Public Test v0.8.8 Now Live - New Features, Major Improvements & More!

Captains,

Before we dive into Update v0.8.8, we'd like to address something many of you have been looking forward to: the new ferry and ferry operations.

We've been working extensively on the underlying technology needed to create the kind of vessels we envision for Ships At Sea : highly detailed, authentic, and fully explorable ships, where players can access all decks and the rooms and compartments throughout the vessel, rather than being limited to the bridge or a handful of interior spaces.

Our vision is to let players explore everything from the bridge and crew accommodations to machinery spaces, engine rooms, technical compartments, and the many other areas found onboard larger vessels.

But exploration is only part of that vision. We want to gradually make these spaces more interactive, with authentic onboard equipment, functional machinery and ship systems, and eventually NPC crew members carrying out their duties, bringing the vessels to life and making them feel like real working ships. Achieving this level of detail while maintaining smooth performance, both in single-player and multiplayer, requires significant technical work.

This work has taken longer than anticipated. Rather than rush development, we've decided to move Ferry and Wind Turbine gameplay to Update v0.8.9. We understand this may be disappointing, especially for those eagerly awaiting the Ferry or the Crab and Lobster Fishing Vessel. However, the work we're doing on our planned Class 4 vessels is laying an important technical foundation that will benefit not only these vessels but also future ships, their detailed interiors, and increasingly complex onboard systems.

Once this foundation is in place, developing and optimizing new vessels should become more efficient. It will also support our plans to bring Ships At Sea to consoles, where performance and optimization are equally important.

We're confident this investment will benefit Ships At Sea in the long run. And while the ferry and its operations are now planned for Update v0.8.9, there's still plenty to look forward to in Update v0.8.8, with exciting new features, gameplay improvements, and significant technical advancements!

Update v0.8.8 Is Now Available on the Public Test Branch!

We're excited to finally invite you to test our next major update! From improved dedicated-server administration and more interactive vessel systems to the new fuel economy, reworked fish farming, NPC vessel traffic and smarter mission tracking, there's plenty to discover!

Alongside these additions, we've also been working extensively on performance, stability, vessel handling and numerous quality-of-life improvements to make your experience in Ships At Sea even better.

As always, your feedback is an essential part of our Early Access development. We look forward to hearing about your experiences, identifying any remaining issues and fine-tuning the update together before its official release!

Back Up Your Save Files

Before joining the Public Test, we strongly recommend backing up your save files to avoid potential data loss or compatibility issues.

To locate your Ships At Sea save files:

1. Press Win + R to open the Run dialogue.
2. Copy and paste the following path into the field: %USERPROFILE%/AppData/Local/Sas/Saved/SaveGames
3. Press Enter to open the folder.
4. Copy your save files to a separate, safe location.

How to Join the Public Test

1. Open Steam.
2. Right-click Ships At Sea in your Steam Library.
3. Select Properties.
4. Navigate to the Betas tab.
5. Enter the access code: SaSPublicTest
6. Select public_test from the Beta Participation dropdown menu.
7. Wait for Steam to download the update. If the download doesn't start, try restarting Steam.
8. Launch Ships At Sea and enjoy the Public Test!

Note: We also recommend verifying the integrity of your game files through Steam if you experience issues after switching branches.

Dedicated Servers & Improved Administration

We've made several improvements to dedicated servers and multiplayer administration, including faster server startup, improved mission replication, and new administration features that many of our dedicated server owners have been requesting.

We've also addressed several issues affecting dedicated server stability and performance, including excessive log spam and memory leaks that could occur even when no players were connected. These improvements help reduce unnecessary resource consumption and improve server reliability, particularly during extended periods of operation.

The server browser has received several improvements, making it easier to find and join multiplayer sessions. Players can now search for servers, apply advanced filters, add servers to their favourites, and view additional information, including map names and server details. We've also improved password-protected sessions and the overall joining experience.

A new multiplayer lobby interface has been introduced, providing a clearer overview of the session and additional administration tools.

Server administrators can now kick or ban players, including the option to provide a reason for a ban. Banned players are added to a dedicated Ban List, where administrators can review and unban them at any time.

The system also introduces different permission levels, including Admin and Super Admin, allowing server owners to delegate administrative responsibilities and manage their communities more effectively.

Dedicated server owners can further customize their servers through the server configuration (.ini) files, including settings such as maximum player count, password protection, custom welcome messages, and other server parameters. Welcome messages can be used to greet players, communicate server rules, or announce planned activities and community events.

We've also improved various multiplayer systems, including mission synchronization, vessel interactions, and server stability. These improvements are part of our ongoing effort to make dedicated servers more flexible, easier to administer, and better suited to growing multiplayer communities.

Class 4 Wind Farm Service Vessel – Beyond the Bridge

With Update v0.8.8, we're taking another important step towards our vision offully explorable vessels in Ships At Sea .

Players can now explore additional areas of the Class 4 Wind Farm Service Vessel, including machinery and generator flat, stern azimuth thruster compartments, switchgear areas, control room, crew accommodation, the galley, sauna, and other onboard facilities.

These spaces feature detailed machinery, piping systems, electrical equipment, and Steerprop azimuth propulsion units with their associated control cabinets. Some equipment and interior areas onboard the ship, including the switchgear cabinets, are still being visually refined, as their final level of detail is not yet complete. For now, these newly accessible areas are primarily intended for exploration during the Public Test, giving players an early look at the machinery and systems onboard.

Upcoming updates will add interactive ship and generator operations, functional switchgear/control room gameplay, and other related interactions as we continue expanding the functionality of these onboard systems.

Additional improvements include independent stern azimuth thruster controls, Steerprop's licensed control panels for the main propulsion units, retractable thruster and bow thrusters, X-band and S-band radar systems, wind sensor displays, thruster indicators, improved navigation instruments, and a new control panel for three independently operated searchlights. We've also refined thruster behaviour.

Several additional ship instruments are already in development but have not yet been integrated. We plan to gradually introduce these through upcoming Public Test patches as they become ready for the bridge.

Together, these improvements bring us closer to our vision of larger, fully explorable vessels with increasingly interactive onboard systems. Our goal is to allow players not only to operate their ships from the bridge but also to explore and eventually interact with equipment, facilities, and machinery throughout the vessel.

Behind the scenes, we're continuing to improve our underlying technology to support larger, highly detailed, multi-deck interiors, improving lighting, and better performance optimization. This ongoing work is essential to ensuring smooth performance as our ships become increasingly detailed and their onboard equipment and systems grow more complex.

X-Band & S-Band Radar Systems

We've also expanded the navigation equipment aboard our Class 4 Wind Farm Service Vessel, introducing dedicated X-Band and S-Band radar systems from our licensed partner, JRC, each with its own display and controls on the bridge.

But what's the difference between them?

X-Band radar operates at a higher frequency and provides a more detailed picture of nearby surroundings, making it particularly useful for detecting smaller vessels, buoys, and coastlines when navigating harbours or confined waters.

S-Band radar, on the other hand, operates at a lower frequency and is generally better suited for longer-range detection and navigation in challenging weather conditions, particularly heavy rain.

Having both radar systems onboard reflects the equipment commonly found on larger commercial vessels, where different radar bands complement each other to provide better situational awareness and navigational safety.

We've also made further improvements to the radar systems across all radar-equipped vessels. As shown in the accompanying video, radar antennas now begin rotating when the radar system is switched on, adding another layer of realism and authenticity to our vessels.

Additionally, we've resolved several issues affecting radar functionality in multiplayer, ensuring that clients can now properly operate radar controls and use features that previously weren't working as intended.This marks another step forward in bringing more authentic bridge equipment and realistic maritime navigation systems to Ships At Sea .

We'll continue introducing additional bridge instruments throughout the Public Test phase and with the upcoming v0.8.9 update, further enhancing the realism and functionality of our vessels.

As these new instruments and their respective functions are implemented, we'll also gradually remove or replace some of the existing simplified controls, such as the ignition key, main power panel, and certain gauges. These will be phased out once their functionality is properly integrated into the new systems, bringing the bridge layout and operation closer to what you would expect aboard a modern, large commercial vessel.

Dynamic Positioning System

In addition to several improvements to the vessel's bridge and propulsion systems, players can now operate the Dynamic Positioning (DP) system in third-person view, providing a clearer overview of the vessel and its surroundings for greater visibility and control during manoeuvring.

The DP joysticks can now also be used for manual propulsion control when DP Fixation Mode is inactive, reflecting how these systems operate on real vessels.

We've also improved saving and loading of DP system and crane states, allowing their configurations and operating states to be preserved between gameplay sessions.

Improved Windshield Wiper Systems

Yes, we made it happen! We're introducing a new and optimized windshield wiper system designed for larger vessels, bringing more control and realism to the bridge of our Wind Farm Service Vessel.

Players can now operate the front, port and starboard windshield wipers independently, or synchronize all wipers to operate together with the new Wiper Control Panel.

And there's more! Just like on modern vessels, we've also introduced an Automatic Wiper Mode. When enabled, the system automatically detects rainfall and adjusts the wiper speed according to its intensity. During light rain, the wipers operate at a slower speed, while heavier rainfall triggers faster wiping to help maintain visibility. Once the rain stops and the weather clears, the wipers switch off automatically.

It's another step toward making the bridge equipment in Ships At Sea more authentic, functional, and enjoyable to operate!

We've also improved the rain effects on windows across the entire fleet, making rainfall on windshields and other windows look more natural and immersive, particularly during rough weather.

Window & Glass Material

We've also improved the window and glass materials across all our vessels. Previously, some windows appeared almost completely transparent, making it difficult to tell whether there was any glass at all.

With the updated materials, windows now feature more natural reflections and improved visibility of the glass surfaces, making them look more realistic while maintaining a clear view of the surroundings. It's a subtle visual improvement, but one that makes a noticeable difference to the overall appearance and immersion of our vessels.

New Light Switches on the Wind Farm Supply Vessel

Following requests from some of our players, we've introduced functional light switches throughout the Wind Farm Supply Vessel, allowing you to control lighting locally across different decks and interior compartments.

You can now turn lights on and off directly in the areas you're exploring, adding another layer of interaction and realism to our fully explorable Class 4 vessel.

Deck Plans

And before we start listing all the rooms and areas you can explore, why not discover them for yourself?

To help you find your way around, the Wind Farm Service Vessel now features deck plans on each deck and additional signs showing your current location and the different rooms and areas onboard.

Vessel Handling, Propulsion and Upgrades – Improvements Across the Fleet

Alongside the Class 4 Wind Farm Service Vessel, we've continued improving vessel handling, propulsion, and ship physics across our smaller vessels, particularly Classes 1–3. Smaller vessels now react more naturally to waves, with more noticeable sideways rolling when stationary or in rough seas.

We've also made several improvements to throttle response and steering control at low speeds.

Previously, even small throttle inputs could result in excessive engine power, making precise manoeuvring difficult. With our latest improvements, engine RPM now responds more accurately to throttle input, allowing for smoother acceleration and better control at lower speeds.

We've also improved steering responsiveness when vessels are moving slowly or drifting with minimal throttle input. Previously, maintaining steering control in these situations could be difficult or sometimes not possible.

Together, these improvements provide smoother, more predictable vessel handling, making low-speed manoeuvring, approaching harbours, and docking considerably more manageable.

Improved Vessel Wakes & New Water Splash Effects

We've also improved the wake effects across our entire fleet, making them look and behave more naturally as vessels move through the water. The shape and appearance of the wake now better reflect each vessel's hull design, creating a more realistic water trail behind the ship.

Alongside this, we've introduced the first iteration of new water splash effects, adding more visual detail as vessels interact with the surrounding water.

We've also addressed several issues with the previous wake system. Previously, wake effects could occasionally disappear when players exited the driver's seat. This issue has now been resolved, alongside further improvements to reduce unnatural ghosting and visual artefacts in the water. We'll continue refining the wake effects in future updates to make them look even more natural and realistic.

Added Waterjet Propulsion Stream Effects & Reverse Bucket Animation

The Flammen daughter craft and Service Vessel 2 have received new waterjet propulsion stream effects, making the water streams from their propulsion systems visible and adding more realism to their movement through the water.

We've also introduced animated steering nozzles and reverse buckets (deflectors) that respond to the vessel's controls, just as they would on real waterjet-powered vessels.

When steering port or starboard, the steering nozzles pivot accordingly, redirecting the waterjet stream to manoeuvre the vessel. When moving forward, the reverse bucket remains raised, allowing water to flow directly backwards through the nozzle and propel the vessel forward. When engaging reverse thrust, the bucket lowers into the jet stream, redirecting the water forward to generate reverse thrust.

Together, these improvements make the waterjet propulsion systems more visually dynamic and authentic, allowing players to see how their steering and throttle inputs affect the propulsion equipment.

We're also introducing a new searchlight control feature for the Flammen, taking advantage of the additional functions supported by its searchlight system. Players can now switch between slow and fast rotation speeds for more precise positioning and adjust the beam focus between a wider and a more concentrated light beam. These new controls provide greater flexibility when navigating in darkness or illuminating objects and surrounding areas during nighttime operations.

Enhanced Engine Exhaust Smoke Effects

We've also made further improvements to engine exhaust smoke effects influenced by wind, adding more realistic visual behaviour when starting and operating your vessels.

When starting your vessel's engine, you'll now notice an initial burst of dark exhaust smoke, which gradually transitions into lighter, greyish smoke as the engine settles into normal operation.

It's another small but noticeable detail that brings more realism and authenticity to our vessels, making them feel more alive as you prepare to head out to sea!

The World Is Becoming More Alive!

Remember those sailboats and motorboats we introduced with Update v0.8.7?

Well, their days of sitting around in the harbour are coming to an end! With Update v0.8.8, we're introducing the first iteration of NPC vessel traffic.

You'll now encounter different vessels navigating the world, including sailboats, motorboats, and commercial vessels. These vessels interact with the surrounding water and waves just like player vessels do, while sailboat sails respond dynamically to wind conditions. We've also introduced NPC-owned companies, improved vessel identification, and added information about NPC traffic to the World Map, inspired by real-world marine traffic systems.

Additionally, we've integrated some of these NPC vessels into our Burning Vessel missions, allowing them to catch fire and become part of maritime firefighting and rescue operations.

This is only the beginning of our plans to create a more dynamic, immersive, and lively maritime environment.

A New Era of Fuel Management

Fuel is becoming more than just an operating expense in Ships At Sea !

Update v0.8.8 introduces a new dynamic fuel economy, featuring limited fuel reserves at bunkering stations, fluctuating prices, and new opportunities to transport and trade.

We've also introduced more larger bunkering stations to accommodate bigger vessels. Small and large bunkering stations now have distinct World Map icons, making it easier to identify which facilities are suitable for your vessel.

Each station has its own fuel reserves and separate buying and selling prices, allowing players to compare prices and explore potential trading opportunities. When a station's fuel reserves drop below 15%, a red warning light activates on top of the stations, indicating that supplies are running low.

To support fuel transportation, players can now purchase three different sizes of external fuel tanks from the Tool Shop, load them onto their vessels and transport fuel between bunkering stations.

The small and medium fuel tanks are spawned in the medium cargo area, while the large fuel tank is spawned in the large cargo area, reflecting their respective sizes and cargo requirements.

But don't worry, fuel trading is entirely optional! Our global fuel supply system continues to monitor and automatically replenish bunkering stations, ensuring that fuel remains available even if players choose not to participate in trading. If you prefer to simply refuel your vessel and head back out to sea, you can continue doing exactly that.

Our long-term goal is to create a more interconnected maritime economy, where fuel prices, supply, demand, and resource management become meaningful parts of operating a maritime company. This new system also establishes the technical foundation for additional fuel types and more advanced bunkering facilities, allowing us to expand fuel operations in the future to support larger vessels, including tankers and other specialized ships.

Whether you're simply refuelling your fleet or looking for new business opportunities through fuel transportation and trading, the choice is yours!

Fish Farming Gets a Major Overhaul

We've made substantial improvements to fish farming, introducing redesigned modular fish farms, improved management tools, new feeding options, and expanded maintenance systems. A new net, engine or rotor for the feeder can be purchased at the Tool Shop.

Good news for existing fish farm owners: your purchased fish farms will be preserved! They'll automatically be replaced with the new models and functionality, so there's no need to purchase them again.

Each fish farm can accommodate up to 100,000 smolts, with a feeder capacity of 100 tonnes of fish food.

Improved Feeding & Farm Management

You now have two ways to supply your fish farm with food:

• Direct Delivery: Unload large fish food sacks directly onto the farm. The food is automatically recognized by the Fish Farm Management laptop.
• Manual Feeding: Split large food sacks into smaller ones and carry them to the feeder hatch to refill it manually.

Keep your salmon well-fed! If the feeder runs out of food, your fish will begin to starve, and prolonged shortages may result in fish deaths.

We've also improved the Fish Farm Management interface, providing clearer information about feeding, equipment condition, and farm operations. Maintenance can still be performed manually or through automated repair services, giving you the choice between doing the work yourself or paying for convenience.

From Smolts to Market-Ready Salmon

With sufficient food and proper maintenance, your salmon will gradually grow. Under normal conditions, they take approximately:

• 52 in-game days to reach 6 kg, the minimum selling weight
• 60 in-game days to reach 8 kg, allowing you to sell larger, more valuable salmon

You can sell your salmon once they reach 6 kg, or let them continue growing to increase their value. And there's more! Once your salmon reach 3 kg, you may notice them leaping out of the water, reflecting the natural behaviour salmon are known for and bringing even more life to your fish farm!

But watch out for those sneaky seagulls! They'll circle your farm looking for an easy meal, and if your nets have a sign of damage, they may take advantage of the opportunity to catch your salmon. Make sure to regularly inspect and maintain your nets to keep your fish safe!

What's Next for Fish Farming?

The current Fish Farm Management interface is only its first iteration, and we have more improvements planned! We're working on expanding the underlying tracking systems to provide more comprehensive statistics, historical data, and graphs covering your fish farm's performance. These improvements will also be reflected in the management interface, giving you a clearer overview of fish growth, feeding, maintenance, death and profitability.

Our goal is to make fish farming feel like a proper second business within your maritime company, where you can monitor its development, evaluate your investments, and make informed management decisions.

We're also planning several additional gameplay features for the next update, including visible fish-feeding particle effects, pumping smolts from the smolt tank using the fish pump, and using a brush to clean the feeder rotor.

These additions will bring more hands-on interactions to fish farming while continuing to expand its management and economic depth.

A More Dynamic Fishing World

We've continued improving fishing in Ships At Sea , introducing seasonal fish migration, equipment durability, catch balancing, new fishing equipment, and several quality-of-life improvements to make fishing more realistic and rewarding.

Seasonal Fish Migration & Habitats

With the new fish migration and habitat systems, fish populations and their preferred depths can change depending on the season.

This means fishing conditions may vary throughout the year, encouraging players to pay closer attention to where and when they fish to find the best fishing grounds.

Fishing Improvements & Catch Balancing

We've also continued refining fishing equipment, longline operations, catch balancing, and fish processing.

As part of these improvements, we've addressed several issues affecting fishing gameplay. This includes fixing a bug that prevented players from catching salmon with fishing nets and rebalancing net and longline fishing, as nets could previously produce disproportionately larger catches compared to longline gear.

We've also improved bait attraction, giving players more control over which fish species they want to catch. By choosing the right bait, you can now target specific fish species within their habitats or attract a mix of different species in areas where multiple fish habitats overlap. This makes bait selection more meaningful and allows for a more strategic approach to fishing.

We've also fixed an issue that prevented salmon from being detected correctly by the sonar, making it more reliable when searching for fishing grounds.

Another improvement addresses fish weight variations, particularly in longline fishing. Previously, caught fish could repeatedly have the same weight, regardless of whether they were small, medium, or larger specimens. We've corrected this behaviour to introduce more appropriate weight variations based on fish size, making catches feel more natural and varied.

Equipment Durability & New Yarn Hooks

Another addition is equipment durability. Knives, yarn hooks, fish hooks, and other fishing gear now have condition and durability values, with clearer information available in the inventory.

As your equipment wears down, its condition can directly affect your fishing activities. For example, a worn yarn hook is more likely to slip when untangling fish, while using a knife in poor condition can reduce the quality of your gutted fish. Similarly, damaged longlines and fishing nets can negatively affect your catch.

We've also introduced two additional yarn hooks, now available at the Tool Shop! These upgraded hooks offer improved performance, giving players more equipment options when handling and untangling their catches.

Keeping your equipment in good condition is therefore becoming an important part of your fishing operations, adding another layer of realism and decision-making to everyday tasks.

Sell Your Catch Faster!

And here's a small but welcome quality-of-life improvement: you can now sell your entire catch of a selected fish species at once!

No more selling fish one by one! This makes selling your catch at fisheries much more convenient, especially after a successful fishing trip.

Together, these improvements aim to make fishing more balanced, reliable, and rewarding, while making equipment management and everyday fishing operations more convenient.

A Cleaner Interface & Smarter Mission Tracking

We've also redesigned the mission marker system to make it easier to distinguish between different mission types. Contracts are displayed with yellow icons, while Global Events appear in orange. When you choose to track a mission, its marker turns green, allowing you to quickly identify your current objective.

Mission markers belonging to the same contract or global event now automatically group together when objectives are close to each other and separate as you approach, reducing visual clutter. This is especially useful in multiplayer when mission objectives are distributed across several vessels.

We've also improved how markers appear on the compass and in the game world. All accepted missions now remain visible, even when you're actively tracking a specific one, making it easier to manage multiple contracts without constantly switching between them. You can still disable the mission markers as previously.

You can now also place personal and company markers on the World Map, alongside improvements to map filters, icons and navigation.

Exploring ports on foot is easier, too! Important facilities such as the Dry Dock, Shipyard, Fishery and Tool Shop now appear on your compass, helping you find your way without repeatedly opening the World Map.

Finally, we've introduced dynamic minimap zoom levels depending on your location. When exploring on foot, the minimap uses a closer zoom for better visibility of nearby surroundings, while aboard a vessel, it adjusts to a wider zoom for a broader navigational overview.

Together, these improvements make navigating the world and managing missions more convenient, whether you're sailing alone or working together with friends.

Adjustable FOV Settings - More Control Over Your View

And here's something many of you have been asking for! Adjustable Field of View (FOV) settings are now available for both first-person and third-person perspectives!

You can now customize your field of view to suit your preferences, providing greater flexibility, improved visibility, and a more comfortable experience when exploring vessels, navigating ports, or operating your ships.

More Savegame Slots – Increased to 20!

We've also increased the number of available savegame slots to 20, giving players more flexibility when managing their progress.

Whether you're running multiple maritime companies, experimenting with different vessels, or simply keeping additional saves as backups, you'll now have more room to manage your adventures across the Norwegian Sea!

Improved Mouse Inversion & Sensitivity Settings

We've also fixed several issues with mouse inversion and sensitivity settings, ensuring they now work correctly when operating cranes, including the Z-Bridge and port cranes.

Both vertical and horizontal mouse inversion are now properly applied when using crane-mounted cameras, allowing players to customize camera movement to their preferences. Mouse sensitivity adjustments also work as intended, providing better control over camera movement.

These settings now remain consistent when switching between player and crane camera views and are correctly preserved when saving and loading the game.

Improved Motion Blur Settings

We've also made improvements to the Motion Blur setting, ensuring that adjustments now have a noticeable effect on camera movement.

Players can customize the intensity of motion blur to suit their preferences, from disabling it entirely for a sharper image to increasing the effect for a smoother, more cinematic appearance when moving or rotating the camera.

This provides greater flexibility in customizing the visual experience, particularly when exploring vessel interiors or operating ships.

Redesigned Multiplayer Voting Interface

We've also introduced a redesigned voting interface for multiplayer sessions, making it easier for players to understand and participate in group decisions.

The new voting widget clearly displays which player initiated the vote and what the vote is about, whether it's changing the weather, sending a vessel to the Dry Dock for maintenance, or other actions requiring crew members approval.

With a clearer layout, voting options, and an overview of how many players have already voted, coordinating decisions with your fellow captains is now more intuitive.

Missions & Gameplay Improvements

We've made numerous improvements across our existing missions and gameplay activities in Ships At Sea , focusing on better mission behaviour, reliability, and synchronization in multiplayer sessions.

This includes improvements to whale-watching missions, lighthouse and seamarker maintenance, coastal house fires, burning-vessel emergencies, and several other contracts and global events.

Whale-watching missions have also been improved, making it easier to locate and observe whales. Players now receive better guidance toward whale locations, including additional indicators when whales surface. As whales rise to the surface to breathe, visible water sprays from their blowholes, making them easier to spot from a distance. Whale spotting through binoculars has also been refined, creating a more immersive and enjoyable observation experience.

Both burning vessels and coastal house fires now feature improved smoke effects, making emergencies easier to spot from a distance. We've also introduced additional coastal houses and vessels that can catch fire, bringing more variety to firefighting missions and the emergencies players encounter throughout the world. We've also enhanced firefighting gameplay with new steam effects that appear as flames are extinguished, adding more visual realism and feedback as players bring fires under control.

The water cannon has received further improvements, too. Players can now switch between first-person and third-person camera views while operating it, providing a better overview of their surroundings. Water spray effects have also been refined, and new character animations for holding and operating the water cannon have been introduced, with further polishing planned.

We've also refined mission objectives, timers, rewards, and player feedback, while improving mission synchronization across multiplayer sessions to provide a more consistent experience for everyone involved.

Together, these changes aim to make missions more reliable, rewarding, and enjoyable, whether you're playing alone or working together with friends.

Improved Crane & Cargo Handling

We've made further improvements to crane operations and cargo handling, giving players more control when loading and unloading their vessels.

One of the key changes is the introduction of manual cargo attachment and detachment. Previously, cargo would automatically connect to the crane hook when positioned correctly. Now, players can choose when to attach or release cargo, making crane operations more interactive and giving them greater control over the loading and unloading process.

Once cargo is attached to the crane, its associated lifting ropes or hooks become visible, creating a clear visual connection between the cargo and the crane hook. This also means no more static lifting ropes floating in mid-air when cargo isn't attached!

This is another step toward more realistic cargo operations. In upcoming updates, we plan to introduce physics-based lifting ropes, allowing them to move and react more naturally while connected to the crane hook.

Improved Docking – More Flexibility for Larger Vessels

We've made docking more forgiving across all vessel classes, particularly for larger ships that require more time and distance to slow down due to their size and momentum.

Previously, players often had to reduce their throttle to almost a complete stop before docking could be initiated. With Update v0.8.8, we've increased the maximum permitted docking speed to 2 knots for Class 1 and 2 vessels and 4 knots for Class 3 and 4 vessels.

This should make docking more convenient, especially when manoeuvring larger vessels in confined harbours, while still allowing players to approach and dock as precisely as they prefer.

We've also made further improvements to mooring systems and rope behaviour, including the introduction of new and improved docking lines, towing ropes, and longline fishing ropes.

Aurora Borealis – Improved Northern Lights

We've made the Aurora Borealis more realistic by introducing seasonal visibility, bringing the Northern Lights closer to their natural behaviour along the Norwegian coast.

Previously, the Northern Lights could appear throughout the entire year, regardless of the season. With Update v0.8.8, aurora visibility now follows the seasonal changes in daylight, meaning you won't see them during the bright summer nights.

During June and July, the famous Norwegian midnight sun keeps the skies too bright for the Northern Lights to be visible. As darker nights gradually return towards the end of August, the aurora begins to make its appearance again.

The best viewing conditions are generally between September to March, when longer, darker nights provide excellent opportunities to enjoy this spectacular natural phenomenon. Clear skies and minimal cloud cover also improve visibility.

For those who prefer an even more impressive display, you can adjust the Geomagnetic Field Disturbance setting in the Weather Settings to increase the intensity of the aurora when seasonal and weather conditions allow it to appear.

So, if you're sailing along the Norwegian coast on a clear winter night, don't forget to look up!

Improved Weather System & Seasonal Environments

We've continued refining our weather system and environmental visuals, making the Norwegian coast feel more natural and atmospheric throughout the changing seasons.

One of the noticeable improvements is a better balance between sunny and rainy weather. Previously, rainy conditions could occur quite frequently. We've adjusted the weather behaviour to provide more variety, including more sunny days during the summer months, while still allowing players to customize weather conditions through the Weather Settings.

We've also made further improvements to fog rendering and its visual behaviour, giving fog a more natural appearance as it spreads across the landscape and surrounding waters. Whether you're navigating through misty coastal waters or approaching a harbour in poor visibility, fog should now feel more atmospheric and convincing.

The changing seasons are also becoming more noticeable across the landscape. During autumn, grass and trees gradually turn yellow, reflecting the seasonal transition and bringing more visual variety to the Norwegian environment.

Alongside these changes, we've improved landscape materials and textures, further refining the overall appearance of the terrain.

Together, these improvements bring more seasonal variety and atmosphere to Ships At Sea , making the world feel more alive as you sail through different weather conditions and times of the year.

Environmental Improvements – Ports, Landscapes & Ocean

We've continued improving the world of Ships At Sea , with further refinements to port environments, landscape visuals, environmental lighting, and ocean rendering.

Expanded Ports & Improved Vessel Access

Several ports have received further improvements and expansions to better accommodate our growing fleet, particularly larger Class 4 vessels. We've expanded harbour areas and increased docking capacity, allowing more vessels to dock at the same time while providing additional space for larger ships to be spawned and docked.

Several locations have also received new or improved interiors, docking areas and harbour layouts, including fisheries, offices and other port infrastructure.

These changes are part of our ongoing efforts to prepare existing ports for larger vessels and improve their accessibility as we continue expanding the fleet.

Improved Landscape Materials & Seasonal Details

We've also made further improvements to landscape materials and textures, refining the appearance of terrain, coastlines, and surrounding environments and houses.

Alongside these visual enhancements, the changing seasons are becoming more noticeable. During autumn, grass and trees gradually turn yellow, bringing more seasonal variety to the Norwegian landscape.

Improved Environmental Lighting

We've also made further improvements to environmental lighting, including how outdoor lights respond to the time of day and changing weather conditions.

Previously, outdoor lighting was primarily tied to the day and night cycle. Now, port and outdoor lights respond dynamically to visibility and weather conditions, making the environment feel more natural and atmospheric.

• Day and Night Cycle: Lights automatically turn on when night falls and switch off when daylight returns under clear weather conditions.
• Dark Weather During the Day: Heavy overcast skies or storms can now trigger outdoor lighting even during daytime. Once the weather clears and natural light returns, the lights switch off automatically.
• Fog During the Day: When heavy fog reduces visibility to 2 km or less, outdoor lights automatically turn on and switch off again once visibility improves.

These improvements make harbours and surrounding environments feel more responsive to changing weather conditions, particularly during storms, foggy mornings, and the transition between day and night.

Ocean Visuals & Optimization

The ocean has received additional attention, with visual refinements and performance optimizations aimed at improving both its appearance and efficiency.

As the ocean is one of the most important elements of Ships At Sea , we continue refining its rendering and underlying systems to provide a better visual experience while keeping performance in mind, particularly when operating larger vessels or playing in multiplayer sessions.

Graphics & Visual Improvements

We've continued improving the overall graphical quality of Ships At Sea , with further refinements to environmental details, materials, textures, and visual effects across the game world.

These improvements aim to create a more detailed, natural, and immersive maritime environment, from the appearance of coastal landscapes and harbour infrastructure to the smaller visual details players encounter while exploring the world.

Improving the visual quality of Ships At Sea remains an ongoing process. We have further enhancements planned for environmental lighting, graphics, ocean visuals, weather effects, environment, and the overall atmosphere of the game world. As development continues, we'll keep refining these elements to make the Norwegian coastline and maritime environment feel increasingly realistic, detailed, and immersive.

New Languages – Danish, Finnish & Swedish!

We're happy to announce that Danish, Finnish, and Swedish language support has been added to Ships At Sea , making the game more accessible to even more players across the Nordic countries!

Alongside these new languages, we've also made further localization improvements across existing languages, refining translations and addressing inconsistencies to provide a clearer and more consistent experience.

As always, we welcome your feedback if you come across any translation errors or text that could be improved!

Audio – More Immersive Sounds at Sea

We've continued improving the audio experience in Ships At Sea , introducing new sound effects and refining how sounds behave as players move between different environments.

One of the key improvements is smoother sound transitions between outdoor and indoor areas, including engine sounds. We've further refined audio muffling, so sounds from outside the vessel become more subdued when entering enclosed spaces, creating a more natural distinction between exterior and interior environments.

We've also fixed an issue where sitting in the captain's chair on the ship's bridge would incorrectly trigger outdoor rain sounds. Rain audio now correctly reflects the indoor environment, providing a more natural and immersive experience when operating your vessel from the bridge during rainy weather.

Players will also notice new machinery and equipment sounds, particularly aboard our Class 4 Wind Turbine Service Vessel. We've introduced additional audio effects throughout the machinery spaces, engine rooms, and various compartments, bringing more life to the vessel's interior and its onboard systems.

We've also improved footstep sounds across different surfaces, allowing players to hear more distinct audio feedback when walking through different areas of the vessel, from exterior decks to interior compartments and machinery spaces.

Additionally, we've introduced new water splash sound effects, adding more detail to how vessels interact with the surrounding water, alongside various other sound improvements throughout the game.

Audio development remains an ongoing process, and we're continuing to expand and refine our sound effects across vessels, machinery, equipment, and the surrounding maritime environment. More audio improvements and additional sounds are planned as we continue bringing our ships and their onboard systems to life.

Performance, Stability & Bug Fixes

Alongside all these additions, we've spent considerable time improving performance, stability, and optimizing the underlying systems of Ships At Sea .

This includes optimizations to vessel physics, buoyancy calculations, instrument displays, lightning system, visual effects, multiplayer replication, and dedicated-server performance.

We've also addressed numerous reported issues involving crashes, save/load behaviour, missions, fishing, vessel handling, multiplayer, and the user interface. Some of these improvements may not be immediately visible, but they're essential to making the game more stable, responsive, and enjoyable.

Performance optimization will remain one of our key development priorities, particularly as we continue introducing our larger and more complex Class 4 vessels with multiple decks. With their highly detailed interiors, interactive machinery, instruments, and onboard systems, these ships bring new technical challenges that require continuous refinement and optimization.

While we've already made important progress, optimization is an ongoing process rather than a one-time improvement. We'll continue refining performance, reducing unnecessary system overhead, and improving stability as we expand the fleet and introduce additional gameplay features.

Known Issues

• Wind Farm Vessel – Lighting: The new lighting system may occasionally cause unusually dark areas, particularly around stairways. Some lighting effects may also appear unstable. Further improvements are planned.
• Wind Farm Vessel – Performance: The vessel remains relatively demanding on system performance due to its size and highly detailed interiors. Update v0.8.8 focuses heavily on underlying technology, optimization, and performance improvements. While significant progress has been made, further optimization remains a priority.
• Weather Effects – Rain and Fog: During heavy rainfall or changes in wind direction, some rain may still occasionally appear inside certain vessels. Similarly, fog may partially penetrate enclosed areas, including the bridge. These visual issues are known and will be addressed in future improvements.

Thank You for Being Part of Our Journey!

We sincerely thank everyone participating in our Public Tests and supporting Ships At Sea . Please continue sharing your feedback, suggestions, and bug reports! This is what makes Early Access so valuable to us. Together with our community, we're shaping Ships At Sea into the best maritime simulation it can be.

We know many of you are eagerly waiting for more capable NPC crew members, the Ferry, the Crab & Lobster Fishing Vessel, and additional gameplay content. We know how important these features are to many of you, and they remain a key part of our development plans.

However, we want to emphasize that this is one of the most important technical updates we've ever released for Ships At Sea . Our vision is to allow players to freely explore entire vessels, interact with detailed machinery and onboard systems, and operate their ships independently, alongside NPC crews, or together with friends, while eventually building and managing their own fleet.

Achieving this level of complexity, especially with our larger Class 4 vessels featuring multiple fully explorable decks, requires a strong and optimized technical foundation. This update lays that foundation for our current vessels and the many ships and features we plan to introduce in the future. Once this foundation is firmly established, expanding our NPC crew systems will be the cherry on top!

Thank you for your patience, feedback, and continued support. We're building Ships At Sea together, and we're excited about what comes next!

Below, you'll find the complete changelog for this Public Test update.

Team Misc Games

Ships At Sea – Public Test Changelog

New Features & Content

• Added a "Sell All" button for selling all fish at the fishery
• Added the ability to set custom and company markers on the World Map
• Added autopilot upgrades for Class 1 vessels
• Added azimuth angle indicators
• Added Danish, Finnish, and Swedish language support
• Added dedicated passenger areas in ports
• Added destinations to mission descriptions
• Added a new fishery interior in Værøy
• Added an FOV slider in the settings
• Added fuel station tooltips displaying prices on the World Map
• Added office interiors in Kveldsbeita, Kårøya, Lyngvær, Moskenes, and Reine
• Added durability to longlines, nets, gutting knives, fish hooks, and yarn hooks
• Added ladders at Moskenes port to allow players to climb out of the water
• Added more depth markers south of Røst
• Added new and improved azimuth throttles on Windy
• Added new exhaust effects for all vessels, dynamically affected by wind
• Added new fish farm gameplay
• Existing fish farms will be reset when loading previous savegames
• Players will receive compensation for their existing fish farms and the fish inside them
• Players will need to purchase their fish farms again

Added a new fish migration system

Added a new fuel economy with fluctuating prices and fuel trading between bunker stations

Added a new searchlight control panel

Added a new audio muffling system

Added new sound effects for support craft cranes

Added new water spray effects for all vessels

Added a new wind sensor display on Windy

Added a new windshield wiper system for all vessels

Added additional gutting knives

Added more docking locations at Fenes and Værøy

Added NPC crew members aboard NPC vessels

Added NPC vessel traffic throughout the world

Added passenger transport missions to Mosken and Stavøya

Added propeller upgrades for Nordland and Turbo

Added saving and loading of DP system and crane states

Added seasonal depth curves for fish habitats

Added the ability to switch between first-person and third-person camera views at the DP station

Added a toolshop sign to the building in Værøy

Added upgradeable yarn hooks

Fishing & Fish Farming Improvements

• Improved fish habitats so each species is displayed as a single entity
• Improved fish school selection and habitat balancing
• Improved how fishing gear affects fish
• Improved the display of baited fishing gear in the inventory with a dedicated bait icon
• Improved catch notifications to display the amount of each fish species hauled using longlines and nets
• Improved the number of visually displayed fish hauled on longlines based on line length
• Improved replication of fishing gear in multiplayer
• Improved the fish habitat seasonal system
• Fixed an issue where fish habitat seasons were reversed
• Fixed an issue where salmon were not detected correctly by the echosounder
• Fixed incorrect fish weight conversions
• Reduced fish catches during off-season periods
• Rebalanced fishing XP rewards
• Improved seagull visuals around fish farms when nets break
• Adjusted prices for gutting knives and yarn hooks
• Changed how longline buckets are displayed in shops, showing unavailable items greyed out instead of hiding them

Vessels, Physics & Propulsion

• Improved overall ship physics and propulsion, including low-throttle handling, idle creep, and steering
• Improved vessel physics for Class 1 and Class 2 vessels
• Improved RPM calculations for more accurate engine behaviour
• Improved azimuth thrusters to operate independently
• Improved thruster power on Turbo
• Improved nozzle trim feedback for better clarity
• Improved the DP joystick behaviour
• Improved the DP system with first-person and third-person camera support
• Improved the radar system
• Improved the length of vessel wake effects
• Improved vessel handling and balancing across the fleet
• Fixed an issue where vessels experienced rotational acceleration when switching thrust from forward to reverse
• Fixed an issue where applying full rudder in either direction could prevent vessels from turning
• Fixed an issue where wake waves disappeared when leaving drive mode
• Fixed an issue where boats occasionally spawned in incorrect locations
• Fixed an issue where Skomcat tilted excessively when carrying passengers
• Fixed steering and physics issues on Skomcat when passengers were onboard
• Fixed the steering wheel alignment on Flammen
• Fixed the propeller size on Nordland
• Fixed an issue where the door on Fixer opened too far
• Improved the glass materials on all vessels
• Fixed graphical issues on Nordland
• Improved collisions in Windy's interior to prevent rain from entering
• Fixed an issue where Nordland's cabin and interior became wet during rain
• Renamed TTH Thrusters to SP
• Changed thruster keybindings to T/G
• Rebalanced all vessels
• Lowered vessel purchase prices to provide smoother progression

Cargo, Cranes & Vessel Equipment

• Improved cargo handling for players and cranes
• Improved crane logic and visuals, including manual cargo placement
• Improved cargo areas on Nordland and Dr. Phil
• Improved the ship subsystem responsible for activating and deactivating rigging
• Improved cargo visibility in the world when cargo is not associated with a player's mission
• Improved visuals for mooring, longline, and towing ropes
• Improved the camera angle when purchasing vessel upgrades
• Fixed an issue where cargo physics could become unstable or push cargo away when initially picked up by a crane
• Fixed an issue where fishing gear and other items were destroyed when changing vessel rigging
• Fixed a floating container in the Dry Dock
• Fixed an issue where the Conquest fish box displayed "Object" instead of "Fish Box"
• Fixed incorrect fish box tooltip names
• Fixed duplicate durability information when viewing the hull repair terminal while holding cargo
• Fixed incorrect engine upgrade purchase prices on vessels with multiple engines
• Improved the vessel request system
• Improved teleportation to shipyards and dry docks
• Made external fuel tanks cargo items instead of vessel rigging
• Rebalanced internal fuel tank upgrades and portable fuel tank containers
• Improved descriptions for tools and supplies
• Renamed worklights to decklights

Missions & Gameplay Improvements

• Improved lighthouse and seamarker maintenance missions
• Improved whale-watching missions
• Improved burning house missions
• Improved harbour cleanup missions
• Improved Sea Taxi mission feedback
• Improved passenger missions so all mission passengers board the active vessel
• Improved passenger behaviour on Skarven, with passengers now sitting in available seats
• Improved wind turbine missions so blade durability resets when a mission fails or is cancelled
• Improved the mission manager to generate more large cargo missions around Bodø and Værøy
• Improved mission timers to use adjustable time tracking
• Improved mission icon visibility and presentation
• Improved mission expiration messages
• Improved the placement of event messages
• Improved tutorial markers and instructions
• Improved the water cannon spray effect
• Increased burning vessel mission time limits to 18–24 hours
• Adjusted how frequently rescue, firefighting, and wind turbine missions are generated
• Rebalanced all missions
• Fixed an issue where lighthouse missions did not trigger correctly
• Fixed missing or incorrect mission markers during repair missions
• Fixed incorrect object names in lighthouse and seamarker missions
• Fixed the duration of burning house missions
• Fixed an issue where barges remained active after cancelling a mission
• Fixed an issue where extinguished fires could continue blocking interactions on dedicated servers
• Fixed an issue where foliage appeared inside lighthouses
• Fixed an issue where snow appeared inside lighthouses
• Fixed missing collision on seamarker platforms
• Improved lighthouse visuals
• Improved Sea Taxi passenger feedback
• Improved crew animations when opening the production line hatch on Turbo

NPC Traffic, Crew & Passengers

• Improved NPC crew, vessel traffic, and passenger behaviour
• Improved character customization logic
• Improved passenger handling and boarding
• Increased passenger capacity on Skarven to 3 passengers
• Increased passenger capacity on Skomcat to 16 passengers
• Adjusted crew hiring prices and monthly salaries
• Fixed an issue where crew members could disappear after loading a savegame

Ports, Environment & Graphics

• Expanded the metal pier in Kveldsbeita to accommodate Class 1 and Class 2 vessels
• Expanded the metal pier at the small bunker station in Røst
• Expanded Røst Glea port to accommodate more Class 4 vessels
• Improved docking locations at Moskenes to accommodate Class 3 vessels
• Improved the rocks around Røst Glea to make departures easier for Class 4 vessels
• Improved seabed depth around Måstad and Sørvågen to accommodate Class 4 vessels
• Adjusted cargo area positions in Måstad
• Moved the Dry Dock and large cargo areas to a new location in Værøy port
• Improved cargo zones at ports to prevent snow accumulation during winter
• Improved landscape textures and added more environmental variation throughout the map
• Added further environmental details and level design improvements throughout the world
• Improved nighttime lighting
• Improved streetlight activation during dark daytime conditions and storms
• Improved ocean visuals during day/night and seasonal cycles
• Improved weather visuals during summer and autumn
• Improved aurora visibility and seasonal appearance
• Updated aurora behaviour to appear during the correct seasons
• Improved chimney smoke on houses, which now appears below 10°C and is disabled at night
• Fixed snow and footstep effects not working correctly in certain ports
• Fixed visual artifacts on a building in Værøy
• Improved the visual appearance of lighthouses
• Improved the visual appearance of seagulls around fish farms
• Improved water particle effects to prevent them from disappearing too quickly near the edges of the screen
• Improved vessel splash and exhaust effects
• Updated seamarker lights to blink asynchronously
• Optimized landscape materials
• Optimized volumetric clouds
• Optimized vessel wake effects

Audio Improvements

• Improved overall sound effects throughout the game
• Improved engine audio
• Improved thruster sounds
• Improved transitions between indoor and outdoor audio
• Improved audio immersion when moving between vessel compartments
• Improved the sound muffling system
• Added additional machinery and equipment audio effects
• Improved weather sound behaviour
• Fixed an issue where weather sounds were not correctly linked to the sound effects volume sliders

User Interface, Controls & Accessibility

• Improved controller support for the World Map and user interface
• Improved map filters and icons
• Improved compass, map, HUD, and radar north-direction alignment
• Improved the World Map marker system
• Improved minimap zoom
• Improved the interaction system
• Improved the display of money, including two decimal places
• Improved the time-skip interface
• Improved the voting interface
• Improved the UI when leaving the Dry Dock
• Improved feedback form functionality
• Improved unit conversions
• Improved tutorial texts
• Improved tutorial markers
• Updated the Help section
• Updated voting keybindings
• Updated localization across all supported languages
• Updated logos for licensing partners
• Fixed an issue where motion blur could not be disabled in the settings
• Fixed an issue where the vessel name was unreadable when renaming a ship
• Fixed an issue where the vessel name was displayed incorrectly during docking
• Fixed an issue where the horn button disappeared after use
• Fixed an issue where the Tier 3 searchlight did not function correctly
• Fixed an issue where mission progression remained visible after creating a new company
• Added a confirmation message when exiting the game using Alt+F4

Economy, Progression & Company Management

• Improved bank loans with two additional loan options of 1 million and 3 million NOK
• Improved fuel consumption calculations, now based on real time
• Improved fuel consumption information displayed to players
• Improved fuel economy balancing
• Improved the pricing and balancing of vessel upgrades
• Adjusted rust accumulation on vessels from every 24 hours to every 7 days
• Renamed fuel stations to bunker stations
• Improved company money distribution when leaving a company
• Fixed an issue where ship paint colours could reset after saving and loading

Multiplayer, Performance & Stability

• Improved overall game performance
• Improved dedicated-server performance and stability
• Improved server and lobby interfaces
• Added additional dedicated-server configuration options
• Improved multiplayer replication of fishing gear
• Improved multiplayer synchronization of vessel and cargo systems
• Improved the voting interface in multiplayer
• Improved client movement on water-following objects in dedicated-server sessions
• Fixed a rare crash involving NPC actors
• Fixed an issue where reconnecting to a server after a crash could send players to an invalid lobby
• Fixed an issue where players could become stuck if their deployed vessel was voted back to the Dry Dock
• Fixed an issue where the handheld radio could disappear after loading a savegame while holding it
• Fixed an issue where players leaving a capsized vessel could swim upside down
• Improved save/load reliability for vessel systems and crew
• Optimized landscape materials, volumetric clouds, and vessel wake effects

Docking & Harbour Accessibility

• Increased maximum docking speed for Class 1 and Class 2 vessels from 1 to 2 knots
• Increased maximum docking speed for Class 3 and Class 4 vessels from 2 to 4 knots
• Fixed an issue preventing Class 3 vessels from docking at Moskenes
• Improved docking accessibility for larger vessels
• Expanded harbour infrastructure to accommodate additional vessels
• Improved vessel spawn and docking areas at selected ports