We've been hard at work with our 2.2 update. This update brings Tier 3 mechanics into the world, with its corresponding tools, machinery, and pipes. A new resource also spawns now - Corestone! Found in Tier 2 and Tier 3 depths, this orangy-purpleish material is required for the crafting of T3 machines.

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With this update we've also introduced Ore Veins - randomly spawned zones which when using a drill or shovelling into these zones will increase the chance of a certain resource spawning. Use a prospecting helmet or the new Hydro Prospector to help find these ore veins.

Since pre-2.0, players have missed the Hydro Excavator - a vehicle capable of storing dirt while it digs holes into the ground. We've revisited the concept of a mining vehicle. And whilst it doesn't store dirt, it certainly is a massive step up from our previous excavator. The Hydro Mole is a versatile, easy to handle vehicle which is perfect for digging tunnels. It has locked angles to make it easy for you to dig up, down, or straight.

A common request from players is a reason to progress through the game. With this feedback, we've implemented a mainline quest! With increasing difficulty, progress through Bastion Keep, to complete a quest for the king, with a pretty sizable reward!

Another thing players have been requesting for a while now is Steam Achievements! We've gone ahead and added over 50 achievements for you to get.

That's not everything from us for this update, see the full patch notes below for everything. There's some good quality-of-life improvements we've added in, such as NPC locations on quest scrolls, the ESC menu pausing time, and more.

We're not finished with Hydroneer, there's still lots more we want to do to the game. Everyone here at our small studio is very excited to share with you our hard work on this update, we hope you enjoy it!
If you do, please consider leaving us a Steam review. It really helps us out :)

-Max

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Full Patch Notes:

2.2 Prospecting Update
14 April 2023

--- New Features
- The Hydro Mole - a utility vehicle which can dig dirt terrain. Can be set to three different angles.
- New resource: Corestone Ore. Slightly more common than Cloutium, not as expensive but can only be found in Tier 2 and Tier 3 depths.
- Complete Anvil crafting rework. Weapons and Jewellery can now be crafted by using any material besides shards. Anvil is also doubled in size.
- New Currency: Prospecting Guild Tokens
- New tasks: Craft items for NPCs using the anvil to gain Prospecting Guild Tokens.
- New store in the Bridgepour Harbour to spend these new tokens.
- New ‘Main Story’ Quest progression: “For The King!” With a secret new item reward for completion.
- New Tier 3 Tools and Equipment:
- Corestone Tools
- Corestone Pipes
- Corestone Drills and Harvesters.
- Ore veins have been added to Hydroneer. Randomised locations where drilling and digging will result in a higher yield of this resource type.
- Prospecting Helmet. Detects nearby ore veins depending on which direction the player is facing.
- Hydro Prospector. A utility vehicle which can find nearby ore veins and prospects downwards to find what type of vein is under the ground.
- Logic Saw Hook. Input a logic value to split resources to a certain size.
- Gem Chisel, used to split gems.
- Crafted weapon storage racks.
- Steam Achievements.
- All items can now be magnetised and conveyored
- Tutorial accessible from the main menu.
- The ESC menu now pauses time.
- New voicelines.
- 'H' taskbar icon for the Hydroneer app.

--- Fixes
- Bucket/Pan now drops dirt on the correct drop target location when emptied.
- Bucket stability improved when dropping it. It’ll try and land straight up now.
- Removed minor issue where multiple currency types in a purchasing bucket of a vehicle will remove the unused currency.
- Pipes and conveyors no longer rotate off grid in rare occasions.
- Players no longer 'splash' when exiting near water.
- Vehicle lights no longer effect water fuel tanks visually.
- Splitting coins/cut veg on top of scales will now update the scale reading.
- Items placed down in build mode over a storage vehicle will no longer still be snapped to the vehicle after being picked up and dropped.
- Dropping a helmet while wearing a helmet of the same type will no longer stop the effects of that helmet.
- Pressure gauge reverts back to 0 when picked up or water is no longer passing through.
- Logic Gem Compressor sound effects now linked to the 'machines' sound slider as intended.


--- Changes
- Task notes will now display the location that NPC is located to return the item.
- Various balancing changes:
- Shards are now slightly rarer
- Cloutium is now slightly less rare.
- Balanced prices of masterwork crafting recipes.
- Logic Smelter changes:
- No longer takes damage.
- Doors close automatically.
- Pipe Pressure can no longer be bypassed by using a lower tier of pipe and then using a booster back up to the pressure of the intake pipe. It'll now be capped by the maximum pressure of the weakest pipe in the line.
- In creative mode, the Masterwork Forge can now be used without any resources.
- Using a splitting tool (Saw/Cooking Knife/Chisel/Pickaxe) will only be able to split the intended use item, as well as currencies.
- Complete foliage visual overhaul, including all grass, bushes and trees.
- Bridgepour Harbour, Bastion Keep, and misc. world changes.
- NPCs will no longer call female characters "Lad", will instead refer to them as "Lass".
- Reduced the volume of crucibles and smelters when a large amount of ores enter.
- Reduced the size of the Boot item.
- Hydro truck now has visible windows.
- New visual effects for the masterwork forge.