonder, non-monument buildings in the game receive one such extra construction stage before they’re finished. The regular monuments have two.
• Updated the initial construction site for Dynamite (all types) so that it doesn’t cover the path underneath as much.
• Extended building times for most buildings a little so that you can enjoy the view of beavers hammering away a little more often.

Construction guidelines

With the addition of overhangs, aqueducts, and increased focus on vertical building, it was time to implement a new quality-of-life feature. When constructing new buildings, it is now possible to toggle the construction guidelines view. This view helps you align new buildings correctly despite height differences or large distances.

• New feature: construction guidelines. This view can be toggled with a new button added to the top right corner of the screen (default key binding: Shift+X) or by holding X.

New animations

Beavers, bots, and their animations have received extra love from us!

• Farmers (both beavers and bots) now don cute little hats.
• Farmers now use new farming animations.
• Builders (both beavers and bots) now carry hammers.
• Builders now use new, hammer-y building animations.
• Builders and Foresters now also use hammers to demolish, um, whatever they demolish.
• Kits are now slightly smaller compared to adults.
• Backpack straps now use textures rather than 3D models.
• Spadderdock now has a smaller range of possible height so that it looks better at certain depths.

Maps and map editor

Timberborn now has 13 built-in maps! In addition to the pretty new map, Cliffside, all previously available maps have been updated to better work with the features of Update 6.

• New map: Cliffside (100x50). Do you like the challenge of growing a settlement on a narrow scrap of land? This one is for you.
• Updated all other 12 maps to a varying degree to make them work with 3D water physics better, use the Natural Overhangs, and accommodate more flexible start options. While at it, we also solved many minor issues with their older layout.
• Added faction badges to the map selection screen to show the “completed” maps.
• Added separate tabs for official and custom maps to the map selection screen.
• With the Natural Overhangs added to the map editor, it is possible to put Ruins on them.
• In the map editor, hidden plantlife no longer reappears when it changes its state, for example when irrigation reaches it.
• In the map editor, it is now possible to flip Blockages and Water Sources. By default, these objects are now randomly flipped and rotated upon placing, but you can disable that behavior with a checkbox.

Performance

Our water physics rework as well as several other optimizations resulted in more gains on the performance front.

• Added support for VSync and the ability to set a frame rate limit.
• Decreased loading times thanks to fixing a certain well-hidden bug.
• Reduced VRAM usage, especially on larger maps.
• Revised all in-game particles to improve the game’s performance.
• Optimized water and beaver simulations to slightly increase the game’s performance.
• Optimized textures for some crops and buildings.
• Significantly lowered saving times, especially on larger settlements.

Analytics

We want to better understand how you play the game, and descriptive feedback is much more useful when paired with some hard data. That’s why when you open the game after the update, we will ask you to agree to the collection of data from your playthroughs. This helps us a lot but it is optional - and if you change your mind, you can always withdraw your consent and delete your data via the in-game settings. You can review our updated privacy policy here.

• Added optional analytics to the game. The first time you launch the game after the update, a prompt is displayed asking you to agree to data collection.
• Added a checkbox to settings that enables analytics.
• Added a button to settings that deletes all your collected data.

Localization

Timberborn is now available in a whopping 15 languages - and the original localizations should be improved. Let us know if you find any gaffes!

• Added Traditional Chinese, Turkish, and Thai language versions.
• Made a quality pass across all existing in-game translations, fixing multiple errors and inconsistencies across all languages.
• Updated the fonts in Simplified Chinese, Japanese and Korean to make them always legible.

Misc.

• Added a game over screen, displayed after the population dies.
• Decreased the tolerance for slight mouse movements with the RMB pressed down before the camera moves. This is to eliminate the annoying camera delay while also avoiding the equally annoying camera jerk with the tiniest of movements.
• Information such as unlocked factions or completed maps is now synchronized with the cloud.
• Removed the Unlock camera checkbox from settings. The camera is now always unlocked.
• The camera now also follows units vertically.
• Updated the default clipping plane to reduce the camera’s clipping through objects and terrain.
• The layer-switching tool’s UI is now more prominent when the tool is in use.
• When using the layer hiding tool, hidden layers of terrain are now covered with a diagonal pattern so that it's easier to notice the tool is active.
• Beavers are now granted a slightly randomized life expectancy at birth.
• Forward compatibility for saves was limited. This is mostly to prevent a surge of crashes when players try to load their new experimental saves on the older main branch build.
• Marking an area with a tool no longer marks areas at different levels.
• Dandelions swapped places with Blueberries on the toolbar.
• Icons in the Power category on the toolbar are now more consistent color-wise.
• Made some other minor UI tweaks.
• Added mouse wheel zoom speed slider to the settings.
• Floodgates’ key binds can now be held so that changing the height values doesn’t take forever!
• Added a tooltip to the grayed-out “Delete” icon in the building that can’t be removed that way because of other buildings placed on top of it.
• Tweaked the way the game state and maps are saved. We hope it will result in fewer broken save files.
• To prevent some possible crashes, only a single instance of the game can now run at the same time.
• Changing key bindings no longer triggers related actions (for example, changing a screenshot key binding no longer takes a screenshot).
• Added the winners of the Build-a-Map Contest 3 to the credits.
• Added new Eager Beavers to the credits.
• Added the game’s translators to the credits.
• Added the new studio member to the credits. Hi, Scott and Michal!
• Added new names to the game, chosen in cooperation with content creators who finished our toughest DareDrops challenge around the release of Update 5 - Badwater. As a reminder, the Update 6 campaign is live on DareDrops now!

Bugs

• Fixed a memory leak caused by warehouses.
• It is now possible to place the Underground Pile on terrain blocks that are still under construction.
• Stumps are no longer highlighted instead of trees when unmarking the tree-growing areas.
• Metal Platforms no longer unmark areas marked for planting.
• Fixed some erratic behaviors seen in beavers reaching ruins and construction sites.
• Fixed water wheels that would not stop during a drought. No more free power!
• Fixed a bug with some buildings not blocking in-game tools such as the demolish tool.
• Builders should now correctly build off bridges and corners.
• Builders should no longer build from within buildings.
• Paths drawn on yet-to-be-built terrain blocks now correctly display as connected.
• Scavengers should no longer pretend they have nothing to do when there is something to do (just very little).
• Fluid Dump’s bored workers no longer play hide and seek.
• Fixed badwater that would turn into clean water on evaporation. Talk about miracles!
• Newly built Breeding Pods should no longer start with negative progress in the Settlement Panel.
• Removed zombeavers from the game status icons such as “Hungry” displaying over beavers that had already dropped dead.
• Dead beavers are no longer resurrected assigned to districts upon loading the game.
• When the game is out of focus, it should now correctly pause water simulation.
• Having the game paused in the map editor no longer prevents auto-saving.
• Units should no longer enter the idle animation in between other animations.
• Fixed a bug with incorrectly displayed custom unit names.
• It’s now more difficult for the builders to get stuck in place.
• Plants and trees that died will now correctly include the cause of death in their status. ;(
• Fixed the Dirt Excavator drill that was sometimes unattached from the shaft, threatening structural and emotional damage in the area.
• Fixed the incorrect door shape in the Iron Teeth’s Badwater Pump.
• Fixed a ground tile sticking through the Underground Warehouse’s floor.
• Fixed the tiling on the badwater texture.
• Updated Slope to not stick out on the terrain’s edges.
• Patched up a small hole in the Slope.
• Fixed the beavers doing a little shuffle dance when entering and leaving buildings.
• Fixed the notifications wrapping incorrectly on some non-standard UI scales.
• After unlocking bot worker slots for a building via the Settlement Panel, all other buildings in its category will now correctly also appear as unlocked.
• Inventory percentages should now be correctly calculated.
• Selecting a save in the Save Game window now correctly updates the name field.
• It is now possible to build a working Badwater Pump directly over a Badwater Source.
• Underground Ruins should correctly block units from happily prancing over them.
• We heard you like to send crash reports when you crash, so the crash screen should now open more reliably when you crash.
• Updated water particles for the Fluid Dump and the Mechanical Fluid Pump.
• Fixed the incorrect construction site for the Badwater Rig.
• Aquatic plants exposed to a fatal badwater wave now display a correct obituary. ;(
• Fixed the lag caused by highlighting lots of objects, for example when using the Mark trees for cutting tool.
• Fixed the selection collider for Mine and Efficient Mine.
• Campfire’s light is now emitted at the correct height.
• Platforms no longer clip through the dirt on construction sites.
• Tweaked Levee and Dam to display construction sites for buildings constructed on their top correctly.
• Fixed a rare crash caused by the settlement panel and dead beavers... again.
• Adult beavers no longer become a little too floaty after entering water directly from the stairs.
• The “Hold LMB to place multiple objects” tip now appears even for buildings yet to be unlocked.
• Wind Tunnel’s particles no longer pause along with the building. Mother Nature won’t be tamed!
• Upon loading the game, particles such as smoke are now visible right away, not after unpausing.
• Hiding the UI no longer leaves some status icons invisible but clickable.

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0.5.7.0-db02fc5-gw (2024-01-18)

Patch notes 2024-01-18: Update 5

Please note: Update 5 should be compatible with Update 4 saves and maps. However, the existing maps were not created with badwater in mind. There are no Badwater Sources there, obviously, and even though badtides do come, their effects can be unpredictable on an unmodified map. Please start the new game on one of the fancily reworked built-in maps.

Badwater and badtides

Toxic waste of hooman origin now flows across the maps. It taints water, contaminates beavers, disables irrigation, and kills plant life. Its addition is easily the biggest change to the game since its launch. To better understand why we’ve added it, check out the original announcement here.

• New feature: badwater. This noxious liquid spills using the in-game water physics, and mixes with regular water. Like its not-deadly counterpart, badwater powers up Water Wheels, disables buildings with flooded entrances etc.
• New object: Badwater Source - these new 3x3 structures added to all built-in maps and available in the map editor spill out badwater during wet seasons and badtides.
• New season: badtides - on top of droughts and temperate seasons, you may now encounter badtides. During these seasons, badwater flows from water sources. Badtides will randomly replace droughts after a minimum number of cycles: seven (on easy difficulty), five (normal), or three (hard). On custom difficulty, you can adjust that number, as well as the badtides’ duration and probability of occurrence.
• The irrigation range of contaminated water bodies gradually decreases as the badwater concentration rises. At 50% badwater concentration, the water body no longer irrigates the surrounding areas but it doesn’t contaminate them either.
• With badwater concentration above 50%, the water body starts contaminating the ground and actively killing plant life. The contamination’s range depends on the badwater’s concentration.
• Beavers walking or swimming in badwater may become contaminated. After a few days, the contaminated beaver will receive a severe Well-being penalty and refuse to work while continuing to eat, drink, and occupy a household. If it’s a Folktail, it will not reproduce, and if it’s Iron Teeth, it will not tend to the colony’s breeding pods. The higher the concentration of badwater, the higher the risk of contamination on contact.
• Beavers can be cured using faction-specific methods described below.
• Bots are unaffected by exposure to badwater. Go, bots!

Badwater engineering

To counter badwater’s harmful effects you may use the ol’ reliable hydroengineering tools. However, sometimes even the most clever use of dams, floodgates, pumps, and terraforming may not be enough. That’s why we added a selection of special new buildings. And since we now have two free-flowing liquids on the maps, we also tweaked the existing infrastructure.

• New building: Contamination Barrier (400 SP; 5 Planks, 1 Metal Block; Folktails only; ground only). This structure doesn’t block irrigation but stops pollution from passing through all the tiles below it. Simply wall off the areas you want safe. It’s super effective!
• New building: Irrigation Barrier (400 SP; 10 Logs, 5 Treated Planks; Iron Teeth only; ground only). This barrier blocks both contamination and irrigation. You can use it to separate an area from a river that may get contaminated, and then irrigate the terrain with water from sources officially approved by the Water Purity Committee.
• New building: Badwater Dome (2000 SP; 100 Planks, 200 Gears, 100 Metal Blocks; Folktails only; built on top of a Badwater Source). This heavy-duty structure allows you to manually open and close the source.
• New building: Badwater Rig (4000 SP; 400 Gears, 200 Treated Planks, 150 Metal Blocks; Folktails only; built on top of a Badwater Source). This even more advanced building seals a badwater source for good but allows employed beavers to gather and store large amounts of badwater right there.
• New building: Badwater Discharge (4000 SP; 300 Gears, 200 Metal Blocks, 50 Explosives; Iron Teeth only; built on top of a Badwater Source). The Iron Teeth counterpart works similarly to Folktails’ Badwater Dome with one important difference: keep it open during a drought, and the badwater will continue to flow!
• New building: Badwater Pump (250 SP; 20 logs, 10 gears, 5 metal blocks; 1 worker; Folktails-only) - this building only pumps badwater. At lower badwater concentrations, it works less efficiently.
• New building: Deep Badwater Pump (250 SP; 20 logs, 10 gears, 5 metal blocks; 1 worker; Iron Teeth-only). You know the drill - this one reaches up to six tiles deep.
• Updated buildings: Water Pump and Deep Water Pump. Their effectiveness now drops as the badwater concentration increases.
• Updated building: Water Dump. This building was renamed to Fluid Dump and can now, uh, dump both water and badwater. Use the new toggle to pick what you want dumped.
• Renamed (Deep) Mechanical Water Pumps to (Deep) Mechanical Fluid Pumps as they now transfer both water and badwater. Use the toggle to choose what should be pumped.
• Updated building: Stream Gauge. It now also displays the pollution level.

Extract and new production chains

Badwater may be a deadly threat but the lumberpunk beavers are too resourceful not to benefit from it, mostly through a new good known as extract. (Mass-produced adult Iron Teeth beavers are a net positive, right?)

• New building: Centrifuge (600 SP; 60 Planks, 40 Gears, 30 Metal Blocks; 2 workers; 200 HP to operate). This mechanized building turns badwater into a new good - extract.
• New good: Extract. This beautifully green liquid is stored in tanks. It has several uses such as the new pods described below.
• New building: Advanced Breeding Pod (1000 SP; 5 Treated planks, 2 Metal Blocks; Iron Teeth only). That’s right - if you invest a bit more in your breeding efforts, you can use extract to produce new beavers that are “born” adults. Slightly sad, very efficient!
• New building: Decontamination Pod (400 SP; 20 Planks, 5 Gears, 5 Metal Blocks; requires 100 HP and a steady supply of extract to operate). Badwater contamination is far too severe to be treated in a regular bed - you need this special, powered-up, variant to ensure your beavers survive.
• New building: Herbalist (300 SP; 20 Planks, 5 Gears, 5 Treated Planks; Folktails only). This building creates herbal antidotes using Dandelion - a new good that’s stored in tanks. Antidotes heal contaminated beavers at a slow rate.
• New building: Grease Factory (2000 SP; Gear x30, Treated Plank x20, Metal Block x10; 2 workers; Iron Teeth-only). Boasting Danny Zuko’s seal of approval, this building turns extract into a new, oily resource.
• New good: Grease (Extract x1, Canola Oil x1 gives Grease x2). Stored in tanks and consumed by Iron Teeth bots, grease increases their condition by 1.
• New good: Punch Cards (Paper x2, Plank x1 gives Punch Card x2; Folktails-only). Containing more precise instructions, punch cards are an extra paper sink and a new, earlier boost to Folktails’ bots. Produced at Printing Press and stored in warehouses, cards are consumed by Folktails’ bots to increase their condition by 1.
• Updated recipe: Catalyst (Maple Syrup x1, Extract x1 gives Catalyst x3; Folktails-only). With extract added to its recipe, we’re making catalyst the second, more advanced boost available to Folktails’ bots.
• The maximum condition achievable by bots is now 2. A bot with access to both faction-specific boosts enjoys +80% movement speed and +120% working speed.

Attractions and decorations

Our efforts towards making factions more unique continue! After the all-new monuments in Update 4, today’s update brings significantly more variety to the attractions and decorations.

• New building: Lantern (100 SP; 2 logs, 4 planks). Beavers might be nocturnal but having these will help in the middle of the night. Each faction’s model is slightly different.
• New building: Hammock (120 SP; 2 logs, 2 planks; Folktails-only). Now, that’s how you rest.
• New building: Bulletin Pole (600 SP; 20 planks, 2 metal blocks; Folktails-only). Here’s where Folktails post their nekker bounties friendly messages and announcements.
• New building: Beaver Bust (200 SP; 3 metal blocks; Iron Teeth-only). Ol’ Kazko has finally gained some solid recognition.
• New building: Clock (600 SP; 10 planks, 8 gears, 2 metal blocks; Iron Teeth-only). Time is money, friend. Yeah, okay, this is a money-free world but you get the idea.
• New building: Brazier (150 SP; 12 planks, 2 metal blocks; Iron Teeth-only). Because nights can be cold out there in the desert.
• New building: Scratcher (5 logs, 5 planks; Iron Teeth-only). This one truly scratches that itch.
• New building: Swimming Pool (250 SP; 40 logs, 30 planks; Iron Teeth-only). Replacing Lido for the Iron Teeth, this is a more competitive variant of the submerged attraction.
• New building: Exercise Plaza (400 SP; 150 logs, 60 planks; Iron Teeth only). Continuing the fitness theme, your Iron Teeth workers will now work out after work. We highly recommend joining them during extended Timberborn sessions.
• New building: Wind Tunnel (700 SP; 50 planks, 50 gears, 40 metal blocks; requires 400 HP to operate; Iron Teeth-only). You wanted to be able to send your beavers flying, so we’ve listened… kind of.
• New building: Dance Hall (1200 SP; 100 logs, 50 treated planks; 20 metal blocks; Folktails-only). All Folktails, old and young alike, are famous for their sick moves. Now, they can finally hit the dance floor!
• New building: Motivatorium (1200 SP; 75 logs, 100 gears, 20 treated planks; requires 200 HP to operate; Iron Teeth-only). Here, the Iron Teeth proletarians unite to collectively remember what their society is about.
• Updated building: Carousel. It received a new, more compact model and is now exclusive to Folktails.
• Updated building: Temple. Renamed it to Agora, and updated its flavor text. The building now needs a steady supply of extract, which is being burnt inside to assist in, um, reaching a higher state of contemplation. The flames were updated to reflect that.
• Updated building: Shrine. Renamed it to Contemplation Spot and lowered its building cost to 10 logs.
• Updated building: Mud Bath. The new cost is 40 logs, 20 gears and 50 treated planks. This building now needs a steady supply of dirt.
• Updated building: Beaver Statue (Iron Teeth). It now stands out more after adding the new Beaver Bust.
• Lido, Contemplation Spot, and Agora are now exclusive to Folktails.
• Updated the model for the Iron Teeth version of Rooftop Terrace.

Terraforming

With bots granted a new trait in the form of badwater immunity, we can finally allow beavers to shine in the terraforming business. Speaking of which, cool beavers don’t look at explosions but with the new, badwater-powered dynamite in place, they may reconsider.

• New “building”: Double Dynamite (1x explosive, 1x extract). This 1x1 dynamite blows two tiles deep rather than just one.
• New “building”: Triple Dynamite (1x explosive, 2x extract). You guessed it - this one removes three tiles.
• Updated the model of Dynamite.
• Dirt Excavator is no longer bot-exclusive.
• Removed Terraforming Station from the game. It had its purpose when terraforming was exclusive to bots, but in Update 5, this duty is also handled by the regular beavers.
• Terraforming is now performed by builders.
• Updated building: Dirt Excavators now consume extract.
• Updated recipe: Explosive is now made out of 5x badwater.

Other changes to buildings

Here are the many other additions and changes to the roster of in-game buildings, mostly rounding up our “make the factions more unique” initiative.

• New building: Large Water Pump (400 SP; 20 Logs, 5 Gears, 10 Treated Planks, Folktails only). Effective farming relies on access to clean water - with this bad boy, you’ll get enough in no time.
• New building: Large Power Wheel (Logs x100; 4 workers; Iron Teeth only). There is no shame in such labor - this beast has a 300 HP power output.
• Power Wheel is now Folktails-exclusive.
• Updated building: Engine. It no longer has workers. The engine will keep working as long as haulers continue delivering logs. Also, it now has power shaft connectors on three sides rather than just in the back.
• Pipes in buildings such as the Water Pump now dynamically adjust their length. Among other things, it’s now possible to place dynamite or a levee under an existing pump. Faction-specific maximums still apply.
• Removed Healer and Medicine from the game. The Medical Beds remain in the game to treat beavers suffering from work injuries, but nobody really liked the extra steps.
• In light of the change above, Dandelion is now exclusive to Folktails (as it is still used by the Herbalist). It can no longer be found growing naturally on maps.
• Paper Mill and Printing Press (and by consequence paper and books) are now exclusive to Folktails.
• Several buildings relying on access to pure water (Lido, Showers, Fountain) are disabled as soon as the Beaver Environmental Agency detects any signs of pollution.
• Updated the models and lights in the Numbercruncher, Underground Pile, and Engine. Door and window lighting is now exclusively used to indicate the type of a building’s workers.
• Updated models for all bridges to make them stand out more with crowded colonies in the background.
• Reduced Bot Assembler’s height to one tile.
• Added a new checkbox to the Forester: Replant dead trees not marked for cutting.
• Removed “Unique to this faction” notes from buildings. At this point, more buildings should have it than not.
• It’s now possible to preview a building before unlocking it. To unlock the building, either try placing it down in the preview mode, click the dedicated button, or hit Enter with the building selected.
• Buildings that make a terrain cutout (such as Underground Pile) now include the terrain cutout in the construction stage. The ground is now hidden when previewing such buildings.
• Builders will no longer abandon a construction site in the middle of their task, as long as they have materials to build.

Irrigation rework

Adding badwater and the contamination shenanigans in Update 5 prompted us to look further at the irrigation system. The resulting rework finally eliminated the two long-standing issues with this core feature of Timbernborn.

• The irrigation algorithm now takes into account the area of water bodies. Smaller water bodies irrigate smaller areas.
• Smaller water bodies will now disappear faster.
• The memories will live on but the two changes above finally kill the infamous Water Dump trick.
• Removed Irrigation Tower from the game. We believe the current set of irrigation-related tools is enough for you to not miss the memiest of Timberborn buildings, so its time also has come to an end.
• Water (or badwater) bodies with bottoms and sides entirely built with levees no longer irrigate (or contaminate) surrounding areas.

Reworked maps

We have updated all built-in maps to accommodate the presence of badwater and badtides, as well as the irrigation tweaks. Changes range from slight to dramatic - Thousand Islands, Mountain Range, and Helix Mountain, for example, have been completely rebuilt.

• Reworked all twelve built-in maps.
• Plains, Canyon, and Waterfalls are now marked as beginner friendly maps.

Balance

In light of Update 5 changes, we’re tweaking the game’s balance across the board. Here is what we changed on top of the tweaks mentioned elsewhere in the patch notes.

• Increased effectiveness of all water wheels by 50%.
• Small Windmill: maximum power output is now 150, down from 200.
• Large Windmill: maximum power output is now 300, down from 400.
• Wheat flour recipe: now takes 0.5h to complete, down from 0.78h.
• Cattail flour recipe: now takes 0.25h to complete, down from 0.66h.
• Bread recipe: now takes 1h to complete, up from 0.42h.
• Maple pastry recipe: now takes 1.5h to complete, up from 0.55h.
• Rebalanced the natural healing time and the injury chances to account for the removal of Healer and medicine.
• Needs will now deplete at a slower rate on Easy difficulty.
• Folktails now need at least two adult beavers with no critical needs (such as Thirst) in a single dwelling to reproduce.
• Books and coffee are now consumed before the beavers enjoy their time in attractions such as carousels. This should make it easier to hit higher well-being levels.

Flipping

This is the end of an era! Starting today, buildings no longer have entrances available only on one side - you can flip them. We’ve added this feature to all buildings with asymmetrical door placement, plus some others where it made sense (such as most monuments).

• Added the ability to flip most buildings before placing them (default hotkey: F).
• Removed Mirrored Lodge and its memorable flavor text from the game because it’s now simply possible to flip the regular version.

Key bindings YES, it only took us two years since launch to add customizable key bindings to the game.

• Replaced the old key bindings list with a customizable key bindings window, accessed through the game menu, map editor menu, and settings.
• Added primary and secondary key bindings. It is possible to use key combinations such as Ctrl+Shift+K.
• Added multiple new bindings for settlement panel sections, priorities, and even dynamite detonation. We’ve got quite a few of those.
• Added extra info to buttons that work differently when clicked with a pressed key (the “Eye” tracking button in the building/unit panel and +/- buttons in the migration tab).
• It is now possible to use Ctrl + mouse wheel to go through the main categories on the toolbar. Shift + mouse wheel goes through the buildings within the selected category. This saves you about 1 kcal per two-hour game session.

Seasons

With the game now switching between three vastly different seasons, we wanted to make it easier to notice when they change and to what. We’ve added fancy new splash screens and sounds that should be really difficult to miss.

• Added a splash screen at the start of each season.
• Added extra audio cues to transitions between seasons.

Savegame preview

Gone are the days of guessing what that particular “asdasdad” save contains. Now, whenever you save the game, a screenshot is taken to be displayed on the load game screen. The load game screen has also been overhauled to improve its usability.

• Added screenshots to save files. This change is not retroactive - only saves made after this change will contain screenshots. Older settlement files will show a beautiful placeholder image until you save the game on the new update.
• Updated the load game screen to display screenshots, saves’ timestamps and the cycle-day data.
• The default save names are now more hooman-friendly.

Map previews

Whenever you start a new game and pick the map, you will see a thumbnail and the map description set up by the map’s creator within the map editor.

• Updated the map selection screen for the New game / Edit map to include map thumbnails and descriptions.
• Maps’ names and descriptions are now localized.
• Added icons for beginner-friendly and custom maps to the map selection screen.

Animations

The first recorded request for proper tree-cutting animations in Timberborn is from 1784. Update 5 adds many custom animations, so we didn’t want to miss out on updating something this crucial.

• Added tree-cutting animations for beavers and bots.
• Trees now sway while being cut.
• Smoke and other similar particles now react to the wind.
• Sitting and standing animations for beavers and bots are now consistent.

Map editor

With all the additions of Update 5, the editor also needed some love.

• Added Map thumbnail button to the Map editor’s toolbar. It allows you to set a camera position - whenever you save the map, the screenshot will be taken to act as its thumbnail. You can also add images via a file browser. This feature supports transparent PNGs so you can add a layer of extra elements - such as your logo - on top of a thumbnail.
• Added Map description button to the Map editor’s toolbar. It opens a simple box where you can enter a map description.
• Added Badwater Sources to the toolbar.
• Added new water (and badwater) simulation speeds.
• Added new buttons that allow you to simulate droughts and badtides within the editor.
• Added a warning to inform you that the map you loaded is incompatible with the current game version.
• Added the Settings Panel, similar to the one available in the regular game mode.
• The direction of the terrain brush can now be changed with dedicated buttons rather than just hotkeys.

Other UI and QoL changes

As if the cool new stuff such as flippable buildings or customizable key bindings were not enough…

• Added Rubble Removal Tool 5000™ to the toolbar. Cleaning the leftovers has never been easier!
• When using the priority tool on stacked buildings, the priorities are now assigned from top to bottom, not otherwise.
• The post-crash screen now includes a text box. You can use it to explain what happened before the game exploded. This comment will be included in the crash report. The post-crash screen now includes extra information if your game is modded. Please remember that disabling all mods is often the best way to fix crashes, especially after updating the game.
• Withering plants now have a slightly depressing progress bar. There’s also a status that displays the withering’s cause so that you act fast and save the innocent flora’s life.
• Added the missing Water Source and Barrier flavor texts.
• Added new categories for contaminated adult beavers and kits to the Settlement Panel.
• Updated icons for Water Sources, several water- related buildings, as well as the icon for the injured beavers.
• Updated the welcome screen so that it no longer refers to the ancient alpha, beta, and demo times.
• When selecting a good in a storage building’s panel or via the storage overlay, its extended tooltip - the same as the one used in the top bar - is now used.
• Reordered well-being buildings and needs to match their increasing science points costs and well-being gains.
• Lodges, Barracks, and Rowhouses now display the number of occupied and available slots.
• Dandelions are now categorized as ingredients, similar to coffee beans.
• Large Science Points costs are now shortened (10,000 becomes 10k etc.)
• With the UI hidden (Ctrl+H, remember?), pop-up windows such as the deletion confirmation box now cause the UI to be unhidden rather than blocking the game. The UI will also reveal itself to comfort you after you hit Esc in a panic.
• The standard buttons and headers used in the main menu etc. are now scalable.
• Updated the text in removal tools’ tooltips to be consistent across the category.
• Updated the look of the “Unlock this building” button.
• Removed the extra arrows from the map selection list.
• Updated the in-game credits to include the new Eager Beavers, Masterful Architects, trailer creators, the artist behind the new key art, the localization team, and studio members.

Misc.

• To teach kits how aging works, becoming a responsible adult no longer erases a kit’s consequences of reckless behaviour status effects.
• Removed the default 0,0 saved camera position as that usually caused you to gaze into the void.
• In certain scenarios, beavers now get to work right after reaching their destination rather than idling.
• After the game is over, it acknowledges that in a subtle way.
• Decreased the range in which beavers idle and - if homeless - go to sleep within a tile.

Bug fixes

• Fixed a bug with workers not heading to their idling spots after finishing work.
• Fixed the erratic behavior of the lights in Temple, Shrine, and Rooftop Terrace.
• Fixed bugged water wheels’ animations.
• Fixed 1x1 Roofs and Power Wheels that could clip with other objects.
• It is again possible to select Gravity Batteries by clicking their weight.
• Fixed a bug with the path preview being drawn incorrectly while rotating stairs in the construction preview.
• Fixed some clipping in the Grindstone.
• Fixed the clipping paws of sleeping haulers.
• Fixed beavers that would fly between bridges. They now have a Wind Tunnel for that.
• Units no longer perform kickflips when stepping onto stairs after leaving a building.
• Fixed Floodgates clipping partially through terrain and sticking out when placed on the edge of the map’s lowest level.
• Fixed a bug with long, weird names such as Asmoranomardicadaistinaculdacar clipping with the avatar.
• Fixed a bug with negative well-being values displayed on green.
• Units are no longer stuck sitting in attractions when stranded. No more free rides.
• Fixed skips in builders' animation.
• Injured beavers will go eat or drink before their need is in a critical state.
• Fixed the map editor’s “Hide resources” icon behaving incorrectly.
• Fixed the “Empty storage” status icon being displayed under range lines.
• The units’ movement speed bonus is now correctly displayed.
• Fixed a bug with goods’ icons on barrels sometimes having the wrong color.
• Fixed a bug with water pumps partially disappearing while in preview mode.
• Fixed numerical input fields crashing the game when trying to use certain character combos.
• Fixed a minor highlighting bug caused by moving between categories on the toolbar.
• Stranded bots that run out of fuel now correctly use the stranded animation.
• Fixed wrongly calculated hauling priorities. This means fewer beavers hauling just one object around.
• Fixed haulers’ backpacks clipping through several attractions and decorations.
• Fixed maple syrup barrels clipping through the terrain.
• Fixed a bug with saves not updating correctly after the system clock switches from daylight saving time. If you’re playing Timberborn at 2 AM, we admire your dedication.
• Ruins can no longer be clicked outside of their model.
• Homeless beavers will now sleep at a building’s doorstep if they can’t find better spots. :(

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0.5.7.0-db02fc5-gm (2024-01-18)

Patch notes 2024-01-18: Update 5

Please note: Update 5 should be compatible with Update 4 saves and maps. However, the existing maps were not created with badwater in mind. There are no Badwater Sources there, obviously, and even though badtides do come, their effects can be unpredictable on an unmodified map. Please start the new game on one of the fancily reworked built-in maps.

Badwater and badtides

Toxic waste of hooman origin now flows across the maps. It taints water, contaminates beavers, disables irrigation, and kills plant life. Its addition is easily the biggest change to the game since its launch. To better understand why we’ve added it, check out the original announcement here.

• New feature: badwater. This noxious liquid spills using the in-game water physics, and mixes with regular water. Like its not-deadly counterpart, badwater powers up Water Wheels, disables buildings with flooded entrances etc.
• New object: Badwater Source - these new 3x3 structures added to all built-in maps and available in the map editor spill out badwater during wet seasons and badtides.
• New season: badtides - on top of droughts and temperate seasons, you may now encounter badtides. During these seasons, badwater flows from water sources. Badtides will randomly replace droughts after a minimum number of cycles: seven (on easy difficulty), five (normal), or three (hard). On custom difficulty, you can adjust that number, as well as the badtides’ duration and probability of occurrence.
• The irrigation range of contaminated water bodies gradually decreases as the badwater concentration rises. At 50% badwater concentration, the water body no longer irrigates the surrounding areas but it doesn’t contaminate them either.
• With badwater concentration above 50%, the water body starts contaminating the ground and actively killing plant life. The contamination’s range depends on the badwater’s concentration.
• Beavers walking or swimming in badwater may become contaminated. After a few days, the contaminated beaver will receive a severe Well-being penalty and refuse to work while continuing to eat, drink, and occupy a household. If it’s a Folktail, it will not reproduce, and if it’s Iron Teeth, it will not tend to the colony’s breeding pods. The higher the concentration of badwater, the higher the risk of contamination on contact.
• Beavers can be cured using faction-specific methods described below.
• Bots are unaffected by exposure to badwater. Go, bots!

Badwater engineering

To counter badwater’s harmful effects you may use the ol’ reliable hydroengineering tools. However, sometimes even the most clever use of dams, floodgates, pumps, and terraforming may not be enough. That’s why we added a selection of special new buildings. And since we now have two free-flowing liquids on the maps, we also tweaked the existing infrastructure.

• New building: Contamination Barrier (400 SP; 5 Planks, 1 Metal Block; Folktails only; ground only). This structure doesn’t block irrigation but stops pollution from passing through all the tiles below it. Simply wall off the areas you want safe. It’s super effective!
• New building: Irrigation Barrier (400 SP; 10 Logs, 5 Treated Planks; Iron Teeth only; ground only). This barrier blocks both contamination and irrigation. You can use it to separate an area from a river that may get contaminated, and then irrigate the terrain with water from sources officially approved by the Water Purity Committee.
• New building: Badwater Dome (2000 SP; 100 Planks, 200 Gears, 100 Metal Blocks; Folktails only; built on top of a Badwater Source). This heavy-duty structure allows you to manually open and close the source.
• New building: Badwater Rig (4000 SP; 400 Gears, 200 Treated Planks, 150 Metal Blocks; Folktails only; built on top of a Badwater Source). This even more advanced building seals a badwater source for good but allows employed beavers to gather and store large amounts of badwater right there.
• New building: Badwater Discharge (4000 SP; 300 Gears, 200 Metal Blocks, 50 Explosives; Iron Teeth only; built on top of a Badwater Source). The Iron Teeth counterpart works similarly to Folktails’ Badwater Dome with one important difference: keep it open during a drought, and the badwater will continue to flow!
• New building: Badwater Pump (250 SP; 20 logs, 10 gears, 5 metal blocks; 1 worker; Folktails-only) - this building only pumps badwater. At lower badwater concentrations, it works less efficiently.
• New building: Deep Badwater Pump (250 SP; 20 logs, 10 gears, 5 metal blocks; 1 worker; Iron Teeth-only). You know the drill - this one reaches up to six tiles deep.
• Updated buildings: Water Pump and Deep Water Pump. Their effectiveness now drops as the badwater concentration increases.
• Updated building: Water Dump. This building was renamed to Fluid Dump and can now, uh, dump both water and badwater. Use the new toggle to pick what you want dumped.
• Renamed (Deep) Mechanical Water Pumps to (Deep) Mechanical Fluid Pumps as they now transfer both water and badwater. Use the toggle to choose what should be pumped.
• Updated building: Stream Gauge. It now also displays the pollution level.

Extract and new production chains

Badwater may be a deadly threat but the lumberpunk beavers are too resourceful not to benefit from it, mostly through a new good known as extract. (Mass-produced adult Iron Teeth beavers are a net positive, right?)

• New building: Centrifuge (600 SP; 60 Planks, 40 Gears, 30 Metal Blocks; 2 workers; 200 HP to operate). This mechanized building turns badwater into a new good - extract.
• New good: Extract. This beautifully green liquid is stored in tanks. It has several uses such as the new pods described below.
• New building: Advanced Breeding Pod (1000 SP; 5 Treated planks, 2 Metal Blocks; Iron Teeth only). That’s right - if you invest a bit more in your breeding efforts, you can use extract to produce new beavers that are “born” adults. Slightly sad, very efficient!
• New building: Decontamination Pod (400 SP; 20 Planks, 5 Gears, 5 Metal Blocks; requires 100 HP and a steady supply of extract to operate). Badwater contamination is far too severe to be treated in a regular bed - you need this special, powered-up, variant to ensure your beavers survive.
• New building: Herbalist (300 SP; 20 Planks, 5 Gears, 5 Treated Planks; Folktails only). This building creates herbal antidotes using Dandelion - a new good that’s stored in tanks. Antidotes heal contaminated beavers at a slow rate.
• New building: Grease Factory (2000 SP; Gear x30, Treated Plank x20, Metal Block x10; 2 workers; Iron Teeth-only). Boasting Danny Zuko’s seal of approval, this building turns extract into a new, oily resource.
• New good: Grease (Extract x1, Canola Oil x1 gives Grease x2). Stored in tanks and consumed by Iron Teeth bots, grease increases their condition by 1.
• New good: Punch Cards (Paper x2, Plank x1 gives Punch Card x2; Folktails-only). Containing more precise instructions, punch cards are an extra paper sink and a new, earlier boost to Folktails’ bots. Produced at Printing Press and stored in warehouses, cards are consumed by Folktails’ bots to increase their condition by 1.
• Updated recipe: Catalyst (Maple Syrup x1, Extract x1 gives Catalyst x3; Folktails-only). With extract added to its recipe, we’re making catalyst the second, more advanced boost available to Folktails’ bots.
• The maximum condition achievable by bots is now 2. A bot with access to both faction-specific boosts enjoys +80% movement speed and +120% working speed.

Attractions and decorations

Our efforts towards making factions more unique continue! After the all-new monuments in Update 4, today’s update brings significantly more variety to the attractions and decorations.

• New building: Lantern (100 SP; 2 logs, 4 planks). Beavers might be nocturnal but having these will help in the middle of the night. Each faction’s model is slightly different.
• New building: Hammock (120 SP; 2 logs, 2 planks; Folktails-only). Now, that’s how you rest.
• New building: Bulletin Pole (600 SP; 20 planks, 2 metal blocks; Folktails-only). Here’s where Folktails post their nekker bounties friendly messages and announcements.
• New building: Beaver Bust (200 SP; 3 metal blocks; Iron Teeth-only). Ol’ Kazko has finally gained some solid recognition.
• New building: Clock (600 SP; 10 planks, 8 gears, 2 metal blocks; Iron Teeth-only). Time is money, friend. Yeah, okay, this is a money-free world but you get the idea.
• New building: Brazier (150 SP; 12 planks, 2 metal blocks; Iron Teeth-only). Because nights can be cold out there in the desert.
• New building: Scratcher (5 logs, 5 planks; Iron Teeth-only). This one truly scratches that itch.
• New building: Swimming Pool (250 SP; 40 logs, 30 planks; Iron Teeth-only). Replacing Lido for the Iron Teeth, this is a more competitive variant of the submerged attraction.
• New building: Exercise Plaza (400 SP; 150 logs, 60 planks; Iron Teeth only). Continuing the fitness theme, your Iron Teeth workers will now work out after work. We highly recommend joining them during extended Timberborn sessions.
• New building: Wind Tunnel (700 SP; 50 planks, 50 gears, 40 metal blocks; requires 400 HP to operate; Iron Teeth-only). You wanted to be able to send your beavers flying, so we’ve listened… kind of.
• New building: Dance Hall (1200 SP; 100 logs, 50 treated planks; 20 metal blocks; Folktails-only). All Folktails, old and young alike, are famous for their sick moves. Now, they can finally hit the dance floor!
• New building: Motivatorium (1200 SP; 75 logs, 100 gears, 20 treated planks; requires 200 HP to operate; Iron Teeth-only). Here, the Iron Teeth proletarians unite to collectively remember what their society is about.
• Updated building: Carousel. It received a new, more compact model and is now exclusive to Folktails.
• Updated building: Temple. Renamed it to Agora, and updated its flavor text. The building now needs a steady supply of extract, which is being burnt inside to assist in, um, reaching a higher state of contemplation. The flames were updated to reflect that.
• Updated building: Shrine. Renamed it to Contemplation Spot and lowered its building cost to 10 logs.
• Updated building: Mud Bath. The new cost is 40 logs, 20 gears and 50 treated planks. This building now needs a steady supply of dirt.
• Updated building: Beaver Statue (Iron Teeth). It now stands out more after adding the new Beaver Bust.
• Lido, Contemplation Spot, and Agora are now exclusive to Folktails.
• Updated the model for the Iron Teeth version of Rooftop Terrace.

Terraforming

With bots granted a new trait in the form of badwater immunity, we can finally allow beavers to shine in the terraforming business. Speaking of which, cool beavers don’t look at explosions but with the new, badwater-powered dynamite in place, they may reconsider.

• New “building”: Double Dynamite (1x explosive, 1x extract). This 1x1 dynamite blows two tiles deep rather than just one.
• New “building”: Triple Dynamite (1x explosive, 2x extract). You guessed it - this one removes three tiles.
• Updated the model of Dynamite.
• Dirt Excavator is no longer bot-exclusive.
• Removed Terraforming Station from the game. It had its purpose when terraforming was exclusive to bots, but in Update 5, this duty is also handled by the regular beavers.
• Terraforming is now performed by builders.
• Updated building: Dirt Excavators now consume extract.
• Updated recipe: Explosive is now made out of 5x badwater.

Other changes to buildings

Here are the many other additions and changes to the roster of in-game buildings, mostly rounding up our “make the factions more unique” initiative.

• New building: Large Water Pump (400 SP; 20 Logs, 5 Gears, 10 Treated Planks, Folktails only). Effective farming relies on access to clean water - with this bad boy, you’ll get enough in no time.
• New building: Large Power Wheel (Logs x100; 4 workers; Iron Teeth only). There is no shame in such labor - this beast has a 300 HP power output.
• Power Wheel is now Folktails-exclusive.
• Updated building: Engine. It no longer has workers. The engine will keep working as long as haulers continue delivering logs. Also, it now has power shaft connectors on three sides rather than just in the back.
• Pipes in buildings such as the Water Pump now dynamically adjust their length. Among other things, it’s now possible to place dynamite or a levee under an existing pump. Faction-specific maximums still apply.
• Removed Healer and Medicine from the game. The Medical Beds remain in the game to treat beavers suffering from work injuries, but nobody really liked the extra steps.
• In light of the change above, Dandelion is now exclusive to Folktails (as it is still used by the Herbalist). It can no longer be found growing naturally on maps.
• Paper Mill and Printing Press (and by consequence paper and books) are now exclusive to Folktails.
• Several buildings relying on access to pure water (Lido, Showers, Fountain) are disabled as soon as the Beaver Environmental Agency detects any signs of pollution.
• Updated the models and lights in the Numbercruncher, Underground Pile, and Engine. Door and window lighting is now exclusively used to indicate the type of a building’s workers.
• Updated models for all bridges to make them stand out more with crowded colonies in the background.
• Reduced Bot Assembler’s height to one tile.
• Added a new checkbox to the Forester: Replant dead trees not marked for cutting.
• Removed “Unique to this faction” notes from buildings. At this point, more buildings should have it than not.
• It’s now possible to preview a building before unlocking it. To unlock the building, either try placing it down in the preview mode, click the dedicated button, or hit Enter with the building selected.
• Buildings that make a terrain cutout (such as Underground Pile) now include the terrain cutout in the construction stage. The ground is now hidden when previewing such buildings.
• Builders will no longer abandon a construction site in the middle of their task, as long as they have materials to build.

Irrigation rework

Adding badwater and the contamination shenanigans in Update 5 prompted us to look further at the irrigation system. The resulting rework finally eliminated the two long-standing issues with this core feature of Timbernborn.

• The irrigation algorithm now takes into account the area of water bodies. Smaller water bodies irrigate smaller areas.
• Smaller water bodies will now disappear faster.
• The memories will live on but the two changes above finally kill the infamous Water Dump trick.
• Removed Irrigation Tower from the game. We believe the current set of irrigation-related tools is enough for you to not miss the memiest of Timberborn buildings, so its time also has come to an end.
• Water (or badwater) bodies with bottoms and sides entirely built with levees no longer irrigate (or contaminate) surrounding areas.

Reworked maps

We have updated all built-in maps to accommodate the presence of badwater and badtides, as well as the irrigation tweaks. Changes range from slight to dramatic - Thousand Islands, Mountain Range, and Helix Mountain, for example, have been completely rebuilt.

• Reworked all twelve built-in maps.
• Plains, Canyon, and Waterfalls are now marked as beginner friendly maps.

Balance

In light of Update 5 changes, we’re tweaking the game’s balance across the board. Here is what we changed on top of the tweaks mentioned elsewhere in the patch notes.

• Increased effectiveness of all water wheels by 50%.
• Small Windmill: maximum power output is now 150, down from 200.
• Large Windmill: maximum power output is now 300, down from 400.
• Wheat flour recipe: now takes 0.5h to complete, down from 0.78h.
• Cattail flour recipe: now takes 0.25h to complete, down from 0.66h.
• Bread recipe: now takes 1h to complete, up from 0.42h.
• Maple pastry recipe: now takes 1.5h to complete, up from 0.55h.
• Rebalanced the natural healing time and the injury chances to account for the removal of Healer and medicine.
• Needs will now deplete at a slower rate on Easy difficulty.
• Folktails now need at least two adult beavers with no critical needs (such as Thirst) in a single dwelling to reproduce.
• Books and coffee are now consumed before the beavers enjoy their time in attractions such as carousels. This should make it easier to hit higher well-being levels.

Flipping

This is the end of an era! Starting today, buildings no longer have entrances available only on one side - you can flip them. We’ve added this feature to all buildings with asymmetrical door placement, plus some others where it made sense (such as most monuments).

• Added the ability to flip most buildings before placing them (default hotkey: F).
• Removed Mirrored Lodge and its memorable flavor text from the game because it’s now simply possible to flip the regular version.

Key bindings YES, it only took us two years since launch to add customizable key bindings to the game.

• Replaced the old key bindings list with a customizable key bindings window, accessed through the game menu, map editor menu, and settings.
• Added primary and secondary key bindings. It is possible to use key combinations such as Ctrl+Shift+K.
• Added multiple new bindings for settlement panel sections, priorities, and even dynamite detonation. We’ve got quite a few of those.
• Added extra info to buttons that work differently when clicked with a pressed key (the “Eye” tracking button in the building/unit panel and +/- buttons in the migration tab).
• It is now possible to use Ctrl + mouse wheel to go through the main categories on the toolbar. Shift + mouse wheel goes through the buildings within the selected category. This saves you about 1 kcal per two-hour game session.

Seasons

With the game now switching between three vastly different seasons, we wanted to make it easier to notice when they change and to what. We’ve added fancy new splash screens and sounds that should be really difficult to miss.

• Added a splash screen at the start of each season.
• Added extra audio cues to transitions between seasons.

Savegame preview

Gone are the days of guessing what that particular “asdasdad” save contains. Now, whenever you save the game, a screenshot is taken to be displayed on the load game screen. The load game screen has also been overhauled to improve its usability.

• Added screenshots to save files. This change is not retroactive - only saves made after this change will contain screenshots. Older settlement files will show a beautiful placeholder image until you save the game on the new update.
• Updated the load game screen to display screenshots, saves’ timestamps and the cycle-day data.
• The default save names are now more hooman-friendly.

Map previews

Whenever you start a new game and pick the map, you will see a thumbnail and the map description set up by the map’s creator within the map editor.

• Updated the map selection screen for the New game / Edit map to include map thumbnails and descriptions.
• Maps’ names and descriptions are now localized.
• Added icons for beginner-friendly and custom maps to the map selection screen.

Animations

The first recorded request for proper tree-cutting animations in Timberborn is from 1784. Update 5 adds many custom animations, so we didn’t want to miss out on updating something this crucial.

• Added tree-cutting animations for beavers and bots.
• Trees now sway while being cut.
• Smoke and other similar particles now react to the wind.
• Sitting and standing animations for beavers and bots are now consistent.

Map editor

With all the additions of Update 5, the editor also needed some love.

• Added Map thumbnail button to the Map editor’s toolbar. It allows you to set a camera position - whenever you save the map, the screenshot will be taken to act as its thumbnail. You can also add images via a file browser. This feature supports transparent PNGs so you can add a layer of extra elements - such as your logo - on top of a thumbnail.
• Added Map description button to the Map editor’s toolbar. It opens a simple box where you can enter a map description.
• Added Badwater Sources to the toolbar.
• Added new water (and badwater) simulation speeds.
• Added new buttons that allow you to simulate droughts and badtides within the editor.
• Added a warning to inform you that the map you loaded is incompatible with the current game version.
• Added the Settings Panel, similar to the one available in the regular game mode.
• The direction of the terrain brush can now be changed with dedicated buttons rather than just hotkeys.

Other UI and QoL changes

As if the cool new stuff such as flippable buildings or customizable key bindings were not enough…

• Added Rubble Removal Tool 5000™ to the toolbar. Cleaning the leftovers has never been easier!
• When using the priority tool on stacked buildings, the priorities are now assigned from top to bottom, not otherwise.
• The post-crash screen now includes a text box. You can use it to explain what happened before the game exploded. This comment will be included in the crash report. The post-crash screen now includes extra information if your game is modded. Please remember that disabling all mods is often the best way to fix crashes, especially after updating the game.
• Withering plants now have a slightly depressing progress bar. There’s also a status that displays the withering’s cause so that you act fast and save the innocent flora’s life.
• Added the missing Water Source and Barrier flavor texts.
• Added new categories for contaminated adult beavers and kits to the Settlement Panel.
• Updated icons for Water Sources, several water- related buildings, as well as the icon for the injured beavers.
• Updated the welcome screen so that it no longer refers to the ancient alpha, beta, and demo times.
• When selecting a good in a storage building’s panel or via the storage overlay, its extended tooltip - the same as the one used in the top bar - is now used.
• Reordered well-being buildings and needs to match their increasing science points costs and well-being gains.
• Lodges, Barracks, and Rowhouses now display the number of occupied and available slots.
• Dandelions are now categorized as ingredients, similar to coffee beans.
• Large Science Points costs are now shortened (10,000 becomes 10k etc.)
• With the UI hidden (Ctrl+H, remember?), pop-up windows such as the deletion confirmation box now cause the UI to be unhidden rather than blocking the game. The UI will also reveal itself to comfort you after you hit Esc in a panic.
• The standard buttons and headers used in the main menu etc. are now scalable.
• Updated the text in removal tools’ tooltips to be consistent across the category.
• Updated the look of the “Unlock this building” button.
• Removed the extra arrows from the map selection list.
• Updated the in-game credits to include the new Eager Beavers, Masterful Architects, trailer creators, the artist behind the new key art, the localization team, and studio members.

Misc.

• To teach kits how aging works, becoming a responsible adult no longer erases a kit’s consequences of reckless behaviour status effects.
• Removed the default 0,0 saved camera position as that usually caused you to gaze into the void.
• In certain scenarios, beavers now get to work right after reaching their destination rather than idling.
• After the game is over, it acknowledges that in a subtle way.
• Decreased the range in which beavers idle and - if homeless - go to sleep within a tile.

Bug fixes

• Fixed a bug with workers not heading to their idling spots after finishing work.
• Fixed the erratic behavior of the lights in Temple, Shrine, and Rooftop Terrace.
• Fixed bugged water wheels’ animations.
• Fixed 1x1 Roofs and Power Wheels that could clip with other objects.
• It is again possible to select Gravity Batteries by clicking their weight.
• Fixed a bug with the path preview being drawn incorrectly while rotating stairs in the construction preview.
• Fixed some clipping in the Grindstone.
• Fixed the clipping paws of sleeping haulers.
• Fixed beavers that would fly between bridges. They now have a Wind Tunnel for that.
• Units no longer perform kickflips when stepping onto stairs after leaving a building.
• Fixed Floodgates clipping partially through terrain and sticking out when placed on the edge of the map’s lowest level.
• Fixed a bug with long, weird names such as Asmoranomardicadaistinaculdacar clipping with the avatar.
• Fixed a bug with negative well-being values displayed on green.
• Units are no longer stuck sitting in attractions when stranded. No more free rides.
• Fixed skips in builders' animation.
• Injured beavers will go eat or drink before their need is in a critical state.
• Fixed the map editor’s “Hide resources” icon behaving incorrectly.
• Fixed the “Empty storage” status icon being displayed under range lines.
• The units’ movement speed bonus is now correctly displayed.
• Fixed a bug with goods’ icons on barrels sometimes having the wrong color.
• Fixed a bug with water pumps partially disappearing while in preview mode.
• Fixed numerical input fields crashing the game when trying to use certain character combos.
• Fixed a minor highlighting bug caused by moving between categories on the toolbar.
• Stranded bots that run out of fuel now correctly use the stranded animation.
• Fixed wrongly calculated hauling priorities. This means fewer beavers hauling just one object around.
• Fixed haulers’ backpacks clipping through several attractions and decorations.
• Fixed maple syrup barrels clipping through the terrain.
• Fixed a bug with saves not updating correctly after the system clock switches from daylight saving time. If you’re playing Timberborn at 2 AM, we admire your dedication.
• Ruins can no longer be clicked outside of their model.
• Homeless beavers will now sleep at a building’s doorstep if they can’t find better spots. :(

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0.4.7.0-f7bd363-gw (2023-05-24)

Hi everyone!

The next major update for Timberborn is now live for everyone, and as you’re about to see, we’ve addressed some of the most popular player requests. Watch the feature trailer below!

UPDATE 4 FEATURE TRAILER

Here’s a summary: districts no longer have range limits, and the distribution is automated. The Iron Teeth now boast a whole new industrial food production chain complete with new crops and buildings. We made both factions more unique with new monuments and updates to decorations and other buildings. There’s also a new map (Craters) and a slew of tweaks and fixes. Oh, and we improved the framerates by up to 80% (according to some: even more)!

The update’s content evolved thanks to the ongoing feedback from our experimental branch players, so a big shout-out to you all!

Patch notes: 2023-05-24 (Update 4)

Note: Update 4 shouldn't break compatibility with Update 3 saves but especially on the Iron Teeth saves, things won’t be the same anymore - as detailed below. As all Iron Teeth know, progress sometimes requires sacrifice. Please consider starting a new game.

Food production changes

As part of our “making factions more unique” project, the Iron Teeth received an entirely new food production chain, and most of the older crops are now exclusive to Folktails. We designed the new Iron Teeth crops and buildings to reflect the faction’s industrial nature. For them, food is all but another cog in the great lumberpunk machine. They want their eatables produced efficiently and on a large scale, and they now have the tools for that. Let Folktails keep their tasty organic food nonsense!

• New crop: Kohlrabi (can be eaten raw; Iron Teeth only) - this starting food keeps the belly full, but that’s about it.
• New crop: Canola (Iron Teeth only) - used to produce a new good, Canola oil.
• New crop: Cassava (Iron Teeth only) - fermented in the Fermenter.
• New crop: Soybean (Iron Teeth only) - fermented in the Fermenter.
• New crop: Corn (Iron Teeth only) - turned into rations in the Food Factory.
• New crop: Eggplant (Iron Teeth only) - turned into rations in the Food Factory.
• New tree: Mangrove Tree (grown in shallow waters; Iron Teeth only) - yields tasty fruit, and in an emergency, can be cut for some logs.
• New crop: Coffee Bush (grown by Forester; Iron Teeth only) - yields beans that are then roasted to make coffee, duh.
• New building: Fermenter (Logs x25; Iron Teeth only) - with the unique process known only to the Iron Teeth, it ferments Cassava, Soybean, and Mushrooms.
• New building: Oil Press (120 SP; Logs x20, Planks x20, Gears x20; Iron Teeth only) - squeezes oil out of Canola seeds.
• New building: Hydroponic Garden (200 SP; Planks x20, Gears x10, Metal blocks x5; stackable; Iron Teeth only) - with a steady supply of water and over the course of a looong period, this stackable garden grows algae and mushrooms, used to create highly nutritious rations and fermented food.
• New building: Food Factory (300 SP; Planks x40, Gears x15, Metal blocks x10; Iron Teeth only) - produces nutritious rations from corn, eggplants, and algae.
• New Building: Coffee Brewery (500 SP; Treated planks x25, Gears x10, Metal blocks x 15; Iron Teeth only) - brews coffee from gathered coffee beans.
• New tree: Oak (takes 30 days to fully grow, yields 8 logs). These mighty trees may take a while to grow but the reward is grand!
• Wheat, Carrots, Potatoes, Sunflowers, Cattail, and Spadderdock are now Folktails-exclusive. On existing Iron Teeth saves, ground crops are replaced with Kohlrabi, and aquatic crops are gone.
• Chestnut Tree and Maple are now Folktails-exclusive. On existing Iron Teeth saves, these trees are replaced with Pines and Oaks, respectively.
• Lowered Maple’s log yield.
• Aquatic Farmhouse, Grill, Gristmill, and Bakery are now Folktails-exclusive. On existing Iron Teeth saves, these buildings are gone, with related goods replaced with various new goods. For example, Bread is replaced with Fermented Soybean.

New monuments and other changes

In addition to the above, we’re updating several other buildings to make Folktails and Iron Teeth playthroughs feel different, both in terms of gameplay and visuals. Notably, all six monuments were replaced and are now faction-specific. We have also updated and split some decorations.

• New building: Farmer Monument (1000 SP, 200x Logs; Folktails only). Folktails salute the workers who ensure they have something to put in the oven.
• New building: Brazier of Bonding (3000 SP, 400x Planks; Folktails only). Because in these trying times, family is all that matters.
• New building: Fountain of Joy (12000 SP, 400x Planks, 100x Treated Planks, 300 Metal blocks; needs to be placed in water to operate; Folktails only). Having an abundance of water is definitely a reason to rejoice.
• New building: Laborer Monument (1000 SP, 200x Logs; Iron Teeth only). Work hard, work hard!
• New building: Flame of Unity (3000 SP, 300x Planks, 50xMetal blocks; Iron Teeth only). How many Iron Teeth do you need to refuel a brazier? Four, apparently.
• New building: Tribute to Ingenuity (12000 SP, 400x Gears, 100x Treated Planks, 300x Metal blocks; needs power to operate; Iron Teeth only). The burden of the world lies heavy on an Iron Teeth’s shoulders.
• On existing saves, most old monuments are replaced with new versions. The only exception is Tribute to Ingenuity (Folktails) which simply disappears. It’s huge, and a fountain built a hundred feet above ground would be weird even by beaver standards.
• New building: Hedge. This replaces the Log Fence and is a new Folktails-exclusive decoration.
• Metal Fence received an updated model and is now Iron Teeth-exclusive.
• Benches, Shrubs, and Wood Fences (previously: Plank Fences) now use different, faction-specific models.
• New building: Farmhouse was renamed Efficient Farmhouse (Logs x25). It is now exclusive to Folktails and has three workers.
• Updated building: Farmhouse (Logs x20; Iron Teeth only; 2 workers). It is a smaller (2x2) version of the building previously known under that name.
• New building: Industrial Lumbermill (Logs x20). This Lumbermill variant is exclusive to the Iron Teeth and has a new, twice as sawwy model. Also, it has two workers.
• Updated building: Lumbermill (Logs x15; Folktails). It is now Folktails-exclusive.
• Updated models for the following buildings, with different variants for each faction: Campfire, Forester, and Tapper’s Shack.

Districts rework

The introduction of districts solved many problems Timberborn had in the past, including but not limited to, original performance woes. However, we heard a lot of feedback about this feature and specifically, district range limits. Over time, we’ve optimized the game’s code to make the range less of a performance hog, and in Update 4, we’re removing range limits entirely. If you want to cover the entire map with a single district, you can! Just remember that if a worker spends half their day commuting, their efficiency and well-being take a hit. You still may optimize and specialize your colonies with districts, but it’s now optional and way more straightforward.

• Districts no longer have range limits.
• Colored range lines remain on paths to inform you that a building might be too far from the District Center to operate efficiently.
• Added a colored heatmap to better communicate ranges across the district. The heatmap is visible after clicking any path tile, stair, or slope within the district.
• Added colored numerical range indicators to the Settlement Panel and individual building panels to further help you identify buildings that might be too remote.
• Path tiles, stairs, and slopes now display the distance to the parent District Center in their panel.
• Selecting a Slope now shows range lines (and the heatmap), similar to stairs and paths.

Distribution rework

Here’s another reason to continue using districts - we’ve completely reworked the distribution mechanics to make it (truly) automatic. By default, your workers will distribute goods to districts with a warehouse for a particular good, or a factory that consumes it. Some basic goods such as water, food, and logs are always imported, even if the district does not have dedicated storage for them. While those default settings should work for most cases, you can customize the rules for import and export in the new Distribution tab added to the Settlement Panel.

• New building: District Crossing (600 SP; Logs x30, Planks x15). This two-sided building replaces the District Gate. Each side of the building connects to a different district and has dedicated workers responsible for moving goods between the Crossing and the rest of their district.
• Removed Distribution Post and Drop-off Point from the game.
• Added an additional toggle (“Supply”) to all storage buildings. When set to “Supply”, it employs haulers to pick up the goods from the storage and redistribute them to other warehouses, while continuing to accept new goods.
• Goods are distributed across districts proportionally to the capacity of storage and factory inputs for a particular good. Warehouses set to “Empty” or “Supply” are excluded from the import demand calculations.
• Added the “Distribution” tab to the Settlement Panel. Use it to set per-district, per-resource export thresholds and enable or disable import from outside. If the import is enabled, you can also choose whether the good should be imported even if the district does not have any warehouses that store it or factories that need it. That’s the default setting for key goods such as water.
• “Labor” category on the bottom toolbar received a new icon and was renamed “District Management”. It also houses District Center (and District Crossing) now.

Maps

It’s finally time for a new built-in map - Craters (192x192). Fire up this medium-difficulty map and find your way across three treacherous craters, starting next to the map’s border. We also made some tweaks to older maps (which will only apply when starting a new game).

• New map: Craters (192x192).
• Tweaked the layout for Plains, Meander, Waterfalls, and Lakes so that these maps play better after the removal of district limits.
• Since Maple and Chestnut Tree are now faction-specific for Folktails, all built-in maps have been updated to replace the faction-specific trees with other plants.
• Removed a misplaced berry bush in the Thousand Islands starting area.

Optimization

Making optimizations that help rather than break something is a lengthy process. We needed to thoroughly test different approaches and double-check the results on the experimental branch, but it seems we succeeded! We aimed to reduce lag spikes, cut loading times, and increase the framerates, especially on larger maps and settlements with hundreds of units. Your mileage may vary depending on a save and your configuration but based on our benchmarks, Update 4 increases the average FPS by up to 80%. Some players are reporting even higher gains.

• Made multiple CPU and GPU optimizations that greatly improve framerates.
• Updated the animation system for buildings and characters.
• All in-game models now use Timbermesh - our custom 3D model format. If you’re a modder, feel free to check out the documentation on how it works. You’ll find it on our GitHub.
• Thanks to an update to how sounds and music are played, the game now utilizes less RAM.
• Decreased loading times by 15% on average.
• Selecting large numbers of objects (for example when marking tree-cutting areas) should no longer cause frame drops.

Quality of Life and UI

• It is now possible to select goods for warehouses using dropdowns available in the storage overlay view.
• “Hanging” buildings (Water Pumps, Showers, Gravity Batteries, Bridges, and Lidos) are now easier to correctly place on the grid.
• Tooltips for several buildings such as Water Pumps and Lidos now inform you that the building needs water access.
• Added new information to crop tooltips to indicate whether a crop can be eaten raw.
• Farmhouses, Flags, and other gathering buildings now adjust their inventory capacity based on resources in range so they no longer skew the fill-rate indicators.
• Ruins now display a number of goods “in stock” in a way similar to other places.
• Added progress bars for Engines, Irrigation Towers, and Medical Beds to indicate how long their supply will last.
• Tweaked all in-game progress bars to be consistent across the UI.
• Made the font sizes more consistent across the UI.
• The scroll bar is now highlighted when hovering a cursor over it.
• Tweaked the tooltip position relative to the cursor position.
• Fixed click sounds and highlights that were not aligned with the actual clickable areas on the toolbar.
• Added good icons to dropdowns.
• Reordered needs in beaver panels to align them with how the game usually progresses.
• Names for goods across the UI should now correctly use the plural form.

Balance

• Default difficulty settings have been rebalanced in tune with Update 4 changes.
• Ruins can no longer be demolished, making them an obstacle map creators can use to pace the player’s progress.
• Power Wheel’s power output is now affected by the worker’s Walking Speed. That makes sense, right?
• Dandelion is known to be an unwelcome party guest so we’ve lowered the speed at which it self-spreads.

Audio

• Added new sound sets for the following buildings and objects: Water Source, Ruins, Underground Ruins, Inventor, Wood Workshop, and Forester.
• Added a new sound effect for the dynamite explosion.
• Added a missing click sound for Barriers.
• Most UI sounds are now mono.

Visual

• Some crops’ models are now randomly rotated on spawn.
• Particle effects are now only turned on for working buildings (rather than having a minor particle effect for idle buildings).
• Added the antialiasing checkbox to Settings.
• Tweaked preview models for Dandelions and Blueberries.
• Tweaked models for Teeth Grindstone, Refinery, and Sunflowers.
• Fences of different types built on adjacent tiles now stay separated instead of clustering. This includes setups such as two fences forming parallel lines.
• Added the “Update 4” bar to the main menu so you can’t miss what version you’ve just launched.
• The lights at Campfires, Rooftop Terraces, and other self-lighted buildings are now less prone to bugging out.
• Fixed a minor visual bug in tanks.
• Slightly adjusted the blueness of Blueberries because it made our 3D Artists blue.

Misc.

• Tweaked the save validation mechanism. The game now recognizes “soft” and “hard” incompatibility. When trying to load a save with a “soft” incompatibility, you will be warned about possible issues but the game will still let you load the save. When the save is too old and the “hard” incompatibility is detected, the game refuses to load it.
• Replaced "" with "#" in the names of objects so that it's less likely to be used by accident. If you’re a modder, this is important to you.
• Goods recovered from deleted buildings are now split more evenly across rubble piles.
• Added new studio employees, Eager Beavers, and Masterful Architects to the credits section.
• Removed the “Empty storage” toggle from Engines and Irrigation Towers.
• Resources used by factories are now consumed right at the start of production.
• Fixed rounding errors, for example for tree growth, displayed as 100% despite being slightly lower.
• Platforms are now built over Medical Beds with 94,3% less clipping!
• Fixed colliders for Breeding Pod and Small Industrial Pile.
• Added some missing flavor texts that definitely weren't supposed to be added over a year ago.
• Whenever a new beaver is born, something special may or may not happen.
• Natural resources such as trees no longer aggressively self-spread onto higher tiles and threaten the beavers with “The Last of Us” scenario.*

Bug fixes

• Fixed “path not available” prompts appearing on construction previews when the path itself is at the construction stage (for example to be built on platforms).
• Fixed a bug with Gatherer displaying the “Nothing to do in range” error.
• Fixed blurred status icons.
• Fixed blinking status icons on Scavenger flags.
• Fixed a bug with incorrect range indicators on stairs.
• Fixed beaver/bot toggles that sometimes would be displayed incorrectly.
• Fixed range lines on paths messing up with buildings’ blueish range indicators.
• Fixed a game crash caused by setting priorities for numbers of objects that were dam too high.
• Fixed beavers so thirsty they would break through water tanks’ back walls.
• Fixed overzealous farmers and foresters that would sometimes try to plant something on an already occupied slot.
• Fixed a bug with warehouses being emptied to make room for a new good that wouldn’t be added to the storage count for that new good.
• Fixed a bug with selfish beavers that called dibs on a stocked good and wouldn’t let anyone touch it.
• Fixed tutorial highlights not disappearing in certain situations.
• Fixed a crash caused by deleting Rubble right as it was to be picked up.
• Fixed a bug with corner-cutting beavers that would just rush to their destination, ignoring the paths carefully placed by the player.
• The settlement panel will no longer crash when the player interacts with a dead beaver.
• Fixed a weirdly specific visual issue with Tapper’s Shack doorstep interfering with decorations’ AoE indicators.
• Fixed several crashes occurring after selecting an object.
• Fixed impatient patients that would casually leave Medical Beds to fulfill their needs.
• Fixed a crash caused by rubble moving out of the selected area when using a selection tool.
• Mechanical Water Pump no longer consumes energy when not working.
• Fixed a bug that delayed refreshing the Settlement Panel content after selecting a different district.
• Tweaked the model for the Beaver Statue (Iron Teeth) so that it no longers boops itself with the hammer. Ouch!