The Crust News

[p][/p][p]Hello, engineers!

I am very excited to present this update. It includes full-fledged interplanetary contracts, the construction of your own rockets, as well as full functionality for the launch pad refueling station. In addition, the update includes optimization of colonist efficiency calculations and warehouse processing, which adds to the game's performance for very large factories. The update also includes many balance changes, new contracts, new lighting in rooms, improved colonist behavior, an updated resource panel, new anomaly scaner, expanded expedition functionality, bug fixes, and much more. I'll also give you a little spoiler—we've already changed the behavior of the robots and their priorities, making them smarter and more flexible. They will be released in version 0.99.65, but you can already try them out in version 0.99.64 on the beta branch. [/p]

1. [p]Robots are now fully distributed between different tasks and do not neglect standard tasks. We will no longer see all robots only loading contracts or expeditions; some of them will always be distributed to construction, repair, demolition, or bringing resources to the equipment factory/railgun.[/p]
2. [p]Cargo robots now primarily take heavy loads with large amounts of resources.[/p]
3. [p]Increased priorities now attract cargo robots first. Robot distribution now works more correctly.[/p]

[p][/p][p]Full Patchnote: [/p][h2]Added[/h2]

• [p] Improved truck assignment for expeditions: you can now choose whether a single truck makes multiple trips or multiple trucks are dispatched.
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• [p] Added a selection outline when choosing the Cargo Dock or Launch Station to unload a truck or rocket.
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• [p] Added required CPU information to the Small Vehicle Assembly Facility tooltip.
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• [p] Added gas amounts to the top resource panel.
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• [p] Added a minimum stock threshold bar to the Large Refrigerator, similar to storages.
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• [p] Added an extended tooltip when hovering over colonists in the Café and Bar UI.
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• [p] Added a tooltip when hovering over gas veins on the base surface.
  [/p]
• [p] Improved formatting of colonist trait descriptions for better readability.
  [/p]
• [p] The Mobile Drilling Rig now always displays its excavation radius when the research for changing extraction area size is unlocked.
  [/p]
• [p] Added power cable connection points to the Sagan Telescope.
  [/p]
• [p] Added a visual indicator for the Launch Station when it is in auto-sell mode.
  [/p]
• [p] Added room beauty modifier adjustment to Custom Sandbox settings.
  [/p]
• [p] Added tooltips when hovering over resources in the auto-sell menu.
  [/p]
• [p] Added construction completion sounds for the Small Vehicle Assembly Facility and the Large Vehicle Assembly Facility.
  [/p]
• [p] Added outpost visibility in anomaly probe dispatch mode.
  [/p]
• [p] Added conveyor-based fuel delivery to the Launch Station.
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• [p] Added rocket return time display.
  [/p]
• [p] Gas Extractor can now be connected to two pipes.
  [/p]
• [p] Added module targeting highlight when laying pipes.
  [/p]
• [p] Added new neon deposits to the Easy and Normal story modes.
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• [p] Added new argon deposits to the Hard story mode.
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• [p] Added research that increases the contract limit.
  [/p]
• [p] Added Mk2 research for the Rare Minerals Refinery and Single Regolith Refinery, doubling their recipe.
  [/p]
• [p] Added a fuel line indicating what fuel type is loaded into the rocket.
  [/p]
• [p] Added research to unlock three rocket types.
  [/p]
• [p] Rockets are now included in base capitalization statistics.
  [/p]
• [p] Contract timers are now visible at the orbital level as well.
  [/p]
• [p] Added visual previews of unlockable buildings for outpost-related research.
  [/p]

[p]
[/p][h2]Fixed[/h2]

• [p] Fixed an issue where contract filters didn’t hide incompatible factions.
  [/p]
• [p] Fixed a bug where vehicles spawned on the base incorrectly, causing trucks not to drive to the Cargo Dock and Expedition Center.
  [/p]
• [p] Fixed a bug that allowed vehicles to be built without sufficient CPU.
  [/p]
• [p] Fixed a bug where rockets could get stuck after being sent on a contract in the "refueling" state.
  [/p]
• [p] Fixed a bug where selected delivery method filters were not saved when reopening the contracts window.
  [/p]
• [p] Fixed a bug where rockets could get stuck in orbit.
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• [p] Fixed an issue where rocket construction continued while the game was paused.
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• [p] Fixed the appearance of the Launch Station in cable placement mode.
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• [p] Fixed the Gas Extractor animation.
  [/p]
• [p] Fixed an issue where the Launch Station UI showed the same rocket image regardless of the selected one.
  [/p]
• [p] Fixed a bug where a second rocket could be built at the Launch Station without consuming resources.
  [/p]
• [p] Fixed an issue where gas vein capacity in the Gas Extractor UI only updated after reopening the interface.
  [/p]
• [p] Fixed an issue where the game started on maximum difficulty after the tutorial. It now defaults to Normal.
  [/p]
• [p] Fixed a bug where Sandbox mode in a new game carried over gas amounts from a previous save.
  [/p]
• [p] Fixed the final stage of the Laser Cannon construction: it now requires delivering power cells instead of removing them.
  [/p]
• [p] Fixed an issue where the drone control button couldn’t be clicked in a broken module.
  [/p]
• [p] Fixed an issue where save/load removed the notification about a full Mobile Drilling Rig.
  [/p]
• [p] Fixed an issue where the statistics window showed titanium instead of titanium oxide.
  [/p]
• [p] Fixed a bug where gas counters in the side and top panels reset after save/load.
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• [p] Fixed a bug with incorrect regolith saturation percentages.
  [/p]
• [p] Fixed a bug where resources stopped exiting storage conveyors when an output was filled or removed.
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• [p] Fixed a bug where emptying a storage caused conveyors feeding into it to stop.
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• [p] German localization fixes.
  [/p]
• [p] Fixed an issue where auto-sell quantity could not be set between 5 and 10 for some resources (it rounded to the nearest value).
  [/p]
• [p] Fixed a bug in the Training Center where colonist training progress was not displayed.
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• [p] Fixed an issue where the Fuel Factory upgrade only worked for the ice recipe but not for the gas recipe.
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• [p] Fixed incorrect rocket display in the Launch Station interface.
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• [p] Fixed an issue where starting modules in Story Mode visually connected to conveyors incorrectly.
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• [p] Fixed rocket flight times being identical for every flight.
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• [p] Fixed a bug where, in some conveyor placement cases, the distributor would not connect to underground conveyors.
  [/p]
• [p] Fixed an issue where tooltips over gas veins stopped appearing after save/load.
  [/p]
• [p] Fixed an issue where a returning rocket displayed cargo it no longer had.
  [/p]
• [p] Fixed an issue where room removal via CTRL didn’t work in demolition mode.
  [/p]
• [p] Fixed an issue where the last unit of a resource might not be delivered to a rocket for a contract.
  [/p]
• [p] Fixed the Hauling Drone Reconfigurator animation.
  [/p]
• [p] Lab upgrades now increase science point generation.
  [/p]
• [p] Fixed lighting inside room modules.
  [/p]
• [p] Fixed an issue where copying a module with an Mk2 upgrade created a module with that upgrade applied.
  [/p]
• [p] Fixed an issue with Gas Extractor research conditions.
  [/p]
• [p] Fixed an issue where colonist movement speed research didn’t work.
  [/p]
• [p] Fixed overlapping timers on the top resource panel.
  [/p]
• [p] Fixed a bug where rockets couldn’t be selected for construction.
  [/p]
• [p] The Expedition Control Center will no longer operate while powered off.
  [/p]
• [p] Reduced demolition outlines on surface debris left after explosion.
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• [p] Fixed an issue where gases could be unloaded onto the ground.
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• [p] Fixed the reward card for good training.
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• [p] Fixed animations in the VR Center.
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• [p] Fixed colonist head animation on the Hoverboard Trainer.
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• [p] Fixed the Hoverboard Trainer hologram.
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• [p] Fixed a visual issue where hoverboard colonists near the elevator used lunar surface textures.
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[p]
[/p][h2]Optimization[/h2]

• [p] Improved the algorithm for assigning jobs to idle colonists.
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• [p] Implemented a more efficient way to determine which room a colonist is in.
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• [p] Optimized workplace occupancy checks.
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• [p] Optimized parts of the production system, colonist tracking, and parallelized heavy production-related calculations.
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• [p] Fixed an issue where module sounds were being loaded into memory multiple times.
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• [p] Optimized resource consumption logic for the Fuel Generator and Ice Melter.
  [/p]

[p]
[/p][h2]Changed[/h2]

• [p] Restored the ability to build multiple Becker Monuments on the base.
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• [p] Updated the side resource panel.
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• [p] Changed hotkeys for copying module settings: Shift+RMB to copy, Shift+LMB to paste.
  [/p]
• [p] Removed payment display from rocket logistics.
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• [p] Increased mouse wheel scroll sensitivity in UI panels.
  [/p]
• [p] Removed unnecessary resources from the auto-sell menu.
  [/p]
• [p] Slightly updated the appearance of landed cargo pods.
  [/p]
• [p] Increased the size of wire connection nodes.
  [/p]
• [p] Updated the appearance of the Large CPU Data Center.
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• [p] Improved conveyor pathfinding.
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• [p] Increased the model size of the Gas Extractor and Wall-mounted TV.
  [/p]
• [p] Removed rocket cost from the delivery method selection UI.
  [/p]
• [p] Slightly updated the Carbon Fiber Factory model.
  [/p]

[p]
[/p][h2]Balance[/h2]

• [p] Increased the base oxide yield of the Mobile Drilling Rig (lower slag ratio) 0.65->0.75.
  [/p]
• [p] Rebalanced Mobile Drilling Rig oxide yield upgrades.
  [/p]
• [p] Rebalanced rocket flight speeds to different Solar System destinations.
  [/p]
• [p] Resource Probes now require steel instead of silicon.
  [/p]
• [p] Blockchain Module is now available earlier in the research tree.
  [/p]
• [p] Changed upgrades that increase the number of outpost probes: they now also increase the maximum area size of outpost territories. 10->15, 15->20, 20->25.
  [/p]
• [p] Rebalanced some contracts.
  [/p]
• [p] Added a research lock for the Gas Extractor - now requires researching and building the Fuel Factory.
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• [p] Reduced comfort bonus from eating at a table from 2.0 to 1.0.
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• [p] Rebalanced research costs for battery capacity and efficiency.
  [/p]
• [p] Rebalanced module repair resources: silicon replaced with steel in several modules.
  [/p]
• [p] Building the Malachite rocket now requires 20 Control Units instead of 40 Composites.
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• [p] Lowered the reputation threshold for rocket contracts.
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• [p] Rebalanced Multi-Regolith Refinery speed upgrades.
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• [p] Rebalanced food production in the Kitchen: cycle time reduced from 40 to 30.
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• [p] Increased steel costs for several modules.
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• [p] Increased colonist training time in the Training Center.
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• [p] Added new speed and capacity upgrade icons for trucks.
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• [p] Slightly reduced steel amounts in veins in hard modes.
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• [p] Increased the chance to sell Fuel and Energy Cells above market price at the Launch Station.
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• [p] Increased the chance to sell large quantities of Fuel and Energy Cells at the Launch Station.
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• [p] Increased the percentage of useful oxides in regolith dropped from wall excavation by ~40%.
  [/p]

[p]
[/p][h2]Added[/h2][p][/p]

• [p] Added a fifth tier to the reputation bar and updated its tooltip. [/p]
• [p] Added additional layers to global capitalization. [/p]
• [p] Added a contract filter by delivery method: capsule, truck, or rocket. [/p]
• [p] Colonist tooltips now display total salary instead of base salary. [/p]
• [p] The monetary value of the rocket construction license has been added.[/p]
• [p] Added research for all three rockets, along with upgrades to increase their speed and capacity. [/p]
• [p] Added animations for the Gas Extractor. [/p]
• [p] Added CPU values for rockets.
  
  [/p]

[h2]Fixed
[/h2]

• [p] Fixed an issue where the Mobile Drilling Rig overflow notification wouldn’t disappear. [/p]
• [p] Fixed an issue where colonist salaries were deducted only starting from the second month. [/p]
• [p] If there aren’t enough Credits to pay salaries, the balance can now go negative. [/p]
• [p] Fixed an issue where researching the first upgrade of the Multi-Resource Storage immediately unlocked the second one. [/p]
• [p] Fixed a bug where rocket auto-refueling could be cancelled incorrectly. [/p]
• [p] Fixed a bug where the Echo-7 gas extractor quest awarded the wrong gas. [/p]
• [p] Fixed an issue where module construction buttons were incorrectly available when they should have been locked. [/p]
• [p] Biogenerator and Thermonuclear Generator upgrades (+15–30%) now work correctly. [/p]
• [p] Fixed an issue where the market refreshed when CPU values changed. [/p]
• [p] Fixed an issue where mining drones could get stuck. [/p]
• [p] Fixed category names in statistics. [/p]
• [p] Removed an unnecessary resource check in a post-explosion quest. [/p]
• [p] Fixed a bug where room comfort changed after saving/loading. [/p]
• [p] Fixed an issue where rockets could refuel while the game was paused. [/p]
• [p] Italian localization fixes and other localization improvements. [/p]

[p]
[/p][h2]Changed[/h2][p][/p]

• [p] Adjusted the color of the demand indicator during auto-selling. [/p]
• [p] Updated the tooltip shown when storage exits are blocked. [/p]
• [p] Renamed the tooltip from “Land Lease” to “ILTA Fee” (International Lunar Territory Administration fee — the higher the territory, the higher the cost). [/p]
• [p] Adjusted the spawn location of the second Hope-2 capsule. [/p]
• [p] Changed the placement of starting underground modules and removed an extra pillar. [/p]
• [p] Changed the color of titanium oxide on conveyors. [/p]
• [p] Updated rocket contract generation conditions and acceptance rules.
  
  [/p]

[h2]Balance[/h2][p][/p]

• [p] Updated kitchen food recipes: now require 2 organics instead of 3. [/p]
• [p] Increased the effectiveness of the three kitchen upgrades - each now boosts organic growth speed by 25%. [/p]
• [p] Increased carbon fiber production time 40->60. [/p]
• [p] Reduced the chance of workplace injury from module breakdowns from 8% to 7%. [/p]
• [p] Increased the base price of nanotubes from 1175 to 1200. [/p]
• [p] Increased the base power output of the Biogenerator from 120 to 130. [/p]
• [p] Reduced construction costs of outpost solar panels and fuel generators. [/p]
• [p] Increased construction cost of the outpost RTG. [/p]
• [p] Increased Multi-Resource Storage capacity to match standard storage: 512 basic resources and 256 high-tech resources. [/p]
• [p] Increased Multi-Resource Storage upgrade bonuses from 50%→100% and 100%→200%. Maximum capacity with all upgrades is now 1024. [/p]
• [p] Increased power output of small solar panels from 25 to 28. [/p]
• [p] Mk2 walking speed upgrade now boosts colonists twice as much. [/p]
• [p] Increased weekly interplanetary contracts from 5 to 10. [/p]
• [p] Reduced the cost of some early-game research. [/p]
• [p] Updated the research tree. [/p]

[p]
[/p][p]Hello, engineers![/p][p]I hope you're having a great weekend. Yesterday, we released a new beta version, Update Two Beta 0.99.57, which includes the Launch Pad features, Rocket construction and interplanetary contract mechanics.[/p][p]You can access this version in the Beta branch.

The second piece of good news is that saves from any games started with version 0.99.50+ are compatible.
[/p][h2]Beta Access[/h2][p][/p][p]
We'd love to hear your feedback and suggestions on Steamcomunity or our Discord server and Idea Board. Help us shape The Crust together.
[/p][p]Have Fun[/p]

[h2]Added[/h2]

• Conveyors, resources, gas pipes, power cables, and outposts are now included in capitalization in the Monitoring & Statistics window.
  
• Colonists now gain experience while working at outposts.
  
• Researching the Gas Extractor now unlocks pipe placement mode.
  
• Added a button to move the camera to a point of interest in the global Laser Cannon quest.
  
• Added new research upgrades for the Large Solar Panel.
  
• Added an upgrade for the RTG, increasing its maximum output to 40 units of power around the clock.
  
• Added research that increases colonists’ movement speed indoors.
  

[h2]Fixed[/h2]

• Fixed the generation of gas veins on the surface. After this fix, veins will be regenerated, so you may need to rebuild Gas Extractors.
  
• Fixed the display of gas amounts in storage.
  
• Fixed a bug that allowed copying a purchased but unresearched module.
  
• Fixed the second upgrade for the Fundamental Science Lab.
  
• Fixed an issue where the third upgrade for the Kitchen could not be applied.
  
• Fixed descriptions for the Truck with Trailer upgrades.
  
• Fixed an issue where one of the seats in the Café incorrectly gave colonists a “being in the Bar” status.
  
• Minor localization fixes.
  

[h2]Balance[/h2]

• Added a small chance to receive contracts with negative profit (5–15%).
  
• Removed Plasteel and Transparent Aluminum from the Medical Center construction recipe.
  
• Balanced the cost of outpost building upgrades.
  
• Reduced Kitchen production time from 40 to 35.
  
• Increased the efficiency of the Large Solar Panel from 300 to 325.
  
• Simplified the alternative recipe for microcircuits: now requires 1 silicon, 1 carbon fiber, and 1 aluminum.
  
• Changed the alternative recipe for modular frames: now requires more steel and less concrete.
  
• Increased CPU requirements for rovers.
  
• Reduced the base price of carbon fiber from 775 to 750.
  
• Increased the effectiveness of upgrades for the Large Farm and Mushroom Farm.
  
• Adjusted the research tree: the Gas Extractor is now available immediately after researching the Multi-Regolith Refinery.
  
• Reduced food consumption speed at outposts from 25 to 30.
  
• Reduced base food storage capacity at outposts from 250 to 200.
  
• Increased RTG upgrade bonuses for outposts from +6->+8, +8->+12.
  
• Slightly increased the cost of purchasing land for outposts based on area by 2–3%.
  
• Balanced the cost of some research.
  
• Balanced the impact of reputation on land purchase costs.
  

[h2]Added[/h2]

• Colonist hiring costs have been added to capitalization statistics.
  
• A new loading screen image.
  
• New settings options to disable LODs for regolith walls, living quarters walls, and modules.
  

[h2]Fixed[/h2]

• Fixed the Hoverboard Trainer hologram.
  

[h2]Balance[/h2]

• Late-game contracts have been rebalanced.
  
• Plasteel and Transparent Aluminum have been removed from the construction cost of the Flight Control Center; Nanotubes were added and the required amount of Steel was increased.
  
• Base price of Plasteel increased from 1000 to 1025.
  
• Truck price in the CRUST Solutions store increased from 190,000 to 195,000.
  
• Data Processing Node price in the CRUST Solutions store reduced from 669,000 to 534,000.
  
• Construction cost of the Data Center reduced: Control Units decreased from 12 to 5, and Composite was replaced with Titanium Plates.
  
• Construction cost of the Large Vehicle Assembly Facility increased in Composites and Plasteel.
  
• Research cost of the Gas Extractor reduced.
  
• The starting concrete production task now requires less concrete: 30 → 25.
  
• Increased the chance of receiving contracts with +50–90% profit over base resource market prices from 2.5% to 7.5%.