The State of Early Access - Update #05

It is time for another State of Early Access! Last time, we announced multiple upcoming features and outlined our plans for the game up to v1.0. Today, we would like to give you an update on where we are and how things are going!

2023 was a very productive year for Farthest Frontier. The game received 5 major updates (not including smaller hotfixes):

  • We took our first major stab at optimization in v0.8.1, improving performance across the board.

  • V0.8.2 added numerous highly requested quality of life features, including building counters, Arborist automation, Graveyard and Town Center relocation, automatic compost, cloud saving, and more.

  • V0.8.3 introduced infinite endgame resources with deep mines, quarries, and forestry. V0.9.0 was our anniversary update, and we made sure to celebrate with a bang.

  • With v0.9.0, we added the Spirituality system, which not only allows you to create your own custom faith for your people but also made exploring the map more fun with ancient ruins. We also added the paper industry, guilds, and the removal of the population cap.

  • Finally v0.9.1, which released last month, laid the foundation for of our upcoming combat improvements with the addition of raider encampments, which again made exploring the map more compelling (and dangerous), but also more rewarding as bringing the fight to the raiders not only earned you loot but delayed future raids. But as we are always committed to MOAR, v0.9.1 also added crypts, droughts, map-based weather and storage limits.

Note: everything you read here is a preview and is subject to change before release. This is not an all-encompassing list of every feature in the works. Nothing is set in stone, until it is!

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v0.9.2


We are already hard at work on v0.9.2. This patch, among other things, is going to be our combat update. You can expect new military units for you and those pesky raiders. You will contend with raider catapults and cavalry, but new and improvement military management tools will ensure you are prepared for the impending conflict.

You will have the option to recruit specialized melee and ranged soldiers, so you can adapt your strategy rather than having to rely on jack-of-all-trades units. You will have new rally and unit selection mechanics and the means to assign soldiers to patrol your town. Perhaps most importantly, soldiers will no longer turn back into villagers when their respective military building is destroyed.

Consequently, because you will gain access to horsemen, you can also look forward to the new Stables; and why stop with just one animal when we can throw in the new Goats and Chickens as well! Both animals will open up new avenues of food production, including a method of producing eggs that does not require foraging (you can figure out which of the two does that)!

But that is not all v0.9.2 has in store. Modders rejoice at our first iteration on official mod support with the ability to add your own decorative buildings. If you have been itching to spruce up your town’s style with custom buildings, this will be for you.

We expect v0.9.2 to enter public playtesting early next year. Stay tuned!

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MOAR


As we talked about in State of Early Access #04, there are still many new features and improvements to look forward to, including:

  • Optimization
  • Expanded mod support
  • Tier 5 Housing
  • Achievements
  • Raider Info
  • Crop Summary

All of this is coming in the updates leading up to v1.0; but, here at MOAR Industries, there’s always more! Also coming up, we have the quaint tier 2 Bakery.

And do not get us started on REDACTED. That one is going to be huge. Arguably more impactful than the raider camps and spirituality system. We cannot wait to talk more about it next year!

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When is 1.0?


As always, we are committed to bringing you a quality experience and delivering MOAR. Your feedback and support allow us to cater the game to you, which means more features and quality of life improvements. Right now, our estimate for the full release is mid-2024, so we can wrap up the new stuff and make sure that everything is optimized. In the coming months, we will be shifting gradually from new features to optimizing the game. We also have a new programmer joining us this month whose sole focus will be optimization, to ensure that we hit our performance goals.

V1.0 is of course just the first step on the journey as we expect to support Farthest Frontier with content updates and expansions. And we cannot wait to see what the community cooks up with modding!

2024 is going to be another great year for Fathest Frontier. Thank you again for being a part of it!

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Town Showcase


Some of our recent favorites, from the internet for the internet:


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By AbleAbel


Captura de EcrĂŁ (18)

By johnscb


Showcase_03

By AttitudeAdjuster

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Share your best right here on our forum!

34 Likes

Man, I can’t believe I’ve been a part of this community for over a year. And I keep coming back to this awesome game, with all these new updates. Crate entertainment, and all the devs that work on FF are true gamers. And have massive, juicy, Mr. Olympia like backs for carrying the city building/strategy genre on their own for the past year. Loving the new updates, and the bigger focus on military and combat stuff. Can’t wait for all the new features.

PS: As for the new building, since the “theme” of this next patch is mostly military, my bet is that this is some kind of military HQ!

5 Likes

I’m super happy for Crate Entertainment. I’m glad there is still a development studio that can make a game of this quality. My hat’s off to you. I’m a loyal fan. Keep it up. Very very good.

1 Like

I have a question for the developers what will happen after version 1.0 in the middle of next year? Will you continue to update the game after 1.0? Or will it stop development? Thank you for your answer.

Already answered that in the OP.

They’ve been supporting Grim Dawn for 10 years now so don’t expect them to just drop FF support when we hit v1.0. That’s not the way Crate rock! :grava_yes:

8 Likes

Very good, can’t wait for the goat eggs!

17 Likes

Ok thanks for the reply. I’m glad

Do you plan to re-design the armor, shield, weapon of soldier?

While raider champion, invading army heavy infantry and champion look so badass with full plate armor, axe, mace and shield
image

A full equipment soldier doesn’t even have graphic for shield or heavy weapon.
image

I’m really wish to see they have an improvement of appearance when so much gold had been spent to buy plate armor and heavy weapon.

4 Likes

Looks & sounds awesome!

Please make curved walls (similar to roads) a thing!!

3 Likes

Another lacklustre update that has to make promises or “MOAR” to keep people invested; which were already promised in previous State Of updates. :yawning_face:

1 Like

We’re sorry we hurt you.

13 Likes

Excellent update.

2 Likes

Changes do not come ease or cheap, you have paid for this game once, and if you have played more than 60 hours, your money has been already well spent. Negative and whining comments do not make the game better.
Better focus on providing more valuable feedback, we all know the game can be better and do better, that’s why are are grateful for what have been done so far, and keep providing ideas how they can make it even more enjoyable.

1 Like

At least make the walls diagonal, just like we can do with roads, they should not be hard to make, that also may need to include diagonal gates, I cannot wait to make my octagon shaped city walls!

4 Likes

Is there access to the playtest for 9.2?

Not yet.

Meh - 10

2 Likes

Being an EA Grim Dawn player, I am not surprised by the incredible new features on the way and the TLC FF will continue to get beyond 1.0. When 1.0 drops, there are going to be some very silly Steam reviews that did not age well. Cheers!

1 Like

Please do tell us what exactly you were expecting? Genuinely curious.

Wow, As always this patch looks to be full of the awesome stuff I have been looking for, goats that lay eggs and chickens for riding! :rofl: can’t wait for this stuff, animals and soldiers and siege… OH MY!!

3 Likes

Make your own game…