Hydro News

[p]Hi everyone,[/p][p]Just a small update this time to address some niggly issues:[/p]

• [p]Bug fix: previously, if a player selected items for repair on the Repair Worksheet at the Workbench, then cancelled out of the form then re-entered the form and chose to repair different items, the previously-selected items would still get repaired. Fixed![/p]

• [p]Reduced the fatigue one-off gain when picking-up oil cans and battery acid by well over 50%![/p]

[p]Note that I have also updated the PDF Game Manual, adding information around some of the more recent changes such as the Repair Worksheet, Generator Air Flow Meter, Instrument Sensors and the Sleeping Quarters Fusebox.[/p][p]Check out the latest version of the manual below![/p][p]https://harmanmotorworks.com/hydro/manual/HydroGameManualv104.pdf[/p][p]Until next time, happy generating! ⚡[/p]

[p]Hey everyone![/p][p]Another busy month for Hydro updates, and here is yet another 'regular update' which boasts a number of exciting new additions and fixes. This takes Hydro to v1.24 (confirm the version from the Main Menu of the game). [/p][p]Let's jump in to what this update is all about![/p][h2]New fuse/sensor repair interface: 'Repair Worksheet'[/h2][p]Repairing multiple items was previously getting cumbersome and as more fuses and sensors got added to the game, Hydro desperately needed a way to show/'inspect' for current condition at the Repair Workbench. Then, only OPTIONALLY allowing repair of desired items AS NEEDED, instead of just repairing everything in the player's inventory.[/p][p]Behold, the new Repair Worksheet! Now, you can inspect and only choose to repair items which have a low repair (condition) value! Save time and optimise your repair process![/p][p]Note that you can only inspect/repair what is in your Pocket Inventory at the time. And repair quality still varies with each repair attempt on a given item, but with this new form, thankfully you can always just choose what to repair again if needed![/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]New upgrade: Generator Air Flow Meter[/h2][p]Another brand new upgrade has now graced the power station...taking the total available upgrades for the power station to 16! This is quite an affordable upgrade and means that you won't need to continually go outside to view the Generator Air FIlter dirt level (or listen out for the 'whoosh' sound of a clogged filter). [/p][p]By taking note of the reading of this gauge, you will be able to better tell when the filter is starting to get clogged.[/p][p]NOTE: in future I may add some color zones to the gauge (such as a 'green' or 'red' zone to denote filter optimal/danger zones). In the meantime, a reading anywhere from 40-60 is a reasonable reading. Anything below ~35 is a cause for concern (get that sponge bucket and climb that ladder!)[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]More balance changes - Reputation robustness part 2[/h2][p]In a recent update, some balance tweaks were made to the Noise Complaint and Township Demand rep loss. In this update, I have evened things out by also tweaking the rep GAIN for Township Demand successes. All these changes are designed to ensure that the total rep range of 0-100 is more 'robust' and not as prone to 'shooting-up' or 'dropping like a rock' in a short time. My aim is to ensure that your rep changes remain more stable and take more events (either good or bad) before it reaches dangerous lows (or dizzying highs).[/p][p]Here's the details of the Reputation changes for this update: [/p][p]--For Township Demands whose min rep gain:[/p]

• [p]Was 5, it is now 4[/p]
• [p]Was 7, it is now 5 [/p]
• [p]Was 9, it is now 6[/p]

[p]For Township Demands whose max rep gain:[/p]

• [p]Was 10, it is now 8[/p]
• [p]Was 12, it is now 9[/p]
• [p]Was 14, it is now 11[/p]

[p]Additionally, I have now implemented the same Reputation 'threshold' check that exists for Noise Complaints, to now also apply for Township Demands. [/p][p]To put it simply: if player rep is

[p]Bug fix: a recent update changed the Generator 'cooling tick' sound to stop sounding at 110c. This has been relaxed a little bit so that the ticking sound lingers a bit longer (until 95c) for a more immersive effect[/p]

[p]The recently-added Upgrade Blueprint page 4 did not respond properly to the 'Esc' key bind to dismiss it. This has been fixed[/p]

[p]Renamed power station tutorial to "Power Station Handbook" in the associated widget[/p]

[p]Implemented the 'camera focus' feature when cleaning gauge lenses around the power station (same focus as what currently occurs when cleaning windows, etc)[/p]

[p]Reduced fatigue gain by 30% when carrying Gear Oil Cans; I figured that since the recently-added Storage Unit is some distance from the power station, it would help to have some player incentive to actually make the trek to it to place oil cans in there, without their fatigue being destroyed in the process![/p]

[p]As always, I greatly appreciate all your support! And constructive feedback is always welcome! [/p][p]Until next time, happy generating! ⚡⚡[/p]

[h2]DEV UPDATE INCOMING![/h2][p]Hi everyone,[/p][p]Veteran Hydro employees should be able to spot the difference (new addition) in the first pic below...[/p][p][/p][p]That's right, with the upcoming v1.24 update, a new upgrade option for the power station will be available: a Generator Air Flow Meter! [/p][p]No more will you need to listen-out for a blocked air filter or constantly go outside to check its dirt level...this handy need gage will give you an idea of how much 'blockage' is preventing cooling air from reaching the Generator![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Also - the fuse & instrument sensor repair process at the Repair Workbench has been greatly improved - using a brand new Repair Worksheet that allows for individual component inspection and optional repair! No longer will the workbench simply repair everything in your Pocket Inventory...you can now inspect and choose exactly what items get repaired: [/p][p][/p][p]Plus, a bunch of other QoL and bug fixes are incoming![/p][p]Stay tuned, v1.24 will drop in a matter of days! ⚡[/p][p] [dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p]

[p]Hi everyone,[/p][p]We are now in November and here's the first update for the month. This is v1.23 (confirm the version from the Main Menu of the game).[/p][p]Let's jump into what's new with this update![/p][h2]'Instrument Sensor' mechanic[/h2][p]This is a brand new game play mechanic: "instrument sensors". These new sensors behave similar to the fuses, but have new functions in that they send 'signals' from devices to certain instruments or gauges in the power station. [/p][p]Like fuses, sensors will 'wear down' and degrade over time, before failing completely. They can be removed by the player and will appear in the player's Pocket Inventory. From there, the player can take the sensors to the existing Workbench in the Sleeping Quarters for their repair. [/p][p]The first two sensors to be implemented are for the Generator. These are located on the left side of the Generator on a brand new 'Generator Sensor Panel'.[/p][p][/p]

• [p]Speed sensor - this sensor gets speed information from the Generator and sends it to the RPM gauge. It also controls the 'overspeed' warning lamp and 'overspeed alarm'. If this sensor fails (or is removed), the RPM gauge, 'Overspeed' lamp and 'overspeed alarm' will fail to work. Note that in the case of the overspeed alarm failing to work, this can actually have an advantage in that you might get less Noise Complaints with the overspeed alarm disabled...[/p]
• [p]Temperature sensor - this sensor gets heat information from the Generator and sends it to the Temperature gauge. If this sensor fails (or is removed), the temperature gauge will no longer work.[/p]

[p]If any of the sensors above fail (or are removed), a new 'Sensor Fault' warning lamp will soon light-up on the Generator Status Panel (note however that this lamp only works if the Generator is spinning as the lamp itself is powered by the Generator like the other lamps on this panel). Also note that the 'Sensor Fault' lamp can take some time to react to either a sensor failing/going missing, or an existing failed/missing sensor being replaced. Just give it some time and it should soon update appropriately. :) [/p][p][/p][p]Note that the Generator can operate just fine (continuing to output to either the Accumulator or the grid) with these two sensors either failed or missing, however you will lose some level of 'monitoring' over the Generator. You can still control the RPM with the speed sensor missing, but the RPM gauge will not function. You can however still 'listen' for the Generator's whining and 'guess' its speed. Similarly, if the temperature sensor is failed/missing, you can still 'gauge' the temperature of the Generator by cues such as smoke emanating from it, or from the 'ticking' sounds that emit from it when you shut it down when it's hot. [/p][p]Overall, these new sensors and their maintenance introduce yet another dimension to the game play of Hydro and will mean you have another set of devices to maintain/troubleshoot![/p][h2]Game play balancing changes[/h2][p]Because of the recent changes (since v1.22) to the telegraph units being more unreliable (until upgraded) and thus resulting in players potentially missing-out on receiving Township Demands (through no fault of their own), I've made some balance changes to the Reputation loss that results from certain actions in the game, namely around Noise Complaints and failures to complete Township Demands. [/p][p]Now, you should find that your Reputation doesn't 'tank' and drop like a rock if you receive Noise Complaints or fail Township Demands (including if you fail these because the telegraph machine didn't work). Note, these rep changes do not change the rep loss if you reject a Township Demand...those remain unchanged are decently higher than what I have shown below.[/p][p]Here are the rep changes arriving with this update, in detail:[/p]

• [p]Township Demands failures which previously had rep loss min-max of 6-10 are now 5-8[/p]
• [p]Township Demands failures which previously had rep loss min-max of 10-14 are now 9-12[/p]
• [p]Township Demands failures which previously had rep loss min-max of 14-20 are now 13-16[/p]
• [p]Noise Complaints which previously had rep loss min-max of 6-18 are now 2-14[/p]
• [p]Noise Complaints which previously had rep loss min-max of 7-13 are now 3-9[/p]
• [p]Noise Complaints which previously had rep loss min-max of 7-18 are now 3-11[/p]
• [p]Noise Complaints which previously had rep loss min-max of 8-22 are now 4-15[/p]
• [p]Noise Complaints which previously had rep loss min-max of 9-22 are now 5-15[/p]
• [p]Noise Complaints which previously had rep loss min-max of 10-22 are now 6-15[/p]

[p]Also, previously there was a Reputation threshold at which greatly reduced rep loss (of between only 2-4 points) would apply if a player received a Noise Complaint. This threshold was set to Rest assured that all the above changes should mean your Reputation remains more 'robust' than before and shouldn't drop as fast as it used to.[/p][p]I will continue to review the balance of the game on an ongoing basis with the objective of ensuring the 'default' difficulty results in a 'decent' level of challenge for the player whilst hopefully not being overly difficult. However note that there are always the Difficulty Option crutches that you can apply to make things a bit easier if needed.[/p][p]Other balance changes revolve around the unreliability of the default, un-upgraded telegraphs. Now, there is less chance of not receiving a Township Demand than before (around 50% less chance of telegraph receiving unit failing to receive a Township Demand).[/p][p] [/p][h2]Other feature/quality updates[/h2][p]A whole slew of additional fixes and new features are included with v1.23! Check them out below:[/p]

• [p]The cleaning process for the Generator Air Filter and the Power Pole Insulators has been improved! Now, when you clean these items, visible airborne 'dirt' will fill the immediate area around the item. Once the item you are interacting with is mostly clean, the airborne dirt will cease. This gives you more of a visual indication of dirt levels for these items[/p][p][/p]
• [p]The Generator clutch lever now 'burns' properly when the Generator is destroyed (burn texture added)[/p]
• [p]A bunch of information updates have been added to the 'Help' screens in-game[/p]
• [p]For the Generator temperature read-out widget which displays the temperature when the player hovers over the temperature gauge with the interact dot, the threshold for the text turning red has been raised from 105 degrees to 110 to match the 'red zone' on the actual temperature gauge (this new 110c threshold also affects when the 'Overheat' lamp turns-on (on the Generator Status Panel), too)[/p]
• [p]The 'Power Station Tutorial' has had some updated info added to it, and now looks visually more like a 'handbook' (both the in-game object and the interactive on-screen 'pages')[/p][p][/p][p][/p]
• [p]Bug fix: improved the interaction of the Marker Light Panel levers when the player moves the interact dot across the levers from the left or right side of the panel (previously, the levers were difficult to interact with and would instead show a different widget message pertaining to the main panel itself - this bug was introduced with recent update v1.22)[/p]
• [p]Bug fix: when the recently-added Local Power Fuse no. 7 was held, the Pocket Inventory indication would not turn yellow on-screen[/p]
• [p]Animated the vice on the Repair Workbench in the Sleeping Quarters! The vice jaws will now also show a cosmetic prop of a fuse or sensor depending on what is being repaired. This is a purely cosmetic change[/p][p][/p]

[p]I hope you enjoy this update! There is more to come and check out this YouTube video I made which talks a bit more about this update below![/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink]As always, until next time, happy generating! ⚡[/p]

[p]Hi everyone, [/p][p]I know it's almost over, but October 2025 is actually a BIG milestone month for Hydro, as it marks a whole year since I began the Hydro project! (I officially began development back on October 6th, 2024). [/p][p]To celebrate, I've been working busily on a MAJOR UPDATE for Hydro over the past few weeks and here are the fruits of that labor![/p][p]This is the very first MAJOR UPDATE for Hydro since its full version release less than 3 months ago, and this one adds a HEAP quality and feature updates! Let's get into it...[/p][h2]RANDOM TELEGRAPH MESSAGE SEND/RECEIVE FAILURES[/h2][p]As part of this update, the telegraph units are now looking worse-for-wear by default and more prone to randomly failing to either send or receive telegram messages...these failures can now occur even if the Accumulator is charged sufficiently (>50V). [/p][p]Note that a previous update (v1.19) which introduced telegraph send/receive failures when the Accumulator charge is low (receive will mean you are not notified of the event which has just occurred, however the consequence of that event will still occur (such as a noise complaint penalty) - you just won't have the info on what happened.[/p][p]Note that missed incoming messages can also mean you can occasionally miss out on receiving the coveted Township Demands and this can affect your income; thankfully there is a way to 'upgrade' your telegraphs to make them more reliable...keep reading to learn more![/p][p][/p][p]Above: an example of an UN-upgraded telegraph unit - prone to more failures with this update![/p][p]To get the telegraphs functioning as reliably as possible, apply the brand new telegraph upgrades detailed below...[/p][h2]THREE (3) NEW UPGRADES[/h2][p]The Upgrade Blueprint now scores a brand new page (page 4) and there are 3 brand new upgrades to research.[/p]

1. [p]Refurbished Sending Telegraph Unit - this improves the sending reliability of the Sending Telegraph Unit...note that a sufficient Accumulator charge (above the 'red zone' - or 50V) is still recommended to avoid reliability issues[/p]
2. [p]Refurbished Receiving Telegraph Unit - this improves the receiving reliability of the Receiving Telegraph Unit...note that a sufficient Accumulator charge (above the 'red zone' - or 50V) is still recommended to avoid reliability issues[/p]
3. [p]Upgraded Marker Light Panel Circuits - this improves the light changeover speed of the Marker Light Panel when you flip the levers, so you won't have to wait around as long as previously. The panel will also score a lick of new paint and a new look once upgraded. NOTE: as of this v1.22 major update, the Marker Light Panel also consumes Accumulator charge when the light color changeover process is occurring.[/p]

[p][/p][p]Above: a fully-upgraded Marker Light Panel![/p][h2]A NEW STORAGE UNIT OUT-BUILDING[/h2][p]A few of you have been asking for this feature, and it's finally here![/p][p]This handy 'out-building' allows you to safely store your supplies such as oil cans and battery acid in one location. Note that in the future, I plan on adding a door lock and potentially introducing the chance of random supply theft when the player rests (and potentially higher risk of theft if the player reputation is lower), so it might be a good idea to get in the habit of storing your reserves in this building, in preparation for future updates...[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]TEN (10) NEW TOWNSHIP DEMANDS[/h2][p]Prior to this update, Hydro has 27 total unique Township Demands.[/p][p]This update now adds 10 brand new Township Demands! Of these new 10, 4 of them have associated 'good news'/'bad news' newspapers. So you now have 4 additional newspapers you can frame up in the power station![/p][h3]NEW 'HIGH PRESTIGE' TOWNSHIP DEMANDS[/h3][p]Listed below are the 5 more notable of the new Township Demands - these are all 'high prestige' demands meaning that you can only access them if your Reputation is > 50: [/p]

1. [p]Electric Train Station Commissioning - 70 power units demanded (day shift only)[/p]
2. [p]Flour Mill Running Overtime - 55 power units demanded (day shift only, no linked newspapers)[/p]
3. [p]Overseas Pop Band Playing - 65 power units demanded (night shift only)[/p]
4. [p]Township Night Festival - 55 power units demanded (night shift only)[/p]
5. [p]Automobile Factory Power Demand - 70 power units demanded (both day and night shifts)[/p]

[h3]NEW 'LOW PRESTIGE' TOWNSHIP DEMANDS[/h3][p]In addition to the above 5 Demands, there are 5 more 'unforeseen' power demands, with more 'accessible' power unit demands (as low as 35 power units), for those times when you're not feeling 'energized' enough to meet those higher-unit demands. The payout amounts on these demands are however fairly low in comparison (as well as rewarding less Research Points), but should still provide a nice bump to your coffers![/p][p]Note that each of the new unforeseen demands have differing payouts and are 'low prestige' demands, meaning they are all available even if your Reputation is =< 50.[/p][p]Finally, shown below are the 4 new newspapers that can be framed as part of this major update (this means you can now frame a total of 13 newspapers in the power station! Previously it was 9):[/p][p][/p][p]As part of these new Township Demands, a selection of them have been added to the 'Hydro Stats' tracking, seen below:[/p][p][/p][h2]SLEEPING QUARTERS FUSE BOX[/h2][p]There is now a new Local Power Fuse - #7 - and this is located in a brand new fuse box mounted on the Sleeping Quarters itself. This fuse comes with its own durability/repair value which will degrade over time, and require repairing at the Fuse Repair Workbench:[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]FIVE (5) NEW 'CALM RIVER' DAY SHIFT TELEGRAMS[/h2][p]In addition to the existing three telegram messages you can receive during calm river day shifts, there are now five additional messages (each with their own associated reward/penalties) you can randomly receive, taking the total pool of possible messages to 10; the 5 new messages are:[/p]

• [p]Township Land Tax Charged[/p]
• [p]Waste Oil Levy[/p]
• [p]Renewable Energy Subsidy Payment[/p]
• [p]Vintage Power Station Power Line Maintenance Fee[/p]
• [p]Telegraph Service Charges [/p]

[p]I haven't noted the reward/penalty amounts here, you'll just have to play and find out for yourself :-)[/p][p]Note: on the subject of these calm river day shift telegram messages, I have also removed any reputation gain/loss that was previously associated with them. These messages are now only associated with either a monetary gain or loss.[/p][h2]OTHER IMPROVEMENTS[/h2][p]There are a heap of additional feature and quality updates included with this major update. The more notable of them are:[/p]

• [p]The Marker Light Panel now drains some Accumulator charge when the Marker Light color scheme changeover is occurring! Each color wheel will trickle drain its own amount of Accumulator charge, so having all three color wheels turning at once, will mean 3x the Accumulator drain (this is inescapable as whenever you need to make a color change to the Marker Lights, you will need to change all of them anyway). So, make sure you factor this in and keep a robust amount of Accumulator charge. If the Accumulator charge hits zero, changing the Marker Light colors will not be possible (and any Marker Lights currently in the process of changing-over their color scheme will cease to do so). [/p]
• [p]Changed the desk in the power station to have a different texture[/p]
• [p]Bug fix: previously, if the 'On-screen messages' difficulty setting was set to FALSE, it was not being respected if an incoming boat or calm day telegram message failed to receive (the 'Message send/receive failed!' on-screen message was still displaying (erroneously), when it should have been hidden). This is now fixed. [/p]
• [p]All window frames in the power station and other wooden items (such as unupgraded telegraph units) have been changed to the 'rotten' wood texture to match the rest of the roof beams being suitably weathered...[/p]
• [p]Some code enhancements (housekeeping and optimisation)[/p]
• [p]Re-wording and text improvements to a number of the 'Help' screens accessible from the Main Menu[/p]
• [p]Increased rain-falling-on-metal sound effect volume for the Sleeping Quarters[/p]
• [p]When repairing Local Power Fuses, you now get an indication of exactly which # fuse is being repaired, as well as an indication of the repair quality! This will help to better illustrate the repair quality when repairing fuses. You will note that when you initially start repairing a fuse, the current repair level is shown first (a blown fuse = 0% quality) and a few seconds later once the repair is complete, the new repair quality for a given fuse is shown. Repair quality remains (as-always) variable each time you perform a repair, so if you're not too happy with the repair quality of a fuse, you can repair it again. [/p][p]Note: all fuses in your Pocket Inventory are repaired in-order, so if you're holding multiple fuses in your inventory, they will all be put through the repair process each time you repair a fuse (I plan on potentially introducing a new interface here in future, allowing you to choose which fuses in your inventory that you wish to repair, as well as an option to only 'inspect' (or otherwise display) current fuse repair quality before allowing the option to make a repair).[/p]

[p][/p][h2]THANK YOU![/h2][p]Once again, thanks so much for all your support! Once again your feedback has helped shape this update and I love making Hydro the best it can be for players such as you![/p][p]I would have loved to cram even more features to this major update, but I was fast running out of time as I wanted to meet the end of October deadline whilst still ensuring I delivered a quality, bug-free update; as you can appreciate, there was a mammoth amount of planning, development and testing involved in bringing this update to you all in just a few weeks, considering I am a solo developer and can only work on Hydro in my 'free time' outside of my real-world commitments.[/p][p]There's still more to come on the development road map and you can even have your say in the roadmap too! (check it out here: https://steamcommunity.com/app/3355830/discussions/0/599660183449291892/)[/p][p]Until next time, happy generating! ⚡[/p]