Techtonica News

Now that our v0.1.1 Update has been launched into the void of your computers, let's talk about what’s next: v0.1.2!

We’ve updated the Roadmap with a few items that we’re ready to confirm. Well, as ready as possible. The Roadmap, remember, is a living document that can and will change over time. In this week’s update, we’ll deep dive into production planning with our producer, Lexi, and explain what our current timeline looks like.

This week's video deep dives production with thoughts from our producer, Lexi, if you prefer video format!

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h3]So, how do we choose what’s in an update?
[/h3]
Our producer, Lexi, is the timeline overlord and in charge of planning for our entire team. Below are her thoughts on production planning (summarized and commentated by me, Lauren) and how we plan for Techtonica’s updates.

To plan production timelines and updates, there are several factors that must be balanced, both external and internal.

[h3]Before we get into that, The Roadmap[/h3]



Tada! We’re really excited to (tentatively) confirm that these items (and more) will be in v0.1.2. We will have more details on the current roadmap items in the coming weeks, but for now, this is what we’ve got planned!

[h3]We're working on a fix for the HVC / Monorail bug
[/h3]

Oh yeah, it’s time. Fixing the HVC and Monorail bug has been high on our list for a while now, but community sentiment really pushed it to the top. Rob already detailed our process for choosing what is important in a previous blog post about this bug if you’d like to deep dive it, but the TL;DR is that it bothered everyone a lot so we decided to fix it faster.

Previously, fixing the monorail and HVC bug was slated for v0.2, but after reading all the feedback you have given us, we’ve decided to take a shot at getting it ready for v0.1.2.

Here’s the thing: We’re not putting this on the roadmap just yet. We’re not sure that we’ll be able to fix it quickly enough. We will decide in early October if it will be fixed by 0.1.2, so keep your eyes peeled then!

[h3]What are the external factors?[/h3]

First, how often do players need updates so they keep playing and don’t fall off? This is a guessing game until you get data. Techtonica has not been around long enough–we’re only on our first patch!–and we have a small team, so we’re doing a bunch of guessing. We are using community cues to see if players are bored and need smaller, more frequent updates. Right now, we are listening to the community a lot to see how they feel and making guesses for the first few updates as to what our cadence should be.

We also take into account Steam sales that will increase our visibility. While we can’t always launch an update before a sale, it’s a good practice to try and time them together to capitalize on the increased visibility.

[h3]How about internal?[/h3]

The big one is the content; what are we trying to put into the patch/update?

We also need to factor in team velocity–how long it takes the team to build and finalize features and bug fixes. There’s a lot that factors into team velocity.

Leads in charge of teams do planning and support for their teams, but also do work for the game. That affects the velocity of those team members, depending on the extent of their responsibilities.

When you calculate your team velocity, you have to add buffer to every timeline. You can’t say, “This is how long it is going to take us,” as there is no certainty in game development (or life, in general). You need to add more buffer the more complex an issue is. For example, the monorail and HVC bugs are super complex, so more buffer has been added to fixing those.

For small things, such as adjusting localization or adding a toggle or setting, those items are more well understood so you need less buffer. Lexi’s basic rule is to add 20% of buffer to a timeline for planning. For quick fixes that have a high level of complexity (for example, “Hey this should take me only a few hours but I don't know how to do it”), Lexi rounds up to a full day. This ensures that we aren’t constantly pushing back patches or updates, because we’ve planned for uncertainty.

QA testing timelines are another internal factor, which we deep-dived with Rob, so I’m not gonna explain it again here.

And finally, team members are humans. They have vacations, days off, holidays, and need to onboard new team members. This has to be taken into consideration when planning as well.

[h3]How far in advance do we start working on new content?[/h3]

Our team is currently working on features and fixes for the end of October, but Lexi’s goal is to be working several months in advance. This allows more time to make sure everything works and to make sure it’s fun, it works really smoothly, and we have the time to put it through all of Rob’s QA cycles.

When we design a feature, we want to talk it over with all of the disciplines involved to make sure there are no hidden obstacles–such as a coding issue or a required workaround needed–so we won’t have a feature blocking implementation. We want to make sure an idea is really sound before we start working on it. After we have a prototype, we want to use it internally and play it to see if it’s fun.

For example, with base building, we want to build bases internally and make sure we have fun playing and iterate on that! We’re taking input from the entire team, artists, designers, tech and even marketing. We encourage interdisciplinary feedback to get eyes from all angles, which takes longer to generate, but it makes it fun holistically.

Once we’ve validated feedback across the team, we need to actually build the stuff. We are currently ramping up the team for base building, but we have a small team and things take time. Unless someone wants to buy us a time machine, which, hey, we’ll take it.

[h3]So, the important part, when will v0.1.2 release?[/h3]

v0.1.2 is slated to release at the end of October or early November.

There are no major sales around those times, but we did, however, want to release somewhere between our planned v0.2 release and our v0.1.1 release. That time falls roughly in the month of October. We also have our company summit planned for October, which is our big internal factor in pushing to the end of the month. We want this to fall after the summit so we aren’t trying to fix bugs or help the community right before we leave. This allows more time for QA testing, more time for extra eyes, and release when we return!

Over the weeks between now and v0.1.2, we’ll pull the curtain back on what we’ll have ready for the second Quality of Life update for Techtonica, so stay tuned.

Have questions? Want to chat with us directly? Join the Discord at https://discord.gg/techtonica.

Until then, Groundbreaker, let’s get to work.

Welcome, Groundbreakers, to the official patch notes for v0.1.1 of Techtonica.

This marks the first of two planned Quality of Life updates. Virtually all changes made in this patch were based on player feedback, so thank you for sharing your thoughts while playing Techtonica.

It’s our intention to ensure these patch notes are both easy to digest and as enjoyable to read as possible. We grouped the marquee changes in a featured section up top, and then we roll into the full patch notes. Items from the featured section will repeat in brief forms in the full patch notes section because they are so nice we hoped you’d read them twice.

Sorry for the bad jokes, but they’re just as much for you as they are for us.

If you want some of this in video form and didn't catch the preview video, check out this week's update.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Let’s dig into the details and complete notes for v0.1.1.

[h2]Featured updates[/h2]

[h3]In-game Metrics, recipe updates, and machine balance[/h3]

Perhaps the largest batch of changes comes with what we’ve done for the oft-requested in-game metrics. First, you’ll find that metrics will appear for built and placed machines in the bottom-left corner of the screen as you’re looking at said machines. We know getting these metrics in-game is a huge win for players, and it will improve over time as we enhance the UI. Until then, get optimizing!



To further help with optimization and your math (mental or paper-based), we’ve adjusted all recipes and all machine speeds to feature much friendlier numbers. You might need to take off your shoes to count in the double-digits, but at least it’ll be easier.

We also buffed the speeds for the MKI and MKII Conveyor Belts. The MKI, for instance, now moves items at 240 per minute. Whoa. Nelly.

[h3]Initial Core and Core Composer changes[/h3]

We’ve heard loud and clear that Groundbreakers want changes made to the Cores and Core Composer. We won’t address all points of feedback because they sometimes stand in contrast with Techtonica’s core (heh, get it?) design. The changes in v0.1.1 are a great start for what we have planned over the long term.

To start, we’ve reduced the costs of all Tech Tree unlocks significantly. Groundbreakers will only need approximately 6,500 Cores to unlock everything in the current progression, down more than half of what’s needed now.



We’ve removed the Core Composer height limit so that Groundbreakers won’t need to build as many Core Composers. If you throw them down in a space with a high ceiling (explore more, these exist), you’ll only need two or three towers total. These towers also no longer mushroom cap when they reach a certain level. They just shoot straight up.



We also removed the giant red X from Core Composers that are full but no longer placing Cores. Instead, Core Composers will finish placing and simply hold onto 10 Cores that you can remove via Mass Collect or with Inserters.

Finally, the in-game description for Core Clustering has been rewritten for enhanced clarity.

Also. Yes! Cores were affecting performance, but not because of their animations. It was because of their sound. We’ve improved sound optimization for all machines with v0.1.1, so the Cores won’t cause big frame drops.

That said, we did receive some feedback from Groundbreakers that lots of Cores doing their worble worbles in a big tower caused motion sickness. We’re sorry about that! We’ve added a toggle in the settings menu to remove Research Core motion.

[h3]The M.O.L.E.™️: Now featuring digging down![/h3]

Digging down has been, to be honest, a pain. You either need Mining Charges or a Pickaxe and lots of patience. The M.O.L.E. has been overhauled to dig down by simply… looking… down? It works.

In fact! We covered this extensively in a recent blog post. Find a GIF of it in action below, or dig into the full post for yourself.



[h3]Machine, power, and fuel updates[/h3]

Let’s start with Threshers! We’ve changed the clearance pattern for Threshers from their massive scale to only 1m. That means you’ll be able to hook Threshers and other machines up with a single Inserter. Combine that with the sped-up Conveyors and you may have a fuel-balancing solution on your hands.

Speaking of fuel, we’ve moved Biobrick Technology up two tiers in PT VICTOR. Why? Groundbreakers hit this fuel source way before they actually needed it, and that led to a ton of confusion and resource mismanagement. We admit it, we went for the Biobricks early, too, but new Groundbreakers cited this as a big barrier for automation. Our bad, new Groundbreakers. Our bad.

In terms of power generation by other means, we fixed the issue that showed up when Groundbreakers combined MKI and MKII Crank Generators in the same chain. They will now provide the correct amount of combined power without telling bold-faced lies in the UI.

Finally, we simplified the introductory Monorail quests so that Groundbreakers can actually complete it and get it off of their Task lists for good (this one bugged me, too!).

[h3]AZERTY Support, Settings and UI changes[/h3]

Hello, AZERTY users! You can now switch to the AZERTY layout in Techtonica. Please report any layout bugs you encounter with this one.

We’ve added some additional Audio Sliders to the Audio menu. You’ll be able to control the volume for specific stuff like UI SFX and how often music plays (whether that’s a lot or very rarely).

We found that Groundbreakers were unintentionally quitting the game during saves, especially with later factories that take more than a couple of seconds to save. Now, we have a save indicator that plays in the bottom right corner of the screen during saves. Do not quit while this indicator is playing.

We were also lying to you about game progress in multiplayer games. When you hit the escape menu, we used to tell you that progress was stopped while paused. That was never true for multiplayer. We lied, and we’re sorry.

The last of the featured updates? We’ve added a toggle for Antialising. You might see some minor perf gains or maybe you enjoy the crispy environment. Give it a tick or untick to check it out.

[h2]The Complete v0.1.1 Patch Notes[/h2]

Okay, here’s the full list of every player-facing change we made to Techtonica with v0.1.1.

[h3]World Changes[/h3]

• Moved some of the Thresher fragments to the first floor of the Warehouse facility. Groundbreakers were previously missing the big dudes during exploration.
  
• Added 3 more Assembler fragments on the path to the Warehouse, so Groundbreakers are more likely to scan them and get Assemblers on time.
  
• Swapped out temporary material on the HVC fragment model. Don’t get too excited, the fragment model itself is still temporary.
  
• Fixed some protection zones which were colliding with the player, which was rude of them.
  
• Fixed an issue with the escape vent protection zone at the Excalibur Bridge. So, like, stop trying to clip out of the map… or don’t, I’m not your Sparks.
  
• Adjusted small chests to no longer allow MassCollect interactions. Got ‘em.
  
• Added layer of bedrock boundary to avoid digging through the top/bottom of the level.
• Unless the player had already dug near the top/bottom previously in the save.
  

[h3]Balance Changes[/h3]

• Adjusted all recipes to have friendly, integer throughput numbers that play nicely with other recipe numbers. Happy mathing.
  
• Adjusted all machine speeds to have friendly, integer throughput numbers. Happy mathing, again!
  
• Adjusted Thresher recipes that enabled an exploit where Groundbreakers could get infinite ingots. Aw, RIP.
  
• Buffed MKI and MKII Conveyor Belt speeds. Zoom zoom.
  
• Removed Core Composer Core Limit so Groundbreakers do not need to build nearly as many Core Composers. Just find, like, a tall cave. Or make one, we dare you.
  
• Removed Core Composer Mushroom Cap so Core Composers look more visually pleasing and take up less horizontal space in the level. If we’re being honest, we thought they were pretty as mushrooms, but we get it. We’re not crying, you’re crying.
  
• Reduced costs of all Tech Tree technologies. Groundbreakers will need ~1500 Purple Cores and ~5000 Blue Cores to completely unlock all technology presently available in the game.
  
• Biobrick Technology has been moved up two tiers in PT Victor to avoid tempting Groundbreakers into automating a late-game fuel source very early in the game. Don’t be deceived by its tricks, Groundbreaker.
  
• Threshers now have a Clearance of 1m, allowing for Groundbreakers to connect Threshers to Threshers via Inserters.
  

[h3]Mechanics and Feature Changes[/h3]

• In-game Metrics added for all of the glorious factory nerds among us. Balance! Optimize!
  
• Digging down with the M.O.L.E. added.
  
• Removed Core Composer Height Limit, making the sky the limit.
• Note: The sky is not the limit. The cavern ceilings are the limit.
  
• Changed Core Composer to build straight up instead of mushrooming out at a certain level.
  
• Disabled red X on Core Composer.
  
• Restricted Inserters from loading Core Composers when they have 10 pending Cores to place.
  

[h3]Narrative and Quest Changes[/h3]

• The introductory Monorail quest has been simplified down to ‘Build 2 Depots;’ Groundbreakers should now be able to complete the quest without issue. Thank Sparks!
  
• The 'Build 100 Assemblers' achievement will now send a partial-progress ping to Groundbreakers only once at the 50 built mark. This used to happen every 10 Assemblers, and that was annoying.
  
• Tutorial Quests added for the Hover Pack and Railrunner. Flying and riding will make more sense now.
  
• Item description text changed for Hover Pack and Rail Runner, also reinforcing how Groundbreakers control them, because we all know Tutorial Quests are the worst. Haha, what a silly thing for us to write!
  
• Databank Knowledge Panels updated to reflect various machine number changes.
  
• 'MassErase' renamed to 'MassDeconstruct' to avoid confusion around its functionality where Groundbreakers thought MassErase would permanently delete the machine along with its resources. We would never do that to you.
  
• Signal unlock quest involving the activation of an 'Unknown Technology' changed; the tech required is now 'Core Clustering.'
  
• In-game description of Core Clustering has been rewritten for clarity. This is still mid/late-game tech, and we plan to offer even more clarity in-game as it develops. To be fair, even some of us were confused about this one.
  
• An onscreen tip now appears after key Door Repair quests become activated which tutorialize how to turn HUD signals related to them on and off.
  
• System Message when interacting with not-yet-activated Freight Elevator expanded to tell Groundbreakers explicitly that they need to continue upgrading PT VICTOR.
  
• System Message line now provides an explicit hint to investigate RD-3215 when mining of Atlantum fails.
  

[h3]Settings, UI, and Performance Changes[/h3]

• Added AZERTY support.
  
• Added an Antialiasing toggle to support crispier Techtonica.
  
• Reworked sound to better prioritize nearby machines, helping with performance for factories with lots of Cores and Belts
  
• Performed a slew of varied audio optimizations to negate the impact sound had on performance.
  
• Added save in progress indicator.
  
• Added Research Core Motion toggle to aid with motion sickness.
  
• Added several new audio sliders for more finite sound control.
  

[h3]Bugfixes[/h3]

Please note that this list is not exhaustive, and does not include all minor bugfixes.

• Removed incorrect “PROGRESS IS STOPPED WHILE THE GAME IS PAUSED” notification from pause screen in multiplayer modes. This was a lie.
  
• Fixed bug where errors could cause performance degradation or crashing when language was set to Polish. We’re sorry to all of Poland. This was a weird one!
  
• Fixed multiple bugs where keyboard/controller glyphs did not appear correctly after player rebinds controls.
  
• Fixed multiple bugs where placeholder text appeared in Tasks & Tips descriptions.
  
• Fixed multiple bugs with power generation and consumption ratios.
  
• Fixed bug where title crashed when quitting application via Xbox shell.
  
• Fixed multiple errors that could lead to disconnections during multiplayer modes.
  
• Fixed bug with “Overclocked” Steam achievement not triggering properly.
  
• Fixed bug where "Building a Monorail System" quest did not complete properly.
  
• Fixed bug where too many sound sources from Cores, Belts, or other machines could cause performance degradation, save file corruption, or crashing.
  
• Fixed multiple errors with localized text not appearing in the selected language.
  
• Removed scannable object for SML PowerTrim II tech, which is not available in current game.
  
• Replaced incorrect upgrade icons in Tech Tree.
  
• Fixed bug with world geometry near Warehouse facility that could result in Groundbreaker being ejected from level. Funny to hear about; horrible to experience.
  
• Fixed bug creating power generation issues when MKI and MKII Crank Generators were combined on the same line.
  

[h3]Known Issues[/h3]

Finally, these are the smaller or more edge-case issues that we know still exist as we bring v0.1.1 online.

• We utilized Google Translate for some of the minor text changes in the update, you will likely see some odd translation errors between now and when our localization team takes care of it!
  
• The M.O.L.E. VFX can disappear if Groundbreakers tweak super specific settings while it's still playing. If this happens to you, reload the save from the main menu.
  
• Our new audio sliders are fancy, but! The Ambience slider does not reduce sounds specifically in facilities.
  
• The Mining Drill Inspector Panel indicates Miners are mining resources when pointed at non-ore veins. This is false, they are not mining those resources. They still dig, though.
  
• Fuel Stats in the Inspector Panel show consumption rates rounded to the nearest integer. We will update this in 0.1.2 to round to the nearest first decimal place.
  
• M.O.L.E. sounds distort during Flatten Mode.
  
• When playing in German, AZERTY is weirdly displayed as asery. Not a show-stopper, still annoying.
  
• If Groundbreakers rebind their keys with special characters, Placeholder keys will show up instead.
  

Welcome, Groundbreakers, to the official patch notes for v0.1.1 of Techtonica.

This marks the first of two planned Quality of Life updates. Virtually all changes made in this patch were based on player feedback, so thank you for sharing your thoughts while playing Techtonica.

It’s our intention to ensure these patch notes are both easy to digest and as enjoyable to read as possible. We grouped the marquee changes in a featured section up top, and then we roll into the full patch notes. Items from the featured section will repeat in brief forms in the full patch notes section because they are so nice we hoped you’d read them twice.

Sorry for the bad jokes, but they’re just as much for you as they are for us.

If you want some of this in video form and didn't catch the preview video, check out this week's update.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Let’s dig into the details and complete notes for v0.1.1.

[h2]Featured updates[/h2]

[h3]In-game Metrics, recipe updates, and machine balance[/h3]

Perhaps the largest batch of changes comes with what we’ve done for the oft-requested in-game metrics. First, you’ll find that metrics will appear for built and placed machines in the bottom-left corner of the screen as you’re looking at said machines. We know getting these metrics in-game is a huge win for players, and it will improve over time as we enhance the UI. Until then, get optimizing!



To further help with optimization and your math (mental or paper-based), we’ve adjusted all recipes and all machine speeds to feature much friendlier numbers. You might need to take off your shoes to count in the double-digits, but at least it’ll be easier.

We also buffed the speeds for the MKI and MKII Conveyor Belts. The MKI, for instance, now moves items at 240 per minute. Whoa. Nelly.

[h3]Initial Core and Core Composer changes[/h3]

We’ve heard loud and clear that Groundbreakers want changes made to the Cores and Core Composer. We won’t address all points of feedback because they sometimes stand in contrast with Techtonica’s core (heh, get it?) design. The changes in v0.1.1 are a great start for what we have planned over the long term.

To start, we’ve reduced the costs of all Tech Tree unlocks significantly. Groundbreakers will only need approximately 6,500 Cores to unlock everything in the current progression, down more than half of what’s needed now.



We’ve removed the Core Composer height limit so that Groundbreakers won’t need to build as many Core Composers. If you throw them down in a space with a high ceiling (explore more, these exist), you’ll only need two or three towers total. These towers also no longer mushroom cap when they reach a certain level. They just shoot straight up.



We also removed the giant red X from Core Composers that are full but no longer placing Cores. Instead, Core Composers will finish placing and simply hold onto 10 Cores that you can remove via Mass Collect or with Inserters.

Finally, the in-game description for Core Clustering has been rewritten for enhanced clarity.

Also. Yes! Cores were affecting performance, but not because of their animations. It was because of their sound. We’ve improved sound optimization for all machines with v0.1.1, so the Cores won’t cause big frame drops.

That said, we did receive some feedback from Groundbreakers that lots of Cores doing their worble worbles in a big tower caused motion sickness. We’re sorry about that! We’ve added a toggle in the settings menu to remove Research Core motion.

[h3]The M.O.L.E.™️: Now featuring digging down![/h3]

Digging down has been, to be honest, a pain. You either need Mining Charges or a Pickaxe and lots of patience. The M.O.L.E. has been overhauled to dig down by simply… looking… down? It works.

In fact! We covered this extensively in a recent blog post. Find a GIF of it in action below, or dig into the full post for yourself.



[h3]Machine, power, and fuel updates[/h3]

Let’s start with Threshers! We’ve changed the clearance pattern for Threshers from their massive scale to only 1m. That means you’ll be able to hook Threshers and other machines up with a single Inserter. Combine that with the sped-up Conveyors and you may have a fuel-balancing solution on your hands.

Speaking of fuel, we’ve moved Biobrick Technology up two tiers in PT VICTOR. Why? Groundbreakers hit this fuel source way before they actually needed it, and that led to a ton of confusion and resource mismanagement. We admit it, we went for the Biobricks early, too, but new Groundbreakers cited this as a big barrier for automation. Our bad, new Groundbreakers. Our bad.

In terms of power generation by other means, we fixed the issue that showed up when Groundbreakers combined MKI and MKII Crank Generators in the same chain. They will now provide the correct amount of combined power without telling bold-faced lies in the UI.

Finally, we simplified the introductory Monorail quests so that Groundbreakers can actually complete it and get it off of their Task lists for good (this one bugged me, too!).

[h3]AZERTY Support, Settings and UI changes[/h3]

Hello, AZERTY users! You can now switch to the AZERTY layout in Techtonica. Please report any layout bugs you encounter with this one.

We’ve added some additional Audio Sliders to the Audio menu. You’ll be able to control the volume for specific stuff like UI SFX and how often music plays (whether that’s a lot or very rarely).

We found that Groundbreakers were unintentionally quitting the game during saves, especially with later factories that take more than a couple of seconds to save. Now, we have a save indicator that plays in the bottom right corner of the screen during saves. Do not quit while this indicator is playing.

We were also lying to you about game progress in multiplayer games. When you hit the escape menu, we used to tell you that progress was stopped while paused. That was never true for multiplayer. We lied, and we’re sorry.

The last of the featured updates? We’ve added a toggle for Antialising. You might see some minor perf gains or maybe you enjoy the crispy environment. Give it a tick or untick to check it out.

[h2]The Complete v0.1.1 Patch Notes[/h2]

Okay, here’s the full list of every player-facing change we made to Techtonica with v0.1.1.

[h3]World Changes[/h3]

• Moved some of the Thresher fragments to the first floor of the Warehouse facility. Groundbreakers were previously missing the big dudes during exploration.
  
• Added 3 more Assembler fragments on the path to the Warehouse, so Groundbreakers are more likely to scan them and get Assemblers on time.
  
• Swapped out temporary material on the HVC fragment model. Don’t get too excited, the fragment model itself is still temporary.
  
• Fixed some protection zones which were colliding with the player, which was rude of them.
  
• Fixed an issue with the escape vent protection zone at the Excalibur Bridge. So, like, stop trying to clip out of the map… or don’t, I’m not your Sparks.
  
• Adjusted small chests to no longer allow MassCollect interactions. Got ‘em.
  
• Added layer of bedrock boundary to avoid digging through the top/bottom of the level.
• Unless the player had already dug near the top/bottom previously in the save.
  

[h3]Balance Changes[/h3]

• Adjusted all recipes to have friendly, integer throughput numbers that play nicely with other recipe numbers. Happy mathing.
  
• Adjusted all machine speeds to have friendly, integer throughput numbers. Happy mathing, again!
  
• Adjusted Thresher recipes that enabled an exploit where Groundbreakers could get infinite ingots. Aw, RIP.
  
• Buffed MKI and MKII Conveyor Belt speeds. Zoom zoom.
  
• Removed Core Composer Core Limit so Groundbreakers do not need to build nearly as many Core Composers. Just find, like, a tall cave. Or make one, we dare you.
  
• Removed Core Composer Mushroom Cap so Core Composers look more visually pleasing and take up less horizontal space in the level. If we’re being honest, we thought they were pretty as mushrooms, but we get it. We’re not crying, you’re crying.
  
• Reduced costs of all Tech Tree technologies. Groundbreakers will need ~1500 Purple Cores and ~5000 Blue Cores to completely unlock all technology presently available in the game.
  
• Biobrick Technology has been moved up two tiers in PT Victor to avoid tempting Groundbreakers into automating a late-game fuel source very early in the game. Don’t be deceived by its tricks, Groundbreaker.
  
• Threshers now have a Clearance of 1m, allowing for Groundbreakers to connect Threshers to Threshers via Inserters.
  

[h3]Mechanics and Feature Changes[/h3]

• In-game Metrics added for all of the glorious factory nerds among us. Balance! Optimize!
  
• Digging down with the M.O.L.E. added.
  
• Removed Core Composer Height Limit, making the sky the limit.
• Note: The sky is not the limit. The cavern ceilings are the limit.
  
• Changed Core Composer to build straight up instead of mushrooming out at a certain level.
  
• Disabled red X on Core Composer.
  
• Restricted Inserters from loading Core Composers when they have 10 pending Cores to place.
  

[h3]Narrative and Quest Changes[/h3]

• The introductory Monorail quest has been simplified down to ‘Build 2 Depots;’ Groundbreakers should now be able to complete the quest without issue. Thank Sparks!
  
• The 'Build 100 Assemblers' achievement will now send a partial-progress ping to Groundbreakers only once at the 50 built mark. This used to happen every 10 Assemblers, and that was annoying.
  
• Tutorial Quests added for the Hover Pack and Railrunner. Flying and riding will make more sense now.
  
• Item description text changed for Hover Pack and Rail Runner, also reinforcing how Groundbreakers control them, because we all know Tutorial Quests are the worst. Haha, what a silly thing for us to write!
  
• Databank Knowledge Panels updated to reflect various machine number changes.
  
• 'MassErase' renamed to 'MassDeconstruct' to avoid confusion around its functionality where Groundbreakers thought MassErase would permanently delete the machine along with its resources. We would never do that to you.
  
• Signal unlock quest involving the activation of an 'Unknown Technology' changed; the tech required is now 'Core Clustering.'
  
• In-game description of Core Clustering has been rewritten for clarity. This is still mid/late-game tech, and we plan to offer even more clarity in-game as it develops. To be fair, even some of us were confused about this one.
  
• An onscreen tip now appears after key Door Repair quests become activated which tutorialize how to turn HUD signals related to them on and off.
  
• System Message when interacting with not-yet-activated Freight Elevator expanded to tell Groundbreakers explicitly that they need to continue upgrading PT VICTOR.
  
• System Message line now provides an explicit hint to investigate RD-3215 when mining of Atlantum fails.
  

[h3]Settings, UI, and Performance Changes[/h3]

• Added AZERTY support.
  
• Added an Antialiasing toggle to support crispier Techtonica.
  
• Reworked sound to better prioritize nearby machines, helping with performance for factories with lots of Cores and Belts
  
• Performed a slew of varied audio optimizations to negate the impact sound had on performance.
  
• Added save in progress indicator.
  
• Added Research Core Motion toggle to aid with motion sickness.
  
• Added several new audio sliders for more finite sound control.
  

[h3]Bugfixes[/h3]

Please note that this list is not exhaustive, and does not include all minor bugfixes.

• Removed incorrect “PROGRESS IS STOPPED WHILE THE GAME IS PAUSED” notification from pause screen in multiplayer modes. This was a lie.
  
• Fixed bug where errors could cause performance degradation or crashing when language was set to Polish. We’re sorry to all of Poland. This was a weird one!
  
• Fixed multiple bugs where keyboard/controller glyphs did not appear correctly after player rebinds controls.
  
• Fixed multiple bugs where placeholder text appeared in Tasks & Tips descriptions.
  
• Fixed multiple bugs with power generation and consumption ratios.
  
• Fixed bug where title crashed when quitting application via Xbox shell.
  
• Fixed multiple errors that could lead to disconnections during multiplayer modes.
  
• Fixed bug with “Overclocked” Steam achievement not triggering properly.
  
• Fixed bug where "Building a Monorail System" quest did not complete properly.
  
• Fixed bug where too many sound sources from Cores, Belts, or other machines could cause performance degradation, save file corruption, or crashing.
  
• Fixed multiple errors with localized text not appearing in the selected language.
  
• Removed scannable object for SML PowerTrim II tech, which is not available in current game.
  
• Replaced incorrect upgrade icons in Tech Tree.
  
• Fixed bug with world geometry near Warehouse facility that could result in Groundbreaker being ejected from level. Funny to hear about; horrible to experience.
  
• Fixed bug creating power generation issues when MKI and MKII Crank Generators were combined on the same line.
  

[h3]Known Issues[/h3]

Finally, these are the smaller or more edge-case issues that we know still exist as we bring v0.1.1 online.

• We utilized Google Translate for some of the minor text changes in the update, you will likely see some odd translation errors between now and when our localization team takes care of it!
  
• The M.O.L.E. VFX can disappear if Groundbreakers tweak super specific settings while it's still playing. If this happens to you, reload the save from the main menu.
  
• Our new audio sliders are fancy, but! The Ambience slider does not reduce sounds specifically in facilities.
  
• The Mining Drill Inspector Panel indicates Miners are mining resources when pointed at non-ore veins. This is false, they are not mining those resources. They still dig, though.
  
• Fuel Stats in the Inspector Panel show consumption rates rounded to the nearest integer. We will update this in 0.1.2 to round to the nearest first decimal place.
  
• M.O.L.E. sounds distort during Flatten Mode.
  
• When playing in German, AZERTY is weirdly displayed as asery. Not a show-stopper, still annoying.
  
• If Groundbreakers rebind their keys with special characters, Placeholder keys will show up instead.
  

It’s official. v0.1.1 of Techtonica drops this week (we’re aiming for Thursday), and with it comes a slew of changes born out of your feedback over the month-ish since launch.

Today’s video stands as a preview for the update. We’ll, of course, serve up some in-depth patch notes when the patch goes live this week.

What can you expect from v0.1.1 of Techtonica?

• Initial Core system changes
  
• In-game Metrics
  
• Recipe re-balances
  
• Digging down with the M.O.L.E.
  
• Performance enhancements
  
• Loads more, as covered in the video and the patch notes coming soon
  

Let’s dig in!

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Have questions? Want to chat about the update with devs and the community? Looking for a place with like-minded factory builders? Join our Discord at discord.gg/techtonica.

See you soon!

We did it, team, we are adding in-game metrics for the 0.1.1 QoL update!!!!

This has probably been the #1 most requested feature for Techtonica, and we are really stoked to add ‘em for 0.1.1. Alongside this, we’ve also rebalanced all of the recipes and speeds in Techtonica. So strap in, because we have a lot to cover today. Check out the video below if you want to watch an in-depth breakdown!

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

We're giving you throughput stats for all machines, including the inputs, outputs, and fuel, in addition to the power and energy statuses of all the machines. All upgrades will be reflected in the stats as well. For all recipes, players will also see the ratios of all the ingredients and the output yield rates. Please note, this is not the final UI for in-game metrics!

Note: recipes and math aren't final until 0.1.1 drops!

[h3]Balancing a factory means…?[/h3]

In an ideal world, parts and ingredients never back up on a Conveyor Belt. Instead, items are continuously moving between machines. To achieve this, you will need to balance your factory, paying attention to input and output speeds of each machine, Conveyor Belt, and Inserter.

The easiest way to balance a factory is by using in-game metrics, which is why we added them in 0.1.1! We also rebalanced every recipe to make it easier to calculate. You might want to get out a notepad for this…

[h3]Let’s make Some research cores
[/h3]
To walk you through our in-game metrics design, we’re gonna follow the path of automation for purple research cores. All of these screenshots are taken in the lower left corner of the screen, which is where metrics will live!

Our first stop is the mining drill. It shows the output speed for ore--in this case, 25 Copper Ore per minute--and the consumption speed for the fuel type being used, 1 Biobrick per minute.



Our next machine is the smelter. The input is marked - 2 Copper Ores - along with the output of 1 Copper Ingot, and the fuel type being consumed, which is 1 Biobrick per minute.



Those Copper Ingots are then tossed onto the Conveyor Belt by Inserters. The regular inserter speed is 20 items per minute, and the MKI Conveyor Belt speed is 240 items per minute.





The Copper Ingots ride on the Conveyor Belts to the Assembler, where they’re turned into Copper Wires. Another Assembler is turning Copper Ingots and Iron Ingots into Mechanical Parts. You can see all of the Input and Output speeds for every item on each Assembler, allowing you to balance your Conveyor Belts.

Not only will you see input and outputs, but for every machine using electricity, you’ll see the power! This makes it much easier to see which machines need more juice.



Next, both ingredients are sent to the final Assembler! If we are able to max out this Assembler, we will be able to craft 7.5 Purple Research Cores per minute. As the recipe for Purple Research Cores requires more Mechanical Parts than Copper Wire, you will need more incoming Mechanical Parts to hit the max!



[h3]Balancing water wheels and crank generators [/h3]

Another important set of items that has metrics are the Water Wheels and Crank Generators. Water Wheels show both the torque they generate and the System Torque, AKA the torque created in the same connected set. They’ll also show the torque needs for your current setup... in this screenshot, I have wasted torque!



Crank Generators show the electricity they are generating, the torque they use (shown as a negative number), and the overall System Torque needs as well.



Adding these will make it much easier to squeeze out the maximum amount of power! The needs for torque have also been rebalanced in 0.1.1, so you’ll want to retool your setups.

[h3]What else has in-game metrics? [/h3]

Pretty much every machine, tool, and item that moves has metrics in-game. Accumulators will show their power level, Core Composers will show you their inventory and power level, Containers show you what they… contain, Accumulators show their current charge level, Threshers show their inputs and outputs, and planters show exactly how long each plant needs to grow!



[h3]Rebalanced metrics[/h3]

Like we said above, every metric and stat has been rebalanced in 0.1.1 to make the math easier to calculate. The numbers have changed to make optimization easier to complement in-game metrics. This should make running a factory smoothly much easier to calculate!

[h3]One final caveat - conveyor belt compression [/h3]

One major caveat is that our belts do not yet have a resource compression feature, which means that you might not see perfect throughput rates on their belts that match the actual statistic. There are a few ways to work around this problem until we have added such a feature, and we will fix the problem down the road.



Players can, for example, leverage merger belts to ensure that belts have no gaps between resources. An MK I belt, for example, can fit 12 single inserters on it, but if there are gaps between resources, not all 12 inserters may always be running. You could solve this by splitting the belt into two belts of 6 inserters, and having the two belts merge after the inserters, as the merger will remove the gaps.



We’re actively working on a belt compression fix, but we wanted to note these workarounds for you for now!

Thanks for tuning in to this week’s update! We’re excited to release 0.1.1 and see how you utilize the in-game metrics and rebalanced recipes in your factories.

If you’re not in the Discord already, head on over for some excellent memes, jokes, and riddles. We’re also there to answer any questions you have about Techtonica!
discord.gg/Techtonica

See you next week!