Icarus News

Week 106 is here, and with it comes the Biomore Backpack, our second role-specific backpack, this one being for the medic.

This comes with a bunch of unique team-buff auras and other perks, making it perfect for the support role in your group.

We’ve also got an update on Bees for you to sink your teeth into.

Jump in and have a read.





This week, we’re adding a new backpack, for the medic of your crew.

The Biomore Backpack is purchasable in the workshop. It provides six inventory slots, along with 3 active auras where the prospector and nearby allies having increased physical resistance, quicker healing from bacterial, parasitic and poisons, and additional health regeneration. It also has some buffs for the wearer, reducing the stamina impact from using tools, and providing more health to downed prospectors when revived.

This is the second of our role-specific backpacks, and we’ll keep looking to add more items such as this with a more focused use case so you can personalize your playing experience even more.



It's been pointed out that the Biomore Backpack shipped in the game this week featured a Red Cross, which is actually a protected emblem under the Geneva Convention! We take this seriously. We've fixed this in our artwork here and we will update the backpack in our very next update.



As we’ve mentioned in previous weeks, a huge portion of our ongoing development focus has been on batteries and networks.

We’ve been doing a lot of internal testing, which has led us to find some flaws in the usability and one key system that we aren’t happy with. This means the system needs more work before we release it, which isn’t ideal but is important as the impact of this new system is substantial.

We are currently making changes to how this system presents itself to players, so it’s easier to diagnose faulty networking systems and remedy them, in a style and experience familiar to other Icarus systems.

This does unfortunately mean that the system will have to wait until the new year, as we can’t risk pushing this out, right when our team is going away on the holiday break for some well-deserved time off.

However, if you can’t wait to test it out, we will hopefully have a special experimental branch up on Steam if we deem it ready before Christmas, for you to experience and break in all its unstable glory.






Bees will be one of the next creatures added to Icarus, with Wild Bee Hives that spawn aggressive bees appearing around the map.

These bees are territorial, so they will only attack when you venture into their space. Destroyed hives can be looted for queen bees and honeycomb.

Domestic beehives will be crafted at Tier 2 and expanded upon up to Tier 4 with improvements adding layers of automation to the management process.

Honeycomb, as an ingredient, can be turned into honey or beeswax which can be used in various new recipes. Bees will be added in 2024, so keep your eye out in the new year for your new neighbors.





Next week's update will add two new animal rugs to expand the existing set. These will be Jaguar and Snow Leopard, so remember to gather vestiges, fur, leather and pelts in advance this week so you can craft them right away.

If you like what we’re doing with Icarus, and want to support our continued development, consider purchasing one of our DLCs for a few dollars, it would mean a lot to us.

https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/36462/Icarus_Architecture_Bundle/

https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/34141/Icarus_Outposts_Bundle/



New Content
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• Unlocking Medic's Backpack in the workshop
  
• Fix for aura component manager that now takes into account auras 'effects self' flag
  
• Adjusting stats on the Biomore Backpack
  

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Fixed
[expand]

• Fixed a number of typos
  
• Fixed SMPL3 quests granting the old glassworking bench, instead of the updated model
  
• Updated textiles bench icon
  
• Ignore object collisions when spawning meteor deposits. Immediately end recording when cleaning up deposits
  
• Updated Landshark item rewards to grant some ore, in addition to poison sacks. Additionally no longer drops caveworm scales
  
• Fixed Landshark dropping caveworm vestige
  
• Removing back button in the field guide as it was accessing an unfinished field guide feature
  

[/expand]

Future Content
[expand]

• Updated spawn groups for cave templates
  
• General Polish Pass & updated cave templates Ice Sheet Yellow Quad on Prometheus
  
• Cliff Polish Pass and Decal Pass, Ashlands, Prometheus
  
• Adding chicken idle audio, event and data table entry
  
• Added text for the water purifier items
  
• Added destructible and mesh to supporter flag and sign
  
• Resave stats DT
  
• Modified text for Ice building pieces
  
• Added text for biolab consumables
  
• Added text for biomass items
  
• Turret Prototype Expose Min/Max Pitch and Yaw as Stats
  
• Updated no foliage cave templates
  
• Fur Curtain Door implementation
  
• Cliff polish pass, Ashlands, Prometheus
  
• General Polish Pass & updated cave templates Ice Sheet Yellow Quad on Prometheus
  
• Added DEP_Battery_Small and DEP_Battery_Large
  
• More backend for fieldguide: Small refactor to the way some one off items are hidden
  
• Cliff Polish Pass and Landscape Sculpting Pass, Ashlands, Prometheus
  
• More backend for fieldguide: Knives corpse can be skinned with
  
• More backend for fieldguide: Corpse skinning knife rewards, corpse skinning bench rewards, corpse vestige
  
• More backend for fieldguide: Ammo for item, Workshop cost for item, Items requiring same talent
  
• Field Guide begin UI refactor. Componentize FieldGuide Itemable. Add Workshop Cost Widget
  
• Field Guide reparent pages to page class, items to item class
  
• Field Guide Ammo subpage
  
• Added DEP_Battery_Rack_Small and DEP_Battery_Rack_Large
  
• Field Guide Food/Trophies subpage
  
• Field Guide Ranged subpage
  
• General Polish Pass & updated cave templates Ice Sheet Yellow Quad on Prometheus
  
• Cliff Polish Pass and Landscape Sculpting Pass, Ashlands, Prometheus
  
• Field Guide fix typo in variable and layout names before it spreads to (vestage => vestige)
  
• Field Guide corpse sub page
  
• Field Guide begin UI refactor. Componentize FieldGuide Recipe or workshop cost. Componentize Uses. Add Resource Network widget
  
• Added first pass of mount talent trees
  
• Updated cave worm groups & spawns for NF templates, Ice Sheet in Yellow Quad on Prometheus
  
• Update costs on Larkwell Tachyon armor set
  
• Cliff Polish Pass and Landscape Sculpting Pass, Ashlands, Prometheus
  
• General Polish Pass & updated cave templates Ice Sheet Yellow Quad on Prometheus
  

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Bohemia Interactive selflessly proposed a bundle, you can get an excellent deal on ICARUS and DayZ now.

https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/37288/The_Day_After_Survival_Sale_Bundle/

Embark on a thrilling survival adventure with "The Day After Survival Sale," available exclusively until December 21st, 2023. This special bundle combines two of the most immersive survival games on Steam: DayZ, with its harrowing post-apocalyptic world, and Icarus, set in a treacherous alien wilderness. Perfect for survival game enthusiasts, this package challenges your ingenuity, endurance, and strategic skills in varied and intense environments.

This limited-time offer represents a unique partnership between the publishers of DayZ and Icarus. It provides players with a chance to experience the stark contrasts of survival — from the relentless threats of a zombie-infested landscape to the unexplored dangers of an extraterrestrial planet. Each game in the bundle offers a distinct narrative and gameplay style, catering to a wide range of survival gaming preferences.

Week 105 is here, and with it, the start of our third year of Icarus.

This week we’re adding three new Rustic Sign variations in both ground and floor variations, with a more ‘raw’ design than the standard wood sign.

We’ve also got a ton of information on upcoming updates and features for all the new players who have joined us from our recent Free Weekend.

These are all scheduled for next year, as our team will be focusing on smaller updates over the Christmas break while spending time with their families. However, you can still expect some big features like our Batteries and Electrical Network soon, and our weekly updates will continue just like they have for the last two years.

Jump in and have a read.

• Added Icons behind the armor slots, light slot and bulk slots
  
• Fixed an issue with the hotbar hotkeys not showing correct keys when rebound
  
• Fixed fur issues on bear rugs
  
• You can now right click to drop animal carcasses while focused and carrying them
  

This week we’ve added three new Raw Wood Signs each with a ground and wall mounting variation.

These are unlockable at Tier 1 and craftable on the player, requiring wood, sticks and fiber.

These have a more rustic look than the refined look of the standard wood sign, so would suit a cabin-style base.





Batteries are in their internal testing phase and we’re actively fixing issues with the changes made to the electricity system, many of which affect existing items that now have to be updated.

Batteries will be an adjustment to how the energy generation system works as they’ll provide an ‘off-peak’ storage system that allows you to keep working around the clock. This means we also need to make changes to how machines operate with an energy source, so certain machines will slow or stop when underpowered.





Another large update coming soon is our Taming Expansion, where we’ll be adding a ton of depth to the mounts system.

This includes adding levels to mounts, their own unique talent trees and even mounts being transferable from one prospect to another.

This is a substantial amount of content to add and is still in early development. We’ll keep you updated as we make progress.





We have a lot of new players this week, so we wanted to give you a look into some of the content we’ll be adding over the next few months, as a mix of weekly updates and larger updates.

Bees

Wild Bee Hives will spawn around the map and will host aggressive bees that you’ll have to deal with. You’ll also be able to raise Domestic Bee Hives to harvest honeycomb for honey and beeswax.

More animals

We’ll also be adding Bats, Kiwi birds, Sheep and Chickens in a range of wild and domesticated versions. You can expect basic consumables such as eggs, wool, and more.

In-game Icarus Wiki

A Prospect Field Guide will provide information on every in-game item, including how to craft it, where to obtain it, what sets they belong to and more. This will also link to the Bestiary and Fishing Book, creating a network of valuable information.

Water Rework

The Water System will be receiving a rework adding devices that clean water and provide buffs when drinking clean/purified water. We’ll also adjust fluids, including letting you add tea/cocoa/coffee and other drinks to your canteens, rather than needing a separate craftable item.

Turrets

Many of you have theorized this is something we’ve been working on, and your theories have been correct. We’re working on a Tier 4 turret system that can autonomously defend your base and attack creatures that stray too close.

Prometheus Map Expansion

The Prometheus Map in our New Frontiers Expansion will be receiving two new regions and Operations with a very different feel than the rest of the biomes. These will be focused on hardcore survival, with limited resources and intense weather that renders the map unusable.





Next week's update will be a new Biomore Backpack for the team’s medic. This will give the user the ability to play the support role, providing damage boosts and health regen buffs for coming in and reviving downed teammates.



If you like what we’re doing with Icarus, and want to support our continued development, consider purchasing one of our DLCs for a few dollars, it would mean a lot to us.

https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/36462/Icarus_Architecture_Bundle/

https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/34141/Icarus_Outposts_Bundle/



New Content
[expand]

• Unlocking Raw Wood Signs
  
• Adding Armor Icons into the Inventory Paper Doll
  
• Added binding to carcasses to drop them
  
• Updated the usability of the light and G slot items. Items now have an icon for their respective slots, and G slot items have an in-world tooltip that changes to red if you are unable to pick them up
  

[/expand]

Fixed/QoL
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• T4 Anvil - disabled yellow/black decal material that was showing through walls
  
• T4 Anvil - proper fix for yellow/black decals - using ITM shader and offset geometry to prevent Z fighting
  
• Fixed a bug causing the C0NT4CT device to play audio when loading the game or approaching from multiple tiles away
  
• Updated respawn message to mention losing equipment instead of respawn penalty (as there is no XP lost on death)
  
• Updated death overflow bag highlightable, so it now shows as the remains of a fallen prospector
  
• Updated polar bear rug gfur setting to be more stable when physics are settling
  
• Removed physics on Gfur for grizzly and polar bear rugs
  
• Halved the spawn rate of voxel and plant based exotics in Open World, as these spawns add repeatedly so will increase each time if not gathered
  
• Updated all fish textures from the small texture group to the medium texture group
  
• Replaced green mount tame icons with white icons
  
• Lowered opacity of light/g slot background
  
• Show bulky slot icon on mount's bulky slot(s)
  
• Hide in-world bulky slot on shields (as these can go in normal inventory slots)
  
• Fixing issue where art deco vase destructible mesh was incorrect (it was the vault)
  
• Adding delivery pod door open and close. Hooking up close animation to play when leaving, Also adding fixing armour repair audio to data table
  
• Prevent meteor showers from potentially occuring before the world has completely loaded
  
• Fix light slot toggle for clients in improved hotbar UI
  
• Update in-game reference to Styx Expansion DLC to correctly be named Styx Expansion DLC
  
• Fix light and bulky slot icons on items for inventories in crates.
  
• Fixed seed pouch not receiving picked up seeds after loading a prospect.
  
• Fixed seed pickup totals being shown incorrectly on HUD.
  
• Fixed/Re-enabled Take All button in seed pouch.
  
• Added hint to map screen to add or remove marker.
  
• Add building deconstruct hint to hammers
  

[/expand]

Future Content
[expand]

• Set dressing Cave, updated cave volume, void and General Polish Pass for cave network, Ice Sheet Yellow Quad on Prometheus
  
• Added more rock formations, Cliff Pass and Ground Cliff Pass, Ashlands, Prometheus
  
• Fixing has no entrances issue, Ice Sheet Yellow Quad on Prometheus
  
• Adjusted emmisive values for the neon sign so that it will have a proper neon glow when turned on
  
• Added DCO_Flag_RocketWerkz, with four texture variants
  
• Added Black Wolf Revolver static and skeletal meshs
  
• Added textures and materials for the Black Wolf Revolver
  
• Adding more unique scorpion rifle layers. Unique lever in / out layer and changed anim notify to use item audio data to switch based on gun type
  
• General Polish Pass for cave network & Ice Sheet Yellow Quad on Prometheus
  
• Decal Pass, Cliff Pass on Macro Cliffs and Adjusted two deep ore deposits, Ashlands, Prometheus
  
• Deploy sound for water purifier and other water based deployables. Added to data table
  
• Fix datatable validation again
  
• Adding consume water from purifier audio, event and BP imp
  
• Permit turret prototype to be rotated on deploy, outside only, add basic HUD
  
• Removed combined cave include flags & added back cave entrance Ice Sheet Yellow Quad on Prometheus
  
• Adjusted Macro Cliffs to help with Navmesh and Polish Pass, Ashlands, Prometheus
  
• General Polish Pass for cave network & Ice Sheet Yellow Quad on Prometheus
  
• Volume balance tweaks to scorp rifle
  
• Adding appropriate biomass audio
  
• Slight tweak on Black wolf revolver textures. UV edit on Barrel_D static and skeletal mesh
  
• Adding t2 water purifier audio loop and event
  
• Submitting Mini Hippo bones mesh and textures
  
• Placed Nav Mesh volumes in the Ashlands, Prometheus
  
• Added Black Wolf Revolver icon
  
• Adding items static table entry for revolver audio
  
• Field guide armor and resource page updated visuals
  
• First pass of black wolf revolver pistol audio and data table setup
  
• Prototype turret change various constants to stats
  
• Fix a crash reported in Sentry relating to unowned actors with modifier components being garbage collected
  
• Prototype turrent make clients listen to stat updates
  
• General Polish Pass & updated cave templates Ice Sheet Yellow Quad on Prometheus
  
• Balance pass on revolver against other gun assets, brought all guns in closer tonality, very tiny top end adjustments to match, added item static data
  
• Balance pass of black wolf revolver and scorp rifle. Slight reduction in volume, increased cave shot and other small adjustments
  
• Cave Worm Test, Ice Sheet Yellow Quad on Prometheus
  
• Added T2 base beehive art assets
  
• Adding sandworm crossbow reload audio and notifys. Renaming sandworm crossbow fire event
  
• Testing cave worms, Ice Sheet Yellow Quad on Prometheus
  
• Ice building tier icons hooked up to data table
  
• Added DEP_Trap_Small_T2 and T4 with animations
  
• Added ice building tier icons
  
• Additional balance to sandworm crossbow and fixed double up of adsr causing a too fast fade out in the oxite dissolver when finishing processing oxite
  
• Testing cave worms, Ice Sheet Yellow Quad on Prometheus
  
• Placed Nav Modifier Volumes and Cliff Pass, Ashlands, Prometheus
  
• Adding sandworm crossbow fire audio. Currently not hooked up as no item exists
  
• Submitting Mini Hippo bones 1st variation mesh and textures
  
• Added DEP_Trap_Large_Bear and animations
  
• Added ice building tier icons to d_itemable
  
• Added DM for DCO_Flag_RocketWerkz, as well as deleted temp files
  
• Fixed bad rotation on DCO_NeonSign_Rocketwerkz
  
• Added DM for DCO_NeonSign_Rocketwerkz
  
• General Polish Pass & updated cave templates Ice Sheet Yellow Quad on Prometheus
  
• Swapped duplicated prefab caves and Cliff Polish Pass, Ashlands, Prometheus
  
• Added initial setup for Ashlands story mission
  
• Adding Supporters Flag & Sign plyus variations item setup
  
• Adjustments to revolver internal sheltered decay tail. Routing sandworm reload crossbow out correct channel and renaming revolver pistol fire correctly and replacing in data table
  
• Submitting Mini Hippo bones 2nd variation mash and textures
  
• Setting up Black Wolf Revolver Meshes and Attachments for the biolab
  
• General Polish Pass & updated cave templates Ice Sheet Yellow Quad on Prometheus
  
• Adding in first pass setup of the chicken ready for mesh swap, including BP, AnimBP, animations and montages and placeholder mesh
  
• Cliff Pass and landscape Sculpting, Ashlands, Prometheus
  
• Small adjustments to the revolver trigger audio
  
• Turret Prototype Change way turrets are instanced internally to match other objects trait/data and tidy up stat descriptions
  

[/expand]

If you haven't played co-op survival game Icarus, this is the weekend to give it a shot. To celebrate two years since launch, developer RocketWerkz is inviting everyone to visit their beautiful but extremely deadly alien planet: Icarus is free to play for the weekend...
Read more.

Icarus’s first-ever Free Weekend is here!

This has been in the works for some time, and we are excited to finally do one of these and give players who have been on the fence about Icarus the chance to try it out and see all the work that has gone into it over the last two years.

For those unfamiliar with what a Free Weekend is, this is a four-day period over the weekend when anyone can download Icarus and play without having to have purchased the game.

If you’ve got friends you’ve been trying to convince to get the game, this is a great time to get them to come join you with no strings attached.

All content in the Icarus base game will be playable, including Open World and Operations on Olympus. We’ve also put the game itself and a bunch of the DLC on discount so if you enjoy it, you can score a good deal to keep playing long after the Free Weekend finishes.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1149460/ICARUS/



You may have noticed above we mentioned 2 years of Icarus… well that’s because this week is also the 2 year anniversary since the launch of Icarus and 2 years straight of weekly updates!

The game has changed dramatically in two years, with a ton of new features and content added after release based on player feedback. The work we’ve put in has only been matched by your enthusiasm to play it, and we feel very lucky to be able to continue working with the community to make the game even bigger and better.

How much has the game changed since its launch?

We launched with:

• 35 timed missions
  
• 140+ craftable items
  
• 1 64sqkm map
  
• 95 building pieces
  
• 240 talents
  
• 1 map
  
• 2 modes (missions and outposts)
  

And today we have:

• 108 Missions, 52 Operations and 11 SMPL3 Quests
  
• 1140+ craftable items
  
• 375 building pieces
  
• 248 talents and 28 solo talents
  
• 4 Mounts
  
• 3 maps
  
• 3 modes (missions, outposts and Open World)
  

It’s incredible to see how far this game has come and we couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you to every single person who has played Icarus and made memories in it.



If you didn’t already know, our team streams twice a week over on twitch.tv/rocketwerkz, playing Icarus and other titles from the studio including Stationeers and some up-and-coming projects.

We’re doing a massive Free Weekend stream to celebrate our 2 year anniversary, where we’ll be playing with multiple studio members and doing a bunch of giveaways. As part of the birthday celebration we've also discounted our entire merch store!

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

If you like what we’re doing with Icarus, and want to support our continued development, consider purchasing one of our DLCs for a few dollars, it would mean a lot to us.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2445280/Icarus_Interior_Decorations_Pack

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1995690/Icarus_Styx_Map__Missions_Pack/