Satisfactory News

Hi Pioneers!

Hello everyone, today’s patch has a bunch of Path/Block signals fixes to address some old issues and some of the new issues introduced in the last patch, there’s a few remaining issues/polish related to them that we are aware of so please check the “Known issues” section for more.

This patch should be pretty safe but if we somehow introduced some big bugs, please let us know over at our QA Site https://questions.satisfactorygame.com/ We’ll take a look at them ASAP!

See you again soon
BUG FIXES

• Stations cannot be placed inside Path blocks anymore, path signals now give a proper error message if a station is found inside a block.
  
• Short blocks, about 75% the size of a train cart, should now work with path signals.
  
• Fixed Path signals placed right after a station being incorrectly reserved by trains going to the station.
  
• If the timetable changes and the next station changes, trains should properly re-path now.
  
• Fixed timetable getting “Invalid next stop” if the current station was removed when it is also the last station on the list.
  
• Current stop should now properly display for clients in multiplayer or dedicated servers.
  
• Fixed Truck Stations displaying at the center of the map
  

KNOWN ISSUES

• Remaining issues related to Path/Block Signals in the scenarios we have looked at can be solved by rearranging the signalling, replacing path signals before stations with block signals, using path signals at intersections and block signals along one-directional tracks, so consider trying those options if you’re still having issues.
  
  
• A reminder for people who have been having issues with unexpected crashes on startup or weird behaviour with the game, in that case please try to verify your game files.
  
  You can do this on Steam by Right Clicking the game in your Library > Properties > Local Files > Verify integrity of game files...
  
  And on Epic by clicking on the three dots (“...”) next to the title or at the right side, depending on your selected library view > Verify
  
  This may or may not redownload a large amount of files which might take a while depending on your internet connection or hard drive speeds so be wary of that.
  
  If you are using mods, they might need to be updated or uninstalled after updating so please keep this in mind too.
  

• If you are experiencing issues launching the game or loading a save and you have already verified your files, you might have some incompatibility with DX12 as the default renderer, you can try the following launch options to try to force DX11, DX12 or Vulkan to run respectively.
  
  • d3d11
    
  • DX11
    
  • d3d12
    
  • DX12
    
  • vulkan

• Dedicated Server Crash reports, Currently Crashes that happen on a Dedicated Server are automatically sent to us, this is enabled by default, we plan on including a toggle for this in GUI but for the moment, if you want to disable automatically sending crash logs you can do this:
  
  • Go to the Server Install folder
    
  • Open “Engine.ini”
    
  • Add the following:
    
  • [CrashReportClient]
    
  • bImplicitSend=False
    
  • Save changes and restart the Server

• Packet routing is incompatible with multihome, so we're automatically disabling the former when the latter is enabled
  

Hi Pioneers!

Hello again everyone, today’s patch brings a big bunch of fixes from the Experimental version over to Early Access, it also brings both versions to parity.

Some note worthy changes from the update are the Engine Upgrade to version 4.26.2, EOS account Unlinking, Localisation updates, tons of Vehicle and Train fixes and more!

BEFORE YOU USE THE NEW EOS UNLINKING OPTION:
Please read the EOS FAQ below and remember to back up your saves and any other important data in your Satisfactory folder (Saves, mods, config files, etc) on both Steam and Epic, this may or may not affect your Cloud saves as well so be wary of doing this unnecessarily or without a backup. Worth noting that this setting is only visible from the Steam version.

If we introduced some unexpected bugs, please let us know over at our QA Site https://questions.satisfactorygame.com/ We’ll take a look at them ASAP!

See you next time
NEW

• Upgraded to Unreal Engine 4.26.2
  
• Epic Online Services (EOS) account link status resetting is now possible by going to Options > Online > Reset Account Linking
  

BUG FIXES

• Multiple fixes related to issues with Path Signals and Block Signals for Trains
  
• Fixed a bug where vehicles would sometimes get displaced for Clients when far away from other players
  
• Fixed issue where vehicles would get stuck ghosting
  
• Fixed bug where the Load Vehicle Path UI would display inaccurate path lengths
  
• Fixed several minor issues related to vehicle automation
  
• Fixed a bug where automated vehicles would sometimes be able to move without fuel
  
• Fixed issue where automated vehicles would sometimes stop moving when about to enter a station right after loading a game
  
• Fixed issue with automated vehicles sometimes continuing to drive despite being blocked
  
• Fixed an issue where removing a vehicle target would result in collision avoidance not working anymore for that path
  
• Fixed issue with automated vehicles sometimes driving into other automated vehicles that are waiting in line
  
• A HUD message is now displayed every time an automated vehicle gets completely stuck (“deadlock”)
  
• Fixed a crash when exiting the game when using Vulkan as a renderer
  
• Fixed some issues where automated Trains could get completely stuck (“deadlock”)
  
• Fixed a bug when starting a game with the “Skip Intro” option and then loading a save would result in the intro also being skipped in that save unless exiting the game and relaunching it first
  
• Fixed re-rail holograms for Trains sometimes disappearing
  
• Fixed Trains and Train Stations not showing the correct location on the map and compass
  
• Fixed a crash that could happen if there’s a deadlock near a non-automated vehicle
  
• Decreased the collision-avoidance distance for automated vehicles
  
• Fixed a crash for client related to vehicle paths
  
• Fixed an issue with vehicle path recording inside factories sometimes recording docking to stations on floors above the vehicle
  
• Fixed issues with the Factory Cart having difficulties finishing path recording
  
• Fixed a crash related to the vehicle representation on the map
  

DEDICATED SERVERS

• Fixed Dedicated Server crash reporter not working properly
  

LOCALISATION

• Updated all languages with the latest translations
  
• Updated language completion rates
  
• Updated community translators in the credits
  
• Fixed Esperanto not working properly
  

EPIC ONLINE SERVICES (EOS) FAQ

• What does this mean?
  

When you first launch the game on Steam, you’re prompted to select whether you want to continue only using Steam (Left option) or if you want to link an existing Epic Games account (Right option) so you get your friends list from Epic Games to display while you’re playing on Steam, so you can invite others to play directly from here.

Please note that this has never been required for crossplay, you have always been able to join each other by using Session ID, The player hosting the game would have to press ESC while in game > Manage Session > Session Settings > Copy To Clipboard, and share that Session ID with the player joining it, which would then from the main menu click Join Game > Join via Session ID and paste the code in there which would allow you to join each other regardless of platform or friends list status.

• So why does this matter?

Previously, it was impossible for someone to reset their account linking status on their own, they would have to submit an unlink request to our support email, now this should not be necessary anymore.

This means that if you changed your mind about the option you selected previously, you can now reset it so you get the prompt again so you can choose to unlink or link your accounts.

There are also some scenarios where your account status could get bugged and say that “Your currently logged-in Epic Games Store account is incompatible…” which resetting your account link status should also fix.

This also helps people who have accidentally linked the wrong Epic Games account, as you can now reset it and link the proper account.

If none of these things apply to you, then you shouldn’t worry about this, this won’t change anything and it’s just an option to help those who need it.


KNOWN ISSUES

• A reminder for people who have been having issues with unexpected crashes on startup or weird behaviour with the game, in that case please try to verify your game files.
  
  You can do this on Steam by Right Clicking the game in your Library > Properties > Local Files > Verify integrity of game files...
  
  And on Epic by clicking on the three dots (“...”) next to the title or at the right side, depending on your selected library view > Verify
  
  This may or may not redownload a large amount of files which might take a while depending on your internet connection or hard drive speeds so be wary of that.
  
  If you are using mods, they might need to be updated or uninstalled after updating so please keep this in mind too.
  

• If you are experiencing issues launching the game or loading a save and you have already verified your files, you might have some incompatibility with DX12 as the default renderer, you can try the following launch options to try to force DX11, DX12 or Vulkan to run respectively.
  
  • d3d11
    
  • DX11
    
  • d3d12
    
  • DX12
    
  • vulkan

• Dedicated Server Crash reports, Currently Crashes that happen on a Dedicated Server are automatically sent to us, this is enabled by default, we plan on including a toggle for this in GUI but for the moment, if you want to disable automatically sending crash logs you can do this:
  
  • Go to the Server Install folder
    
  • Open “Engine.ini”
    
  • Add the following:
    
  • [CrashReportClient]
    
  • bImplicitSend=False
    
  • Save changes and restart the Server

• Packet routing is incompatible with multihome, so we're automatically disabling the former when the latter is enabled
  

Satisfactory has been putting out regular major updates since the factory sim launched in early access back in 2020, but it's developers are now changing focus a little. A new video which describes the contents of the next release - Update 6, focused on exploration - also explains why the development team are going to start taking longer between releases. The short answer? Because they're working on releasing version 1.0.

Read more

The developers at Coffee Stain Studios have taken a new approach to Update 6 for Satisfactory, releasing a 12-minute video outlining the entire update—as well as why they're doing so. In short, they're letting you know in advance that the update won't be huge, but that's because they're taking time to really drill down and get the game ready for its 1.0 release—which will probably be this year. To that end, Update 6 releasing some time in early June might be the last big update before the whole thing comes tumbling out...
Read more.

Hey everyone!

It's been pretty silent from us the last couple of months but we're about to change that. We're starting this off today by revealing that Update 6 is going to be all about improving the Exploration aspect of Satisfactory but we also need to talk about why this update is going to be a bit different.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h2]Why this update is going to be different[/h2]

At the start of the year, we took a big, long look at the planning for the game and what we sort of realized is that doing updates in the way we’ve done them up until now won’t align with our goal of working towards the final release of the game.

Previously we've always looked at, sort of, what can we develop in the loose timeframe that we’ve set in between updates. So, if there’s work that needs to be done that won’t fit that timeframe, we’ve pushed it up for later. But in doing so it feels like we’re running a marathon in between updates. What we’d rather like to be doing is look at what we need to do in general to finish the game and take the time necessary to do so. And that’s exactly what we’re going to do.

It’s been very exciting for us to make the updates we’ve made up until this point and package them in the way that we’ve done, but we’ve sort of realized that if we’re to reach 1.0 we can’t really follow the same release cycle.

So going forward, we're changing how we’re going to be releasing updates to the game and doing development a bit more openly, showing you things as we’re working on them. Starting by revealing the content for our next Update.

[h2]Update 6[/h2]

Update 6 (working title), is going to be all about improving the exploration aspect of Satisfactory. This is going to be a smaller update and it’s going to be an update that may stick around in experimental a bit longer than before as we work on it.

It might seem odd that when we finally break the silence after so long, we’re doing it by announcing a smaller update. We have been working on a lot of things since the last update we launched. Some things are going in this update, but many things may come later down the line.


This update will focus on improving the following things in the game

• Environmental changes
  
• Creature improvements
  
• Equipment additions
  
• Improvements to the in-game map menu
  
• General technical improvements
  
• (Clock Speed rebalance)
  

[h3]Environmental changes[/h3]
To kick things off, a formerly quite barren part of the northern coast is receiving a breath-taking update of its terrain and flora to fully live up to its name: The Spire Coast. This is a completely new biome, a serene tropical coastal area, dominated by large spires that can create an interesting challenge for vertically aligned factory builders.

The swamp has received a full plant-life overhaul to achieve the final version of this unsettling and noxious area. While the terrain has only changed in minor ways and resources remain the same, the vibe of the Swamp is far more refined.

We're also working on further polishing the atmosphere of MASSAGE-2(AB)b by improving lighting, sky and weather(!). In general, the cloud coverage and sky has seen improvements and we're currently working on possibly having rain in the game. We don't know for sure if that will make it in but we'll see what happens!

[h3]Creatures[/h3]
MASSAGE-2(AB)b has become inundated with new and improved critters. A lot of work has been done to improve creature visuals and behaviors and add new additions to the wildlife, creating a more immersive exploration experience.

[h3]Equipment additions[/h3]
To help tackle these new upgraded threats, improvements have been made to combat mechanics. Most notably, Update 6 will contain feature equipment changes and additions to give players more tools to engage in combat. These updates will mainly impact exploration, but there might be more equipment changes coming that will improve factory traversal as well.

[h3]Improvements to the in-game map menu[/h3]
The player map will be upgraded with a range of UI improvements to make it easier to use and for pioneers to plan their expeditions and factory layouts. The Radar Tower will get an overhaul, to actually make it useful for exploration. Because it wasn’t before.

[h3]General technical improvements[/h3]
There's also a couple of technical improvements to some of the underlying systems we’re currently working on that will hopefully improve the overall experience of the game for some folks. There’s also, of course, a couple of bug fixes and network improvements here and there, we’re always working on that.

[h3](Clock Speed rebalance)[/h3]
Since this update mostly focuses on the exploration aspects of the game there won't be any new production chains or anything like that, but there is one potential change we're thinking of making regarding how clock speed functions in the game.

If you didn’t know, when you overclock a machine in Satisfactory the power requirement increases in a non-linear fashion, and it’s governed by this formula


Which means that when you overclock machines, they will require significantly more power than if you were to build multiple ones and if you underclock, you will be using less power for the same part production with the drawback of slower production speed (see the Satisfactory wiki for more info on this Satisfactory Wiki).

The proposed change we have in mind is to make all overclocking follow a linear formula. So a machine that is overclocked to 200% would use twice as much power, and vice versa if you underclock.

Basically, what this means is that we’re thinking of buffing overclocking and nerfing underclocking a little bit. The changes to the clock speeds are intended to support players in the early game, by making it easier for them to improve their factory with overclocking without running into power increases that generally aren't communicated clearly. And for players in the late game by allowing them to build bigger and more efficient factories.

We're not entirely sure we'll make this change so please let us know what you think about this!

[h2]Release Date[/h2]
With all that being said, we're still developing many aspects of the exploration update. We want to reveal the core topics of the update up front because we sort of want to set the stage for how we intend to work on the game going forward.

The obvious question on everyone's mind is of course then, "when is the update coming out?". Since we're still working on it we don't have a set release date in mind, but our current release window is sometime early June. This might change though.

[hr][/hr]
I hope this aperitif of information that we’re sharing with you today is something you’re looking forward to. We’re certainly looking forward to talking more about it and showing you what we’ve done! Remember that this is a high-level explanation of the content in the update. We plan to release more info in the future to talk more about these topics so let us know if there’s any particular topic you’re excited about specifically and want us to cover in the future!

Take care until next time!
Snutter