The Crust News

Hello, Crusties!

Great news! We are releasing update 0.94 — and it brings a ton of exciting improvements, including a performance boost, reduced RAM usage, a new fuel system for trucks, and other delightful enhancements from community suggestions.
Heads up! Older saves might encounter issues, so we recommend starting a new game. Who knows, maybe it’s your destiny?

[h3]🚀 What’s New?[/h3]
Performance: After refactoring several critically loaded systems, we achieved an FPS increase of 2.5–3.5 times! Yes, you read that right. We measured performance on large bases submitted by our community (thanks for that!) and our test builds and got amazing results. Plus, RAM usage has now decreased by 2GB, allowing the game to run on PCs with lower memory capacity.



[h3]🏗️ Major Logistics System Optimization[/h3]
The biggest FPS gain came from changing the data storage structure in the logistics system. Previously, warehouses stored information about all resources, even those that weren’t being used by that warehouse or module at the moment. Now, each warehouse only stores data about what it actually needs. It’s like stopping yourself from bringing home things that you “might need someday.”
It’s worth noting that when we say warehouse, we don’t just mean resource storage, but also all internal storage within production modules, which there are many more of.
Refactoring the logistics system also reduced RAM usage when there are a lot of warehouses. Previously, each new warehouse increased the number of connections non-linearly, leading to a significant RAM load. Now, the scalability limit has increased dramatically, and this is no longer a problem for PCs with low memory.
Bottom line: less RAM, more FPS!

[h3]🛠️ Easier Breathing Underground![/h3]
Optimization of Underground Loading and Priority Systems: We carefully reviewed memory usage structure and found an old underground loading system, which includes unexplored areas and the fog of war. This system was written in the early stages of development, back in 2020-2021, and clearly needed a revamp. Now, underground loading uses less memory (reduced by 1.1-1.3 GB) and is generally optimized. Plus, we cleaned up the warehouse priority system, trimming another 500MB of RAM. The game now breathes easier.



We also improved resource processing, power and water notifications, ore vein scanning, point display, unit routes on the global map, and the room status system. These optimizations not only increased FPS but also laid the foundation for future improvements.
The most resource-intensive part of the game right now is transferring resources between modules and conveyors, as well as distributor calculations. We’ve decided to refactor resource transfer and rewrite the distributor concept to simplify calculations and eliminate issues where resources can’t exit or block neighboring distributors.
This refactor is complex and will take time, but the expected performance boost could surpass this update (0.94) and further increase FPS several times over.

[h3]🚛 Truck Fuel System[/h3]
Your trucks are now equipped with fuel engines, allowing them to move 30% faster compared to electric engines.



They will automatically refuel at expedition stations when loading and at cargo docks when unloading if the fuel tanks are filled. Robots will take care of refueling — just enable the option in the interface. Time for faster resource delivery on the lunar surface!



[h3]🎮 Naming Your Units[/h3]
You can now give your units unique names! Want to name your rover "Lunar Racer" or "Smart Beetle"? Go for it!



Names will be displayed both in the unit list and when outfitting expeditions. In the future, we plan to add the ability to name capsules and rockets.



[h3]🎬Cinematics and QoL Improvements[/h3]
We’ve added two new cinematics for completing or failing the “Laser Cannon” mission, along with many QoL (quality of life) improvements suggested by you. Details can be found in our patch notes:

[h2]Patch notes 0.94.18[/h2]

[h3]Optimization🔥:[/h3]

• Significant logistics system optimization: Data storage structure revised, reducing calculation times and RAM usage. As a result, RAM consumption for large bases decreased by an average of 2 GB.
  
• Resource processing mechanism optimized.
  
• Electricity and water notification system optimized.
  
• All module objects updated and optimized, resulting in improved performance.
  
• Ore vein objects on the underground level optimized.
  
• Code for displaying conveyor inputs/outputs on modules optimized.
  
• Vein scanning system optimized.
  
• Point of Interest display system on the Global Map optimized.
  
• Widget notification system for modules optimized.
  
• Lighting system on the underground level optimized.
  
• Room status tracking system optimized.
  
• Internal storage priority tracking system revised, reducing RAM usage by an additional ~500 MB.
  
• Numerous minor improvements aimed at enhancing overall game performance.
  
• Underground level loading system updated, reducing RAM usage by 1,3 GB and solving loading issues for large bases on low-RAM PCs.
  

[h3]Added:[/h3]

• Ability to rename transport units.
  
• Fuel system for vehicle movement added. Vehicles can now be refueled after the corresponding upgrade, providing a significant speed boost.
  
• New side quest "Mining Shaft" added.
  
• Two brand new CGI cutscenes added, which you will see in case of success or failure in the "Laser Cannon" mission.
  
• Project interface localization updated.
  
• New colonists added: The total number of unique colonists available for recruitment now exceeds 120.
  
• The Commercial Center interface has been reworked for accurate display across various types of monitors, especially widescreen.
  
• Science points hint system added on the Global Map.
  
• Drone information added in expedition settings.
  
• Player base icon added in transport selection for expedition settings.
  
• Drone hints added to the Global Map interface.
  
• Minor notification logic refined: If the queue is full, older notifications will shift left to make room for new ones.
  
• Clyde now notices if you complete room construction before the Hope-2 capsule countdown starts.
  
• Sounds for selecting vehicles, Rover, and the Large Bulk Storage added.
  
• Several quest images updated.
  
• Research for Assembler upgrades added.
  
• Research for Hi-Tech Factory upgrades added.
  
• New contracts for medicine supplies added.
  
• New loading screen images added.
  
• New music track added
  

[h3]Fixed:[/h3]

• Resolved an issue where resources would fall to the ground if the conveyor output was blocked by a Distributor.
  
• Fixed an issue where conveyor distributor output settings were not saved unless set as a priority.
  
• Image now correctly matches the selected colonist.
  
• Drone count now correctly displayed in the Global Map interface.
  
• Research progression block in older saves caused by balance changes resolved.
  
• Fixed an issue where module wear rates were too high.
  
• Fixed module upgrades not working correctly when rapidly double-clicking the upgrade button.
  
• Fixed rare issue leading to a large refund for rebuilding existing conveyor belts.
  
• Cargo capacity checks when sending capsules fixed.
  
• Transport selection now functions correctly on all levels when clicking notifications.
  
• Rare issue of colonist deaths during expeditions fixed.
  
• Fixed an issue with money deductions for conveyor upgrades in Planning Mode.
  
• Conveyor exit settings for the Cargo Dock added — the Cargo Dock must be rebuilt for correct operation after loading old saves.
  
• Rare issue causing cargo drones to freeze completely during loading fixed.
  
• Rare issue where a drone could disappear in the Drone Reconfiguration Module when placing a module in a specific location fixed.
  
• Fixed two rare RAM memory leaks that could occur during a pause on bases with a specific pipeline layout.
  

[h3]Balance:[/h3]

• Fundamental and Social research trees updated (Note: previous saves may not be supported).
  
• Initial research costs in the Fundamental and Social branches adjusted.
  
• Drones and transport now require CPU.
  
• Increased resource requirements and rewards in the initial contracts of the Aurora Project.
  
• UNIVERSE resource contracts for large quantities now become available later.
  
• Significantly reduced the size of ice veins in the starting location.
  
• Rebalanced rewards for engineering and social science points in story contracts.
  
• Monthly expenses for colonist maintenance increased by an average of 30%.
  
• The cost of building an assembler and a modular terminal plant has been increased.
  

[h3]In Progress:[/h3]

• Conveyor system optimization.
  
• Expedition loading cancellation feature.
  
• Demolition of the Expedition Center.
  
• Ability to build multiple Expedition Centers and Cargo Docks.
  
• Fixes for scenarios that could lead to Expedition Center blockages.
  
• Fixes for rare crashes.
  
• Colonists sometimes get stuck on the way to expeditions (temporary solution added: save and reload the game).
  
• ALT+TAB disables LMB until pressed again.
  

We hope this update brings you as much joy as we had creating it! Thanks for your support and ideas, keep inspiring us!

Hello Crusties,
We have been working on this build for a long time on a separate branch and we managed to increase fps on large bases by about 2,5 times. In addition, in this build optimized work with RAM that allows you to play without problems on machines with 8GB RAM even with large bases. Also in this build there are some changes in the research map, changes in the balance and added experimental function of acceleration of trucks with fuel. We will tell you more about it in the packnote after the release of this version in the main branch.

[h3]To try the BETA, please follow these steps:[/h3]

Originally posted by author

• Open Steam
  
• Right-click on The Crust in your library
  
• Select Properties
  
• Go to the BETAS tab
  
• Choose "BETA 0.94.12+ (pre-release)" from the "Beta participation" drop-down list
  
• Wait for the game to update the files (if nothing happens, restart the Steam client)
  
• Launch the game
  

All new strings might not be localized yet, and stability hasn't yet been thoroughly tested. Some balancing changes are still experimental.

To discuss this, please join the official Discord server https://discord.gg/the-crust

[h3]Bug Fixes[/h3]

• Resource Flow Fix: Resolved an issue where resources would be dropped on the ground when an output was blocked by a distributor. They will now continue as expected.
  
• Distributor Settings: Fixed a bug where distributor output settings were not saved unless the output was set as a priority.
  
• Research Hardlock: Addressed a hardlock in research progression for older saves caused by balance changes.
  
• Robot Functionality: Corrected the robot behavior when starting a new game to ensure they operate smoothly.
  
• Fixed a rare bug causing a huge refund for rebuilding conveyors
  
• Fixed story softlock that occurs in the quest after getting the Rover (was only in version 0.93.25).
  

[h3]Updates[/h3]

• Localization: Updated project localization for a more seamless experience across languages.
  
• New Quest: Added a new quest titled "Mining Outpost".
  
• New Colonists Available for Recruitment: The total number of available colonists has now increased to 120, ready to be hired for work in your colony.
  

[h3]Balance Changes[/h3]

• Quest Rewards: Adjusted the resource and science point rewards for the "Search for Survivors" quest.
  
• Clyde's Evaluation: Clyde will now appreciate early construction efforts more significantly if a room is built ahead of request.
  

[h2]Fixeds:[/h2]

• Fixed an issue where Distributor filter settings would reset upon loading.
  
• Money shake exploit - when Conveyors would "refund" money in certain situations.
  
• Issue where money was being deducted for Conveyor upgrades in Planning Mode.
  
• Added Cargo Dock output settings — requires rebuilding the Cargo Dock for proper functionality.
  
• Fixed Rare bug causing Hauling Drones to completely freeze during loading.
  
• Module repair progress display corrected.
  
• Corrected the calculation of generation figures in Battery notifications.
  

[h2]Changes:[/h2]

• Tooltip with Drones added to the Global map interface.
  
• Number of Drones now displays correctly in the Global map interface.
  
• Commercial Center interface reworked for more accurate display across different UI scale settings.
  
• Adjusted the logic for minor notifications: when the notification queue is full, older notifications will now shift left to make room for new ones.
  

Hello everyone!

It has been a month since our Early Access launch, and we’ve finally been able to catch our breath after endless crunches, reflect on our progress, and start planning the future development of The Crust. Despite some initial challenges, the Early Access launch of The Crust went great! We sold 70,000 copies of the game and gathered over 300,000 wishlist additions! We also received an incredible amount of feedback and support from our community, which allowed us to rapidly update and improve the game. Over the past month, we have released 12 patches with bug fixes and several major updates that significantly enhanced The Crust in various aspects. For example, we unlocked the research tree, added a work schedule management mode for colonists, expanded the cargo dock capabilities, introduced new points of interest on the global map, improved the AI and priority systems for robots, added new notifications, and made several QoL and interface improvements. Additionally, we balanced some parameters of the story mode, contracts, and colonists.

We are truly amazed by your incredible support and want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts.


We also have some interesting statistics to share with you:
The average number of unique players per day was 12,978, with a peak of almost 19,000 active players in a single day.



The average playtime per player reached a record-breaking 24 hours, with a significant portion of players spending over 40 hours in the game, and 4% of players exceeding 100 hours, which is impressive considering we’ve just launched in Early Access.



A month after the release, The Crust community on Discord has grown to 14,000 members, and the number of Steam followers has surpassed 37,000. Additionally, we received over 1,000 suggestions for game improvements and hundreds of bug reports, which have been incredibly helpful in reproducing and fixing issues that went unnoticed during closed testing. We read every suggestion, but the sheer volume of ideas requires evaluation and discussion in brainstorming sessions to determine their feasibility and priority in the development plans. You can help us choose the most interesting ones by voting for your favorite idea on the page: https://idea.the-crust.com/ or in the Suggestions section on our Discord server. You can also propose your own idea.

The Early Access launch demonstrated an incredible interest in The Crust and confirmed its great potential, and now we are moving towards scaling up. Today, we have opened several job positions on our website—we are looking for skilled C++ programmers, community managers, and testers. If you have excellent coding skills, can think outside the box, and break existing patterns, visit our hiring page.



[h2]Upcoming Changes[/h2]

Our main focus right now is fixing the remaining bugs and improving FPS. We are aware of issues with colonists getting stuck in elevators, robots stopping, and navigation errors in robots with specific module configurations, and we are already working on them. Some of these issues only occur in older saves, but we will fix those in upcoming updates to ensure full version compatibility. We are also bringing back the saving of filter and distributor priority settings, adding new colonists to the hiring market, and working on other identified bugs and improvements.
Our second major goal is to achieve a significant increase in FPS on large and very large bases. To do this, we had to essentially dismantle the robot logistics and conveyor systems to find optimization opportunities for PC resource usage and prevent a geometric progression of CPU load as the number of production modules grows—and we found them! We have outlined a plan for the new architecture of each system and have already started working on them in separate branches. We will detail the results of this refactoring with FPS improvement measurements in the next developer diaries. In addition, we have already optimized some secondary systems, resulting in a small FPS increase—these changes will appear in the upcoming updates.



[h2]New Content[/h2]

While the development team is working with the hardcode, the content creators continue to create new modules and units. For example, we have completed work on the Harvester for Helium-3 extraction and started creating the model for the thermonuclear generator. We are also preparing two new production modules, one research module, the KS Monument, and a new model of a heavy shuttle. Shuttles will finally have varying arrival and delivery times, as was originally planned. Along with this, we continue to develop the new POI generator and improve the contract system. All of this will be added in a major update in the near future.



We are incredibly excited about the high interest in the game and once again want to express our immense gratitude to our amazing community for your continued support and feedback. As always, we would love to hear your ideas and suggestions — now is the perfect time for them.