Next Fest Update – Controls, Camera & QoL Improvements

[p]Hello Ranchers 💚

I hope you’re having an amazing Next Fest!

As promised, I’m back with a follow-up to my previous post. Alongside the AI cleanup, I’ve been working heavily on bug fixes and quality-of-life improvements based directly on your feedback.

The reviews and messages you’ve shared have been incredibly valuable. There have been so many thoughtful suggestions, and over the past few days, addressing them has been my top priority. Your feedback truly shapes the game. ❤️❤️❤️

There’s still more on my list, and I’m continuing to work through the backlog, but I wanted to keep you updated on the most important changes already implemented.

Here are the highlights from the latest update:

• Ranchers.ID has been removed. The game now uses Steam ticket authentication for all connected features. Existing players are automatically migrated.
  
• Added a Gameplay setting to adjust Phone Call text speed.
  
• The game now pauses in solo mode when using the Feedback App or Settings App.
  
• Game Settings are now accessible directly from the ESC menu.
  
• The second ranch door remains locked during the first quest (driving back to the ranch) to avoid confusion.
  
• ESC now both opens and closes the menu.
  

I’ve reworked and simplified controls across all gameplay modes:

• Camera rotation is now mapped to Right Mouse Button.
  
• All primary tool actions (axe, pickaxe, etc.) are now on Left Mouse Button.
  
• Building/Hammer placement now requires only one button to place or edit blueprints (previously two).
  
• Long-range weapons now require only one button to aim.
  
• Secondary items (Torch, etc.) are now mapped to keyboard inputs.
  
• Added QWERTZ keyboard layout support (Germany, Austria, etc.).
  

Camera responsiveness has been refined to better match player input:

• Reduced acceleration and deceleration to remove the “snapping” effect.
  
• Smoother, more predictable movement overall.
  

A new Camera Settings section has been added:

• Camera Movement Speed
  
• Camera Zoom Speed
  
• Automatic Camera Recenter – On Foot (Disabled by default), When enabled, the camera automatically rotates to align with the player’s direction, without requiring any manual input
  
• Automatic Camera Recenter – In Vehicle (Enabled by default)
  
• Automatic Camera Recentering Latency (Default: 0.5s) - Helps with motion sickness.
  → Controls how quickly the camera realigns
  → Lower value = faster recentering
  → Helps reduce motion sickness
  
• Auto Reset Camera Zoom (Disabled by default)
  → When enabled, zoom adjusts automatically depending on context
  → When disabled, zoom remains stable while driving
  

• Added option to Auto Equip Hammer after placement (Default ON).
  
• Added option to Auto Re-Equip Same Blueprint after placement (Default OFF).
  
• Added clearer error messages when placing blueprints:
  

→ On unpurchased farm parcels
→ In unauthorized zones or interiors
→ When colliding or failing placement requirements
→ When exceeding City Hall building height limits

• Fixed Settings menu not closing during cutscenes.
  
• Fixed rare spawn under terrain when skipping intro cutscene.
  
• Fixed certain SMS messages appearing twice.
  
• Fixed minimap GPS looping in specific zones.
  
• Fixed falling through ranch docks.
  
• Fixed falling through props near the casino exterior.
  

My next priorities, based on your feedback:

• Driving balance (Highest priority, but it’s a bigger task)
  
• Jump tweaking
  
• Auto harvest for plantation vegetables instead of harvesting one by one.
  
• Additional bug fixes
  

Thank you again for the incredible feedback and support.

See you on Discord and the Steam Forums, and make sure to play the demo while it’s still available 💚

Ethan