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Horticular’s first major post-launch patch “Root Refinement” is out now!
Update brings revamped habitat mechanics plus Steam Deck optimisations.
game_press
October 1, 2024
4 Min Read
[This unedited press release is made available courtesy of Game Developer and its partnership with notable game PR-related resource Games Press]
Slug Disco Studios :
This update largely focuses on community feedback we received, with huge changes to how you build and manage habitats in your garden.
Habitat Updates
We saw a lot of feedback around the way that habitats work post-launch, and have made some exciting changes that should make them easier than ever to build and manage for the curious creatures that show up in your garden. Now, habitats will still spawn as per the whim of the creature in question, but they no longer automatically move around when a habitat is destroyed. You will be offered a replacement habitat in your garden, but you'll be required to move the creature in question yourself, allowing you more control over where your inhabitants end up.
Your creatures will also let you know much earlier on if they're unhappy with their habitat, giving you more time to fix it!
There have also been some changes to habitat borders, allowing you to clearly see where a creature has come from when it's selected, as well as clear colour differentiations for uninhabited, inhabited, and poor habitats.
UI Changes
There's now a larger interface available when playing Horticular - this will be the default for those of you playing on Steam Deck, and we've reoptimised the mod browser and tutorial page layouts to better accommodate the new option.
You'll also notice a brand new camera zoom level during gameplay, so there's one additional zoomed-out view prior to the map overview. This should make it easier than ever to see your garden clearly and plan out any new areas you're looking to create!
Additionally, the notebook has been reimagined to work better with more UI sizes and monitor sizes, with some additional changes to how data is displayed. This includes things like automatically focusing your tracked creatures when opening the creature page.
Full patch notes are available here.
More about Horticular:
Horticular is a cozy garden-builder in which you have been magically summoned by mysterious gnomes to restore a long-lost garden. You’ll be tasked with attracting adorable animals, building a lush environment, and utilising ancient magic to keep your garden thriving and fight off looming corruption.
The full game was released on 11th July 2024 and included the following main features.
Game Highlights:
Complete Story: Through the course of the game you will receive letters from The Council, a collection of garden gnomes that will guide the player and allow them to defeat a mysterious entity known only as The Nemesis.
Varied Game Modes: Alongside the main story mode the game will feature a story mode with 3 different difficulty balance settings as well as a storyless sandbox mode with a further 3 play styles such as Storyless, Peaceful and Creative.
Controller Support: Full controller support means that you can sit back, relax, and experience the game from start to finish without needing to touch your keyboard and mouse - perfect for those lazy TV days. This means it also plays great with the Steam Deck!
Twitch Integration: Streamers and content creators can now incorporate their community into their Horticular gameplay like never before. Viewers will be able to use Bits to add their name to the naming pool for all incoming creatures and Keepers to the garden, as well as sending mail for the streamer to receive in-game.
Mod Support: Horticular will feature full mod support on launch via an included editor, allowing the community to contribute their own additions to the game. Steam Workshop is also fully integrated, meaning installing mods will be quick and easy.
For press enquiries, such as interview access, follow up questions, and queries about game keys, please email: [email protected]
Horticular Steam Page: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1928540/Horticular/
Horticular Social Profiles:
Twitter: https://x.com/HorticularGame
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Horticular
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@horticulargame
Discord: https://discord.gg/6ZbfDNSzKV
Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/Horticular/
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