Timberborn News

Our most explosive update ever is live! To read about Dam & Blast, watch our new gameplay trailer, and learn about the game’s future, including the Early Access plans, go here. For the actual patch notes, keep on reading.

NOTE: After you download the patch, we strongly recommend starting an entirely new game. Old saves and maps may or may not break, resulting in crashes, missing buildings, and other nasty surprises.

NOTE 2: This is the largest update to the closed beta we’ve ever had. Now more than ever we ask you to share your feedback either here or on our official Discord server.

[h3]River control[/h3]

• Added water physics – water now has dynamic depth and flow, allowing you to manipulate it with dams and dynamite (see below)
  
• Water may overflow depending on the strength of the current but will eventually dry out after the water levels stabilize
  
• Beavers try to avoid staying in water but will drown if unable to escape
  
• Buildings underwater become inaccessible, preventing them from working (exceptions apply such as already fuelled engine connected to a merry-go-round)
  
• Additional systems utilizing water (such as irrigation and droughts) will be added at a later date
  

[h3]Dams[/h3]

• New structure: Dam (80 SPs to unlock, 10x log to build); partially blocks water, allows some water to pass through a spillway at the top; unstackable
  
• New structure: Levee (120 SPs to unlock, 12x log to build); blocks water completely; stackable; beavers can walk on it, and you can put other buildings on it
  

[h3]Dynamite[/h3]

• New structure: Dynamite (250 SPs to unlock, 3x paper to build); click Detonate to blow up a single voxel of the ground underneath; adjacent dynamites auto-explode, triggering a chain reaction
  
• Beavers are instantly killed if caught within an explosion :(
  

[h3]Farming and forestry[/h3]

• Replaced previous farming and forestry system with two new tools: Plant Crops and Plant trees and bushes; use them to mark custom-shaped areas where you want to plant Carrots/Potatoes/Wheat or Blueberries/Birches/Maples/Pine
  
• These tools need Farmhouse and Forester buildings in range, respectively
  
• New building: Farmhouse (no unlock cost, 25x log to build, employs 2 workers, requires a Warehouse in range); in the building’s settings you can set a priority to either harvesting or planting, and choose the prioritized plant
  
• Seedlings can no longer be harvested but can still be demolished
  
• Lumberjacks now remember the areas assigned to them and automatically cut trees from that area; rumor is they use mnemonic techniques such as songs to do that
  
• Gatherers automatically collect fruit from adult bushes within range
  

[h3]New power tools[/h3]

• New building: Power wheel (no unlock cost, 40x log to build, employs 1 worker; 50 HP output)
  
• New building: Engine (200 SPs to unlock, 20x log, 5x plank, 5x gear to build, employs 1 worker, consumes 1x log per hour as fuel; 200 HP output)
  

[h3]Vertical building[/h3]

• Removed Scaffoldings and Footbridges
  
• New building: Platform in three variants, 1/2/3-levels high (100/150/200 SPs to unlock, 4x plank and 2x/4x/8x log to build)
  
• Platforms are stackable, can be built on water, allow beavers to walk on top and below; paths, stairs, and energy shafts can be built below; other buildings can be placed on top
  

[h3]Other buildings[/h3]

• New building: Lodge (mirrored) (no unlock cost, no additional building cost)
  
• Removed Watering place
  
• Water pump no longer requires unlocking, now costs 12 logs to build
  

[h3]Maps[/h3]

• Two new maps: Meander (128x128) and Thousand Isles (256x256), offering completely new challenges
  
• Waterfalls (128x128), Canyon (128x128) and Plains (256x256) updated to encourage experiments with rivers among other things
  
• Ruin modules added to the maps and the map editor as cosmetic additions; while they serve no gameplay functionalities right now, they’ll act as a source for metal later
  

[h3]3D visual changes[/h3]

• Replaced Water shaders
  
• Water sources are now represented by a mound of stones
  
• Changed crops models
  
• Changed texture of desert areas
  

[h3]GUI changes[/h3]

• Added art to the main menu and the loading screen
  
• Tweaked GUI colors
  
• New clock design
  
• Reorganized action bar
  
• Range of all monuments is now displayed when building a new monument
  
• Minor changes to building and resource descriptions
  
• When in construction or planting mode, water becomes semi-transparent
  
• Most tools, including tree cutting, planting and demolishing, now stick to the terrain level where the click started
  

[h3]Audio[/h3]

• Added music to the main menu
  

[h3]Settings[/h3]

• Added a toggle for disabling auto-save
  
• Camera rotation speed can now be adjusted in Settings
  
• Keyboard camera speed can now be adjusted in Settings
  
• Adjusted edge pan camera speeds available in Settings
  

[h3]Bug fixes[/h3]

• The cursor no longer disappears after hitting the 70-beavers pop up
  
• Material counter now can exceed 4-digit numbers. Go nuts with these logs!
  
• Hovering over some UI elements in Settings no longer prevents scrolling with a mouse wheel
  
• Exiting to main menu now correctly creates an exit save game
  
• Fixed memory leak causing the game to use more RAM with every new or loaded game
  
• Fixed a rare crash caused by InputController
  
• Fixed a bug causing performance to drop over time after selecting large clusters of buildings
  

Let the terraforming begin!

Hot dam! It feels great to finally share today’s update with you. Dam & Blast (a.k.a. Dam Good Update or The Smoke and the Water, as we couldn’t agree on a name) turned out to be the largest update to the game so far. You could say it opens the floodgates to all future releases!

But first, moving pictures.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h2]Dams & dynamites[/h2]
If you have watched the trailer till the very end, you know what’s coming. Timberborn is all about beavers – and dams have been the most anticipated feature. It required adding water physics, changing how water is rendered and how it interacts with objects in the game – but it’s here.

The first iteration of the system allows you to put up Dams and Levees. The Levee modules block all water and can be stacked on top of each other, and you can build on them. Dams, on the other hand, allow some water to pass through.



If you mess with a river, you need a way to redirect its waters – and that’s why we’re equipping our post-apocalyptic beavers with dynamite. Once you arm it, it blows up a single voxel of the ground beneath (and if there are more explosives nearby, a chain reaction follows). This way, you can dig new canals and reservoirs. Just be careful: accidents happen. You could cause the river to flood your settlement, paralyzing your buildings and threatening the life of your colony.



For now, the system makes it easier to expand your settlement and provide it with water and energy, but it’s just a beginning. Rivers will be at the core of new mechanics we plan to add to the game, such as droughts and irrigation. We’ll share more about that in the coming months.

[h2]Reworked forestry and farming[/h2]
With the new update, you will be able to build fields and orchards in any shapes you want. You can finally cover the steep hills of Beaverville with golden wheat and rows of carrots!



A similar tool is used to plant bushes and trees. We have also simplified how gathering and tree cutting work. Once you mark an area for your tail-wiggling lumberjacks, they will remember about it when trees grow back, while gatherers automatically collect fruits within reach.

This feature required a lot of work under the hood, but it paves the ground for adding fresh content, such as new resources. We’ll get to one of the upcoming resources in a moment.

[h2]New buildings[/h2]
In order to make the new systems work, we changed how Foresters operate and added a Farmhouse you see above – a new building facilitating two beavers that handle the crops nearby.

There are also two new ways of providing your settlement with energy. Just like dams & dynamites, these are more of a simple “another option” now, but when droughts strike and you can no longer rely on water energy, you’ll definitely want to have them at the ready.

Power wheel is an idea the beaver borrowed from a certain lesser species.



Engine, on the other hand, is a much more advanced building that uses logs as fuel.



[h2]Platforms[/h2]
We are replacing footbridges and scaffoldings with a universal Platform module that comes in three variants (1-, 2-, 3-levels high). You can stack platforms and build on them – and the beavers will be able to walk on them or beneath. You can place dirt paths below the platforms, and shafts fit in there too. Oh, and you can build them on the water.



The new platforms open up a lot of possibilities, such as running paths or your energy grid below buildings building more condensed and higher living quarters.

And since we all love the vertical building mechanics, we have even more tools coming. We’ve heard your requests for overhangs, L-shaped stairs etc. We’ll see what can be done!

[h2]Ruins and new maps[/h2]
The post-apocalyptic aspect of Timberborn hasn’t been prominent so far, but we’re starting to change that. For now, ruins are a mostly cosmetic addition, but in the future, we’ll make it a scarce resource. You will need metal to build the most advanced structures of your settlement.



We’re adding ruins to the map editor as well, so after the update is released, be sure to play around with them when you work on your new creations and share them with the community!

Speaking of maps: we’re adding two new playable levels. We have also redesigned the existing maps with the new water system (and destructible terrain) in mind. They pose a whole new challenge – see how a few well-placed dynamites can change their layouts!

[h2]Other changes[/h2]
Dam & Blast adds even more novelties, such as a UI refresh. While the UI is still temporary, we have changed the colors, installed a non-awful clock etc. We’ve also added freshly baked art to the main menu and loading screens. When you visit the menu, be sure to stay awhile and listen.



There are some other minor surprises coming, but we’ll let you discover them yourselves. Spoiler: one of them is mirrored in one of the screenshots.

[h2]Yeah, okay, SO WHEN CAN I PLAY THIS?[/h2]
If you’re a closed beta tester, you’ll be able to download the update on November 3rd.

If you’re not, don’t worry. We’re not ending the closed beta yet – in fact, we’ll have a flood of beta invitations before the update releases! You still have a few days to sign up for the beta access – check this thread for more details. Also, join our Discord to share your feedback!

[h2]Early Access[/h2]
As you might have noted in the new trailer, we have decided to push the Early Access launch to the first quarter of 2021. We know this might come as a disappointment to many of you, but we’re doing that because we do not want you to spend your money and be disappointed later.

We’re going to use that time to add more content needed to make Timberborn more complex, engaging and, well, “lumberpunk”. With Dam & Blast, the core of the game is here and adding fresh features will be quicker – but we won’t be able to hit our internal goals this autumn.

Before Early Access launches in Q1 2021, we want to add more features, resources, and buildings. We still need to rework some older stuff – the game requires a better UI and more fleshed out beaver races. There are also some other, less flashy changes that need to be made – for example, getting the game ready for translation. Oh, right, we haven’t mentioned that.

For Early Access, Timberborn will be available in English, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, German, French, Simplified Chinese, Russian and, of course, Polish. Additional translations may come in later, perhaps with the help of volunteers and Steam Workshop.

[h2]Beaver be ready![/h2]
To give you all an additional sneak peek of the new update, we’ll be hosting our first-ever developer stream on 3 PM GMT on November 2nd! We’ll see you on our Twitch channel!

Until then, remember to hop on our official Discord channel!

Because of the holidays, we’ve been a little silent… but we are now back in action (and larger than ever – more on that next time)! If you’re following the news section here on Steam, you know that Timberborn’s closed beta is underway and has received a few important updates.

[h3]Here's a quick summary:[/h3]

• We have new models for our flora – trees and berries. We're about to release new, optimized models for the crops as well.
  
• Labor house and labor flag have been replaced with four separate structures. Work continues on a slew of brand new buildings with fresh functionalities.
  
• We fixed quite a few issues (such as the beavers’ inability to demolish resources) and improved the game’s balance.
  
• Most importantly, we have upgraded the rendering engine, improving the GPU performance by up to 50%, and added real shadows.
  

Some of you might be wondering: why haven’t I received a beta key yet and can’t play with that myself?

[h3]Closed beta access
[/h3]
For starters, we sent out a small-ish wave of invites this week and we have more to come. And if you haven’t signed up for the beta access yet, here’s the form you need to fill.

Now, there’s another way of getting the key – either for you or your friend. If you visit us on Twitter within the next few days, you'll find a giveaway there. You can get the beta key for a measly price of “retweet & follow”! We want more people to know about Timberborn, so we hope you join the party!

ːsteamhappyː JOIN THE TWITTER GIVEAWAY ːsteamhappyː

[h3]What's coming?[/h3]

Speaking of Twitter, expect a lot of tasty sneak-peeks there. This week, for example, we showed you the work-in-progress on the reworked natural resources system. Soon, you will be able to build fields and orchards in any shape you want! That's just an option, though. You could also turn them into a glorious mess similar to this:



That’s just one of the many features we are working on, including new buildings, races and ways of customizing your settlement. Dams are coming together, too. However, we want to know what YOU would like to see in Timberborn.

[h3]Community showcase[/h3]



Soon we're going to invite you to share your wildest Timberborn dreams in a new format. Here's a hint: our official Discord channel will come in handy, and you can already join the discussion. Plus, you're going to find a lot of great community creations there. Just look at this marvellous structure built by seedback!



Or check out one of the amazing entries to our beavart contest, courtesy of Bunfire~ (a.k.a. @Lowest_Fi on Twitter – be sure to have a look if you're into chibi art :3 ).



Okay, we think the message is clear here: you just need to join our Twitter giveaway and win that beta key.

Seriously though – we look forward to communicating with you on a more regular basis. It's about dam time.

We have released a small patch that fixes demolishing resources. Beavers will now successfully remove mature trees and bushes from the map, so your crews can go back to messing with Mother Nature.

A fresh update to Timberborn Closed Beta is now live! We call it "The Shadow Update" because, you guessed it, it adds shadows to the game. Here's a complete list of changes:

[h3]Things cast shadows[/h3]
We think they look gorgeous but you're the ones to judge, so send us your feedback! Best seen in High or Ultra quality.

[h3]Redesigned flora[/h3]
Trees and bushes have a brand new style to better match the overall aesthetics of the game.

[h3]Graphics performance[/h3]
The game's GPU performance is now considerably better. In practical terms it means that if you play on Low quality, the game runs up to 50% faster than before, and if you're on Ultra quality, it both looks better and runs about 10% faster. Note that this update focuses on graphics performance which mostly affects the FPS on normal speed. Future updates will improve the CPU performance, which will allow you to reach higher populations, while playing on faster speeds.

[h3]Balancing[/h3]
- The middle/half-grown stage of trees and bushes has been removed. This is meant to simplify this part of the game, in preparation for new resources that we plan to add in the near future.
- Birches now grow 35% faster but yield 1 log instead of 2, differentiating them from Pines.

[h3]Bug fixes[/h3]
We have fixed a bug which caused the game to crash for a few people over the last week. Thanks to everyone who submitted the crash reports.

The new build is already available on Steam. If you don't have a beta key yet, you can get a chance to get one by filling out this form: https://mechanistry.com/betaform