Scrap Mechanic News

Hi Mechanics!
The Creative Mode update is finally out and we are already looking into some additional fixes.
Today we took care of a few reported crashes and some other issues.

Bug fixes

• Fixed an issue where world builder worlds from previous versions of the game did not work.
  
• Fixed Connect Tool connection highlight color.
  
• Fixed a crash that could occur when clients joined the game with a tool equipped.
  
• Fixed an issue that caused creations to be missing on the first load of old save files.
  

Modding

• Fixed a crash that occurred when loading invalid harvestable renderable json.
  

Hi Mechanics!
Creative mode Update 0.5.0 is finally here!

New creative mode worlds
Welcome to the new and updated creative mode! Not only did we make it look better to go hand in hand with the survival world but we also finally added water to the creative terrain. All trees can now be cut down and rocks can be drilled. Excellent for testing out ideas for your creations in Survival mode. We also gave the flat world an updated ground texture.
The new one should give a much better sense of movement and speed.

New capsules
Both bot and animal capsules have been added to creative mode.
Place them on the ground then shot or hit a capsule to release them into your world.
There is a lot of fun things you can do with these. Check the useful chat commands below.

Bot combat
Paint bots in different colors and see them attack each other.
This new feature is great fun and allows you to set up large bot fights.
The red tape boat also got a slight redesign to make it easy to see the difference between blue and red when painted. We are very happy with this new feature turned out and we are excited to see how you use it.

Gameplay tab and physics quality slider
We added a new gameplay tab in the in-game options menu.
This tab will let us add a mix of settings in the future for the player to adjust their gameplay and performance. First up is the physics quality slider. This slider is great for when setting up larger bot battles or when you are doing something where a lot of loose parts and blocks fall on the ground. It’s however not useful for creations with bearings unless you want to make wacky creations. This is just one stab towards making the game run even smoother and better. More to come!

Custom main menu
You can now decorate your main menu by pressing the blue pen icon on the bottom.
This will take you into the main menu world where you can build. You can also spawn your favorite creation from the lift and have it on display. Currently, the main menu does not support moving bearings and is only for static creations.

New useful chat commands
Lastly! We also added a lot of fun and useful commands for creative mode.

• /night - Set night
  
• /day - Set day
  
• /noaggro - Bots do not aggro players
  
• /noaggrocreations - Bots do not aggro creations
  
• /aggroall - Notifies all bots of player position
  
• /popcapsules - Open all bot and animal capsules
  
• /killall - Kills all spawned units
  
• /place tree - Places a tree in creative mode
  
• /place stone - Places a stone in creative mode
  
• /place birch|spruce|leafy|pine - Places a specific tree type
  
• /dropscrap - Enables or disables Scrap Metal loot drops in creative mode (default off)
  
• /restrictions - Allows removing restricted objects in creative mode, like tree parts.
  
• /clear -Removes all creations from the entire world in creative mode. Can only be used by the host and must be enabled with /allowclear
  
• /allowclear - Allows the use of the /clear chat command
  

Here is the full update list! It's a big one!:

Features

• Added bot capsules in creative mode.
  
• Added animal capsules in creative mode.
  
• Bots can be painted.
  
• Painted bots will team up with bots of the same color.
  
• Updated Red Tapebot visuals.
  
• Physics quality sliders.
  
• New creative worlds will now have water.
  
• New creative worlds will now have trees that can be cut down and stones that can be drilled.
  
• Tiles containing water can now be used in the world builder.
  
• Larger creative flat terrain.
  
• Updated flat terrain visuals.
  
• Added a fence around the edge of the flat terrain.
  
• Added a buildable main menu background.
  
• Added the Beacon to creative mode.
  
• Added the Water Cannon and Water Container to creative mode.
  
• Added the Bucket to creative mode.
  
• Added the Ammo Container to creative mode.
  
• Added Easy difficulty to the gameplay setting in survival mode.
  
• Added Craftbot to creative mode.
  
• Added crafting resources needed by the Craftbot to creative mode.
  
• Added Refinery to creative mode.
  
• Added Resource Collector to creative mode.
  
• Added Large Chest to creative mode.
  
• Added Vacuum Pump and Vacuum Pipes to creative mode.
  
• Glowstick added to creative mode.
  
• Added new chat commands to creative mode.
  

Improvements

• Better lighting in creative mode.
  
• The Logbook can now be opened while seated.
  
• The character can now be rotated in the main menu character customization screen.
  
• New loading screens for all game modes.
  
• Added a blur effect in the main menu.
  
• Added new Logic Gate GUI.
  
• Fade to black when respawning and riding elevators.
  
• Collision Effects should now trigger more consistently at high speeds.
  
• Collisions with bots and wocs are much more responsive.
  
• Reworked character vs character collision.
  
• Creation visualization is now more accurate for animated parts when using the Lift and Weld Tool.
  
• Vacuum can suck up Pigment Flower, Cotton and dropped items.
  
• Explosives can be triggered by bot collisions.
  
• Chat history, press up and down in chat to repeat chat messages.
  

Tweaks

• Saw blades deal more damage to small logs.
  
• Slightly increased Spudling Gun damage.
  
• Reduced hand refine time.
  
• Tweaked sledgehammer chain attack timing.
  
• Tweaked collision damage.
  
• Crafting the Beacon requires a little more metal.
  

Optimizations

• 64 bit executable. Should solve issues with the game running out of memory.
  
• Fixed issues with lua running out of memory.
  
• Threading prioritization improvements. Should solve issues with creations despawning when driving around.
  
• Minor network optimizations for character updates.
  
• Optimized AI pathfinding.
  
• Improved loading times when joining a world with many creations.
  
• Optimized inventory searching.
  
• Faster load times when loading particles.
  
• Stone LODs added
  
• Optimized the loading time of the user content icons in the main menu.
  
• Other optimizations :)
  

Bug fixes

• Fixed an issue that caused Terrain Asset Mods to not work with the World Builder terrain.
  
• Fixed an issue where Terrain Asset Mods would not load properly.
  
• Fix for dropping framerate when playing survival for a long time.
  
• Fixed an issue that caused Wocs to unload if they were ragdolling while driving them around.
  
• Fixed a bug that would give multiple yields and when harvesting the same plant with multiple vacuum pumps.
  
• Fixed a sound issue with the yellow Totebot Head.
  
• Fixed an issue where Totebot Head settings did not save and sync properly.
  
• Fixed an issue where creations containing static bodies triggered the fall through ground check which could lead to the creation disappearing.
  
• Fixed an issue where creations placed on the ground could sometimes become loose in survival mode when returning to an unloaded area.
  
• Fixed an issue where beacon distances sometimes did non update correctly in the logbook.
  
• Fixed an issue in the challenge builder when testing the challenge with hotbar row 2 or 3 selected.
  
• Fixed a bug that could cause Farmbots to become unkillable.
  
• Fixed connect tool rendering issues that could occur when building more than 1024 bodies.
  
• Fixed an issue where dynamic creations could stay in the air if laying on a lift and the lift was removed.
  
• Fixed crash that could occur when joining a game.
  
• Fixed a crash that could occur when switching display resolution.
  
• Fixed a crash that could occur when characters were ragdolling.
  
• Fixed an issue where lifts could be seen on the wrong warehouse floor.
  
• Fixed an issue where other players sometimes did not seem to have a tool equipped.
  
• Fixed an issue where carry animations would not be played.
  
• Fixed an issue where the player could still erase things while seated.
  
• Fixed an issue that could cause physics impulses to stop working on characters.
  
• Fixed a bug causing some effects to be missing.
  
• Fixed client crash caused by sending invalid creations.
  
• Fixed rendering issues with the Build Area and Goal holograms in challenge mode.
  
• Fixed an issue that could cause the camera to get stuck if the player pressed E to respawn while aiming at a Dressbot.
  
• Various tool animation fixes.
  
• Mechanic Station graphics fixes.
  
• Fixed a case when bots could sometimes stop and not make a new decision.
  
• Fixed some popup scaling issues.
  
• Other GUI fixes.
  
• Games containing a corrupt player position are now repaired when loaded.
  
• Fixed a crash that could occur when removing blocks or parts while restarting a challenge or going to the next level.
  
• Fixed an issue where players could be stuck with a grey screen after testing a challenge in the challenge builder.
  
• Spruce tree texture fixes.
  

Language

• Added missing italian translations.
  

Tile Editor

• Water can now be added in the tile editor.
  
• Fixed an issue where the tile editor would not properly save multiple Terrain Asset Mod dependencies for a tile.
  
• Added an option to create assets with or without a random rotation in the tile editor.
  
• Fixed tile icon rendering issues.
  

Modding

• Scripts can access the hotbar in creative mode.
  
• Fixed issues with mods reading and writing json files.
  
• Mods can load custom gui layouts.
  
• Fixed an issue where adding shapes to existing bodies from scripts could crash the game.
  
• Fixed a crash that occurred when creating a modded thruster with invalid configuration.
  
• Fixed a crash that occurred when joining a game containing custom characters that were not present on the client.
  
• Fixed a crash with that occurred when setting the density of parts or blocks to 0.
  
• Fixed a crash with that occurred when setting the character mass to 0.
  
• Added a hint to verify te integrity of game files then shaders are broken.
  

See you next time!


For all the latest news, follow us on Twitter Facebook

Updated March 30

Bug fixes

• Fixed camera issues in the World Builder
  

--------------------------------------------------------

Updated March 26

Bug fixes

• Players that had issues starting the game in the test branch should now be able to start
  
• Games containing a corrupt player position is repaired
  
• Fixed a crash that could occur when removing blocks or parts while restarting a challenge or exiting a world
  
• Fixed an issue that could cause the blueprint preview to stop updating
  
• Fixed a crash that occurred when placing blocks on the ground using the Vacuum (hotpatched)
  
• Fixed an issue where some harvesting assets were invisible, like corn and soil (hotpatched)
  

Modding

• Fixed a crash that occurred when joining a game containing custom characters that were not present on the client
  
• Fixed a crash with that occurred when setting the density of parts or blocks to 0
  
• Fixed a crash with that occurred when setting the character mass to 0
  
• Added a hint to verify the integrity of game files then shaders are broken
  

--------------------------------------------------------

Updated March 24

Features

• Added Easy difficulty to the gameplay setting
  
• Glowstick added to creative mode
  
• Crafting resources needed by the Craftbot added to creative mode
  
• Added Bucket to creative mode
  

New chat commands

• /day - Set day
  
• /night - Set night
  

Type /help to show all commands
Type /help for more info

Improvements

• Vacuum can suck up Pigment Flower, Cotton and dropped items
  
• Explosives can be triggered by bot collisions
  

Bug fixes

• Fixed a case when bots could sometimes stop and not make a new decision
  
• Fixed some popups scaling issues
  
• Other GUI fixes
  

Optimizations

• Preloading character meshes for more smooth capsule pops
  

Modding

• Fixed a crash, introduced in the previous test, that occurred when accessing functions on a part directly after being created to a pre-existing creation.
  

--------------------------------------------------------

Updated March 19

Hi Mechanics!
Thanks for helping us test the upcoming update.
In this test, we did a bunch of additional fixes based on your feedback.
For example, we added more chat commands for the capsules that will be helpful and fun to use.
Fixed some of the bots misbehaving and some additional fixes for players using mods.

Here is the list:

Features

• Updated flat terrain
  
• Added Craftbot to creative mode
  
• Added Refinery to creative mode
  
• Added Resource Collector to creative mode
  
• Added Large Chest to creative mode
  
• Added Vacuum Pump and Vacuum Pipes to creative mode
  

New chat commands

• /noaggrocreations - Bots do not aggro creations
  
• /popcapsules - Open all capsules
  
• /killall - Kills all spawned units
  
• /place tree - Places a tree in creative mode
  
• /place stone - Places a stone in creative mode
  
• /place birch|spruce|leafy|pine - Places a specific tree type
  
• /dropscrap - Enables or disables Scrap Metal loot drops in creative mode (default off)
  
• /restrictions - Allows removing restricted objects in creative mode, like tree parts.
  
• /clear -Removes all creations from the entire world in creative mode. Can only be used by the host and must be enabled with /allowclear
  
• /allowclear - Allows the use of the /clear chat command
  

Type /help to show all commands
Type /help for more info


Improvements

• Threading prioritization improvements. Should solve issues with creations despawning for some players when driving around.
  
• Bot capsules can be opened by drilling or sawing them
  
• Updated Red Tapebot visuals
  
• Hotbar is saved in the menu build mode
  
• Game settings saved (per world)
  

Tweaks

• Bots no longer target capsules
  

Bug fixes

• Fixed color of carried Scrap Metal
  
• Fixed an issue where creations containing static bodies triggered the fall through ground check.
  
• Spruce tree texture fixes
  
• Fixed an issue where players could be stuck with a grey screen after testing a challenge in the challenge builder
  
• Fixed an issue where creations placed on the ground could sometimes become loose in survival mode when returning to an unloaded area
  

Optimizations

• Optimized AI pathfinding
  
• Stone LODs added
  
• Fixed issues with lua running out of memory.
  
• Optimized the loading time of the user content icons in the main menu
  

Modding

• Scripts can access the hotbar in creative mode
  
• Fixed issues with mods reading and writing json files
  
• Mods can load custom GUI layouts
  
• Fixed an issue where adding shapes to existing bodies from scripts could crash the game
  
• Fixed a crash that occurred when creating a modded thruster with invalid configuration
  

--------------------------------------------------------

Updated March 5

• Added Woc capsule.
  
• Added Glowbug capsule.
  
• Fixed a crash that occurred when clients left the game with a spudgun equipped.
  

--------------------------------------------------------

Hi Mechanics!

Last few week we’ve been hard at work on the Creative mode update that we mentioned in our latest devblog. It contains a lot of new things that we need help testing out to make sure it runs well.

Some of these things are updated terrain worlds that now have trees and rocks from survival.
We also added water to the terrain and slightly expanded it in size.
Something we are really excited to see you try out are the new enemy capsules.
These allow you to release bots in to the creative world. You can also paint the bots in other colors to make them turn on each other. This is a fun feature that let’s you set up bot battles.
We also made it possible for mechanics to customize their main menu buy clicking on the blue pen icon at the bottom. Keep in mind that bearings can’t be used in the main menu world.

On top of all this we also made a ton of fixes and improvements that we are sure a lot of mechanics will be happy with! One of them is a physics quality slider that can be accessed in-game from the ESC – Option menu. Here you can set how good you want the physics to be. It’s a good slider to have to adjust performance, but also to make some really wacky creations. Give these a try!
Please keep in mind that some things are still missing in the test that will be added in the coming days.
For example Woc and glowbug Capsules and a few more fixes we are still currently in the works.


Here is the full list!

Features

• 64 bit executable.
  
• Physics quality sliders.
  
• Added bot capsules in creative mode.
  
• Bots can be painted.
  
• Painted bots will team up with bots of the same color.
  
• New creative worlds will now have water.
  
• New creative worlds will now have trees that can be cut down and stones that can be drilled.
  
• Tiles containing water can now be used in the world builder terrain.
  
• Larger creative flat world.
  
• Added a fence around the edge of the flat world.
  
• Added buildable main menu background.
  
• Added the Beacon to creative mode.
  
• Added the Water Cannon and Water Container to creative mode.
  
• Added the Ammo Container to creative mode.
  
• Added /noaggro and /aggroall chat commands in creative for bot vs player combat settings.
  
• Fade to black when respawning and while riding elevators.
  
• Chat history, press up and down in chat to repeat chat messages.
  

Improvements

• The character can now be rotated in the main menu character customization screen.
  
• New loading screens for all game modes.
  
• Added new Logic Gate GUI.
  
• Collision Effects should now trigger more consistently at high speeds.
  
• Collisions with bots and wocs are much more responsive.
  
• Reworked character vs character collision.
  
• Creation visualization is now more accurate for animated parts when using the Lift and Weld Tool.
  
• Added a blur effect in the main menu.
  
• The Logbook can now be opened while seated.
  
• Better lighting in creative mode.
  

Tweaks

• Saw blades deal more damage to small logs.
  
• Slightly increased Spudling Gun damage.
  
• Reduced hand refine time.
  
• Tweaked sledgehammer chain attack timing.
  
• Tweaked collision damage.
  
• Crafting the Beacon requires a little more metal.
  

Optimizations

• Improved loading times when joining world with many creations.
  
• Optimized inventory searching.
  
• Faster load times when loading particles.
  
• Other optimizations :)
  

Bug fixes

• Fixed an issue that caused Terrain Asset Mods to not work with the World Builder terrain.
  
• Fix for dropping framerate when playing survival for a long time.
  
• Fixed a sound issue with the yellow Totebot Head.
  
• Fixed an issue where Totebot Head settings did not save and sync properly.
  
• Fixed an issue where Terrain Asset Mods would not load properly.
  
• Fixed a bug that could cause Farmbots to become unkillable.
  
• Fixed an issue that caused Wocs to unload if they were ragdolling while driving them around.
  
• Fixed connect tool rendering issues that could occur when building more than 1024 bodies.
  
• Fixed an issue where dynamic creations could stay in the air if laying on a lift and the lift was removed.
  
• Fixed crash that could occur when joining a game.
  
• Fixed a crash that could occur when switching display resolution.
  
• Fixed a crash that could occur when characters were ragdolling.
  
• Fixed an issue where lifts could be seen on the wrong warehouse floor.
  
• Fixed an issue where other players would not seem to have a tool equipped when spawning.
  
• Fixed an issue where carry animations would not be played.
  
• Fixed an issue where the player could still erase things while seated.
  
• Fixed an issue that could cause physics impulses to stop working on characters.
  
• Fixed a bug causing some effects to be missing.
  
• Fixed client crash caused by sending invalid creations.
  
• Fixed a bug that would give multiple yields and when harvesting the same plant with multiple vacuum pumps.
  
• Fixed an issue where beacon distances sometimes did non update correctly in the logbook.
  
• Fixed rendering issues with the build area and goal holograms in challenge mode.
  
• Fixed an issue that could cause the camera to get stuck if the player respawned while aiming at a Dressbot.
  
• Various tool animation fixes.
  
• Mechanic Station graphics fixes.
  

Tile Editor

• Water can now be added in the tile editor.
  
• Fixed an issue where the tile editor would not save multiple Terrain Asset Mod dependencies for a tile.
  
• Option to create assets with or without random rotation in the tile editor.
  
• Fixed tile icon rendering issues.
  

For all the latest news, follow us on Twitter Facebook

Calling all mechanics!
New devblog, coming through! This time, we want to focus on a few things that are coming up in the not-too-distant future and also show a few new things that are in the works for the next survival chapter.



Cablebot
Watch out! There are more bots incoming in the next chapter:
While traveling deep underground, you might encounter the cablebots: they travel in big numbers and love digging holes with their cable clippers. No one knows why the cablebots are that deep in the first place yet; perhaps you will find the answer to this mystery in a future update. 
Until then, you had best prep some chests with potatoes and dust off that spudgun; you’re going to need it.



Quest are coming
Progress on the new quest system for the next chapter is moving along.
The quests in the chapter will guide you through the story while letting you continue playing at your own pace. We will also be adding a dialogue system to the game, letting NPCS talk to you! We love how it feels and where it's heading. 
Here is an image of the player taking an incoming call.



Digital clock
We have started work on a new interactive part.
The next chapter will introduce a clock, so mechanics can check the time, anytime, whether they’re driving or at their base. But that’s not the best part about it: the clock will also allow the mechanic to set a specific time for it to interact with a trigger. 
Thanks to it, you should be able to set a time for your base defenses to turn on or off, so you can keep those uninvited nighttime visitors away!



Creative mode update
In the Creative Mode update that’s just around the corner, we will be updating the terrain to include the same props as the world of Survival Mode. 
You will now be able to cut down trees and test out new ideas for lumber- or rock drilling-based creations. We also added water to some of the tiles, as well as a water border around the creative terrain world, so you can go on boat races with your friends!
We also updated the flat world ground texture, since the old one was a bit out of date against the game's new visuals. We have also slightly increased the map size of both the terrain as well as flat world. You will have to create a new world to get the updated terrain however. The new props and water will not show up in old worlds.



Decorate the main menu
Some mechanics might have been wondering about that odd background platform that is sitting in the middle of the main menu. 
We’re finally putting it to its intended, original use: mechanics will now be able to enter that world so they can build and decorate their main menu, simply by clicking the blue pen icon at the bottom. 
Let's make some neat pixel art! 



Enemy capsules
We’ve only given you sneak peeks at the enemy capsules for creative mode on our Twitter so here’s another good look at them in action. Use them to test your new traps and defenses against bots before your next survival mode session.
But that’s not all; we’re also working on adding another feature to the enemy capsules: paint jobs. Now, you can paint bots in different colors, so they turn on each other instead. 
For example: if you spawn two tape bots and paint one yellow and the other pink, they’ll duke it out instead of coming after you! Lastly! Woc's and glowbugs will also get a capsule. The capsules will come with the new creative mode update.



Interactive tutorial part
Calling all new mechanics! 
Learning how to build a vehicle the first time you start the game can be a bit hard, especially when you’ve got nothing but the handbook. 
The new tutorial block is here to help you flatten that learning curve! Now, you can get step by step instructions on how to build a basic vehicle and grasp the game’s building fundamentals, simply by placing it on a lift. We are still not sure if this one will come out before or with the next chapter.


That's all for now!

We have some truly cool stuff in the works that we will show in devblog 22, so please keep an eye out for it. It's something we know a lot of you mechanics will love.

For all the latest news, follow us on Facebook Twitter

Calling all Mechanics!
2020 is coming to a close and we’re here to end it on a good note with a special devblog! Here are some of the things we’ve been working on since the release of Scrap Mechanic’s Survival Mode earlier this year.

To start, we have been hard at work on the next chapter and we will be announcing its official name at a later date. But until then, here are some of the things we managed to liberate from the Scrap HQ’s secret drawing board!



Going underground
This new location includes new adventures and gameplay options that we can’t wait to share with you! This new chapter of Survival Mode adds new quests and NPCs that will take you to the next stop in your journey: the mining island. For the first time in Scrap Mechanic history, you will be delving deep into the planet’s mines, to uncover new, big secrets!
Here’s a sneak peek into some features and concepts of the underground that are currently in progress.



Trash Bot
It’s a good thing Scrap Mechanic doesn’t come with Smell-O-Vision! Introducing the biggest bot we’ve made so far: the Trash Bot. 
This smelly clanker is the very first boss of the game! Rumour has it that you can find it on the Warehouse rooftop, collecting junk. 
If you do run into him, you’d best have your spudgun at hand or you will end up in the trash with the rest of the smelly produce! 



Sticky wheels
New update, new parts. And these wheels will be a lot of fun!
With the help of the new Sticky Wheels, you’ll be putting together vehicles that can dig and drive in every direction, so you can go deeper than any mechanic has ever gone before. 



Red Guy
A new challenger explodes into the scene!
It’s the latest addition to the Totebot family, the Red Totebot: those canisters on its head explode on contact, so make sure you keep this one at a distance.
Pro Tip: Try getting it with a few well-placed spud shots before it gets too close for comfort. 



Hot Chilis
With great chili, comes great responsibility. This plant is definitely going to bring the heat on you and your farm! So make sure to give your base's defenses a boost because those chilis sound like trouble! Just watch out for the kind of bot it attracts. It sure looks like a handful.



Plasma Drill
The basic drill is a great tool to attach to your vehicle for digging, but it can’t break through some of the tough layers of rock in the underground. 
Thankfully, it looks like the devs have got you covered: introducing the plasma drill; a new part for your vehicle! With its added power and improved reach, you can bore through the pesky underground bedrock. Did we forget to mention that it’s more comfortable to use than the basic drill too?



Warehouse changes!
It looks like the devs are planning to update the Warehouse.
They’ll be giving it a bit of a rework, by changing a few things around and adding some new elements. For example, parts that mechanics find inside are not removable at this moment. However, they will be after this update! 
But that’s not all: the new Warehouse will be including additional quests and story elements. Best watch out, because things are going to get dangerous.
A WARNING FROM THE DEVS: the new update might cause the old warehouse key to turn into a circuit board. We will be introducing a new warehouse key in its place when the next chapter is out.



Wardrobe
What’s an update without some brand new threads for your Mechanic?
The next chapter will be introducing a lot of funny shirt designs, along with some special rare outfits. For example, take a look at the welder outfit that will be included in the next chapter:


That’s all we’ve managed to slip under the devs’ noses so far, Mechanics but remember: this is a just a sneak peek into the mother load of content that the next chapter is going to contain. The devs have a lot more irons in the fire and they’ll be bringing them out in the following dev blog, so stick around for more awesome news.



Happy Holidays Mechanics! We hope you have a creative 2021!
See you next year!

We love you! 

For all the latest news, follow us on Facebook Twitter