New Horizon Update

Hello! We’re excited to present the major update, “The Crust: New Horizon”, which is now available in exclusive closed testing! It’s been a long time in the making, but we believe the wait will be worth it — a whole new journey is ready for you to embark on.

So, what awaits you in New Horizon? Well... where do we even begin?

First of all, construction of Outposts. In addition to extracting Helium-3, Outposts can refine regolith and store resources. Colonists can also work there to generate science points and boost production. Naturally, modules won’t function without power, so you’ll be able to build solar panels, fuel generators, and RTGs to keep your Outposts running. With the help of cargo trucks, you can maintain a steady supply of fuel, food, and regolith.

Transport Cannon

But how do you select a territory for Outposts? For that, you’ll need the Transport Cannon (Mass Driver). In addition to launching Territory Probes for subsequent construction of Outposts, this module also launches Resource Probes and Anomaly Search Probes. 

Resource Probes are straightforward: they scan the target area for concentrations of valuable minerals, just like a Rover scanner. Anomaly Search Probes scan for anomalies instead. After scanning, anomalies appear as colorful glowing dots. 

These serve as modifiers — they grant special effects when you build an Outpost on them. The color of an anomaly indicates the strength or type of the buff or debuff.

To extract Helium-3 in the Outpost, you’ll need a Harvester. It can be built in Large Vehicle Assembly Facility.

Looking beyond Outposts — what else is new? Quite a few exciting modules are included in the update.

Thermonuclear Generator consumes Energy Cells to provide a steady power supply. Each cell contains a stabilized mixture of isotopes that release a tremendous amount of energy through controlled thermonuclear fusion. This generator offers a stable, powerful, and reliable energy source under any conditions — making it a perfect solution for running energy-intensive modules!

The Biogenerator generates electricity by burning organic materials. It works on the principle of anaerobic decomposition of biomass followed by combustion. The Biogenerator is a valuable power source in environments with limited access to fossil fuels or sunlight, making it a reliable ally in energy production. 

The AI Center analyzes scientific data gathered during lunar expeditions and generates a steady flow of two types of research points, consuming a large amount of energy in return. With this module, you’ll be able to gain passive research point income relying not only on contracts or colonists working in research labs.

The Data processing node. Just connect it to the power grid, and any excess energy will "magically" turn into Credits! To go into more detail, this module is designed for handling complex computations. It services blockchain networks on Earth and in near-Earth space, providing processing power to external clients for a fee. You can observe its work on the module panel.

Conveyors

The upcoming update will bring not only new modules and mechanics — in New Horizon, conveyors are getting a major rework for improved performance and convenience. Let’s dive into the details:

– Optimization - thanks to refactoring, the conveyor system now produces 90% more FPS, underground conveyors became especially easy. Now you can build a really huge factory on the moon.

– The logic behind resource movement on conveyors has been changed. This means smoother animations when resources move between belts of different levels and better optimization on large bases. One step closer to full optimization!

– Programmable distributors will allow you to set priorities for both inputs and outputs in your conveyor system.

– Storages can now have resource limits set — just note that these limits apply only to conveyors; drones will still collect resources as usual.

– The conveyor rework will give you more space for creativity! You can now cross belts carrying different resources — no more jams or workarounds!

Now let’s move on to some smaller — but still exciting — features that New Horizon brings to the game.

- We’ve designed the Custom Settings Sandbox to give you full control of your beginning — set your starting Credits and Science points, enable infinite resource veins, let Drones run without charging, and even slow down how quickly your Colonists reach a Nervous Breakdown. A miracle? Maybe. A fun new challenge? Absolutely!

- Many players have asked for the ability to construct Drones, and now it’s here! Use the Small Vehicle Assembly Facility to increase the number of these small but hardworking machines on your base.

- Now you can also sell drones — a special POI will appear in orbit during the game for this purpose.

- New digging algorithm for drones — now drones dig intelligently, choosing the best route and the next cell to excavate.

- Another long-awaited feature is demolition cancellation! No more watching in frustration as drones dismantle a building you selected by mistake! You can either click the button on the module panel or click the module again in dismantle mode. 

- Additionally, a cancellation option has been added for expeditions!

- New Horizon also brings the improved research tree! Upgrades now have a separate column next to related modules. We've also added a keyword search to make navigating much easier!

- Updated contracts - the long-awaited resource filters have appeared in the contracts interface, in addition, contracts are now more balanced and adapt to the player's development.

- Many players were tired of dragging the slider when loading Cargo Pods for Contracts. The good news is — we’ve added a “Fill All” button! Now you can load the pod with a single click. It’s a small change, but a big win for time management!

- Another feature included in the update is the ability to set preferred resources in Cargo Docks, giving you greater control over both the resources and the conveyors connected to them.

- Love the music in The Crust? Now you can pick your favorite track or check what’s playing — just open the Moon Radio in the top-right corner!

By the way, we have added some new music tracks.

The New Horizon update also brings plenty of balance changes and fixes. Discover everything new in The Crust now!

We wish you a smooth launch and unforgettable adventures across New Horizon!