Experimental Patch Notes - Alpha 1.7.39

We've released 1.7.39 on our experimental branch via steam. This build will be moved to the stable branch as v1.8 if no major issues are found by players. You can find our patch notes below. Please report bugs and issues in game using the F1 menu.

If you'd like to track the patch progress and follow more closely with development, check our changelog and feel free to join our Discord.

How to get into experimental branch:

Open Steam and go to your games library.
Right click on STN and select "Properties"
Navigate to the "Betas" tab and select "experimental" in the drop down menu.
Close the properties window.

[h3]Experimental Patch Notes - Alpha 1.7.39[/h3]

Non Design Related

Overhauled name tags so that level is displayed and always face the player. Other changes include the ability for non players to have name tags.
Updated to Steamworks 1.5.1
Added friend list in the host page for joining/inviting friends to server.
Fixes to password field popup.
Fixes for steam not thinking game is fully closed after application quit.
Added steam friend inviting/joining support.
Added steam rich presence support.
Added session based whitelist which bypasses the need for password when joining from an invite.
In game player list updated to include a friend list for inviting/joining.

Network

Added UPnP support for automatic port forwarding.
Added connection tester that should assist with server operation.
Improved layout and simplification of the host tab to make starting a server easier.

General

Swapped the animal trap requirement, now needs red instead of green berry bundles

Graphics

Electrical lights optimized significantly with overall improved looks.
Improved overall world reflections effects based on time of day.
New screen space reflections on Ultra settings.
General fog improvements.
Improved interior ambient light to make interiors darker and more realistic.
Higher quality fog effects added that ties into weather system.
Replaced ambient occlusion effect which stops light reaching areas it shouldn't. This also improves performance.
Eye adaption effect added.
Improved anti aliasing system which looks better when moving. Weapons no longer leave trails and movement is no longer jarring.
Reduced extreme vignetting and some basic tweaks to contrast/exposure and color.
Removed stretching from cloud textures.

Particles

All new environment particle systems.
New rain particles and effects.
New snow particles and effects.

Terrain

Replaced all terrain textures with improved variants.
Dirt effect added under all roads and intersections to blend roads into terrain
Dirt splats painted under all roads to help roads blend into terrain

Vegetation

Replaced nature renderer system for rendering terrain details.
Improved vegetation and terrain detail design in all biome types.
Increased density of all vegetation and terrain details in the wild.
Increased density of trees in the wild.
Added random tilt to all trees. Previously all trees were completely upright.
Vegetation and terrain details now cast shadows.
Vegetation now features normal maps, reflections and translucency.
Vegetation wind effects quality increased significantly.
Vegetation now has wind effects based on weather.
Vegetation and terrain detail render distances increased. (Possible due to performance improvements in rendering system)

All new menu scene added.
Updated and modernized main menus.
Some improvements to usability of drop downs in quality settings
Borderless and fullscreen options added

Performance

Terrain vegetation and details now have LOD'ing to improve overall performance.
Ambient occlusion effect replaced with system that has improved performance.

Environment

All new water for rivers and ocean. Part or a greater change 1.9 will introduce improved design around water ways.
New swamp and marsh biomes added.
Power lines added throughout black island.
Strip mall and shop windows now have closed shutters covering the windows.
Improved trash piles around the wild.

Props

Improved fireplaces in most houses.
Added roller shutter for stores.
Updated wall UV's of most houses/cabins to fit the height of a texture to improve look of textures on walls
Fixed extreme stretching on strip mall model
Bevels added to industrial door frame
Updated picnic table using new assets.
Updated fixed campfire using new assets.
Updated the campfire drop.
Updated exterior trash bins using new assets.
Updated paper decal using new assets.
Replaced floor lamp with improved version.
Replaced desk lamp with improved version.
Replaced dryer with improved version.
Replaced washer with improved version.
Replaced radiator with improved version.
Replaced bath tub variants with improved version.
Replaced dresser with improved version.
Replaced wardrobe with improved version.
Replaced nightstand with improved version.
Replaced bookshelf tall/wide/double with improved version.
Replaced bathroom bin with improved version.
Replaced recliner with improved version.
Replaced toilet brush with improved version.
Replaced toiler paper holder with improved version.
Replaced gas stove with improved version.
Replaced queens bed variants with improved version.
Replaced twin bed variants with improved version.
Replaced book case with improved version.
Replaced toilet variants with improved version.
Replaced end table with improved version.
Replaced trash bag, bin and dumpster props with improved variants.
All terrain detail and vegetation either updated or replaced with improved variants.
Added new ivy props that will grow on buildings.
Improved materials to plaster house 9 and old house.
Improved dining table and chair models and textures.
Replaced rug textures.
New Coffee table textures and model improved.
Retextured wood stove.
Replaced sofa/couch props.
Replaced kitchen models.
Household fridge textures and model improved.
Stone wall texture and models improved.

Textures

Added new textures and used in various materials:
- Cabin bark
- Ceramic tiles
- Checkered tiles
- Checkered tiles 2
- Damaged ceiling
- Brown roof tiles
- Small bathroom tiles
- Bathroom tiles 2
- Wood floor 2
- Wood planks no gap
- Wood planks 90 degrees rotated
- Blue/red/green/yellow plaster
- Colored metal textures added (blue/green/orange)
- Gray metal
- Concrete
- Concrete floor
- Parquet
- Textures/materials replaced/updated
- Wallpaper
- Dirty wallpaper
- Carpet texture
- Desk texture higher resolution
- Plaster cracked texture
- Brick materials
- Blue wallpaper
- black carpet
- worn brick
- Sidewalk
- Stone wall
- Dirt added to single bed
- Removed tiling from worn bricks
- Bricks clean tiling improved
- Office ceiling updated
- Wall shelf updated
- Fortification atlas texture darkened
- Sidewalk snow and rain tweaked

Thanks for the continued support and continued issue and suggestion reporting :). Below are some helpful links to anyone new and interested in the game. If you'd like to follow a bit closer, please consider joining our Discord. We're here, we're listening!

[h3]Links[/h3]
Discord: https://discord.gg/survivethenights
Changelog: https://changelog.survivethenights.net
Twitter: https://twitter.com/STNgame
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/STNgame
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/a2zinteractive
Website: https://www.survivethenights.net
Merch: https://teespring.com/stores/a2zinteractive