Stormworks: Build and Rescue News

Dear Stormworkers,

This week is update week, and we have a small update focused on fixes and improvements!

While this may be a minor update, there are many important changes which players have been asking for. These improvements include a new "space" tag for the workshop, to help organize and find these creations.



Sadly, the bug allowing players to fly with a fire extinguisher has been addressed! Fire extinguishers still apply force in space allowing you to propel yourself around, but on Earth they don't apply any force any more.



For a full list of changes, see the notes below.

Next week we have a reelly big announcement so be sure to join us for the new info. We won't say any more as to spoil this update so catch you then!



Much love
The Stormworks Developers



Patch Notes

v1.9.25

Feature - #22081 Added space and train tags to workshop uploads
Feature - #22258 Added rotation, angular speed and tilt to the astronomy sensor
Fix - Multiplayer rope render sync
Fix - #23781 Winch speed setting appearing on rope hooks
Fix - #21497 Hide addon popups during photo mode
Fix - #21797 Disable editing of vehicles with passengers
Fix - #21815 Skybox rendering issues
Fix - #22168 DLC icons on server list overlapping
Fix - #22376 Compartment internal fluid height issues (fires extinguishing under waterline)
Fix - Fixed tractor and engine preset issues
Balance - #21773 Reduced fire extinguisher force

Dear Stormworkers,

Thank you for all the feedback on pulleys! It was really fun to release a physics based component, and seeing players engage with the mechanics and engineering of pulleys has been awesome. The new and updated crane creations are incredible!

While the last couple of minor updates have included features, next weeks minor update will focus on just fixes and improvements.



Beyond that, we are continuing to work on the major and minor updates, and the new game.

We are also planning on doing a live Q&A session soon - time and date to be announced!

We will keep this weeks update short - please join us next week for the fixes minor update.

Much love
The Stormworks Developers

Dear Stormworkers,

Grab your block and tackle and start calculating your mechanical advantage - rope pulleys are now in Stormworks!

Rope pulleys work in the way you might intuitively expect - a pulley allows rope to pass through, with equal tension on each side of the pulley. Pulling on one side of a pulley will pull the rope through from the other side.

You can create an array of pulleys to create mechanical advantage with a block and tackle style arrangement, or just use pulleys to better design your cranes by separating your winch from the top of your gantry arm.



Two blocks are provided - the 'U' arrangement with rope anchors on the same side, and the 'L' arrangement with rope anchors at right angles to each other.

We have also reworked the preset vehicles a lot, so expect many improvements and new presets.

We have also added several fixes and improvements, please see the notes below for full details.



We hope you enjoy the new update, and look forward to your thoughts, feedback, new cranes and inventive ways of using pulleys!

Much love
The Stormworks Developers



Patch Notes

v1.9.22-23

Feature - #4053 New Rope Pulley Block
Feature - #21412 New/updated preset vehicles
Feature - Decorated sawyer bases with seasonal meshes
Fix - #19513 Train wheels slower in reverse
Fix - #21611 Hide player option in camera mode not working
Fix - #21484 Fixed and optimized lights in hangar offices and hangars
Fix - #21477 Electric valves not working if below 90% charge
Fix - #21442 MC editor logic gates descriptions not showing in hotbar
Fix - #21342 Removed mega_island_16_3 floating trees

Dear Stormworkers,

Happy Holidays!

It is update week, and this update includes new variable pitch ship propellers!

These new propellers have a pitch input that allows you to adjust the pitch angle of the blades. This controls the amount of energy transferred by the propeller and controls the amount of thrust generated. Small, medium and large variants are included.



As well as these new components, there are several fixes and improvements included. Please see the patch notes below for details.

We have now included the dedicated server exe with Stormworks. Please can we ask server owners to transition over as we plan to discontinue the separate dedicated server app after 16th Feb 2024.



We look forward to your feedback on the new components and fixes!

Much love
The Stormworks Developers



Patch Notes

v1.9.21

Feature - Variable pitch ship propellers (small, medium, large)
Fix - improved positioning of player when leaving a seat, particularly at high speed
Fix - fixed looping equipment sfx not playing if 2 items with looping sfx were on the hotbar
Fix - fixed oil deposit placement sea floor height calculation
Fix - fixed typos in the radio antenna transmit logic nodes
Fix - fixed typo in description of the Uran Wind Powerplant
Fix - allow player inspect raycast to ignore ghost physics for hovering NPCs
Fix - Lua addons, added missing documented alias, fixed -1 support for seated_id and seated_peer_id
Fix - resolved issue where looking at NPC wouldn't always bring up the context menu
Fix - oil spills no longer cleared by pumping through fluid jets and improved stability of oil simulation
Fix - fixed occasional crash when spawning vehicles related to body mass calculation
Fix - hid data logging blocks which are used for our unit testing
Fix - fixed crash related to spawn vehicle add events
Rework - renamed 'gender' to 'body type' in character editor

Dear Stormworkers,

This is announcement week, with a new minor update planned for next week.

Updates will continue as normal over the winter holiday, although we will close the office for a few days so we may not make the interim announcement.



We have some really important fixes on the way, as well as really exciting major updates, and progress on our new game. At the moment, we only talk about stuff as it releases, and this is because it makes it much easier for us to change what is in an update and when an update will release. It also helps avoid disappointment - no expectations can get built up before release if we don't hype it up too much before hand.

This strategy is aimed at minimizing release pressure, and allowing the most focus to go to actual development. However, we are aware that different developers do stuff in different ways, with some doing something similar, and others being very open.



What are your thoughts? What stuff would you like to see us do?

We should probably also do another live Q&A session in the new year.

We look forward to your feedback!

Please call back next week for the minor update.

Much love
The Stormworks Developers