The Infected News

[p]Hey Folks, the latest patch is now live in the Public Testing Branch, including new content like the Clay Mixer, Melon Crates, furniture pieces, and several gameplay tweaks and fixes.[/p][p]This update also introduces environmental storytelling: scattered lore notes and POIs are now available for players to discover.[/p][p][/p][p]Please Note: [/p]

• [p]Lore notes are currently in English only[/p]
• [p]You must start a fresh save: notes will not appear correctly in old saves[/p]
• [p]Start your journey by accessing the Lore Journal in the Tutorial tab (J key)[/p]
• [p]Please post any feedback or issues in the Public Beta Hub forum section. [/p]

[p][/p][p]Thanks for testing with us, and wherever you are in the world, we hope you have a safe and happy holiday!![/p][p][/p][h3]How to access a Steam beta branch[/h3]

1. [p]Open Steam and go to your Library[/p]
2. [p]Right-click The Infected[/p]
3. [p]Click Properties…[/p]
4. [p]Go to the Betas tab[/p]
5. [p]Under Beta Participation, pick Beta Branch from the dropdown[/p]
6. [p]Close the window[/p]

[h2]Additions[/h2]

• [p]Lore Added[/p][p]– Includes new POIs with lore notes/environmental storytelling.[/p]
• [p]New Settings Options[/p][p]– Toggle to hide POI map icons[/p][p]– Toggle to disable loot respawn[/p]

• [p]New Items & Furniture[/p][p]– Melon Crate (holds up to 20 melons) [/p][p]– Clay Mixer[/p][p]– Advanced Clay Mixer (requires new trader tech)[/p][p]– Walk in Freezer, place storage chests or counters into the freezer (requires new trader tech)[/p][p]– New Furniture type: Bar Counters – both short and long versions[/p]

• [p]New Candle-Based Lights[/p][p]– Candle Lamp[/p][p]– Candle Wall Lamp[/p][p]– Candle Ceiling Lamp[/p]

• [p]New Build Parts[/p][p]– 2 new large garage door frames, 2x1 and 2x2 [/p][p]– 2 new large garage doors, 2x1 and 2x2 [/p][p]– Flat ceiling ramp[/p]

• [p]Utility Additions[/p][p]– Movable Ladder, so you can climb to hard-to-reach places[/p][p]– ATV location info can now be purchased from the trader for 250 coins[/p]

[h2]Changes[/h2]

• [p]Clay crafting removed from workbenches – use a Clay Mixer now.[/p]
• [p]Inventory now displays Month/Season.[/p]
• [p]Mike now has 10 possible spawn locations.[/p]
• [p]Plastic max stack increased from 10 to 25.[/p]
• [p]Watermill build cost updated:
  – Now requires 25 Aluminum + 25 Cobalt (no more Iron).[/p]
• [p]Watermill trader tech now costs 2500 coins (was 1500).[/p]
• [p]Elevator Frame cost updated – now includes 15 Cobalt Ingots.[/p]

[h2]Bug Fixes[/h2]

• [p]Harvesting animals didn’t show what was added to inventory – fixed.[/p]
• [p]Player could become stuck sprinting after using ladders – fixed.[/p]
• [p]AI wouldn’t detect players in some POIs – fixed.[/p]
• [p]Garbage Containers placed in elevators became permanently attached – fixed.[/p]
• [p]Stoves placed in elevators could not be removed - fixed. [/p]
• [p]Gates saved in an open state would reload closed – now behave properly.[/p]

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[p]Hey everyone, quick update on where we’re at![/p][p][/p][p]We’ve been working on story mode and tackling some quality-of-life fixes based on your feedback in the Mega Thread. But we’ve been hitting engine-level issues and performance bottlenecks that keep breaking the changes we're trying to implement.[/p][p]That brought us back to the idea of moving to UE5. We actually looked into it over a year ago (back when 5.3 or 5.4 was current), but it just wasn’t viable at the time. Since then, Epic’s made a lot of solid improvements - async loading, better world performance, cleaner tick handling - and UE5 now offers tools that could make some of your most-requested features actually possible.[/p][p]Over the next few weeks (maybe up to a month), we’re testing whether a UE5 port is actually doable for The Infected. We’re checking what breaks, what carries over, and whether the move solves more problems than it causes. We won’t be posting regular updates during this testing phase, and there’s no guarantee the port will happen. [/p][p]Right now, we’re aiming to have more concrete news on either a UE5 port or continued story mode development in UE4 by Christmas.[/p][p]Thanks for hanging in while we figure out whether UE5 gives us a real path forward or just a different set of roadblocks.[/p][p][/p]

[p]Hi everyone!
[/p][p]We're rolling out a minor update to address a few issues before announcing a larger update in the next month.
[/p][p]ADDED[/p]

• [p]3 new music videos to the TV and extended sound attenuation falloff distance[/p]
• [p]New POI for the upcoming story mode[/p]

[p][/p][p]BUG FIXES[/p]

• [p]Fixed an issue where double door frames could be upgraded to wall types[/p]
• [p]Fixed AI dodging attacks while stuck in traps[/p]
• [p]Fixed food backpack auto-opening when using food prep tables[/p]
• [p]Fixed the settings menu staying open when starting a new game or loading a save[/p]
• [p]Fixed missing localization — some text was still showing in English
  [/p]

[p]CHANGES[/p]

• [p]Body temperature now updates more slowly (reduced speed by 3), making fluctuations less extreme.[/p]
• [p]Added the ability to shift-click food into the barn[/p]
• [p]Removed the waterfall from the large cave (temporary change, restoration planned, but no ETA).[/p]
• [p]Made various under-the-hood adjustments in preparation for the upcoming story mode[/p]

[p][/p]

We’re putting together a one-time feedback thread to gather all your thoughts in one place—issues, suggestions, balance gripes, things that still feel off, stuff that feels great, wishlist ideas, you name it.

Creators, give us a hand and let your viewers know about the thread- we'd appreciate it!

Why this thread?
We know not everyone browses the subforums, and while we’re still actively using the Feedback and Wishlist sections, we wanted one giant catch-all for players to speak up—including folks who’ve never posted before.

A few ground rules:

• Keep it focused. While you can post more than once, please avoid spamming. Edit your post when possible to help us track feedback more easily.
  
• This thread is for intake only. No back-and-forth debates please—we’re here to read, not moderate arguments. I will remove spam, troll posts, etc.
  
• Be clear and specific. "X is bad" isn’t as helpful as "X feels unbalanced because Y. I think it would help if Z."
  
• Include anything relevant: Bugs, balance, mechanics, systems, UI, performance, features, QoL, frustrations, praise—lay it all out.
  

Remember that multiplayer and guns - as we've stated repeatedly- aren't happening.


We’re reading everything in here—whether you’ve been playing for 2 days or 200 hours, your input matters.

Hey folks,

Today's Update:
This patch brings major improvements to early-game flow, loot balance, control quality-of-life, and sets the foundation for future story mode content. Many of these changes affect early systems and may only be noticeable with a fresh save.

Thank you to everyone who helped test and gave feedback during the beta cycle—we genuinely appreciate the support!

Coming Friday:
We’re opening a one-time community input thread to influence our next Beta Cycle. Everyone will be heard—your chance to give feedback, suggestions, or critiques about any part of the game. Think about the full experience: what works, what doesn’t, what still needs tuning. The more actionable, the better. Keep it focused, keep it clear—and keep an eye out Friday.

[h2]V23 Patch Notes[/h2]

[h3]Additions:[/h3]

• Save file stats now display in both the main menu and in-game menu.
  
• New tutorial and quest systems implemented.
  
• New quest journal UI. (Story mode content will use this system in the future.)
  
• New keybind added for quest journal access.
  
• Sandbox vs. Story mode selection available in the settings. (Story mode content not yet active.)
  
• Added trader tech that allows crafting of Electrical and Mechanical Parts (25,000 coins).
  
• Added Take All shortcut when looting POI containers. (Default key: T)
  
• Full controller support added.
  
• New footstep sounds implemented.
  
• Corner Dirt Plots and Stone Path foundations added.
  
• New cave added to the map. (See image below.)
  
• Fish Ration added. Can be crafted on the Food Prep Table.
  
• Quarter Foundations with legs (long) added.
  
• Mirrored Ceiling (Ladder Access) pieces added.
  
• Wooden Double Door Frame added. Can be upgraded to Metal.
  
• Double Doors added. (Two variations.)
  
• Garage Door added for use with Double Door Frames.
  
• Arrow indicator added to show door orientation.
  

[h3]Changes:[/h3]

• Players now start in random spawn locations.
  
• The ATV no longer spawns at the lighthouse by default.
  
• ATV now spawns fully repaired at a random POI.
  
• Reduced number of Gas Barrels at POIs; they no longer respawn.
  
• Significantly reduced medical and bandage loot from POIs to promote crafting and survival gameplay.
  
• Bolts now auto-reload—no longer need to press R.
  
• Updated in-game UI icons (interact prompts, etc.) for clarity and controller support.
  
• Crocodiles now ignore swamp trees for smoother navigation.
  
• AI now has a chance to dodge player attacks.
  
• Some items now included in dead AI drops.
  
• Doors that were open when saving will now load in the open state.
  

[h3]Bug Fixes:[/h3]

• Fixed: Upgrading a ceiling ramp to cement would incorrectly become a foundation ramp.
  
• Fixed: Extractors could have multiple ore types toggled while powered off.
  
• Fixed: Moving the NPC Town Hall and House could cause door duplication.
  
• Fixed: Snapping vertical walls below another vertical wall wasn’t functioning.