Hello Sailors!

After two weeks of intense work with our beta community we are now ready to publish the next version. It fixes a great deal of issues in the game, improves balance and adds keyboard settings to the game!

At the same time we prepared the next version (B124) that just went on the testing branch. The new version focuses on overhauling the AI, so if that's something that you are after and look for more challenge during convoy hunt then look no further. We already did our best to test it, but its balance may not be final.

After a period of total focus on bugs, we feel that now is a good time to make some humble plans ahead for the Early Access. We will post a roadmap of remaining work very soon.

Let's move on to changes introduced by the new patch.

Changelog for version B123:

Improvements:

• Added keyboard settings to the main menu.

Balance and AI:

• Aircraft are now considerably less accurate at dropping bombs, especially in bad weather conditions. It's globally configurable in "General.xlsx / Settings / AI / Aircraft Inaccuracy." Each aircraft type can be calibrated in Entities.xlsx.
  
• Depth charges deal a considerably increased damage at greater depths. Their base damage was lowered a bit.

Fixes:

• Fixes to multiple memory leaks related to loading game states. Added memory diagnostic tool to the in-game console in case of further problems.
  
• Hotkey changes: F6 now opens rudder tool, F7 opens the journal and F10 takes a screenshot without UI to be consistent with the order of buttons in the toolbar.
  
• Automatically computed paths to contacts that became lost are now no longer updated.
  
• Fixed issue with U-Boat's electric engine damage after hitting an NPC ship with a torpedo.
  
• Fixed static character highlights/shadows after crew returned from a vacation or from an external mission.
  
• Fixed reported land patch on the middle of Atlantic (49N, 8.95W).
  
• Fixed issue with not being able to add sailors to an officer. It usually affected the skipper.
  
• Game states saved with open dev console would load paused until console would be opened and closed back again.
  
• Fixed issue with the alarm not stopping even after leaving group where enemy was spotted.
  
• Varied dishes discipline bonus was exagerrated.
  
• Goods can now be transferred instantly between storage and kitchen without having officer selected.
  
• Fixes to various problems with loading goods from crates placed on the deck.
  
• Fixed issue with characters involved in transport tasks doing one turn between storages without reason after everything was transported.
  
• Fixed issue with interaction wheels were remaining on the screen indefinitely and couldn't be closed, if certain steps were followed.
  
• After diver reached a wreck, game would ask in a loop which crates to pull up, sometimes also returning wasn't possible. It's no longer a case.
  
• All unfinished side missions from an assignment are now being cancelled when the assignment is being finished.
  
• Fixed issue with "Back" button not working for some categories in the customization screen.
  
• MTBs now behave properly on a high time compression.
  
• Fixes to some of the auto reported code errors all around.
  
• Physics stability fixes for dynamic objects in U-Boat's interior on a very high time compression.
  
• Fixed issue with procrastinating sailor event not being checked, if any spot was free before activation, sometimes leading to issues.
  
• Fixed issue with sick characters during turbeculosis event noe having status icon on their portraits and sometimes taking automated actions like flooding the tanks, which they couldn't complete and block the station.
  
• Turbeculosis event no longer can be skipped by closing the window.
  
• Fixed old problem due to which many ships weren't getting unique names, making it hard to deduce which ship to sink in the sink ship side missions.
  
• N-A1 ships now have their names written on the hull just like the other freighters.
  
• The rewards for sinking ships have new balance.
  
• Increased save system immunity for game updates in a few ways. Data from the spreadsheets now overrides data stored in the game states in most cases.
  
• Realistic food weight and consumption proportional to the current crew count. Increased main storage mass capacity. Changed food types available at the start of the game. Further decrease of varied dishes bonus.
  
• Having selected character while transferring goods between the storages was ignoring instant transfer links like between the main storage and kitchen.
  
• Fixed issue with infinite loading while entering certain areas.
  
• Added choice between regular fullscreen and fullscreen windowed modes to video settings.
  
• Reloaded game states were loosing some of the unique names assigned to the ships.
  
• Duplication of side missions types during assignment is now disallowed.
  
• Vacation in Bavarian Village was stopping officers energy regeneration and loss (this issue will resolve itself in a few in-game days in existing game states).
  
• Torpedo loading is now much more fatiguing for the officer.
  
• Warehouse worker in Wilhelmshaven could become duplicated after loading a game state.
  
• Map drawing tools fixes:
  1. It was possible to add not removable points by performing a few steps.
  2. Right mouse button now correctly cancels current placement and disables the tool.
     
  3. Buttons in the toolbar are now always in the correct state.
  
  
• Turm I had a few problems in its navigation meshes. Crew could get stuck in a few places.
  
• Restarting a game would carry on remaining off duty time to the new game.
  
• Storage/warehouse interface could sometimes close without apparent reason.
  
• KDB hydrophones and all radar detectors can be now damaged and are repairable by engineers. Previously it was partially working only for Tunis radar detectors.
  
• After deselecting officer assigned to a gun contacts list would remain on the screen.
  
• It was often necessary to click twice on a launcher to flood it.
  
• Seagull and port ambient sound effects were muted after loading a game state.
  
• Increased character carry weight limit from 20kg to 30kg.
  
• Allies that demand food now ask for 6 units of food instead of 10 units as it wasn't possible for officer to carry such amount after recent changes.
  
• Added latest translations from the community.
  
• Injured or ill officers had a missing status icon on the portrait after loading a game state.
  
• Illness no longer spreads in ports. All characters are completely healed after u-boat docks in a port.
  
• Officer could get stuck behind the cook in the kitchen and not be able to get out.
  
• Aircraft propellers could be detected by the hydrophone due to a mistake in the data sheet. This problem may be carried in previously saved game states, but will disappear after around 24 in-game hours.
  
• Game states saved with enabled time compression were loaded with a wrong state of TC buttons.
  
• Beard growth is now updated live on the portraits. Characters that return from a vacation have their beards shaved to a level that was set on the customization screen. Beards grow much more slowly than before.
  
• "Tab" key is no longer bound by default to showing hidden activators.
  
• Lipsync could cause small, temporary performance drop, if character would start speaking directly after dressing or undressing a raincoat.
  
• Game states loading is a bit faster.
  
• HQ screen is now always cached before entering gameplay and never opens preceeded by a loading screen.
  
• Bell sound effect played after changing course is a bit more quiet by default and was moved to the data sheets, if player would prefer to adjust or replace it.
  
• Fixed land patches on the North Sea (55.87N, 2.12E).
  
• Fixed issue with invisible character + performance drop.
  
• Message about failing espionage assignment could appear in a few copies.
  
• Game could freeze during loading of a game state, if terrain wasn't generated in time. Further optimizations to loading time.
  
• Automated periscope depth should be better at keeping the periscope above the water in bad weather. Occasional loss of sight is still going to happen though, it's intended.
  
• Navigation mesh fixes. Character could get stuck outside u-boat in probably the last one place.
  
• Selection circle wasn't appearing for some characters.
  
• Lost u-boat mission could be restarted near completion after following certain steps.
  
• Damaged propellers were still able to propel ships. It was most apparent in the side mission with lost u-boat.
  
• Fixed one issue that was causing infinite loading of an area.
  
• It was possible to get rewards for an assignment without completing it.
  
• Sunk tonnage was reported as zero in assignment summary for most assignment types. Changed unit from "tons" to "GRT".
  
• Personality notifications could remain on the screen after loading a new game state.
  
• It wasn't possible to buy the ammunition directly to the guns in a few ports.
  
• Smoke was coming out from the snorkel after switching to electric motors or after stopping the engines until the mast was lowered and raised again.
  
• Various fixes to errors in the code reported automatically to us. They probably didn't had obvious symptoms.
  
• It's no longer possible to interact with the game while u-boat enters a land area.
  
• It wasn't possible to click a save game button with some user interfaces open due to a wrong display order.
  
• Fixed "Lorem ipsum" placeholder messages appearing sometimes in the journal.
  
• Multiple food types placed in the kitchen are now eaten uniformly.
  
• It's no longer possible to open floating containers that are at a distance of 350 meters or more.
  
• Officers were loosing their combat helmets after reloading a game state.
  
• Rain coats, combat helmets, diving suits and a few other items are now dynamically rendered on the portraits.

Warm thank you for sending us bug reports and posting your suggestions. That truly helps us to improve the game.

Yours,
Deep Water Studio