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Hotfix v0.98.2 released!

This update IS compatible with savegames from previous v0.98.0!



ENGINE:


- Construct 3 updated to r429.

INTERFACE:


- Minor new character / char. info interface tweaks.

CONTROLS:


-[Survival] Action key (default C) can also be used to put a mouse-dragged item inside a container (backpack or quiver), useful for people playing with trackpad instead of a mouse.

SURVIVAL:


- Once completing actions like butchering a carcass and few others, the character will automatically pick up items previously carried with the right hand (and dropped to perform the action), just like for gathering/eating/drinking actions.

OPTIMIZATION:


- Minor engine optimizations.

FIXES:


- Fixed a rare game freeze on save and autosave (at dawn).
- Fixed options tab button not highlighted when accessing the options menu.
- Fixed options texts not flashing on mouseover the first time options menu is accessed.
-[Survival] Fixed invisible left arm caused by toggling combat stance while mouse-dragging an item.

Update v0.98.1 released!

This update IS compatible with savegames from previous v0.98.0!



- Expanded the saving system with multiple slots:

...... There are now 8 manual save slots, instead of 1!
...... Saved games are named by default with the world name, but can be renamed as preference.
...... Saved games can be deleted by right-clicking on them.
...... Interface expanded to accomodate the new save/load panel.




OTHER RELEVANT CHANGES:


- [Survival] Added cave ambience sounds (echoed water drops, depending on rain and humidity).
- [Survival] External ambience sounds (birds, cicadas, crickets) will reduce their volume when inside a cave or shelter (just like wind and rain).
- [Survival] Melee damage calculation reworked: character strength and muscle mass have now a much higher impact on melee damage, making strong characters quite more powerful compared to weaker ones.
- [Survival] Cut Hair and Crack Coconut actions are now tied to the Butchering skill + minor rebalancing to their progress speed.
- [Survival] When jumping higher than an animal's reach, chasing animals (except adult T-Rex) will still try to hit the player, missing and suffering a brief delay - this makes jumping much more useful for dodging attacks.
- Fixed a rare game freeze when saving (should apply to old saves too, but not 100% sure)


Those are just the main changes, for a complete list check the FULL CHANGELOG!


Daniel

Major update v0.98.0 released!

This update is NOT compatible with old saves!

Old saves and settings are automatically deleted due to the different way the engine handles the new version. If you have a current save you don't want to lose, don't update now, but finish your game first (revert to v0.97.2 from Proprieties->Beta).

Saves from the Beta (0.98pb1) will not be deleted, and you can keep playing them in the beta if you want (but i'll eventually remove the beta at some point, and you'll want to update anyway!). To re-enable the previous beta, insert the key code "dinosystembeta"


---> FULL CHANGELOG It's two parts, probably the game's biggest changelog so far!

If you tried the Beta for v0.98, here are the changes from Beta2 -> Final 0.98 (from DinoSystem Discord).



A NOTE FROM THE DEV:


As is tradition, I'm dropping a major update right at the end of the year!
2024 has been a life-changing year: in October, my father passed away after a long illness. A few days before he passed, he asked me about the game - he expressed his appreciation for my commitment to it, and, since he was blind, he wanted to hear about the changes I had made and my vision for its future.

We live on a small island in southern Italy and he needed 24/7 care. I had no opportunity to travel or go out much, so working on DinoSystem was my main distraction. Still, knowing he was able to understand and appreciate my work offered a bittersweet closure to this ordeal.

My father was not a strong man, but he was full of creativity and passion, and I’m grateful I inherited some of that. Here’s a song (in italian Capri, Far Away) he composed long ago, when he lived in Germany and missed his beloved island, Capri.

On a brighter note, I’m now fully committed to bringing DinoSystem to v1.0. I’m back working full-time on it, so expect more frequent updates in 2025. I’ll write a detailed roadmap in January!


That being said, let's have a brief look at the Behemoth here (aka v0.98.0)...


- Added new music by Samuel Oddamo:
...... Added several non-continuous tracks for dawn, sunset, day and night.
...... Added a new music track playing during island generation and save loading.
...... Added a new music track playing during character creation and info screen.
...... Added a new music track playing during the Asteroid event.
...... Main/game menu music replaced with new tracks.
...... Added new settings for music.




- [Survival] Creation/info player screen now has two modes - Basic and Advanced:
...... Basic shows only body features and few info.
...... Advanced shows also skills and advanced info.
...... The first time you play, it is shown as Basic, but will remember your choice if you switch to Advanced.




- Added a new options tab - VIDEO:
...... Moved all video and graphics settings to the new video tab.
...... New video tab is transparent and UI elements are spaced out, allowing to see changes to the game visuals on-the-fly.
...... Added new settings (in the video tab) for Contrast, Brightness and Saturation.
...... GFX Quality setting (in the video tab) split in 3 settings: Shadows, Effects and Water.




- [Survival] Added Mini-Game setting and mechanics for Fishing and Light Fire actions:
...... Added a new setting for "Mini-Games"; when enabled, Fishing and Light Fire are actual mini-games, otherwise they're fully automated.
...... For Fishing, mini-game requires the player to successfully catch a passing fish: chance for a fish to spawn depends on fish population in that spot, while mini-game difficulty depends on Melee/Fishing skill, as well as other factors.
...... For Light Fire, mini-game requires the player to click the attack button at specific intervals, when the arrows overlap the red bars: arrows speed and red bars size depend on Firemaking skill, as well as other factors.




- [Survival] Added a new setting "Auto-Repeat", and reworked the auto-repeat feature with Shift:
...... The setting has 3 options - Disabled, Partial, Full:
............ Disabled - Drinking/Gathering actions will trigger once (as before); press (not hold!) Shift to repeat them ad-infinitum.
............ Partial - Drinking/Gathering actions will be automatically repeated until the desired resource is dropped/thirst is satiated; press Shift to repeat them ad-infinitum.
............ Full - Drinking/Gathering actions will be repeated ad-infinitum (until the desired resource is depleted, or stomach is full).




- [Survival] Added the option to remap mouse Controls, and to move with the mouse:
...... Movement, Attack and Aim/Scout actions can now be remapped and reassigned to any mouse button.
...... By default, Movement = unbinded, Attack = Left Mouse, Aiming = Right Mouse.
...... Added the ability to move holding a mouse button (disabled by default), and sprint by moving the cursor farther from the character.
...... Added new mouseover icons as hints for mouse action depending on object hovered and circumstances.



- Crafting/Building recipes unlocking system:
...... All recipes in the Craft/Build menu now start as unknown, and must be unlocked.
...... By hovering the mouse on any unknown recipe, a tooltip will give a vague hint about the item/structure and how to unlock it.
...... A recipe is unlocked by interacting with, crafting or gathering its primary component (e.g. Stone -> Stone Wall).
...... As soon as a recipe is unlocked, a purple side alert message will show up, and its button in the Craft/Build menu will be highlighted.




- Added Drying Rack and Meat/Fish drying mechanics:
...... Drying Rack needs 12 Sticks + 4 Strings, as well as 30+ Building skill (for 100% chance to be built).
...... Drying Rack recipe is discovered by interacting with a Stick.
...... Meat/Fish can be placed on a Drying Rack, and will slowly dry based on sun exposure (therefore make sure to build it in absence of any roof).
...... Depending on the weather and the Day Length option, drying a Meat/Fish can take up to 3 days.
...... Once dried, food gives no water and less vitamins/proteins, but will decay up to 6x slower!




- Sleep Bonus renamed to Sleep Debt, with expanded mechanics:
...... Sleep Debt level can be assessed by hovering the mouse over the Stamina bar.
...... As Stamina drops below 50%, when awake, Sleep Debt increase exponentially.
...... When sleeping, SD is gradually reduced.
...... Sleep Debt effects are:
............ Faster Stamina drop when awake.
............ Faster Stamina recovery when sleeping (effect increase capped at SD 24).
............ Chance of passing out at 0 Stamina.




- Improvements to Poisoning mechanics:
...... Poisoning damage happens only when the effect is added/increased, while its decay is more frequent, especially after eating a Healing Mush (which now has a bigger impact on poisoning reduction).
...... Vomiting from sickness is more frequent, but always associated with Poisoning decay (since you're emptying your stomach).
...... Sickness from severe Poisoning (>50%) can prompt skill decay too (for skills that are at -100% progression), depending on poison severity.




- Added the ability to dig up Didelphodon lairs, causing them to flee in panic or even killing some of them (at Digging skill > 100).




- [Survival] Coconut can now be cracked also with Sharpstone or Hatchet, but there's a small chance to shatter it.




- When felling a tree, the wood/resin will now dispose resembling an actual trunk, and they also drop leaves.




- [Survival] Added Fur and Fur Cape:
...... Fur is obtained exclusively from Didelphodon (instead of Hide), which drops one, sometimes.
...... Fur looks like Hide, but has a dark blue color.
...... Fur, just like Hide, must be cleaned, and when equipped as simple clothing gives more warmth then Hide.
...... Fur Cape is crafted from 3 Fur, as well as 20+ Crafting skill (for 100% chance to be crafted).
...... Fur Cape, when equipped as clothing, gives more warmth then Hide Cape.
...... Hide Cape warmth reduced slightly for balance.

- [Survival] Added String:
...... String is crafted from 3 Leaf, as well as 5+ Crafting skill (for 100% chance to be crafted).
...... String recipe is discovered by interacting with a Leaf.
...... String is now used in several existing recipes.
...... Some item sprites updated to reflect the presence of strings in their crafting.
...... To compensate for the extra work required in crafting, most tools decay rate from usage (chopping, carving, digging, etc) is reduced by 40-50%.






Those are just the main changes, for a complete list check the FULL CHANGELOG!


Daniel

Public beta 2 (v0.98) released

Hello dino hunters!

After 2 weeks of testing and plenty of feedback gathered, I've finally released Beta 2 for the upcoming v0.98.0, if you're already playing with Beta 1 (v0.98.0pb1), it should automatically update to Beta 2 (it's savegame compatible!).

If not, to access the beta, go to your Steam Library -> DinoSystem (right click) -> Properties -> Betas -> Choose 0.98.0pb1 (it says pb1, but it's public beta 2).

Here's the full list of changes/additions since Beta 1: [BETA] means it's a change internal to the beta

- [Survival] Creation/info player screen now has two modes - Basic and Advanced:
...... Basic shows only body features and few info.
...... Advanced shows also skills and advanced info.
...... The first time you play, it is shown as Basic, but will remember your choice if you switch to Advanced.

- [Survival] Improvements to Combat Stance:
...... Most actions that alter Combat Stance will revert it as soon as the action is completed.
...... When Combat Stance is disabled, weapons wielded will be grabbed with the right hand, and vice-versa.
...... When enabled, Combat Stance triggers a sound, and UI panels become red.

- Improvements to animal seed storing mechanics:
...... Changed how seeds are stored in animals: an animal has a chance to get the seed/spore of the plant/tree/mushroom it eats, which is released into the Dung as soon as it excretes.
...... When dead, animals storing a seed pass it to their carcass, which has a chance to pass it to carnivores eating it.
...... At game generation, animals/carcasses/dung have a chance to start with seeds stored.

- Rebalanced terrain fertility values "absorbed" by vegetation.
- Slightly reduced vegetation eaten by herbivores, to lessen their impact on the ecosystem and allow for bigger populations.
- [Survival] In the brief moments before character creation during island generation, loading tips are shown partially (to prevent the player from being unable to read them fully before character creation screen shows).
- Loading tips suggesting a control will show the actual key instead of the default one.
- [Survival] Crafting/carving/firemaking and such actions are no longer interrupted by performing an other action (like toggling Equip Mode or selecting an item), and tweaked other interruptions.
- Improved items collision with walls/boulders/mountains.
- [Survival] Fixed item collision with walls/boulders/mountains sometimes glitching if hitting the character.
- Fixed tree canopies not updating fast enough during Aim Mode or God Mode's camera movement.
- [Survival] Fixed a rare bug causing crafting buttons to not update correctly based on available components.
- Fixed +/- buttons continuing to be pressed while holding the mouse button far from them.
- Fixed Didelphodon occasionally rebuilding their nest on top of their previous one.
- Lightning hitting the sea will reduce fish population in that spot.
- Made several terrain and water mechanics tweaks to improve the long-term ecology simulation.
- Added total fish count next to Pteranodons.
- [Survival] Dropping the weapon from an animal attack now shows a warning message.
- All damage texts now have "-" before the value, for consistency.
- Leaf rotation speed from wind increased.
- Tree canopies (fake) SSAO improved slightly.
- Improved some cursor icons.
- [Survival] Improved Stick/Torch placement when sheathed on character's back.
- [Survival] Player Actions key is now used to trigger target action (if the mouse is on a target), otherwise it shows the player actions (as before).
- [Survival] Pteranodon is no longer mouseover-able in Survival (to prevent accidental conflicts with a current action).
- Ponds shape/bed slightly improved.
- Slightly reduced chance of female T-Rex deciding to fight a male approaching for mating.
- Island creation will generate more small ponds during Autumn and Summer.
-[BETA] Island creation will generate more lush terrain in all seasons, especially Autumn and Summer.
-[BETA] It's no longer possible to sprint while pulling, if moving with the mouse controls.
-[BETA] Added glow effect to firemaking minigame yellow bars.
-[BETA] "Light Fire" mouseover hint in firemaking minigame renamed to "Strike".
-[BETA] Fixed Fur Cape recipe requiring Hide in some circumstances.
-[BETA] Tutorials are no longer re-enabled at Reset settings.
-[BETA] Fixed a bug causing Fishing action to freeze the character if skill Zoology is 30+.
-[BETA] Menu music now starts with a delay
-[BETA] Show Chance setting is once again ON by default (reverted Beta1 change).
-[BETA] Default mouse control scheme reverted to pre-0.98 (LMB: Attack, RMB: Aim) with the option to enable mouse movement.
-[BETA] Fishing skill is used along with Zoology to assess fish population (the one that's higher does the skill check).
-[BETA] If MMB or RMB are assigned to Attack/Movement, is the mouse is on water, for inspect the key will be used, and the mouseover hint will suggest it.
-[BETA] Meat/Fish drying progress rate increase by 10%.
-[BETA] Fixed Light Fire UI getting stuck if disabling the Mini-games setting while performing the action.
-[BETA] Added two new music tracks for rainy and windy.
-[BETA] Minor interface fixes.


Here's the full changelog for 0.98.0



Happy testing!

Dan

Public beta 2 for v0.98 released!

Hello dino hunters!

After 2 weeks of testing and plenty of feedback gathered, I've finally released Beta 2 for the upcoming v0.98.0, if you're already playing with Beta 1 (v0.98.0pb1), it should automatically update to Beta 2 (it's savegame compatible!).

If not, to access the beta, go to your Steam Library -> DinoSystem (right click) -> Properties -> Betas -> Choose 0.98.0pb1 (it says pb1, but it's public beta 2).

Here's the full list of changes/additions ([BETA] means it's a change since Beta 1):

- [Survival] Creation/info player screen now has two modes - Basic and Advanced:
...... Basic shows only body features and few info.
...... Advanced shows also skills and advanced info.
...... The first time you play, it is shown as Basic, but will remeber your choice if you switch to Advanced.

- [Survival] Improvements to Combat Stance:
...... Most actions that alter Combat Stance will revert is as soon as the action is completed.
...... When Combat Stance is disabled, weapons wielded will be taken with the right hand, and vice-versa.
...... When enabled, Combat Stance triggers a sound, and UI panels become red.

- Improvements to animal seed storing mechanics:
...... Changed how seeds are stored in animals: an animal has a chance to get the seed/spore of the plant/tree/mushroom it eats, which is released into the Dung as soon as it excretes.
...... When dying, animals storing a seed pass it to their carcass, which has a chance to pass it to carnivores eating it.
...... At game generation, animals/carcasses/dung have a chance to start with seeds stored.

- Rebalanced terrain fertility values "absorbed" by vegetation.
- Slightly reduced vegetation eaten by herbivores, to lessen their impact on the ecosystem and allow for bigger populations.
- [Survival] In the brief moments before character creation during island generation, loading tips are shown partially (to prevent the player from being able to read them fully).
- Game assets are now bundled in a more efficient way, requiring less time to load.
- Loading hints suggesting a control will show the actual key instead of the default one.
- [Survival] Crafting/carving/firemaking and such actions are no longer interrupted by performing other action (like toggleing Equip Mode or selecting an item), and tweaked other interruptions.
- Improved items collision with walls/boulders/mountains.
- [Survival] Fixed item collision with walls/boulders/mountains sometimes glitching if hitting the character.
- Fixed tree canopies not updating fast enough during Aim Mode or God Mode's camera movement.
- [Survival] Fixed a rare bug causing crafting buttons to not update correctly based on available components.
- Fixed +/- buttons continuing to be pressed while holding the mouse far from them.
- Fixed Didelphodon occasionally rebuilding their nest on top of their previous one.
- Lightning hitting the sea will reduce fish population in that spot.
- Made several terrain and water mechanics tweaks to improve the long-term ecology simulation.
- Added total fish count next to Pteranodons.
- [Survival] Dropping the weapon from an animal attack now shows a warning message.
- [Survival] Toughness skill beyond lvl 100 now reduces the chance to become sick from food poisoning from 50% (at lvl 100) to 20% (at lvl 110).
- All damage texts now have "-" before the value, for consistency.
- Leaf rotation speed from wind increased.
- Tree canopies (fake) SSAO improved slightly.
- Improved some cursor icons.
- [Survival] Improved Stick/Torch placement when sheathed on back.
- [Survival] Player Actions key is now used to trigger target action (if the mouse is on a target), otherwise it shows player actions.
- [Survival] Pteranodon is no longer mouseover-able in Survival.
- Ponds shape/bed slightly improved.
- Slightly reduced chance of female T-Rex deciding to fight a male approaching for mating.
- Island creation will generate more small ponds during Autumn and Summer.
-[BETA] Island creation will generate more lush terrain in all seasons, especially Autumn and Summer.
-[BETA] It's no longer possible to sprint while pulling, if moving with the mouse controls.
-[BETA] Added glow effect to firemaking minigame yellow bars.
-[BETA] "Light Fire" mouseover hint in firemaking minigame renamed to "Strike".
-[BETA] Fixed Fur Cape recipe requiring Hide in some circumstances.
-[BETA] Tutorials are no longer re-enabled at Reset settings.
-[BETA] Fixed a bug causing Fishing action to freeze the character if skill Zoology = 30+.
-[BETA] Pause music now starts with a delay
-[BETA] Show Chance setting is once again ON by default (reverted Beta1 change).
-[BETA] Default mouse control scheme reverted to pre-0.98 (LMB: Attack, RMB: Aim) with the option to enable mouse movement.
-[BETA] Fishing skill is used along with Zoology to assess fish population (the one that's higher does the skill check).
-[BETA] If MMB or RMB are assigned to Attack/Movement, is the mouse is on water, for inspect the key will be used, and the mouseover hint will suggest it.
-[BETA] Meat/Fish drying progress rate increase by 10%.
-[BETA] Fixed Light Fire UI getting stuck if disabling the Mini-games setting while performing the action.
-[BETA] Added two new music tracks for rainy and windy.
-[BETA] Minor interface fixes.

Here's the full changelog for 0.98.0



Happy testing!

Dan