New build 18.03.18

We’ve just pushed a new build to Steam and itch.io, 18.03.18. This build has bug fixes, some design changes and is the first build to include minecarts. As usual, this build breaks compatibility with older save files.

New Save Screen

We redesigned the save screen so that it’s easier to use. We also now allow multiple saves per world.

Rails

You can now build rails using the build rail tool. It’s a little rough around the edges at the moment (particularly when it comes to slopes). To build a rail, first construct rail resources (4 iron = 1 rail) using an anvil. Then you can drag out rails or place individual pieces. Dwarves ride minecarts on rails to increase their speed. (note: dwarf slown down in gif to show sweet drifting skills)

Task List GUI

You can now view a list of tasks that all dwarfs are working on, and cancel them. This is a barebones implementation at the moment that is still being developed.

Changelog:

• Add cross platform crash window for Linux and Mac users. Game will now report why it crashed on those platforms instead of dying silently.
• Added rail tool and rail objects + minecart riding.
• Allow users to save multiple times per world.
• Add setting for max number of saves to keep around.
• Improved save screen.
• Do not draw voxel selector while using build tools.
• Fix crash while building weight racks.
• Fix crash caused by spawning in corner of world.
• Add Kobold (but can’t be spawned outside of God tool yet)
• Add backend modding support for custom GUI textures.
• Fix creatures jumping up into the air randomly during combat.
• Fix creature animations not resetting correctly during combat.
• Creatures now flash red instead of disappearing while injured(was having weird interaction with mouse selection code).
• Fix arrows and other projectiles not rendering correctly.
• Fix serialization edge case crash while build tool is active during autosave.
• Fix dwarf gotos.
• Fix forge animation (wasn’t running)
• Clean up some task assignment code (shouldn’t cause any visible changes. May cause a bug or two).
• Add new experimental task list GUI.
• Add shortened labels to most build objects in the GUI.
• Fix rare crashes caused by graphics device getting changed/disposed during operation.
• Fix rare crash caused by clicking on a notification about a trade party that has all died.

Stuff We’re Currently Working On

We just hired a professional QA tester to find and report more bugs for us, yay! We’re continuing to collect bugs and fix them as soon as we can.

On the art front, Joe, our new pixel artist has been pixeling away at Kobolds and Gremlins.

Kobolds are done art-wise, but we still have to get their AI written. Kobolds will occasionally come snooping by your colony in the dead of night to steal stuff.

Gremlins are still being animated. They will occasionally spawn near contraptions you’ve built and blow them up with TNT! They also have four arms.

On the programming side, now that minecarts/rails are nearly complete we intend to start working on Steamworks integration with our modding tools, plus a new event system that will make it simpler for us to add new scripted events (like the aformentioned Kobolds and Goblins showing up).