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Ahoy Sailors!
We've just released another update focused on stability, multiplayer, and resolving several issues reported by the community. Thank you to everyone who continues to share feedback and bug reports—they help us improve Ships At Sea with every update.
Fixed a crash related to save games on Dedicated Servers
Fixed an issue preventing clients from adding routes on the world map
Fixed an issue causing crew members to get stuck on the open hatch in the Class 3 Fishing Ship
Fixed an issue where Private/Invite Only multiplayer sessions became stuck on the loading screen
Fixed an issue where ship color changes were not saved correctly
Fixed physics instability when placing cargo on non-cargo vessels
Thank you once again for your continued support, feedback, and patience. We wish you all a wonderful summer, fair winds, and calm seas—we'll see you again soon with Update v0.8.8! ⚓☀️
Ahoy Sailors,
Following the release of Update v0.8.7, we'd like to thank everyone for the fantastic feedback and bug reports. Your reports have been invaluable in helping us identify and resolve issues quickly. This update focuses on stability and polishing several systems based on your feedback.
Improved the Flammen waterjet nozzle trim behavior, which previously affected vessel speed in reverse.
Previously, correctly trimming the waterjet nozzle up (located at the stern of the boat) raised the bow, but incorrectly reduced the vessel's speed. Conversely, trimming the nozzle down increased the vessel's speed. The trim system has now been corrected to behave as expected. When the nozzle is down and the bow is up, it reduces the drag, and the speed increases to 2-3 knots in nice weather.
Fixed a crash that could occur when loading a save game with a specific font
Fixed an issue causing duplicate auto-save entries in the Load Game menu
Fixed an issue preventing support crafts from docking at the small fuel station in Røst
Fixed an issue preventing players from switching the autopilot mode on a dedicated server
Fixed an issue where Flammen could take damage while secured on the mothership
Fixed an issue where physical gauge speed indicators displayed the selected speed unit instead of always showing knots
Fixed an issue where players could become stuck when boarding Nordland equipped with both cranes
Fixed an issue where the Purchase button became inaccessible when a ship description was too long
Fixed steering behavior on the Skomcat
Fixed an issue where the total fuel capacity did not update after changing the volume unit
Improved shallow water around Stavøya port
Improved the seamarker platform to allow Class 2 boats to dock
Improved the speedometer
Improved the spawn locations of wind turbine blade barges to reduce the chance of blocked deployments
Some players have reported that they are unable to place waypoints after updating the game. If you experience this issue, please verify the integrity of your game files through Steam. This has resolved the problem for affected players.
As always, thank you for your continued feedback and support. We'll keep improving Ships At Sea together with the community.
Team Misc Games
We've just released a small hotfix addressing a few issues reported by the community:
Fixed an issue where players were unable to purchase longlines for the Conquest
Fixed an issue causing NPCs to get stuck on the Windy and Turbo vessels
Fixed an issue where the dedicated server list could not be scrolled further
Thank you for your continued feedback and support! ⚓
Team Misc Games
The wait is over! Major Update v0.8.7 is now available and marks the largest update to Ships At Sea since the start of Early Access.
At the heart of this update is our new Class 4 Service Operation Vessel (IMT 9604). For the first time, players can deploy and recover daughter craft using fully animated davit systems, operate a Dynamic Positioning (DP2) system, transfer crew with the Z-Bridge Bring-to-Work system, and maneuver using advanced azimuth propulsion. Together, these new systems lay the foundation for future offshore wind farm operations.
This update also introduces Dedicated Servers with support for up to 16 players, allowing communities to build persistent maritime worlds together. In addition, you'll find new towing missions for offshore wind farm components, expanded character customization, a reworked skill tree, redesigned Shipyard and Dry Dock interfaces, and a wide range of new vessel systems and navigation equipment.
Behind the scenes, we've continued investing in the core foundations of Ships At Sea. Update v0.8.7 includes improvements to buoyancy, vessel physics, water simulation, wave foam, lighting, weather effects, multiplayer replication, performance, and overall world immersion.
We've also expanded our audio and animation systems with new vessel engine sounds, ocean ambience, walking sounds, crane audio, NPC animations, and interaction improvements, helping make the maritime world feel more immersive and alive than ever before.
Finally, we're proud to welcome Longitude Engineering, Z-Bridge, and Steerprop as new official partners to Ships At Sea. Their expertise in offshore vessel design, crew transfer systems, and marine propulsion helps us continue our mission of delivering one of the most authentic maritime simulation experiences possible.
We would like to thank everyone who participated in the Public Test and shared their valuable feedback. Your reports and suggestions helped us polish this update for release, and we look forward to hearing what you think as you embark on your next voyage.
At the heart of Update v0.8.7 is the new Class 4 Service Operation Vessel (IMT 9604)—one of the most ambitious vessels we've ever developed for Ships At Sea.
Designed for offshore wind farm operations, cooperative gameplay, and advanced vessel systems, the IMT 9604 introduces an entirely new way to experience life at sea. Serving as a floating offshore operations platform, it combines multiple gameplay systems that encourage teamwork while remaining fully playable in single-player.
Players can:
Operate fully animated davit systems
Deploy and recover two daughter craft
Operate a Dynamic Positioning (DP2) system
Transfer crew using the Z-Bridge Bring-to-Work system
Control advanced propulsion with twin azimuth thrusters and a bow tunnel thruster
Whether you're coordinating a crew in multiplayer or operating the vessel alone, the IMT 9604 opens the door to a new generation of offshore gameplay and lays the foundation for future wind farm operations.
We're proud to welcome Longitude Engineering, Z-Bridge, and Steerprop as new official partners to Ships At Sea. Together, they bring authentic offshore vessel design, crew transfer technology, and advanced propulsion systems to our new Class 4 Service Operation Vessel, helping us deliver an even more realistic maritime simulation.
The new Class 4 Service Operation Vessel (IMT 9604) is based on Longitude Engineering's modern offshore vessel design, purpose-built for offshore wind farm operations. This vessel serves as the foundation for many of the new gameplay systems introduced in Update v0.8.7 and those planned for future offshore operations.
The IMT 9604 is equipped with the innovative Z-Bridge Bring-to-Work system, allowing crews to safely transfer personnel between vessels and offshore structures using a motion-compensated access system. Players can already operate the Z-Bridge as part of their offshore missions by simply rigging it from the Dry Dock, with additional functionality planned in future updates.
The vessel features licensed Steerprop propulsion technology, including twin stern azimuth thrusters and a bow tunnel thruster, providing precise manoeuvrability during harbour operations, offshore work, and Dynamic Positioning. Additional propulsion control stations and advanced thruster functionality are already in development.
The Class 4 Service Operation Vessel features a licensed Steerprop propulsion package, including twin stern azimuth thrusters and a bow tunnel thruster, providing exceptional manoeuvrability during harbour operations, offshore work, and Dynamic Positioning.
Unlike conventional vessels that rely on rudders for steering, azimuth thrusters rotate 360°, combining propulsion and steering into a single system. Instead of controlling a rudder, operators control the direction of thrust itself, creating a unique handling experience that closely reflects real-world offshore vessels.
To make the transition easier for players unfamiliar with azimuth propulsion, we've added an Invert Azimuth Thruster Rotation option in the game settings. This allows players to choose between a more familiar control scheme or a control layout that more closely matches real-world offshore vessel operations.
Additional licensed Steerprop propulsion control stations, dedicated thruster displays, independent port and starboard thruster controls, and the retractable bow azimuth thruster are already in development and will be introduced in a future update.
Below is a sneak peek at the upcoming licensed Steerprop main propulsion control panels, which will allow operators to independently control and monitor the vessel's azimuth thrusters.
The IMT 9604 introduces the most advanced offshore vessel systems ever featured in Ships At Sea, bringing an entirely new level of realism to offshore operations.
Operate a fully functional Dynamic Positioning (DP2) system to automatically maintain your vessel's position and heading without dropping anchor. Whether you're holding station beside an offshore structure or preparing to deploy a daughter craft, the DP system continuously compensates for wind, waves, currents, and vessel drift using the vessel's propulsion and thruster systems.
Players can move the vessel to a desired offshore position and activate Fixation directly from the DP console. Once enabled, the vessel automatically holds station while players focus on other offshore tasks, such as deploying daughter craft or operating the Z-Bridge.
If repositioning is required, operators can use the DP joysticks to make precise adjustments. The system automatically calculates a new target position and commands the vessel's propulsion systems to move and hold station at the updated location.
The DP display provides real-time information, including vessel position, heading, wind conditions, and propulsion status, giving operators a complete overview while maintaining station.
This is only the beginning of our offshore systems, and we look forward to expanding the Dynamic Positioning system with even more functionality in future updates.
The video below showcases the Dynamic Positioning (DP2) system in action.
Using the DP joysticks, players can reposition the vessel to a new target location. The DP system automatically calculates the required manoeuvre, controls the vessel's propulsion and thrusters, and safely moves the vessel into position before resuming station-keeping.
For players who would like to explore the system in greater detail, additional information about Dynamic Positioning and its display functions can be found in the in-game Help page.
The new Class 4 Service Operation Vessel introduces two fully deployable daughter craft, expanding offshore gameplay with entirely new ways to operate at sea.
Players can purchase the daughter craft through the Dry Dock, where they are physically mounted aboard the vessel and become part of its offshore equipment. Using the fully animated davit systems, crews can launch and recover the craft as part of normal offshore operations. Both vessels can also be purchased independently through the Shipyard and operated as standalone vessels.
Whether playing alone or in multiplayer, the daughter craft add a new layer of teamwork and immersion, allowing crews to carry out multiple offshore tasks simultaneously while the mother vessel remains on station using Dynamic Positioning.
As development continues, we will further expand these systems with additional animations, interactions, and gameplay features.
The Fast Rescue Boat introduces fully simulated waterjet propulsion, offering exceptional manoeuvrability, rapid acceleration, and excellent shallow-water performance.
Unlike conventional propeller-driven vessels, the Fast Rescue Boat features dedicated waterjet instruments and propulsion controls, allowing players to monitor jet direction, adjust nozzle trim, and fine-tune the vessel's handling to suit different operating conditions.
The new Nozzle Trim Control gives captains another layer of control by adjusting the running attitude of the vessel, improving stability, manoeuvrability, and ride comfort depending on sea conditions and speed. Dedicated Jet Direction and Nozzle Trim gauges provide real-time feedback directly from the bridge.
The vessel is also equipped with a new Propulsion & Craft Status Display, providing quick access to essential operating information, including speed, water depth, engine RPM, gear position, fuel level, and engine status.
Together, these systems create a more authentic offshore vessel experience while laying the foundation for future propulsion technologies and advanced vessel systems in Ships At Sea.
With Update v0.8.7, Dedicated Servers now support up to 16 players, allowing larger companies, more active ports, and bigger maritime operations than ever before.
Whether you're building a fishing company, coordinating offshore operations, or simply exploring the Norwegian coastline with friends, Dedicated Servers provide the flexibility to create your own persistent maritime world.
This update also introduces Linux support for Dedicated Servers, giving server owners even more flexibility when hosting their communities.
For players who prefer renting a server instead of hosting one themselves, Ships At Sea is now officially supported by our trusted hosting partners:
Whether you choose one of our official hosting partners or host your own server, it's now easier than ever to build your own maritime community in Ships At Sea.
The ocean is at the heart of Ships At Sea, and with Update v0.8.7 we've continued refining the technology that brings it to life.
This update introduces further improvements to buoyancy, vessel handling, collision behaviour, propulsion tuning, and overall stability, creating a smoother and more believable experience across the fleet.
A major focus has been the continued improvement of the water simulation, enhancing how vessels interact with the ocean by preventing water from entering enclosed spaces while also improving wave interaction, visual fidelity, and vessel damping in rough seas.
We've also improved multiplayer vessel synchronisation, reducing jitter and movement inconsistencies on Dedicated Servers while further refining vessel movement and stability in both single-player and multiplayer.
The ocean itself has also evolved with improved wave foam, enhanced water simulation, and additional performance optimisations. Combined with ongoing improvements to lighting, weather effects, and environmental systems, these changes continue to make every voyage feel more immersive than ever before.
Development doesn't stop here. Work has already begun on the next generation of ocean improvements as we continue evolving the living maritime world of Ships At Sea.
Based on community feedback, we've reintroduced the Shipyard to Ships At Sea, allowing players to once again purchase, customize, and manage Class 1–3 vessels directly from shipyards across the world.
For larger vessels, including the new Class 4 Service Operation Vessel and future ship classes, the Dry Dock remains the primary hub for vessel management, upgrades, and customization.
Both facilities have received visual improvements, updated lighting, and layout refinements. The Shipyard has been expanded to better accommodate larger Class 3 vessels, while the Dry Dock now features a new lift, making access to the lower level much more convenient.
We've also completely redesigned the Shipyard and Dry Dock user interface to make vessel management more intuitive and immersive.
Players can now preview vessels before purchase, inspect them using improved camera controls, customize vessel colours, and get a clearer overview of available upgrades, licensed vessels, and onboard equipment.
The vessel selling process has also been improved with a more transparent transaction overview, making it easier to understand exactly what is included when selling a vessel.
As development continues, we'll further expand both facilities with additional camera improvements, enhanced vessel presentation, dedicated preview lighting, and new functionality to make browsing, customizing, and managing your fleet even better.
With Update v0.8.7, character customization continues to grow, giving players more ways to create a captain that feels uniquely their own.
Choose from a wider selection of faces, hairstyles, clothing, eye and hair colours, and customize outfit colours to create your own distinctive look before setting sail.
As development continues, we'll further expand character variety, clothing options, animations, and NPC behaviour as we work toward creating a more lifelike, immersive, and believable maritime world. Please note that the current character customization presentation, including the background, is temporary and will continue to evolve in future updates.
After creating your character, your Ship License is automatically updated with your character portrait, making it feel more personal and uniquely yours.
Alongside the updated license, players can now track a variety of personal statistics through the Logbook, including co-op playtime, completed contracts in both single-player and multiplayer, transferred passengers, distance travelled, and more. Additional statistics and progression tracking features are already in development and will be expanded in future updates.
Not every improvement comes in the form of a new vessel or gameplay system. With Update v0.8.7, we've continued expanding the audio and animation systems that help bring the maritime world of Ships At Sea to life.
Players will experience a wide range of new and improved sound effects, including vessel engine sounds across different operating stages, engine start-up, docking and undocking, button interactions, enhanced crane audio, improved ocean ambience, additional footsteps across different surfaces, low-fuel alarms, and many other audio refinements throughout the game.
Animation development has also taken another major step forward. The underlying animation framework now provides a solid foundation for expanding animations across many gameplay systems in future updates.
Players can already experience new animations during activities such as longline fishing and replacing flashlight batteries, while sitting animations and NPC behaviours have also been further refined. The new fish-hooking animation during longline hauling is another step toward making commercial fishing feel more physical and authentic.
As development continues, we'll keep expanding animations, sound effects, character interactions, and environmental audio to create an even more immersive and believable maritime experience.
With Update v0.8.7, we've refined the Skill Tree to better support the future growth of Ships At Sea while making progression more meaningful for players.
Several outdated or less impactful skills have been removed or reworked, creating a cleaner and more flexible foundation for future expansion. The update also introduces new skills, including Driving Eco IV, an increased chance of successfully repairing equipment, improved health restoration when repairing electrical systems, and increased carrying capacity, allowing captains to transport more equipment and cargo before reaching their weight limit.
Behind the scenes, the Skill Tree has been redesigned to make future development easier and more scalable. This new foundation will allow us to continue expanding the system with additional specializations, progression paths, and gameplay-focused skills throughout Early Access.
A completely redesigned Skill Tree user interface is already planned for a future update, further improving progression and the overall player experience.
Update v0.8.7 marks the beginning of offshore wind farm operations in Ships At Sea, introducing the first gameplay systems for one of the largest industries planned for the game.
Players can now take on the first offshore logistics missions by transporting replacement wind turbine blades to support future maintenance operations. These missions lay the foundation for a much broader offshore gameplay experience that will continue to expand throughout Early Access.
To support these new activities, the Class 3 Cargo Ship Nordland can now be equipped with newly designed towing equipment through the Shipyard or Dry Dock. Once configured, captains can tow barges carrying wind turbine components across the Norwegian coastline or manoeuvre them into position just like real offshore workboats.
Alongside these new missions, we've also created a completely new set of towing assets, including towing wires, mooring lines, docking ropes, and longlines. These assets will gradually replace the existing rope systems as development continues.
While Update v0.8.7 focuses on offshore logistics, future updates will continue expanding offshore wind farm gameplay with new vessel types, maintenance operations, offshore infrastructure, and a wide range of new maritime careers within the renewable energy sector.
We're also continuing to evolve the mission system itself, introducing more dynamic mission generation, objectives, and progression throughout future updates.
Based on community feedback, larger vessels now feature a dedicated Night Navigation Lighting mode.
With the press of a button, captains can quickly switch between standard bridge lighting and red night lighting, helping create a more authentic nighttime navigation experience.
Just like aboard real vessels, red bridge lighting helps preserve the crew's night vision while keeping instruments and controls clearly visible during low-light operations.
Whether you're navigating through busy ports, operating offshore, or sailing across the Norwegian coastline after sunset, you can now choose the bridge lighting that best suits your operation and immersion.
Fishing remains one of the core pillars of Ships At Sea, and Update v0.8.7 introduces another round of improvements across fish behaviour, fishing gear, fish handling, multiplayer, and overall immersion.
Fish habitats and school navigation have been further refined, creating more natural fish movement throughout the world. Sonar functionality has also been improved, helping captains identify the most dominant fish species more effectively while searching for productive fishing grounds.
Longline and net fishing have received additional balancing, including improvements to catch probability, soaking mechanics, catch quality, and fish loss over time. Longline hauling now also features new fish-hooking animations, making commercial fishing feel more physical and immersive while allowing multiple crew members to participate during multiplayer operations.
Fish handling has also received further improvements, including refined fish physics, improved weight displays on sorting containers, and additional fish processing refinements. Unloading has also become more player-controlled. Previously, opening the unloading hatch automatically moved every fish box into the unloading area. With Update v0.8.7, captains can now manually select which fish boxes to move beneath the unloading hatch, giving them greater control over which catch is prepared for unloading and sale.
Should plans change, fish boxes can easily be returned to the sorting area and replaced with different catches before unloading.
Multiplayer fishing has also become more reliable, with improvements to net soak time synchronization, fish box interactions, and company ownership, preventing players from collecting fish from another company's longlines.
We've also continued refining the fishing ecosystem by updating breeding seasons for various fish species, further improving the living world simulation that drives the commercial fishing industry in Ships At Sea.
As development continues, we'll keep expanding the fishing experience with new mechanics, animations, ecosystem improvements, balancing, and gameplay features throughout Early Access.
Development of the world continues to make strong progress as we expand and refine the maritime environment of Ships At Sea.
One of the biggest improvements in Update v0.8.7 is the continued evolution of the world's atmosphere and lighting. A new city lighting management system now controls streetlights, building lights, and illuminated windows throughout the day and night cycle. Buildings no longer illuminate uniformly, creating towns and ports that feel more dynamic and alive after sunset.
Searchlights have also received major improvements and now interact correctly with the new volumetric fog and atmospheric effects. Whether navigating through heavy rain, dense fog, or darkness, powerful beams of light now cut naturally through the environment, creating some of the most immersive nighttime scenes we've achieved in Ships At Sea so far.
Beyond lighting, we've continued refining the world itself with additional environmental details, improved terrain, richer vegetation, enhanced foliage, and countless visual improvements across the Norwegian coastline. Every update brings us another step closer to creating a believable and immersive maritime world.
Players may also notice the first completed sailboats appearing throughout ports and marinas. While they currently serve as environmental decoration, these vessels represent the first step toward our upcoming NPC vessel traffic system. As development continues, they will gradually become part of a more dynamic and living maritime world.
While Update v0.8.7 introduces one of our largest expansions yet, it also lays the technical and gameplay foundations for larger vessels, new maritime careers, advanced gameplay systems, and many of the features still to come.
Development is already well underway on the next wave of features, including expanded offshore gameplay such as wind turbine maintenance and operations, additional bridge systems, interactive machinery and engine rooms, crew accommodation areas, offshore wind turbine interiors, a complete overhaul of fish farm visuals and gameplay, and continued improvements to the overall user interface, including further enhancements to the Shipyard and Dry Dock experience.
We're also continuing to expand the world itself with additional environmental improvements, more immersive audio and animations, expanded fishing systems, and new maritime professions. At the same time, we've officially begun development of our NPC vessel traffic system, one of the community's most requested features, which will be introduced in phases. The first sailboats can already be found throughout ports and marinas, laying the foundation for a more dynamic maritime world that will gradually expand with additional vessel types, behaviours, and activities in future updates.
We're also continuing to refine the fishing ecosystem. Upcoming updates will further improve fish seasonality, the movement of dynamic fish schools, and species distribution across different fishing gear, ensuring catches more accurately reflect the targeted species and the current season. Fish populations will continue to fluctuate naturally throughout the year, while market prices respond accordingly, creating an even more authentic commercial fishing experience.
As always, community feedback continues to play a vital role in shaping the future of Ships At Sea. Every update helps us build a stronger foundation for the next, and we're excited to continue this journey together.
Team Misc Games
General
Added vessel speed range information when browsing ships in the Shipyard and Dry Dock
Expanded the ports of Fenes, Helligvær, Moskenes, Måstad, Reine, Stavøya, and Vedøya to accommodate Class 4 vessels
Expanded the main fuel station dock in Bodø to accommodate Class 4 vessels
Increased font size in the Crew Management interface
Updated cargo mission descriptions
Performance improvements for landscape materials
Bug Fixes
Fixed half-highlighted cabin doors on several vessels
Fixed a crash related to deployable daughter craft
Fixed an issue preventing damaged daughter craft from being repaired in the Shipyard or Dry Dock
Fixed an issue where the instrument circuit breaker could not be unscrewed
Fixed an issue where vessels could take damage from loaded cargo
Fixed an issue where the Nordland gained reverse momentum and turned opposite to the rudder input during manoeuvring
Fixed an issue where no water was visible through the cabin windows on Flippy and Windy
Fixed an issue preventing players from catching fish with a jigging rod while using the rowboat
Fixed an issue where a player's head appeared to look downward for other players while operating the Dynamic Positioning system or crane
Fixed an issue where vessels continued turning after stopping if the player left the helm while holding the steering input
Fixed an issue where throttle upgrades were not applied to Class 3 vessels when loading older save games
Fixed an issue preventing support craft from docking at lighthouses
Fixed an issue where the nozzle controls did not function on Skarven
Fixed an issue where the waterjet nozzle trim operated in the opposite direction
Improvements
Improved fish catch distribution by prioritizing fish school size over proximity to the player
Improved lighting on Skomcat, Nordland, and Windy
Improved rewards for Quick Fishing, Fishing Challenge, and Whale Watching missions
Improved thruster performance on Skomcat, Nordland, and Windy
Improved top speed and steering on the Dinghy
Improved top speed and fuel consumption on Windy
Added
Added dried fish to medium cargo missions
Added a second worklight to the Røster, providing full visibility across the cargo area.
Improvements
Improved delivery and passenger missions with better distance-based variations
Improved the Dynamic Positioning (DP) system with additional stability improvements
Optimized various textures
Reduced the travel distance required to earn certificates:
100 km
250 km
500 km
1,000 km
Updated localization
Updated the mission description for towing wind turbine blades
Updated the shipyard information text
Fixes
Adjusted the boarding locations on the Nordland to prevent players from getting stuck in loaded cargo.
Fixed a crash related to player profiles
Fixed a crash related to docking lines
Fixed a crash in the route planner
Fixed a crash when loading a save game containing missing objects
Fixed an issue where the DP system continued to receive input after being deactivated/standby
Fixed the Class 4 Service Ship docking/disembark state not restoring correctly after loading a save game
Fixed excessive thruster activity while the DP system was maintaining position in calm waters
Fixed the speedometer becoming frozen after loading a save game
Fixed boats being able to dock at locations that do not support their size. Players will now receive a notification when attempting to dock at a port that cannot accommodate their vessel.
Fixed an issue preventing players with the required skill from performing repairs at sea
Fixed player level and XP in the logbook not updating correctly after progression
Fixed the autopilot on the Class 4 Service Ship, which was not following the plotted route in NAV mode
Fixed the fish farm UI not updating correctly for clients when selling fish
Fixed texture artefacts appearing on the magazine at close viewing distances
Fixed steering issues on the Conquest
Fixed throttle issues after loading a savegame
Fixed snow appearing on certain indoor objects
Fixed a mismatch between the speedometer gauge and the HUD speed indicator
Fixed the speedometer not functioning on the Class 4 Service Ship
Added
Added second main fuel stations in Værøy, Sørvågen, and Bodø to improve fuel access for Class 4 ships
Fixes
Fixed an issue where crew members preferred using the mixed fish box for sorting
Fixed an issue where filters broke after clicking a waypoint
Fixed an issue where Flammen could take damage while attached to the mothership
Fixed an issue where the crane camera faced the opposite direction on the client compared to the server
Fixed an issue where the autopilot failed to steer ships with azipods correctly
Fixed clock having the wrong asset on the Class 4 Service Ship
Fixed crane location unable to pick up all cargo in Lyngvær
Fixed crash caused by boat upgrades in savegames
Fixed crash during activation of boats with invalid upgrades
Fixed crash when entering Shipyard or Dry Dock
Fixed exhaust not properly shown on both support crafts
Fixed floating container in Bodø
Fixed icon overlapping price in Shipyard
Fixed issue exiting Nordland when rigged for towing in Shipyard
Fixed name decal coming through mesh on Class 4 Service Ship
Fixed throttle failing after loading a savegame
Fixed upgrade status display issue in Shipyard
Fixed visual triangle artifacts on the Class 4 Service Ship radar display
Improvements
Adjusted door rotation and room transitions on the Class 4 Service Ship
Improved fuel gauges
Improved level streaming
Improved steering on Skomcat
Increased cargo capacity in the Skomcat storage room
Increased maximum camera zoom level for the Class 4 Service Ship
Invert Azimuth Controls is now enabled by default in the game settings
Updated ship icon for Windy
Class 4 Offshore Wind Farm Support Vessel
Added a new Class 4 service ship equipped with azimuth thrusters
Added Dynamic Positioning (DP) system
Added deployable support craft system
Added two support craft types (Class 1 and Class 2)
Added towing rigging for Nordland
Added Crew Transfer and Cargo Crane rigging options
Added water jet direction adjustment instruments on Skarven and Flammen
Added a lift in the Dry Dock
Navigation & Vessel Systems
Added a GPS navigator
Added new RPM meter to HUD
Added rudder angle instrument
Added low fuel alarm
Added option to invert azimuth thruster input rotation
Added red bridge light option on Nordland, Skomcat, and Windy
Character & Progression
Added new character customization options
Added new player statistics to the logbook
Added Repair Success skill
Added Electrical Restoration skill
Added Driving Eco 4 skill
World & Environment
Added a city lights manager controlling streetlights, buildings, and windows
Added more NPCs walking around ports
Added shoreline wetness system
Dedicated Servers
Added Linux dedicated server support
Added DedicatedServerSettings.ini example file
Added Readme documentation
Added server description option
Increased dedicated server player limit from 8 to 16
Gameplay Improvements - Fishing
Improved fish habitat system
Improved fish school navigation logic
Improved fish gear catch probability for longline and net fishing
Improved fish unloading containers by displaying the contained species
Improved fish weight display
Improved fish box fish physics
Improved fish loss calculations when exceeding the optimal soak time
Updated fish breeding seasons
Missions
Added additional boats to fire missions
Adjusted boats available for passenger missions
Improved mission texts
Towing & Rope Systems
Reworked towing system
Crew & Company Systems
Prevent players from collecting fish from another company's longlines
Improved crew hiring UI
Vessel Improvements
Improved collisions on all boats and ships
Improved navigation lights on all boats and ships
Improved vessel lighting systems
Improved water masks on all boats and ships
Improved unified instrument systems across vessels
Boat-Specific Improvements
Improved steering on Flippy, Røster, Conquest, Turbo and Skomcat
Improved fuel consumption on Turbo
Rebalanced engines on Conquest
Improved boat stands for Class 1 vessels
Cranes
Added crane control highlighting on Turbo
Improved crane highlighting
Improved crane sounds
Improved water cannon remote-control animations
World & Visual Improvements
Improved landscape with new grass and trees
Added additional level design throughout the map
Improved buoy detector visuals
Improved sun positioning
Improved tree and grass response to wind direction and strength
Increased cargo area sizes around the map
Weather & Atmosphere
Improved ocean foam
Improved overall lighting
Improved light flickering across the world
Improved indoor weather blocking
Reduced excessive fog on summer mornings
Optimized weather system
Improved interior weather protection on boats and ships, preventing rain, snow, weather particles, fog, and related environmental effects from entering enclosed areas
User Interface & Quality of Life
Added reset character location option to handheld radio
Added settings to disable world markers and mission icons
Added pallets indicating XS/S cargo storage locations
Updated Help section
Reworked Dry Dock and Shipyard UI
Improved user feedback form with save game and screenshot attachment support
Refined skill tree by removing unused skills
Limited boat names to 20 characters
Animation Improvements
Added new sitting animations
Improved sitting animations
Added new walking sounds
Added new boat and ship engine sounds
Added new ocean sounds
Improved idle NPC animations
Performance & Optimization
Moved CPU water simulation to a separate thread
Optimized environment
Optimized weather system
Improved object replication handling
Improved save system
Improved teleportation system
Performance improvements for cranes
Performance improvements for landscape
Improved longline performance
Upgraded Unreal Engine to 5.7.4
Bug Fixes
Multiplayer & Networking:
Fixed client-side rowboat behaviour
Fixed client-side fish detachment during net fishing
Fixed fire UI bars not displaying for clients
Fixed the heavy fish box movement delay on clients
Fixed the horn sounds not playing for clients
Fixed whale mission client text issues
Fixed net soak time displaying as 0 for clients
Fixed welding replication when placing cargo on boats
Missions & Progression:
Fixed tutorial progress not saving
Fixed the mission reward player name display
Fixed the tracked mission placeholder icon after reload
Physics & Boats:
Fixed boats launching from the water after Alt+Tab
Fixed delayed water updates during level streaming
Fixed speed variation issue at full throttle
Fixed boat jumping caused by an invalid water surface
Fixed barge floating in the air
Fishing:
Fixed fish scale mismatch after gutting
Fixed halibut conveyor rotation issue
Fixed fish school radius shape
World & Environment:
Fixed weather entering wheelhouses
Fixed the snow missing during winter
Fixed sunset and compass alignment issues
Fixed inverted reflections
Fixed warehouse visibility issues
Fixed port and docking-related issues
UI & General:
Fixed skill point UI errors
Fixed weather settings text issues
Fixed localization issues
Fixed Help section typo
Fixed multiple interaction and animation issues
Plus numerous additional bug fixes and stability improvements.
Ahoy Captains,
This patch focuses on improving stability, gameplay, and quality of life based on the collected community feedback. It includes several crash fixes, improvements to the Dynamic Positioning (DP) system, mission balancing adjustments, and various gameplay and UI fixes.
Added dried fish to medium cargo missions
Added a second worklight to the Røster, providing full visibility across the cargo area.
Improved delivery and passenger missions with better distance-based variations
Improved the Dynamic Positioning (DP) system with additional stability improvements
Optimized various textures
Reduced the travel distance required to earn certificates:
100 km
250 km
500 km
1,000 km
Updated localization
Updated the mission description for towing wind turbine blades
Updated the shipyard information text
Adjusted the boarding locations on the Nordland to prevent players from getting stuck in loaded cargo.
Fixed a crash related to player profiles
Fixed a crash related to docking lines
Fixed a crash in the route planner
Fixed a crash when loading a save game containing missing objects
Fixed an issue where the DP system continued to receive input after being deactivated/standby
Fixed the Class 4 Service Ship docking/disembark state not restoring correctly after loading a save game
Fixed excessive thruster activity while the DP system was maintaining position in calm waters
Fixed the speedometer becoming frozen after loading a save game
Fixed boats being able to dock at locations that do not support their size. Players will now receive a notification when attempting to dock at a port that cannot accommodate their vessel.
Fixed an issue preventing players with the required skill from performing repairs at sea
Fixed player level and XP in the logbook not updating correctly after progression
Fixed the autopilot on the Class 4 Service Ship, which was not following the plotted route in NAV mode
Fixed the fish farm UI not updating correctly for clients when selling fish
Fixed texture artefacts appearing on the magazine at close viewing distances
Fixed steering issues on the Conquest
Fixed throttle issues after loading a savegame
Fixed snow appearing on certain indoor objects
Fixed a mismatch between the speedometer gauge and the HUD speed indicator
Fixed the speedometer not functioning on the Class 4 Service Ship
Thank you for your continued feedback and support throughout Early Access. As always, we appreciate everyone who takes the time to report bugs and share suggestions. Have a great weekend, and we'll see you out on the water!
Team Misc Games
Captains,
Thank you to everyone who has been testing the Public Test branch since Friday and sharing feedback, bug reports, crash reports, and suggestions. Your reports have already helped us identify and resolve a number of issues across the new Class 4 Service Operation Vessel (IMT 9604), support crafts, autopilot systems, cargo operations, and general gameplay.
Today's patch focuses on stability improvements, bug fixes, quality-of-life enhancements, and additional polish based on your feedback. Please continue testing and reporting any issues you encounter as we prepare Update v0.8.7 for release.
Added second main fuel stations in Værøy, Sørvågen, and Bodø to improve fuel access for Class 4 ships
Fixed an issue where crew members preferred using the mixed fish box for sorting
Fixed an issue where filters broke after clicking a waypoint
Fixed an issue where Flammen could take damage while attached to the mothership
Fixed an issue where the crane camera faced the opposite direction on the client compared to the server
Fixed an issue where the autopilot failed to steer ships with azipods correctly
Fixed clock having the wrong asset on the Class 4 Service Ship
Fixed crane location unable to pick up all cargo in Lyngvær
Fixed crash caused by boat upgrades in savegames
Fixed crash during activation of boats with invalid upgrades
Fixed crash when entering Shipyard or Dry Dock
Fixed exhaust not properly shown on both support crafts
Fixed floating container in Bodø
Fixed icon overlapping price in Shipyard
Fixed issue exiting Nordland when rigged for towing in Shipyard
Fixed name decal coming through mesh on Class 4 Service Ship
Fixed throttle failing after loading a savegame
Fixed upgrade status display issue in Shipyard
Fixed visual triangle artifacts on the Class 4 Service Ship radar display
Adjusted door rotation and room transitions on the Class 4 Service Ship
Improved fuel gauges
Improved level streaming
Improved steering on Skomcat
Increased cargo capacity in the Skomcat storage room
Increased maximum camera zoom level for the Class 4 Service Ship
Invert Azimuth Controls is now enabled by default in the game settings
Updated ship icon for Windy
Thank you again for your continued support and testing. We have been thrilled to see so many positive reactions to the new Class 4 SOV, daughter craft deployment and recovery, the Dynamic Positioning (DP) system, and the first steps toward future wind farm operations.
Your feedback, bug reports, and suggestions continue to help us improve the experience as we polish Update v0.8.7 for release. We look forward to hearing more of your thoughts during the Public Test.
Team Misc Games
Ahoy Captains,
Finally, it's here! For the past few months, we have been working hard on one of the most ambitious updates we have ever created for Ships At Sea.
At the heart of this Public Test is our operational offshore vessel, the Class 4 mini SOV (IMT 9604). For the first time, players can deploy and recover support craft using fully animated davit systems, operate a Dynamic Positioning (DP2) system, and transfer crew using the Z-Bridge Bring-to-Work system. Combined with advanced propulsion systems such as azimuth thrusters, this vessel represents a major step forward for Ships At Sea.
Beyond the Class 4 SOV, this Public Test introduces dedicated servers supporting up to 16 players, towing wind farm components, expanded character customization, reworked skill tree, redesigned shipyard and dry dock user interface, and a collection of new vessel systems and instruments.
We have also continued investing heavily in the foundations of Ships At Sea. This update brings improvements to buoyancy, vessel physics, water simulation, wave foam, lighting, weather effects, multiplayer replication, performance, and overall world immersion.
In addition, we have begun expanding our audio and animation systems to include new vessel engine sounds, ocean ambience, walking sounds, crane audio, NPC animations, and various interaction improvements. These are all part of our ongoing effort to make the world feel more alive, immersive, and believable.
Finally, we are proud to welcome Longitude Engineering, Z-Bridge, and Steerprop as new partners to Ships At Sea. Together, they bring authentic offshore vessel design, state-of-the-art crew transfer technology, and advanced propulsion systems. These new additions represent another step toward our goal of delivering the most immersive maritime ship simulation experience possible, and we can't wait for you to try them out during the Public Test.
As usual, to avoid any potential issues, we strongly recommend backing up your save files before joining to the Public Test version v0.8.7
To find your Steam for Ships At Sea saves:
Press Win + R to open the Run Window
Paste the following path: %USERPROFILE%/AppData/Local/Sas/Saved/SaveGames into the field
Press OK
To try the PUBLIC TEST, please follow these steps:
Open Steam
Right-click on Ships At Sea in your library
Select Properties
Go to the Betas tab
Enter the password: SaSPublicTest
Choose "public_test" from the "Beta participation" drop-down list
Wait for the game to update the files (if nothing happens, restart the Steam client)
Launch the game
Note: Also, remember to verify the integrity of game files via Steam to avoid issues.
The new Class 4 Wind Farm Operation Vessel, IMT 9604, represents one of the most ambitious vessels we have ever developed.
Designed around offshore wind farm operations and cooperative gameplay, this vessel introduces a completely new level of interaction between vessels, onboard systems, and up to 10 players simultaneously. The Class 4 Wind Farm Supply Ship is built to serve as a floating offshore operations platform.
Its support craft are physically integrated into the vessel and operated through fully animated davit systems. Players can deploy, operate, and recover the craft as part of normal vessel operations, creating a more hands-on and immersive offshore experience. When combined with the Dynamic Positioning (DP) system and the Z-Bridge crew transfer system, crews can carry out realistic offshore operations that require planning, coordination, and teamwork.
Players can:
Operate the davit systems
Deploy support crafts
Recover the support craft back on board
Both davits are fully animated and operational, allowing players to physically launch and recover craft during offshore activities.
The vessel currently supports:
Dynamic Positioning (DP)
Advanced propulsion systems and twin stern Azimuth Thruster units
One Bow Tunnel Thruster unit
Z-Bridge crew transfer operations
Two independent support crafts
In multiplayer, one crew can remain aboard the mother vessel while another team operates a support craft independently, allowing multiple operations to take place simultaneously. These systems have also been designed with single-player captains in mind. Features such as Dynamic Positioning allow players to secure their vessel in position before deploying support craft.
The vessel is already operational and ready for testing during the Public Test phase, while development continues on additional interiors, such as crew areas, and on completing the bridge systems, machinery and engine room, animations, and gameplay features.
Today, we are proud to welcome three new maritime industry partners to Ships At Sea, and all three are represented aboard our new Class 4 mini SOV (IMT 9604).
Longitude Engineering joins Ships At Sea as the licensing partner behind our new Class 4 Service Operation Vessel. Their IMT 9604 design represents a modern offshore service vessel which can run on methanol and marine diesel fuel, built for demanding offshore operations, particularly within the offshore wind industry. The vessel serves as the foundation for many of the new gameplay systems we want to introduce in the upcoming updates.
We are also excited to welcome Z-Bridge to Ships At Sea.
The IMT 9604 is equipped with the innovative Z-Bridge Bring-to-Work system, a motion-compensated offshore access solution designed to safely transfer crew or small cargo between vessels and offshore structures. You can already test and operate the Z-Bridge during the Public Test.
While it works similarly to a crane, it offers additional functionality, allowing operators to tilt the arm and move the gondola up and down while transporting crew members from the control cabin. The gondola can also be operated through the control panel located on the gondola.
We are proud to welcome Steerprop, a manufacturer of advanced marine propulsion and vessel control systems.
The Class 4 Mini SOV is equipped with twin Steerprop azimuth thruster located at the stern, providing excellent manoeuvrability and precise vessel control during offshore operations. These stern azimuth thrusters, presented in the image below, are fully implemented and can already be tested during the Public Test.
The vessel's bow tunnel thruster and retractable azimuth thruster have also been modelled as part of the propulsion system. However, their full functionality, along with dedicated propulsion control panels based on Steerprop technology, will be introduced later.
Once completed, these systems will further enhance vessel handling and provide players with an even deeper offshore vessel operating experience.
Unlike conventional vessels that rely on rudders for steering, azimuth thrusters can rotate 360 degrees, combining propulsion and steering into a single system. This provides exceptional manoeuvrability during harbour operations, offshore work, and docking.
One characteristic of azimuth thrusters is that they operate differently from conventional rudder-controlled vessels. Rather than controlling a rudder, operators control the direction of thrust itself, which can initially feel unfamiliar to players accustomed to traditional ship handling.
To accommodate different player preferences, we have added an Invert Azimuth Thruster Rotation option in the game settings. By default, this option is enabled to provide a control scheme that may feel more familiar to players transitioning from conventional vessels. Players who wish to experience azimuth thruster operation more closely to real-world offshore vessels can simply disable this setting. This allows each player to choose the control method they find most comfortable.
Types of Thrusters
Bow Tunnel Thruster – Provides sideways bow movement for docking and harbour manoeuvres.
Azimuth Thrusters – A fully rotating 360° propulsion system used for propulsion, steering, station keeping, and offshore operations.
The Class 4 vessel features a Steerprop propulsion package consisting of twin stern azimuth thrusters, a bow tunnel thruster, and a retractable bow azimuth thruster.
During the Public Test, players will be able to experience the vessel's twin stern azimuth thrusters and bow tunnel thruster, including the unique handling characteristics of azimuth-based propulsion and steering.
The licensed Steerprop propulsion control stations, dedicated thruster displays, independent port and starboard thruster controls, and retractable azimuth thruster functionality are currently under development. While the control panel models have already been completed, their functionality, especially the independent control of each stern azimuth thruster, will be introduced in the upcoming update.
Below, you can get a first look at the upcoming licensed Steerprop main propulsion control panels that will later allow operators to independently control and monitor the vessel's azimuth thrusters.
The Class 4 SOV introduces one of the most advanced vessel systems ever featured in Ships At Sea: the Dynamic Positioning Class 2 (DP2) system.
Unlike an autopilot, which follows a predefined course, the DP system automatically maintains the vessel's position and heading without the use of anchors. Once activated, the system continuously compensates for wind, waves, currents, and vessel drift by controlling the vessel's thrusters and propulsion systems.
The IMT 9604 is equipped with two licensed NorSap DP operator stations, one on the port side and one on the starboard side, providing the redundancy required for DP2 operations.
When sailing in transit, players can move the vessel to a desired offshore position and enable Fixation on the DP display. Once enabled, the DP system takes over, holding the vessel at that position and heading.
If fine adjustments are needed, the operator can use the joysticks to manually input movement or reposition the vessel. The DP system then calculates the new target position and heading, takes control of the main propulsion and thrusters, and moves the vessel to the updated location before holding station again.
The left joystick controls the vessel's lateral movement (port and starboard),
while the right joystick controls longitudinal movement (forward and astern) as well as rotational movement around the vessel's vertical axis (heading/yaw)
The DP display provides an overview of the vessel’s position, heading, wind conditions, and propulsion information. The vessel silhouette on the display helps players understand the ship's position and how the DP system maintains station at that centre.
Currently, the DP system uses the stern-mounted azimuth thrusters and bow tunnel thruster. In a future update, players will also be able to use the retractable azimuth thruster.
The video below demonstrates how manual position adjustments are performed while Dynamic Positioning is active. The vessel silhouette displayed on the DP screen represents the vessel's current position and heading relative to its target location.
When the operator provides a manual input using the DP joysticks, a new target position is established. The DP system then automatically calculates the required manoeuvre and commands the vessel's propulsion and thruster systems to move the ship to the new location. Once the vessel reaches the updated position, the DP system resumes station-keeping and continues to maintain the selected position and heading.
Detailed information about the Dynamic Positioning (DP) system and its display functions can be found in the in-game Help page.
The support crafts can be purchased and added to the Class 4 mini SOV vessel through the Dry Dock, where they are physically mounted aboard the ship and become part of your offshore operations setup.
Players can also purchase and operate the support craft independently through the Shipyard.
As part of our ongoing development efforts, additional immersion features are already being prepared. The new engine lever holding animations have been completed and will be introduced in a future update once their implementation and functionality have been finalized.
Waterjet Propulsion Systems
The Support Vessel introduces waterjet propulsion systems.
Unlike conventional propellers, waterjets provide exceptional manoeuvrability, rapid acceleration, and excellent shallow-water performance. To support these advanced propulsion systems, we are introducing an entirely new set of instruments and controls with the Support Vessel 2, giving players greater control over vessel handling than ever before.
Jet Direction Gauges
Jet Direction Gauges display the current steering angle of the waterjet nozzles and indicate the direction of thrust.
Nozzle Trim Control
For the first time, players can actively adjust the trim position of the waterjet nozzles.
The new Nozzle Trim Control allows operators to fine-tune the running attitude of the vessel by changing the direction of the waterjet thrust. Trimming the nozzles downward raises the bow, while trimming upward lowers it.
Setting the correct trim setting can significantly improve:
Vessel stability
Maneuverability
Ride comfort
Different sea conditions and operating speeds may require different trim settings, giving captains another layer of control over how their vessel behaves on the water. The Nozzle Trim Gauges indicate the current trim setting and whether the vessel is operating in a Bow Up or Bow Down attitude.
Since the Class 2 Service Boat is equipped with waterjet propulsion, too, it also features fully functional Nozzle Trim Controls and Nozzle Trim Gauges.
Propulsion & Craft Status Display
The vessel is also equipped with a dedicated Propulsion & Craft Status Display providing quick access to important vessel information, including:
Speed
Water depth
Engine RPM
Gear status
Fuel level
Engine status
Together, these new systems deliver a more advanced and authentic vessel-operation experience to Ships At Sea while laying the foundation for future propulsion technologies and vessel systems.
Dedicated Servers first arrived in Ships At Sea with Update v0.8.6, laying the foundation for larger multiplayer operations and persistent maritime communities in the future.
With Update v0.8.7, we are taking the next step by increasing server capacity from 8 to 16 players, allowing larger companies, more active ports, and bigger maritime operations than ever before. Whether you're running a fishing company, coordinating offshore operations, or simply exploring the world together, dedicated servers now provide even more room for cooperative gameplay.
To support this expansion, we are introducing Linux support for dedicated servers.
For players who prefer renting servers rather than hosting them themselves, we have partnered with several dedicated server providers:
4Netplayers
GPORTAL
BisectHosting
Once Update v0.8.7 is officially released, Ships At Sea will officially be available through these hosting partners.
Use the branch password SaSPublicTest to access and download the Public Test Server version of the dedicated server if you want to check it out for yourself.
Note: Remember to back up your autosaves on the server!
This branch is available for both:
Linux dedicated servers
Windows dedicated servers
We have also improved the self-hosting experience by including example configuration files in the folder: SAS\\Saved\\Config\\WindowsServer and a setup guide SAS\\Binaries\\Win64\\Readme.txt, making it easier to configure and launch dedicated servers without needing to search through external documentation or our support pages. Server administrators can also add custom server descriptions to better communicate their server's purpose to other players.
This Public Test is especially important as we continue to stress-test larger player counts, improve replication and performance for multiple and larger vessels, refine server stability, and prepare the next generation of multiplayer experiences in Ships At Sea.
The sea is at the heart of Ships At Sea, which is why we continue investing heavily in our buoyancy system, water simulation, and vessel handling. With this update, we have further improved vessel behaviour through better collision handling, steering improvements, propulsion tuning, and numerous stability fixes across the fleet.
A major part of this work has been our continued development of the water mask system. The new approach significantly improves how vessels interact with the ocean by preventing water from entering lower decks and enclosed areas, while also enhancing visual fidelity and damping effects as vessels ride through waves. The result is a more believable experience both visually and physically.
We have also continued improving multiplayer vessel synchronisation by reducing jitter and movement inconsistencies on dedicated servers, while further refining vessel movement and stability across the game. This provides a smoother and more stable experience for both single-player and multiplayer operations.
The ocean itself has also received additional attention, with improved foam simulation and visuals, as well as performance improvements to parts of the water simulation. Further water shader improvements are already underway as we continue to enhance the visual quality and realism of the ocean.
Combined with improvements to lighting, wind response, environmental effects, and vessel physics, these changes continue to strengthen the foundation of the maritime ship simulation we are building as Ships At Sea continues to grow and evolve.
Based on player feedback, we have reintroduced the Shipyard to Ships At Sea.
Players can once again visit the shipyards across the map to purchase, customize, and manage Class 1 to Class 3 vessels. For larger vessels, including the new Class 4 Offshore Wind Farm Support Vessel and future large ship classes, the Dry Dock remains the primary hub for vessel management and upgrades.
Both the Shipyard and Dry Dock have received visual improvements, updated lighting, and general layout enhancements. The Shipyard has been expanded to better accommodate larger Class 3 vessels, while the Dry Dock now features a new lift, making it much easier to access the facility's lower level.
In addition, both the Shipyard and Dry Dock have received a completely redesigned User Interface and functionality.
Players can now preview vessels before purchase, inspect them more closely using improved camera controls, customize vessel colours, and get a better overview of available upgrades, licensed ships and equipment.
We have also improved the vessel selling process by providing a more transparent transaction overview, allowing players to clearly see what is included when selling a vessel.
Further improvements are already in development, further camera improvements, improved vessel presentation, more functionality and dedicated preview lighting to better showcase vessels and equipment while browsing and customizing them.
Character customization continues to evolve in Ships At Sea. While there is always room for improvement, this update introduces expanded character customisation options, allowing players to select different faces, new clothing, adjust eye and hair colours, choose different haircuts, customize clothing colours, and create a more personalised character.
Please note that the current character customization presentation, including the background, is temporary and will continue to be refined in future updates. As development progresses, we will further expand character variety, clothing, animations, and NPC behaviour as we work toward creating a more lifelike, immersive, and believable maritime world.
After creating and customizing your character, your ship license is automatically updated with your character portrait, making the license feel more personal and uniquely yours.
Alongside the updated license, players can now track a variety of personal statistics through the Logbook, including co-op playtime, completed contracts in both single-player and multiplayer, transferred passengers, distance travelled, and more. Additional statistics and progression tracking features are already in development and will be expanded in future updates.
Not every improvement comes in the form of a new vessel or gameplay feature. With Update v0.8.7, we have also continued investing in the audio and animation systems that help bring the world of Ships At Sea to life.
On the audio side, players will encounter new vessel engine sounds for different operating stages, including idle, throttle acceleration and deceleration, engine startup, docking and undocking sounds, button interactions, improved ocean ambience, additional walking sounds across different surfaces, enhanced crane audio, low-fuel alarms, and various sound improvements throughout the game world. Together, these additions help create a richer and more immersive maritime atmosphere.
Animation development has also made significant progress. With this update, the underlying animation framework is now in place, providing a solid foundation for expanding animations across many gameplay systems in the future. A large number of animations planned for various gameplay activities have already been created and are ready to be integrated throughout upcoming updates.
Players can already observe new animations during activities such as longline fishing and replacing flashlight batteries, while sitting animations and NPC behaviours have received further improvements. The new fish-hooking animation during longline hauling is another step toward making fishing operations feel more physical and believable.
Additional animations, sound effects, audio enhancements, and interaction refinements are already in development as we continue to build a more immersive maritime simulation.
Please keep in mind that certain sounds and animations still need additional tweaks and polish as development progresses.
With Update v0.8.7, we have taken the opportunity to rework and clean up the Skill Tree system. Over time, some skills no longer aligned with Ships At Sea's long-term vision, while others had little meaningful impact on gameplay. As part of this update, we have refined the overall structure, removed unused skills, and laid a stronger foundation for future expansion.
The update introduces several new skills, including Driving Eco IV, an increased chance of successfully repairing equipment, improved health restoration when repairing electrical systems, and a new skill that increases the player's carrying capacity, allowing captains to transport more equipment and cargo items before reaching their weight limit.
For this update, our primary focus has been on the underlying systems and functionality. The Skill Tree system has been redesigned behind the scenes to make future expansion significantly easier and more flexible. A new user interface dedicated to the Skill Tree is already planned for a future update and will further improve progression and player experience.
Most importantly, the new foundation allows us to continue introducing additional specializations, progression paths, and gameplay-focused skills as Ships At Sea continues to grow.
With Update v0.8.7, the first offshore wind farm operations arrive in Ships At Sea, marking the beginning of a completely new industry that will continue to expand in future updates.
Offshore wind turbines are designed to continuously respond to changing weather conditions. Just like in Ships At Sea, the turbines rotate to face the wind and adjust their operation to maximize power generation. However, constant exposure to strong winds, storms, rain, and harsh offshore conditions can eventually lead to wear and damage. One of the most vulnerable components is the turbine blade itself, which can become damaged and require replacement to keep the wind farm operational.
Players can now take on missions involving the transport of replacement wind turbine blades.
To support these new activities, the Class 3 Cargo Ship Nordland can now be equipped with newly designed towing gear through the Shipyard or Dry Dock. Once rigged for towing, captains can transport cargo barges carrying wind farm components to their destination. Just like on a real workboat, players can also push barges if they wish.
We have also completed a range of new towing and rope assets, including towing wires, mooring lines, docking ropes, and longlines. While these assets have already been created, they have not yet replaced the existing ropes and are therefore not part of the Public Test.
The image below provides a first look at the new towing equipment available for the Nordland.
While these first missions focus on logistics and transportation, they represent an important foundation for the larger offshore wind farm gameplay systems currently in development. Future updates will continue expanding offshore operations with new vessel types, maintenance activities, offshore infrastructure, and additional gameplay opportunities within the growing renewable energy sector.
Please note: The mission system itself will continue to evolve, with future updates introducing a more dynamic approach to mission generation and objectives.
Based on player feedback, we are introducing a dedicated Night Navigation Mode for larger vessels.
Captains can now quickly switch between standard day bridge lighting and red night mode lighting with the press of the bridge light.
Red lighting is commonly used aboard real vessels during nighttime operations, as it helps preserve the crew's night vision while still keeping instruments and controls visible.
Whether navigating through ports, operating offshore, or sailing during long nights at sea, players can now choose the lighting mode that best suits their operation and immersion preferences.
Fishing continues to receive significant attention in Update v0.8.7, with improvements across fish behaviour, fishing gear, catch quality, fish handling, immersion, and multiplayer interactions.
We have refined fish habitats and fish school navigation logic, creating more natural fish movement throughout the world. Sonar functionality has also been improved, with fish markers now prioritizing the most dominant species, helping captains identify fishing opportunities more effectively.
Longline and net fishing have received balancing improvements, including adjustments to catch probability, soaking mechanics, and overall performance. Players will also notice improvements to how fish loss is calculated when gear remains in the water beyond the optimal soaking time.
To further improve immersion, longline hauling now features a fish-hooking animation. This is an important step toward making fishing operations feel more physical, believable, and visually connected to the actions taking place aboard the vessel. The system has also been improved for multiplayer, allowing multiple crew members to participate in the hooking process one after another. Previously, once a player started hauling the longline, only that player could hook all the fish. While the animation system is already in place and functional, additional refinements and polish to the animations themselves are planned as we continue improving the overall fishing experience.
Fish handling has also received further attention. Fish weight displays have been improved, fish physics inside fish boxes have been refined, fish containers in the sorting area now provide a clearer overview of their contents and weights while at sea, and several issues related to fish processing and gutting have been corrected.
Fishing operations have also become more flexible and player-controlled. Previously, opening the unloading hatch automatically moved all fish boxes into the unloading area beneath it. With Update v0.8.7, players can now decide exactly which fish boxes should be prepared for unloading and sale.
After sorting fish in the sorting area, players can interact with individual fish boxes and move only the desired containers to the unloading area aboard the Class 3 Fishing Ship. This makes it possible to prepare catches before arriving at port, separate species for different fisheries, and maintain greater control over onboard fish handling operations.
If players change their minds, fish boxes can simply be moved back to the sorting area and replaced with different catches before unloading.
Multiplayer fishing operations have also become more reliable, with fixes for net soak time synchronization, fish box interactions, and safeguards preventing players from collecting fish from another company's longlines.
In addition, fish species breeding seasons have been updated as we continue refining the simulation and ecosystem systems that drive the fishing industry in Ships At Sea.
Development of the world continues to make strong progress as we further expand and refine the environment of Ships At Sea.
A major focus of this update has been improving the overall lighting and atmosphere throughout the world. We have introduced a new city lighting management system that controls streetlights, building lights, and illuminated windows throughout the day and night cycle. The system adds greater variety and realism by allowing buildings and individual windows to illuminate differently, helping towns and ports feel more alive after sunset.
We have also continued improving the overall lighting systems across Ships At Sea. Searchlights have received important fixes and now properly interact with atmospheric effects, including the new volumetric fog. This creates a much more immersive experience during nighttime operations, poor visibility, and challenging weather conditions, allowing powerful beams of light to cut through fog, rain, and darkness in a far more believable way. As demonstrated in the video below, one of the most atmospheric maritime scenes we have achieved so far
Level design work has also continued across the world, with additional environmental details, visual enhancements, and new vegetation added throughout the map. This includes improvements to terrain, foliage, grass, trees, and other world-building elements designed to make the environment feel more alive and immersive. As development continues, players can expect further environmental improvements across the world.
Players may also notice the first completed sailboats appearing around the map. While these vessels currently serve as environmental decoration, they help populate harbours and marinas. These sailboats are also being developed with our future NPC vessel traffic system in mind and represent an early step toward creating a more dynamic maritime world. For now, they remain peacefully moored until they set sail.
While the Public Test introduces the new Class 4 Offshore Wind Farm Support Vessel and one of its core gameplay systems, several features are still being actively developed and are therefore not included in the current test branch.
The bridge of the Class 4 Offshore Wind Farm Support Vessel will receive additional functional instruments and systems. The majority of the models have already been completed, however, their functionality and gameplay integration are still in development.
The vessel will also feature dedicated propulsion controls from our license partner, Steerprop, including:
Port Stern Azimuth Thruster Control Panel
Starboard Stern Azimuth Thruster Control Panel
Retractable Bow Azimuth Thruster Control Panel
Bow Thruster Control Panel
These systems will provide more realistic offshore vessel operations and advanced manoeuvring capabilities.
Work is ongoing on the vessel's interior spaces, including:
Crew accommodation areas
Machinery spaces
Control Room/Battery Room/Generator Room
Future gameplay systems are planned for these areas as development continues.
With this update, we were able to complete the foundation and framework required for a large number of new character animations. While most of these animations are not yet included in the current Public Test branch, the underlying systems are now in place, allowing us to integrate additional animations much faster going forward.
Animations that have already been created but are not part of the Public Test branch:
Controlling and steering the outboard engine of the lifeboat
Fishing gameplay-related animations
New sitting animations and idle animations in general behind the steering wheel or captain chair interactions
Character movement and walking improvements
Inventory-related animations, such as holding items and completing repair tasks
and more
The interiors of the offshore wind turbines are currently under development and will remain inaccessible during the Public Test. Players can, however, access the external wind turbine platforms and fully test Z-Bridge transfer operations with the DP system.
Additional gameplay related to wind turbine operations will be introduced as development progresses.
Aurora Borealis and rainbow effects are already available in the game and have received additional visual improvements. However, several planned features related to these effects are not yet included in the current Public Test build, including:
Seasonal appearance behaviour
Player-controlled enable/disable or adjust intensity options is currently only available for the rainbow
Additional improvements are planned for the Dry Dock and Shipyard systems, including:
Improved camera controls and rotation
Enhanced lighting during vessel customization
Improved upgrade and rigging presentation
These improvements aim to provide a clearer and more user-friendly vessel customization experience.
Before diving into the full changelog, we would like to thank everyone participating in the Public Test.
This test is an important milestone for Ships At Sea and allows us to gather valuable feedback on the new vessel systems, offshore operations, multiplayer functionality, and overall gameplay experience. As always, your feedback, bug reports and suggestions help us identify issues and prioritize improvements before the update reaches the live branch.
Please keep in mind that this Public Test build represents work in progress. Some features are still under development, some systems may receive additional balancing and improvements, and certain content is intentionally being held back until it reaches the quality level we expect.
With that said, below you can find the complete changelog for the current Public Test build.
Team Misc Games
Added new Class 4 service ship equipped with azimuth thrusters
Added Dynamic Positioning (DP) system
Added deployable support craft system
Added two support craft types (Class 1 and Class 2)
Added towing rigging for Nordland
Added Crew Transfer and Cargo Crane rigging options
Added water jet direction adjustment instruments on Skarven and Flammen
Added lift in the Dry Dock
Added GPS navigator
Added new RPM meter to HUD
Added rudder angle instrument
Added low fuel alarm
Added option to invert azimuth thruster input rotation
Added red bridge light option on Nordland, Skomcat, and Windy
Added new character customization options
Added new player statistics in the logbook
Added Repair Success skill
Added Electrical Restoration skill
Added Driving Eco 4 skill
Added city lights manager controlling streetlights, buildings, and windows
Added more NPCs walking around ports
Added shoreline wetness system
New Features
Added Linux dedicated server support
Added DedicatedServerSettings.ini example file
Added Readme documentation
Added server description option
Increased dedicated server player limit from 8 to 16
Fishing
Improved fish habitat system
Improved fish school navigation logic
Improved fish gear catch probability for longline and net fishing
Improved fish unloading containers by displaying the contained species
Improved fish weight display
Improved fish box fish physics
Improved fish loss calculations when exceeding optimal soak time
Updated fish breeding seasons
Added additional boats to fire missions
Adjusted boats available for passenger missions
Improved mission texts
Reworked towing system
Prevent players from collecting fish from another company's longlines
Improved crew hiring UI
General
Improved collisions on all boats and ships
Improved navigation lights on all boats and ships
Improved vessel lighting systems
Improved water masks on all boats and ships
Improved unified instrument systems across vessels
Improved steering on Flippy, Røster, Conquest, Turbo and Skomcat
Improved fuel consumption on Turbo
Rebalanced engines on Conquest
Improved boat stands for Class 1 vessels
Added crane control highlighting on Turbo
Improved crane highlighting
Improved crane sounds
Improved water cannon remote-control animations
Environment
Improved landscape with new grass and trees
Added additional level design throughout the map
Improved buoy detector visuals
Improved sun positioning
Improved tree and grass response to wind direction and strength
Increased cargo area sizes around the map
Improved ocean foam
Improved overall lighting
Improved light flickering across the world
Improved indoor weather blocking
Reduced excessive fog on summer mornings
Optimized weather system
Improved interior weather protection on boats and ships, preventing rain, snow, weather particles, fog, and related environmental effects from entering enclosed areas
Added reset character location option to handheld radio
Added settings to disable world markers and mission icons
Added pallets indicating XS/S cargo storage locations
Updated Help section
Reworked Dry Dock and Shipyard UI
Improved user feedback form with save game and screenshot attachment support
Refined skill tree by removing unused skills
Limited boat names to 20 characters
Added new sitting animations
Improved sitting animations
Added new walking sounds
Added new boat and ship engine sounds
Added new ocean sounds
Improved idle NPC animations
Moved CPU water simulation to a separate thread
Optimized environment
Optimized weather system
Improved object replication handling
Improved save system
Improved teleportation system
Performance improvements for cranes
Performance improvements for landscape
Improved longline performance
Upgraded Unreal Engine to 5.7.4
Multiplayer & Networking
Fixed client-side rowboat behaviour
Fixed client-side fish detachment during net fishing
Fixed fire UI bars not displaying for clients
Fixed the heavy fish box movement delay on clients
Fixed the horn sounds not playing for clients
Fixed whale mission client text issues
Fixed net soak time displaying as 0 for clients
Fixed welding replication when placing cargo on boats
Fixed tutorial progress not saving
Fixed the mission reward player name display
Fixed the tracked mission placeholder icon after reload
Fixed boats launching from water after Alt+Tab
Fixed delayed water updates during level streaming
Fixed speed variation issue at full throttle
Fixed boat jumping caused by an invalid water surface
Fixed barge floating in the air
Fixed fish scale mismatch after gutting
Fixed halibut conveyor rotation issue
Fixed fish school radius shape
Fixed weather entering wheelhouses
Fixed snow missing during winter
Fixed sunset and compass alignment issues
Fixed inverted reflections
Fixed warehouse visibility issues
Fixed port and docking-related issues
Fixed skill point UI errors
Fixed weather settings text issues
Fixed localization issues
Fixed Help section typo
Fixed multiple interaction and animation issues
Plus numerous additional bug fixes and stability improvements.
Hello Captains,
Over the past few weeks, we’ve continued working across many areas of Ships At Sea to further improve the overall simulation experience — from new gameplay elements and vessel systems to sound effects, animations, and how vessels physically interact with the ocean.
Many of these improvements happen behind the scenes and require significant technical work, especially systems related to water interaction, vessel physics, and preventing water from passing through lower decks and enclosed vessel spaces. We’ve also continued expanding vessel systems by introducing new ship instruments, controls, and interactive onboard systems to further deepen the operational experience aboard your vessels.
While some features in the upcoming major update v0.8.7 are still work in progress, these foundational improvements are important for the long-term experience we want to deliver.
As an Early Access title, we continue to release updates regularly, adding new gameplay content and ongoing improvements to the game's core systems. For us, every detail matters when building an authentic maritime simulation experience.
In today’s development update, we want to focus on the Shipyard and Dry Dock experience, based directly on your feedback.
One of the most requested changes from the community was bringing back access to smaller vessel classes through the Shipyard — and we’re happy to confirm that Class 1 to Class 3 boats are now once again available there. Of course, these vessels can still be taken into the Dry Dock for inspection, maintenance, and customization.
In addition, the upcoming daughter crafts for the Class 4 Wind Farm Supply Vessel are also becoming part of the Shipyard ecosystem. Players will be able to acquire daughter crafts independently or equip them directly onto their Class 4 vessel in the Dry Dock, giving you greater operational flexibility and freedom in how you build and manage your maritime company in Ships At Sea.
Alongside this, we’ve updated and rescaled the Shipyard area to better support larger Class 3 vessels, providing more space and a better presentation when inspecting or managing your fleet. We’ve also improved the visual atmosphere and interior presentation of the Shipyard itself.
In addition, we’re introducing a completely refreshed Shipyard and Dry Dock UI, designed to make vessel management feel cleaner, more immersive, and easier to navigate.
The long-awaited vessel painting system will also be part of v0.8.7, allowing players to customize and paint different parts of their ships. Players will be able to freely adjust colours, value/brightness, and saturation to create their own unique look out on the sea.
We’ve also improved the vessel preview experience during upgrades and customization. Players can now freely rotate the camera around their vessel or specific ship components, as well as zoom in and out for closer inspection while managing upgrades, paint customization, and other ship configurations.
We’ve also introduced a brand-new Dry Dock Lift system, allowing seamless movement between Dry Dock levels while working on your vessel. Whether you’re heading down for inspection or returning to continue operations, the overall flow now feels much more natural and immersive.
These improvements are part of our ongoing effort to continue refining Ships At Sea together with your feedback.
More improvements are already on the way - stay tuned!👀
Stay safe out on the water,
- Team Misc Games
Ahoy Captains,
We’ve been continuing work on multiple systems in Ships At Sea, and today we’d like to share a closer look at some of the ongoing improvements and new additions.
We’re taking fire simulation to the next level.
Our dynamic fire system is being expanded to vessels, allowing not only onboard incidents but also fully burning boats and ships. Materials can now actually burn, and fires will cause real damage to the vessel—similar to how we already handle coastal house fires.
This means fire is no longer just a visual effect, but a system that can significantly impact gameplay and require proper handling.
In the preview below, you can see an early test on our upcoming service ship, showcasing how scalable this system is across different vessel types.
We’ve also reworked our rust system across all ships to improve visual variety and realism. Instead of the previous generic approach, each vessel now features more unique and detailed rust patterns, making them feel more authentic and truly exposed to harsh conditions at sea.
Work is also progressing on the Class 4 Mini SOV, where the interior is starting to take shape.
Crew cabins are being implemented, and with a large number of rooms onboard, this vessel is designed to support longer offshore operations. The goal is to provide a more authentic working environment, giving your crew the space they need while operating in demanding conditions.
This is another step toward delivering a more complete offshore experience in Ships At Sea.
Another area currently taking shape is the drone workshop.
Service vessels such as these are often equipped with drones for inspection and operational support, especially in offshore environments. We’re planning on bringing this aspect into the game, starting with a dedicated space onboard the Mini SOV.
While still work in progress, this feature is part of our broader goal to reflect real-world offshore operations and expand the gameplay possibilities on service ships in the future.
As always, we’ll keep you updated on the progress as development continues, and we hope you like what you see so far. Our team is working across many areas of Ships At Sea at the same time—adding new features, improving existing systems, and fixing issues along the way. There’s a lot happening behind the scenes, and we’re excited to share more with you as everything continues to come together.
No great crossing was ever made in calm waters alone — and the sea rewards patience, skill, and a steady hand.
Team Misc Games
Ahoy Captains,
We’re back with a closer look at one of the key features coming in v0.8.7: deployable support and daughter craft for the upcoming Class 4 Service/Wind Turbine Vessel, expanding its capabilities for offshore operations.
The Class 4 Service Ship comes equipped with two deployable support-rescue boats (MOB), each paired with its own crane. These aren’t simple spawnable extras. They are fully drivable, hands-on support craft that you’ll launch and recover.
Our goal with this system is to make ship operations feel more engaging. Whether you’re handling short-range tasks, transferring crew, or responding to emergencies, everything should feel physical and authentic.
Aren’t they beautiful? Which one would you captain first?
There’s no instant spawning here. You’ll operate the crane to lower the boats into the water and bring them back on board. The process is straightforward, whether you’re playing solo or in co-op.
This feature is still a work in progress, but it’s already becoming one of the most immersive systems we’ve built so far.
Once deployed, both daughter crafts are fully controllable. You’re free to move around the vessel, assist in operations, or handle nearby tasks independently.
As mentioned in our recently released major update v0.8.6, we’re continuing to improve character interactions and animations. On the smaller boat, your character will physically handle the outboard engine lever while steering. It’s a small detail, but it adds a lot to the overall feel and makes operating the boat more believable.
The smaller deployable boat will also include a protective cover, allowing it to be secured during rough weather.
We’ve also started working on a new layer of sound design, beginning with both boat and ship engines.
Sound plays a key role in making a simulation feel believable. We’re putting a strong focus on how vessels sound and respond in different situations, giving you clear, consistent audio feedback at all times.
This includes a wide range of new and improved effects, such as engine idle, varying RPM levels from cruising to full speed, steering and rudder movement, water interaction, hull impact with waves, and more.
Stay tuned—we’ll continue sharing more development progress. At the moment, our focus is on setting up the instruments on the second daughter craft and refining the crane systems for deployment and recovery.
In parallel, we’re working on further improvements, refinements, and performance optimizations to enhance overall stability. And this is just a few to mention - there is a lot on the horizon.
Until next time, Captains — Team Misc Games
Ahoy Captains,
This update focuses on stability improvements and fixes, with particular attention to dedicated servers and edge-case crashes.
For those new to dedicated servers, you can find a setup guide for the Ships At Sea: Dedicated Server Guide
We’ve also updated our roadmap to reflect the upcoming updates. Next, we’re sailing towards v0.8.7, which will introduce the first of the Class 4 ships. The roadmap will continue to be updated regularly throughout development to keep you informed of our progress: Roadmap
Added steam_appid.txt to the dedicated server (manual setup is no longer required)
Fixed NPC blurring issue
Fixed a rare crash in the component class
Fixed a rare crash involving company-owned boats
Fixed memory leak on the dedicated server related to the water mask capture component tick
Fair Winds and Happy Sailing!
Team Misc Games
A small hotfix addressing a visual issue with NPC crew behaviour:
Fixed NPC crew sliding instead of walking on ships
Ahoy Sailors!
We’ve just released a new patch for v0.8.6, focusing on improving overall stability and addressing several issues reported by the community. This update includes fixes for crashes, savegame issues, and general improvements to ensure a smoother experience throughout the game.
We’d like to thank everyone for your valuable feedback and reports — they help us quickly identify and resolve issues as we continue to refine Ships At Sea.
We’ve seen reports from players experiencing longlines returning with no fish, even after extended soak times.
With the new fishing system introduced in v0.8.6, the optimal soak time is now around 17 in-game hours. After this point, catches will no longer accumulate. Currently, as the gear decay system is not yet fully implemented, fish may disappear from the line if it is left in the water for too long. This is a temporary behaviour until the full system is in place, planned for the upcoming update v0.8.7.
Additionally, if you are using an older savegame where gear was deployed before updating to v0.8.6, it will not function with the new fish ecosystem. In these cases, hauling old buoys or lines will often result in no catch. However, once you deploy new gear, the fish ecosystem will work as expected.
If you feel that longline catch yields are currently too low compared to net fishing, please keep in mind that the new fish ecosystem has just been introduced with v0.8.6. We will continue to monitor, rebalance catch rates, and adjust the overall economy in upcoming updates.
This patch also addresses several important issues related to savegames and overall stability. We have fixed problems with auto-save not functioning correctly on dedicated servers, as well as an issue where the DedicatedServerSettings.ini file could be repeatedly deleted. If the issue persists, we recommend reinstalling the dedicated server to resolve it.
Additionally, a bug that set the time simulation to 0 after upgrading certain savegames has also been fixed.
Adjusted the door to the sorting room on Class 3 Fishing Vesel (Turbo) to prevent the crew from getting stuck
Fixed a certificate-related crash
Fixed a reference crash
Fixed crash with buoys
Fixed crash with Intel AI Booster/NPU
Fixed the floating propeller on Skomcat
Fixed binoculars overlapping the searchlight control panel on Flippy
Fixed the issue with auto-save not saving correctly on dedicated servers
Fixed the issue where DedicatedServerSettings.ini was repeatedly deleted
Fixed issue with some savegames having time simulation set to 0 after upgrading
Fixed a memory leak that could potentially cause crashes after prolonged gameplay
Improved night lighting with clouds
Updated savegames for cargo areas and cranes
Updated Japanese localization
Thanks again for your continued support — it’s clear we’re moving in the right direction, and we look forward to bringing you more improvements in the upcoming updates.
Happy Sailing - Team Misc Games
Ahoy Captains,
First of all, we would like to thank our community for your patience, feedback, and continued support throughout the development of Ships At Sea. Your input during the Public Test has played a key role in shaping this release.
Today, we are excited to bring Major Update v0.8.6 live to all players.
This update marks one of the biggest technical milestones for Ships At Sea to date. Dedicated Server support is now fully available, allowing players to host or rent servers and build their own maritime communities.
With v0.8.6, we’ve introduced significant improvements across the entire game, including graphical upgrades, performance optimizations, gameplay refinements, and system reworks.
The game now runs on Unreal Engine 5.7.3, providing a stronger foundation for better performance, visual quality, and future scalability.
Core systems have also been expanded, including a redesigned fish ecosystem, improved weather systems, a new fuel consumption model, multi-engine throttle controls, and refined buoyancy and ship handling. The first iteration of the fuel station system is now in place.
You will also notice the first steps of our new character system, with updated character models, improved movement, and a reworked animation foundation for future features.
Finally, we’ve redesigned parts of the UI, including the Logbook, to improve clarity and usability.
This update is a major step forward for Ships At Sea, and we look forward to continuing development together with you.
With Major Update v0.8.6, Ships At Sea now officially supports Dedicated Servers, significantly expanding multiplayer possibilities for the community.
Friends List and Peer-to-Peer (P2P) multiplayer remain fully supported with up to 4 players, so you can continue enjoying the game with your friends exactly as before. Nothing changes for players who prefer quick sessions with their usual crew.
In addition, Dedicated Servers allow players to connect beyond their friends list. You can now host or rent your own server and build your own maritime and ship simulation community with up to 8 players in the same session, bringing together captains from around the world.
Whether you're organizing fishing operations, managing a service fleet, or creating a long-term simulation environment, dedicated servers provide greater flexibility and control over your experience.
Please note that password protection and additional server management features are planned for upcoming updates.
By default, a dedicated server starts with standard settings (such as a default server name and level), which can be customized by the host. One of the most common adjustments will be setting a unique server name to make it stand out in the multiplayer server list.
To support this feature, we have created a dedicated Discord support channel, where our team is available to assist anyone who needs help setting up their server. Everyone is welcome to join and reach out: Support-Server
Download the Ships At Sea Dedicated Server Tool
Do the following steps:
Open the Steam Client
Go to your Library
Select Tools from the category filter
Search for and install the Ships At Sea Dedicated Server
You'll also need to open the following ports on the machine running the Dedicated Server: Port 15000 and 7777, both TCP/UDP.
Currently, the dedicated server is Windows only — Linux support is coming in a future update!
Step 1 – Locate the Configuration Folder
Navigate to: steamapps\\common\\Ships At Sea Dedicated Server
Create the following folder structure so it matches the example below:
steamapps\\common\\Ships At Sea Dedicated Server\\Saved\\Config\\WindowsServer
Step 2 – Create the Settings File
Inside the WindowsServer folder, create a new file named: DedicatedServerSettings.ini
Add the following content to the file:
\DedicatedServerName=My Dedicated Server
You can replace "My Dedicated Server" with any name you prefer.
Step 3 – Restart the Server
Save the file and restart your dedicated server.
Your custom server name will now appear in the multiplayer server list.
Additional Notes
If you want to see the dedicated server log output, start the server with the "-log" command line parameter.
The weather system in Ships At Sea has been significantly expanded and is now approaching full implementation, bringing major improvements to realism, immersion, and visual effects.
Wave behavior has been completely reworked. In open waters, you will experience stronger, wind-driven seas with more pronounced swell. As you move closer to coastlines, ports, islands, and fish farms, wave intensity gradually decreases, creating calmer and more controlled operational areas.
Wave direction now dynamically responds to wind, and transitions between weather states are much smoother. This results in more natural sea movement and a more believable maritime environment.
Weather-related visual effects have also been improved, enhancing elements such as rain, atmosphere, and overall environmental feedback during changing conditions.
The system supports both dynamic and manual weather control.
Dynamic weather evolves naturally over time, influenced by environmental conditions such as time of day and seasonal changes.
Manual weather has been significantly improved. Instead of instant changes, weather conditions now transition gradually, allowing you to observe the full development of the atmosphere — from shifting light and building clouds to increasing wind and forming rain.
You can also save specific weather states and reuse them whenever needed, making it easier to recreate preferred conditions.
Storm behaviour has been refined as well. Storms can now be triggered or cancelled at any time and integrate seamlessly into the overall weather system while maintaining their intensity and impact.
The Weather Settings interface has also been refined. When accessing it through the logbook, you will see:
Current weather values on the left
Custom adjustment options on the right
The Marine Weather Forecast, accessible via the VHF radio, now provides a 4-hour forecast including wind strength, wind direction, precipitation, cloud cover, snowfall, temperature, and approaching storms.
We have also introduced atmospheric phenomena such as the Aurora Borealis, visible during clear nights, and rainbows, which appear under specific lighting and weather conditions. These natural events enhance immersion and add greater visual depth to the maritime environment.
In an upcoming update, we plan to expand this system further by giving players more control over these phenomena, including the ability to adjust and experience the Northern Lights and rainbows more dynamically.
For full details on wind, swell, wave behaviour, manual controls, atmospheric effects, and advanced weather settings, please refer to the newly redesigned and updated Help page.
Important Note
Adjusting weather settings does not only affect current conditions — it recalculates and regenerates the entire weather forecast from that point forward. This means that previously forecasted weather, including calm periods or incoming storms, may change significantly based on the new configuration.
The snow environment has been further enhanced to improve overall immersion. Snow now reacts more dynamically to player movement, including the addition of footstep effects.
As you move through snowy areas, your character will leave visible footprints that follow your path across the terrain. Whether walking or running, these tracks persist and respond naturally to the environment, adding a new layer of realism to on-foot exploration in Ships At Sea.
These features are currently available on Ultra quality settings, where the environment supports advanced landscape weather effects. This includes 3D snow accumulation, dynamic puddles, footprints and trails in the snow, as well as enhanced audio such as footsteps in snow and splashing through wet surfaces.
Snow accumulation has also been extended to objects in the world, meaning you will now see snow building up on cargo and your vessel, further reinforcing the sense of a living, reactive environment.
Rain behaviour inside vessels has been partially improved. While the issue of rain appearing inside cabins has been reduced, it may still occur in some cases. A full solution is currently in development and requires further testing across all boats and ships. Additional improvements will follow in the upcoming v0.8.7 update.
Window rain effects have been improved, providing more realistic water accumulation and better visibility during rainfall. Further visual improvements to these effects are already in progress and will also be included in v0.8.7.
An issue where rain was not visible when using Ultra or Low graphics presets has also been resolved, ensuring more consistent weather visuals across all quality settings.
We’re introducing a new fuel consumption system based on actual engine load. Fuel usage is no longer determined solely by RPM, but by how much work the engine is actively performing.
This means actions such as heavy acceleration, towing, or operating under strong resistance will significantly increase fuel consumption. In contrast, maintaining a steady cruising speed or running under lower load will result in more efficient fuel usage.
As a result, vessel handling now plays a much greater role. Efficient cruising, proper throttle control, and thoughtful boat setup directly influence fuel efficiency, adding a new layer of depth and realism to propulsion management.
Ships At Sea now supports advanced multi-engine propulsion systems. Vessels equipped with twin or triple engines feature independent throttle and gear controls for each engine.
This enables:
Differential thrust for precise manoeuvring
Greater control at low speeds
Improved docking performance
More realistic multi-engine vessel handling
Multi-engine throttle control functions as the vessel’s primary propulsion system and operates independently from bow thrusters.
The Class 3 Service Ship is equipped with a dual-engine control unit, reflecting its twin-propeller setup.
Each throttle lever controls an individual engine, including:
Forward / Neutral / Reverse gear selection
Throttle input (engine RPM)
When set to Neutral (N):
The engine remains running
No thrust is applied
The vessel moves naturally based on inertia, wind, and current
This system enables smoother transitions between forward and reverse, while providing precise control during low-speed manoeuvres, such as docking.
The Class 3 Cargo Ship features a triple-engine control system, reflecting its three-propeller setup.
Throttle Layout
Port Lever (Left) – Port engine
Center Lever (Middle) – Center engine
Starboard Lever (Right) – Starboard engine
Each lever is fully interactable and provides:
Forward / Neutral / Reverse gear selection
Throttle control (engine RPM)
This setup allows for precise manoeuvring and realistic handling of larger vessels.
Control Panel Functions
Red – Throttle Override
Enables full manual control by disabling automated gear behaviour
Orange – Engine Synchronizer
Synchronizes RPM across all engines based on the last adjusted lever Ideal for stable cruising and improved fuel efficiency
Green – Start All Engines
Starts all inboard engines simultaneously (manual start remains available)
White – Emergency Stop
Immediately shuts down all engines as a full emergency measure
We know many of you have been looking forward to this — we have officially started working on a new generation of engine sounds and overall audio improvements for the entire game, which will begin rolling out with v0.8.7.
Our goal is to deliver a more realistic and immersive audio experience by building engine sounds from multiple layered elements rather than relying on single loops. These layers include mechanical details such as gear clunking, neutral states, engine load variations, and smooth throttle transitions.
This approach allows the sound to respond dynamically to how the vessel is being operated, making each engine feel more alive and giving a stronger connection between player input and vessel behaviour.
Class 3 Cargo and Service vessels have been upgraded with a joystick-based steering system, better reflecting their real-world bridge configurations. The joystick functions similarly to a traditional steering wheel. Moving it to port or starboard directly adjusts the rudder angle, translating player input into smooth and responsive steering.
Alongside this, we have officially started working on new character animations. This includes improvements such as more natural sitting animations while operating the vessel, with plans to further enhance immersion by allowing characters to interact more directly with controls — for example, holding the steering wheel.
These updates are part of our ongoing effort to make vessel control feel more physical, immersive, and connected to player actions.
With v0.8.6, we’ve continued refining ship physics and vessel handling across all classes.
Forward and reverse thrust behaviour has been rebalanced to improve responsiveness during momentum changes. Transitions between directions now feel more natural and controlled, while still preserving realistic vessel weight and inertia.
Steering and manoeuvrability have also been further tuned across Class 1 to Class 3 ships, resulting in more distinct and authentic handling characteristics that vary by vessel size and type. Rudder behaviour has been improved, including smoother return-to-centre alignment, resulting in more precise course corrections and docking.
We are also introducing a new Adaptive Steering option — a highly requested feature designed to improve handling across different speeds. When enabled, rudder input dynamically scales with vessel speed, reducing overly aggressive steering at higher speeds while maintaining full control during low-speed manoeuvres.
This system can be customized through adjustable sliders, allowing players to define their own speed thresholds and tailor the behaviour to their preference.
Buoyancy calculations have been further improved, enhancing how vessels respond to rising and falling wave conditions. Boats now better account for vertical wave motion, allowing hulls to react more naturally in rough seas and high waves. This results in more believable movement and improved stability in dynamic weather conditions.
In addition, engine and propeller parameters have been rebalanced to provide more accurate thrust behaviour and clearer propulsion feedback — another step toward a more authentic ship simulation experience.
The Class 2 Service Ship is now equipped with stern-mounted waterjet engines, improving manoeuvrability and responsiveness during service operations. Further refinements to waterjet propulsion will be completed in an upcoming update.
Bow thrusters have also been rebalanced to provide more precise control during low-speed manoeuvres. Their response is now more consistent and predictable, making docking and close-quarters handling smoother and easier to manage across different vessel types.
Vessels equipped with multiple engines will now display separate power bars in the HUD — two bars for twin-engine ships and three bars for triple-engine configurations. Each bar corresponds directly to an individual engine, allowing you to clearly monitor throttle output and power distribution in real time.
The HUD layout and information structure will continue to be refined in upcoming updates to improve clarity and readability.
With v0.8.6, Ships At Sea introduces a completely redesigned fish ecosystem — inspired by mechanics from our previous titles, but rebuilt and expanded to fully support a dynamic multiplayer environment.
Fishing is now more alive, reactive, and immersive than ever before.
Fish are no longer tied to static locations. Instead, species inhabit specific ocean layers and move freely across the entire map, creating a living ecosystem that evolves over time and responds to player activity.
At the same time, we began creating new animations to further enhance the fishing experience in upcoming updates.
Fish are now distributed throughout the water column based on natural behaviour:
Pelagic (mid-water): Mackerel, Salmon, Herring
From coastal waters to deep sea and seabed: Cod, Haddock, Halibut, Pollock, Redfish, Spotted Catfish
Seabed species (coming with Class 4 Fishing Ships): Snow Crab, Brown Crab, King Crab, Lobster
As development continues toward Version 1.0, more species will be added and ecosystem behaviour further refined.
Fishing gear now operates with realistic soak times, and bait behaviour has been significantly improved.
Bait actively attracts species depending on the depth and ocean layer where gear is deployed. Fish respond naturally based on feeding behaviour, making timing and placement more important than ever.
Catch builds up gradually over time as fish enter nets or attach to hooks. While early retrieval is possible, optimal results are typically achieved around 17 in-game hours. After this point, catch efficiency begins to decline.
Fishing activity now directly impacts local fish populations.
Overfishing reduces availability in the area, encouraging more strategic and sustainable harvesting. Over time, and under the right conditions, fish populations will naturally recover.
Fish now follow seasonal patterns, reaching peak size and availability during specific times of the year.
During peak seasons, species are more abundant and valuable. As the season progresses, populations decrease and fish begin to shift locations.
This system makes timing your fishing operations more important, rewarding players who adapt to seasonal changes.
Fish shoals are displayed on the map within a soft radius, indicating their approximate size. Each shoal includes an icon showing the dominant species.
Shoals move dynamically, and their positions update over time as fish migrate. Icons also rotate to indicate movement direction, helping players anticipate where fish are heading.
During certain periods, shoals may merge into larger concentrations. When zooming in, these areas become more visible and can contain mixed-species populations with higher density.
Hovering over a shoal reveals detailed information about the fish population within that area, including which species are present and which one is currently dominant. Dominance is influenced by factors such as seasonality and migration patterns.
Additional information includes:
Dominant species
Population level (displayed as a percentage)
For a more immersive experience, players can disable the fish shoal map filter and rely entirely on sonar systems to locate fish in surrounding waters.
What would commercial fishing be without a functioning market?
Ships At Sea features a dynamic fish market where prices fluctuate across ports. Currently, pricing is influenced by seasonality, meaning certain species become more valuable during peak months, while others decrease in demand outside their season.
This system adds an extra layer of strategy, encouraging players to plan their fishing operations around both location and timing.
Looking ahead, the market will continue to evolve with more advanced economic mechanics and greater player control over how catches are sold. The dynamic system itself will also be expanded to other gameplay systems, further increasing depth and interconnectivity.
One of the planned improvements includes the ability to selectively unload specific fish boxes at different ports, allowing you to take advantage of regional price differences. At the moment, all fish boxes are automatically unloaded under the hatch, but this will gradually shift toward a more strategic and management-driven system.
This system will be further expanded in a future update.
When using a standard buoy, the deployed gear is exposed to environmental conditions. Over time, it may drift, deteriorate, or experience wear due to prolonged exposure at sea. If not retrieved within approximately 72 hours, the gear can be permanently lost.
The licensed PingMe equipment is currently being reworked to integrate with the new fish ecosystem. Once reintroduced, upgrading to PingMe will remove the risk of gear loss, providing a more reliable way to manage long deployments.
Fuel management is a core part of any serious ship simulation, and with this update, we’re taking another step toward greater authenticity.
Both small and main fuel stations have been redesigned with new models, improving visual quality and overall immersion. The updated stations better reflect real-world maritime infrastructure, enhancing the operational feel when refuelling your vessel.
As with other core systems in Ships At Sea, the fuel station system is built modularly. This allows for future expansion, enabling more advanced refuelling mechanics and deeper logistical gameplay over time.
Further improvements and expanded functionality for fuel stations are already planned for the upcoming update v0.8.7.
The port crane in Ships At Sea has been upgraded with a brand-new licensed model from our partner Lorentzen Hydraulikk.
The new crane features increased height and extended reach, enabling more efficient, realistic loading and unloading operations at the docks. Its improved range provides better accessibility for Class 2 vessels and various cargo configurations, enhancing both functionality and immersion during port operations.
This upgrade marks another step toward greater authenticity in cargo handling and maritime logistics within Ships At Sea.
Looking ahead
Crane physics and animations are planned for further improvements in an upcoming update. Our goal is to deliver smoother, more precise handling and better synchronization in multiplayer environments, ensuring a more reliable and enjoyable experience when operating heavy equipment together with other players.
The Seamarker Repair Mission has been reworked and is now fully enabled.
Players can find active seamarker repair contracts at the Office. Once accepted, you’ll navigate to the damaged seamarker and carry out repairs to restore its functionality.
The seamarker itself has also been completely redesigned. It now features an improved structure and a dedicated docking area, making it easier and safer for smaller vessels to approach and perform maintenance operations.
This rework enhances both mission clarity and overall immersion during offshore operations.
The entire Logbook UI has been completely redesigned to improve clarity, usability, and overall navigation. You can access the Logbook as usual by pressing the Tab key or by interacting with the Logbook asset in the wheelhouse.
All major sections — including Player, Contracts, Company, Help, and Weather Settings — have been updated with a fresh, cleaner design for better readability and smoother interaction.
Under the Contracts tab, you can now:
View All Contracts, or
Use the left and right arrows to switch between Company Contracts and Global Events
Tracking a contract or global event is now much easier. Simply click the mission directly, or use the Track button to activate it.
The entire Help section has been revised to reflect the latest changes in Ships At Sea. We have also added quick navigation buttons to help you easily move between different help topics and find the information you need more efficiently.
As development continues, the Help page will be updated regularly to reflect new systems, features, and improvements introduced to the game.
The new Weather Settings menu now clearly separates between Current and Custom Weather.
This allows you to directly compare live conditions with your custom adjustments before applying changes. The Current Weather tab also includes a detailed overview button, giving you deeper insight into the active weather conditions.
When hovering over individual settings, you will see tooltips explaining what each slider controls.
When adjusting sliders, weather changes occur in real time:
You will see clouds forming and conditions building up gradually
Sliders transition smoothly toward your desired values
Environmental effects update progressively rather than switching instantly
This improved transition system makes the weather feel more alive and reactive to your adjustments.
You can now lock specific weather parameters individually. Simply tick the checkbox next to a setting to lock it.
When a setting is locked:
The slider colour changes, clearly indicating that this value is locked
A lock icon appears next to the setting
Locked values will remain fixed while other weather parameters continue to evolve dynamically. This gives you greater control when you want to specify conditions while still allowing natural variation in others.
A Lightning Flash Density slider has been added. This allows you to control thunderstorm intensity by determining how frequently lightning occurs during storm conditions.
Thunderstorms and lightning effects are now fully integrated again.
The Office UI has been refreshed with a new look, alongside a redesigned Mission Progression window for improved clarity and structure. Mission steps are now easier to follow, giving players a clearer overview of objectives and current progress.
The Session XP Summary has also been improved, offering a cleaner and more transparent breakdown of earned experience. In co-op, the summary now includes a detailed view of how much XP each crew member receives.
To enhance moment-to-moment feedback, a new XP pop-up notification has been introduced. Whenever you gain experience, a subtle on-screen notification with a smooth fade animation displays the earned XP, making progression more visible and rewarding during gameplay.
Contracts have also been improved for better readability and accessibility. Each contract now clearly displays compatible ship classes, helping players quickly understand which vessels are suitable. In addition, contracts now include visible requirements and required items. Hovering over these items provides additional details, helping you prepare more effectively before starting a mission.
As always, the UI is not final. As Ships At Sea continues to evolve, we will keep refining the interface and overall user experience in future updates.
Environmental level design continues to evolve across the world of Ships At Sea. The Dry Dock area is steadily taking shape and is beginning to feel like a fully functional maritime facility, adding both atmosphere and operational depth to port areas.
At the same time, vegetation, such as trees and bushes, across the islands and coastal areas is gradually expanding to further shape the environment. As development continues, we also plan to introduce more NPC activity, additional NPC vessels, and other world elements to make the environment feel even more alive and immersive in the upcoming updates.
With this update, we are introducing the first iteration of completely new main character models for both male and female players, significantly improving overall visual quality and authenticity.
These improvements go beyond appearance. Character stabilisation, camera behaviour, and movement handling have been enhanced, resulting in smoother transitions and a more natural on-foot experience throughout the world of Ships At Sea.
At the same time, the core animation system has been reworked into a new scalable framework. It is designed to perform reliably in a multiplayer environment while giving us the flexibility to expand and refine character interactions moving forward.
On-foot mechanics such as walking, rotating, strafing, and running can already be experienced in this update, offering an early look at the foundation of the new system.
Looking ahead to v0.8.7, we have started development on character customization and new clothing systems. Players will be able to personalize their appearance with options such as hairstyles, facial hair, and adjustable skin tones.
A variety of outfits will also be introduced, reflecting different roles and career paths such as fisherman, service crew, and offshore worker styles, alongside more casual leisure clothing options. Additional accessories — including hats, helmets, shoes, gloves, and hoodies — will allow players to further define their look.
Alongside this, further animation improvements are in development, including more advanced interaction animations and expanded character behaviours, which will continue to roll out in upcoming updates.
A new Beginner Tutorial has been introduced to help new players get started in Ships At Sea.
The tutorial can be enabled through the Settings Menu before starting a new game. Once activated, it guides you through key port locations and core systems, including the Sea Taxi, Warehouse, Dry Dock, Office, and other essential operational areas.
In addition, all UI windows now include an “i” (information) icon in the top corner. Clicking this icon allows you to reopen the explanation for that specific window at any time, making it easy to refresh your understanding whenever needed.
This marks the first step in expanding our onboarding experience. More tutorial features and advanced guidance systems are planned for future updates, supporting both new captains and returning players as the game continues to evolve.
With this update, we are introducing the first iteration of sitting interactions, bringing players closer to the world of Ships At Sea.
You can now sit on benches around the ports or relax on the sofa in the Office — a small but important step toward creating a more immersive and personal experience.
This feature will continue to expand in the upcoming updates. Planned additions include seating on vessels such as co-pilot chairs, bridge workstations, and additional areas throughout your ship. As part of this, new and improved sitting animations are currently in development and will be introduced in v0.8.7.
Our goal is to deepen interaction with your vessel and surroundings, strengthening the sense of presence and connection — both to your ship and to your crew. We know many of you have been looking forward to this, and this is just the beginning.
The interaction highlighting system has been updated with a new outline-based approach.
Instead of fully highlighting objects, interactable elements are now outlined with a subtle visual border. This improves clarity while preserving the object’s original appearance, resulting in a more natural and less intrusive look.
Players can still adjust the highlight intensity in the settings menu, allowing the visibility to be tailored to individual preference.
We have resolved an issue affecting players using AZERTY keyboards where keybinding labels in the UI displayed normalized QWERTY keys instead of the actual keys pressed.
While keyboard input was correctly translated internally, the UI previously displayed incorrect key labels, causing confusion for players using non-QWERTY layouts. Keybinding labels now properly reflect the local keyboard layout, ensuring the displayed keys match the physical keys on AZERTY and other international keyboard layouts.
Some players may notice their skill points appear as negative values after updating the game.
This is not a bug. A previous issue caused incorrect skill point calculations, allowing some players to unlock more skills than intended. This has now been corrected, and the system is properly recalculating progression.
As a result, some players may temporarily see a skill point deficit. This simply reflects that more points were spent than should have been available under the corrected system.
As you continue to level up and earn new skill points, the deficit will naturally resolve over time.
No progress has been lost, and no action is required. This primarily affects older player profiles.
Below is a brief early glimpse of one of the upcoming Class 4 wind turbine vessels currently in development. We plan to introduce all planned Class 4 ships gradually, starting with v0.8.7, ensuring to deliver the highest possible quality across all areas.
This update marks an important step forward for Ships At Sea. Many of the systems we introduced strengthen the game's core foundation. At the same time, we will continue refining and improving systems as development progresses.
Our goal is to build a robust and scalable foundation capable of supporting a wide range of vessel types, engaging gameplay systems in ports or on board a ship, for single- and co-op players, and for diverse maritime operations — both in upcoming updates and beyond full release.
Development continues in parallel across multiple areas, including new gameplay systems, expanded level design, improved animations, and enhanced audio — all working together to deepen and evolve the Ships At Sea experience. Alongside this, the newly redesigned Dry Dock UI and remaining UI elements will be introduced in v0.8.7. The Shipyard will also be reintroduced for smaller vessels, while the Dry Dock will serve vessels from Class 4 and above, further strengthening the progression and structure of vessel management.
There are many exciting things ahead. Thank you for your patience, and we look forward to continuing this journey together with our community.
Time to set sail - Team Misc Games
Added missing license progression to the player profile
Fixed a crash related to save games created while playing as a client
Fixed alignment issues with interaction prompts when multiple interactions are available
Fixed an issue where selling large quantities of fish could leave 1–2 fish remaining
Fixed multiple key bindings not displaying correctly in tooltip windows
Improved fish hook hit detection to make hooking fish more reliable with T3, T4, and T5 hooks
Updated localization across the game
Stability & Crash Fixes
Fixed crash with settings menu
Fixed crash in HUD
Fixed crash related to stack size logic
Fixed issue where it was impossible to call server RPCs (sonar/radar network channel)
Fixed the issue preventing client interaction with autopilot on dedicated servers
Graphics & Rendering
Fixed FSR unavailability in the game
Fixed DLSS and Frame Generation issues
Fixed missing exhaust effects
Fixed rain appearing inside DrPhil
Improved interior lighting in DrPhil (no shadow artefacts on instruments)
UI & UX Improvements
Adjusted compass UI
Adjusted zoom levels for map markers
Improved minimap
Improved delete profile warning message
Display unreachable sea taxi locations with tooltip and distinct icon
Fixed overlapping UI elements (inventory, weight section, binoculars/music player)
Fixed shop UI not updating after selling/deleting items
Fixed Weather Forecast UI showing incorrect storm date
Reveal UI correctly when entering main menu
Removed “N” from map input
Removed unnecessary characters from the container tooltip
Gameplay & Systems Fixes
Fixed an issue where savegames on dedicated servers were missing date information, causing outdated savegames to be loaded
Fixed the thruster malfunction
Fixed RPM on twin and triple engines
Fixed refuel slider capped at 10,000L
Fixed fish farm feeder losing health without use
Fixed gutted fish losing weight
Fixed missing buoy return action
Fixed benches not functioning properly
Fixed character appearance not updating via locker
Fixed character slowing near interactables
Fixed character positioning issues after joining the server
Fishing & Fish System Improvements
Improved catch rate for longlines
Improved fish habitat (increased halibut presence)
Extended compatibility for halibut species
Improved fish hook hit points (T1 & T2 hooks)
Improved fish school data display (percentage vs total population)
Improved fish school map edge behaviour
Map, Navigation & Sea Taxi
Improved teleporting with Sea Taxi
Fixed markers not deleting after using Sea Taxi
Improved interaction outlines on fuel stations
Fixed incorrect destination/hover text
Fixed map interaction inconsistencies
Animation & Interaction
Improved pick-up and put-down animations
Balancing Ships
Rebalanced engines on Nordland (fuel consumption)
Improved thruster power for Skomcat
Various Fixes
Added the missing company name to the boat marker
Changed trash delivery destination icon
Fixed inventory resizing after submenu interaction
New Features & Additions
Added buoyancy to sea markers
Added feedback when viewing smolt tanks in the Fishery
Added a new destination icon for contracts and passengers
Added a new hatch control panel on Turbo
Added additional depth markers around Røst
Added more lights in Vedøya
Added soak time to the buoy map marker
Added snow materials to cargo props
Added XS contracts for the rowboat in Røst
Adjustments & Changes
Adjusted engine upgrades on Nordland, which should now reach 15 knots at top speed
Adjusted throttle and steering wheel sensitivity
Changed the cargo transfer warehouse key from X to Q to prevent cargo placement overlap
Clarified requirement details for specific events and missions
Improved contract time formatting to display Days, Hours, and Minutes
Corrections
Corrected the internal fuel tank upgrade text for Turbo
Corrected light text in the light control panel
Corrected the open door angle in the small office
Gameplay Changes
Disabled the ability to push Warehouse and Sea Taxi NPCs
Hide the cargo marker once cargo is loaded onto the boat
Crash Fixes
Fixed a crash occurring during propulsion group ticking
Fixed a crash related to teleporting
Fixed a crash related to the logbook and contracts
Bug Fixes
Fixed baited buoys vanishing upon pickup
Fixed character seating position on Skarven
Fixed the character’s incorrect pose when using the water cannon
Fixed engine start behaviour on Nordland
Fixed internal fuel tank upgrades on Class 3 ships
Fixed an issue where the controller could not be used to exit
Fixed an issue preventing the collection of empty fish nets
Fixed an issue where the character could get stuck on the roof in Conquest after loading a save
Fixed an issue where clients did not respawn on the boat after rejoining the session
Fixed an issue preventing the mission completion window from displaying
Fixed an issue where using the handheld radio teleported a non-driving player to a port without their boat
Fixed floating pier issues in Helligvær and floating lights in Røst Glea
Fixed an issue with negative skill points
Fixed lighthouse events not triggering
Fixed the minimap not hiding in dry dock
Fixed overlapping engine text
Fixed the power state display in the HUD
Fixed the sea marker mission save issue
Fixed the Sea Taxi displaying incorrect parts of Værøy and Bodø when used
Fixed the client character being invisible on the server when joining the game on the rowboat
Fixed the tutorial not resuming after saving and loading a game
Fixed the thruster arrow display issue
Fixed the water cannon key bindings display issue
Fixed weather effects on certain vessels
Fixed the weather forecast widget displaying to all users
Improvements
Improved cargo destination icons
Improved contract refresh behaviour in the UI
Improved collision detection and positioning for large cargo items
Improved fish weight calculation in the UI
Improved highlight effects for electrical elements and sea markers
Improved ladders in the port at Moskenes
Improved license partner logos on compatible boats in the contracts tab of the office
Improved lights around Røst Glea
Improved lights in Conquest
Improved driver seating positions in some boats
Improved sitting animations
Improved thruster behaviour so it now depends on vessel mass
Improved weather settings
World & Environment
Added more level design elements around the map
Balance Changes
Rebalanced rewards and XP for all contracts and events
Rebalanced thrusters for Class 3 ships
Renamed
Removed Class 4 ships from contracts
Removed the rowboat as a compatible option for Small Contracts
UI Fixes
Resolved the stuck distress alert on the map UI
New Features
Added a new fuel consumption model. Fuel usage now depends on actual engine load
Added a new fish habitat system
Added dedicated server support for up to 8 players
Added dynamic fish prices that fluctuate based on fish type and season
Added weather forecast via VHF radio
Added lightning, thunder, aurora and rainbow weather effects
Added repairable seamarker missions
Added a tutorial when starting a new game
Added sitting feature allowing players to sit on chairs on benches, sofa and onboard ships
Added XP pop-up notification
Added twin and triple engine throttles for Class 3 service and cargo ships
Added F (Forward), N (Neutral), and R (Reverse) indicators to all throttle controls
Added health system for inventory items
Added inventory for the rowboat
Added support for azimuth pods
Added the ability to swap items while hauling gear
Added info buttons providing explanations for UI tabs
Added interaction outline for objects
World & Map
Added second fish unloading areas in Værøy and Røst
Added an additional docking area on Vedøya
Added new fuel stations
Added a new Tier 1 crane from Lorentzen Hydraulikk
Added Dry Dock signage
Added the missing Sea Taxi NPC in Teist Hammeren
Added the correct office laptop in the Bodø office, enabling services and crew management
Added new decals for cargo areas
UI & Interface
Added a new mission completion window
Added new icons for items and boats
Added new map icons
Added mission requirements displayed in the office UI
Adjustments
Adjusted fish prices and seasonal values
Adjusted payload values for all vessels
Adjusted kiosk item prices and earnings
Adjusted timers on some burning houses to stagger their start times
Improvements
Improved buoyancy and ship physics systems
Improved boat movement systems
Improved boat reversing behaviour
Improved rudder control for easier centring
Improved propeller and engine RPM behaviour
Improved searchlight distance and angles
Improved searchlight control panel and added joystick support
Improved calendar functionality for fish habitats
Improved mission manager
Improved mission and contract details with compatible boats, required rigging, items, and skills
Improved wheelhouse instrument layout across multiple boats
Improved character camera and rotation
Implemented first-person stabilization
Improved gamepad navigation for the office and logbook
Improved player tab in logbook
Improved loading screens
Improved game icons
Improved boat world markers
Improved tags displayed over boats and ships
Improved ocean color and water visuals
Improved overall lighting
Improved overall performance
Improved raindrops and wipers on all vessels
Improved seabed depth for smoother wave height transitions
Improved textures on fish farm feeding machines
Improved textures on mooring posts and towing anchors
Improved weather system across quality settings with customizable and lockable options
Improved UI for logbook and office
Improved Dry Dock level design
Improved savegame compatibility messaging
Improved engine behaviour when fuel runs out (hybrid engines keep electric motors running)
Gameplay Changes
Rebalanced boat and ship upgrade costs
Rebalanced contract rewards and XP payouts
Rebalanced catchability for longline and net fishing
Reduced boat jittering
Reintroduced storms triggered via weather settings
Renamed cargo capacity to payload (now includes rigging and smaller items)
Renamed missions to contracts
Removed fish habitat restrictions for longline and net gear
Removed the fuel tank and speedometer HUD from the rowboat
Disabled global event cancellation
Slightly adjusted control sensitivity
Smoothed towing behaviour to prevent sudden jerks
Reworks
Reworked crane operations with unified input settings and new joint control modes
Reworked mission tracking system
Reworked the searchlight control panel and joystick controls
Reworked boat movement systems
Fixes
Fixed autopilot activation via the P key
Fixed autopilot path marker replication for multiplayer
Fixed RPM replication and propellers
Fixed rain dripping inside the wheelhouse on certain ships
Fixed camera controls while dragging boat controls or the joystick
Fixed camera jitter when switching between first- and third-person characters
Fixed client interaction issues with logbook, autopilot, and engines
Fixed client crash when switching companies or exiting the game
Fixed client unboarding when rejoining a hosted session
Fixed player getting stuck under the net table
Fixed large fish getting stuck on the conveyor belt after gutting
Fixed player being unable to unequip gutted fish
Fixed sale issues with large quantities of fish
Fixed the fish hooking issue on Flippy boat
Fixed passenger mission completing before starting
Fixed whale watching mission issue
Fixed cargo spawn issues in Sørvågen
Fixed floating cargo in some port areas
Fixed cargo reach issue in Måstad
Fixed Dry Dock spawn issue for Nordland vessel
Fixed landscape clipping in Dry Dock
Fixed texture stretching near ports
Fixed map typo for Bliksvær
Fixed UV map issues on some windows
Fixed Discord link
Fixed character limit issue on feedback form
Fixed key rebinding issue on AZERTY keyboards
Fixed typos in Russian and Turkish localization
Technical
Implemented automatic loading of the latest savegame on dedicated servers
Updated Unreal Engine from 5.4.4 to 5.7.3, providing significant performance improvements
Updated and improved Help sections
Updated almost all language localizations (Chinese pending)
Updated cargo and map icons
Updated radio station list (removed non-working URLs)
A small hotfix that fixes the crash when loading savegames.
Changelog
Fixed a crash when trying to load a savegame
Updated loca
Ahoy Captains,
We are continuing to improve Update v0.8.6, which is currently available in Public Test.
This update brings a wide range of fixes, improvements, and stability enhancements based on player feedback.
A major focus of this patch is on stability, performance, and graphical improvements, including important fixes for FSR 3.1 and 4 availability, DLSS, and Frame Generation, as well as multiple crash fixes.
Additional note: We are aware of an issue where fuel resets after opening the internal fuel tank upgrade menu without applying changes. A fix has been implemented, but as this affects multiple systems, we want to continue testing it further before fully rolling it out.
As we prepare to release v0.8.6 live to all players in the coming days, our priority remains:
Reducing crashes
Improving performance
Enhancing graphical quality
Even after the live release, we will continue to actively support and patch v0.8.6 to further improve the experience before introducing any class 4 ships.
Fixed crash with settings menu
Fixed crash in HUD
Fixed crash related to stack size logic
Fixed issue where it was impossible to call server RPCs (sonar/radar network channel)
Fixed the issue preventing client interaction with autopilot on dedicated servers
Fixed FSR unavailability in the game
Fixed DLSS and Frame Generation issues
Fixed missing exhaust effects
Fixed rain appearing inside DrPhil
Improved interior lighting in DrPhil (no shadow artefacts on instruments)
Adjusted compass UI
Adjusted zoom levels for map markers
Improved minimap
Improved delete profile warning message
Display unreachable sea taxi locations with tooltip and distinct icon
Fixed overlapping UI elements (inventory, weight section, binoculars/music player)
Fixed shop UI not updating after selling/deleting items
Fixed Weather Forecast UI showing incorrect storm date
Reveal UI correctly when entering main menu
Removed “N” from map input
Removed unnecessary characters from the container tooltip
Fixed an issue where savegames on dedicated servers were missing date information, causing outdated savegames to be loaded
Fixed the thruster malfunction
Fixed RPM on twin and triple engines
Fixed refuel slider capped at 10,000L
Fixed fish farm feeder losing health without use
Fixed gutted fish losing weight
Fixed missing buoy return action
Fixed benches not functioning properly
Fixed character appearance not updating via locker
Fixed character slowing near interactables
Fixed character positioning issues after joining the server
Improved catch rate for longlines
Improved fish habitat (increased halibut presence)
Extended compatibility for halibut species
Improved fish hook hit points (T1 & T2 hooks)
Improved fish school data display (percentage vs total population)
Improved fish school map edge behaviour
Improved teleporting with Sea Taxi
Fixed markers not deleting after using Sea Taxi
Improved interaction outlines on fuel stations
Fixed incorrect destination/hover text
Fixed map interaction inconsistencies
Improved pick-up and put-down animations
Rebalanced engines on Nordland (fuel consumption)
Improved thruster power for Skomcat
Added the missing company name to the boat marker
Changed trash delivery destination icon
Fixed inventory resizing after submenu interaction
Thank you all for your continued feedback and support during the Public Test — it truly helps us improve the game with every update.
As we approach the full release of v0.8.6, our focus remains on improving stability, performance, and graphical quality. We’ll continue to roll out additional patches and improvements based on your feedback.
Fair winds and following seas!
Team Misc Games
Hello Captains,
We are releasing a patch to the Public Test Update v0.8.6 with a large number of fixes, improvements, and adjustments across gameplay, UI, vessels, and the world.
Alongside these changes, we are currently working hard to address several crash issues that some players are experiencing. In particular, we are investigating problems with Frame Generation and the graphics settings menu, which appear to be related to the recent Unreal Engine upgrade. Stay tuned — another update is already in the pipeline for next week.
If you encounter a crash when entering the settings menu or when enabling Frame Generation, please try the following workaround:
Temporary Fix
Navigate to C:\\Users\\username\\AppData\\Local\\Sas\\Saved\\Config\\Windows
Delete the file GameUserSettings.ini
Restart the game
This will reset your graphics settings and resolve the crash.
Some players may have noticed that their skill points appear as a negative value after updating the game.
Please note that this is not a bug. A previous issue caused incorrect skill point calculations, which allowed some players to unlock skills faster than intended. This issue has now been fixed, and the game is correctly recalculating skill tree progression.
Because of this correction, some players may temporarily see a skill point deficit. This simply means that more skill points were spent than should have been available under the correct calculation.
As you continue to level up and earn new skill points, the deficit will resolve naturally over time.
No progress has been lost, and no action is required from players. This mainly affects older player profiles.
• Added buoyancy to sea markers • Added feedback when viewing smolt tanks in the Fishery • Added a new destination icon for contracts and passengers • Added a new hatch control panel on Turbo • Added additional depth markers around Røst • Added more lights in Vedøya • Added soak time to the buoy map marker • Added snow materials to cargo props • Added XS contracts for the rowboat in Røst
• Adjusted engine upgrades on Nordland, which should now reach 15 knots at top speed • Adjusted throttle and steering wheel sensitivity • Changed the cargo transfer warehouse key from X to Q to prevent cargo placement overlap • Clarified requirement details for specific events and missions • Improved contract time formatting to display Days, Hours, and Minutes
• Corrected the internal fuel tank upgrade text for Turbo • Corrected light text in the light control panel • Corrected the open door angle in the small office
• Disabled the ability to push Warehouse and Sea Taxi NPCs • Hidden the cargo marker once cargo is loaded onto the boat
• Fixed a crash occurring during propulsion group ticking • Fixed a crash related to teleporting • Fixed a crash related to the logbook and contracts
• Fixed baited buoys vanishing upon pickup • Fixed character seating position on Skarven • Fixed the character’s incorrect pose when using the water cannon • Fixed engine start behavior on Nordland • Fixed internal fuel tank upgrades on Class 3 ships • Fixed an issue where the controller could not be used to exit • Fixed an issue preventing the collection of empty fish nets • Fixed an issue where the character could get stuck on the roof in Conquest after loading a save • Fixed an issue where clients did not respawn on the boat after rejoining the session • Fixed an issue preventing the mission completion window from displaying • Fixed an issue where using the handheld radio teleported a non-driving player to a port without their boat • Fixed floating pier issues in Helligvær and floating lights in Røst Glea • Fixed an issue with negative skill points • Fixed lighthouse events not triggering • Fixed the minimap not hiding in dry dock • Fixed overlapping engine text • Fixed the power state display in the HUD • Fixed the sea marker mission save issue • Fixed the Sea Taxi displaying incorrect parts of Værøy and Bodø when used • Fixed the client character being invisible on the server when joining the game on the rowboat • Fixed the tutorial not resuming after saving and loading a game • Fixed the thruster arrow display issue • Fixed the water cannon key bindings display issue • Fixed weather effects on certain vessels • Fixed the weather forecast widget displaying to all users
• Improved cargo destination icons • Improved contract refresh behavior in the UI • Improved collision detection and positioning for large cargo items • Improved fish weight calculation in the UI • Improved highlight effects for electrical elements and sea markers • Improved ladders in the port at Moskenes • Improved license partner logos on compatible boats in the contracts tab of the office • Improved lights around Røst Glea • Improved lights in Conquest • Improved driver seating positions in some boats • Improved sitting animations • Improved thruster behavior so it now depends on vessel mass • Improved weather settings
• Added more level design elements around the map
• Rebalanced rewards and XP for all contracts and events • Rebalanced thrusters for Class 3 ships
• Removed Class 4 ships from contracts
• Removed the rowboat as a compatible option for Small Contracts
• Resolved the stuck distress alert on the map UI
• Updated the map • Updated all languages
Fair Winds and Happy Sailing, Sailors!
- Team Misc Games
First of all, we would like to thank our community for your patience, feedback, and continued support while developing Ships At Sea. Your reports, suggestions, and testing efforts play a key role in shaping the future of the game.
With Public Test v0.8.6, we are releasing one of the most technically significant updates for Ships At Sea so far. This update introduces dedicated server support, allowing players to host or rent servers and build their own maritime communities with ship simulation enthusiasts from around the world.
Alongside this, we have implemented a wide range of graphical improvements, character upgrades, gameplay refinements, and performance optimizations across the game.
Ships At Sea now runs on the latest Unreal Engine 5.7.3, enabling further improvements in performance, visual quality, stability, and long-term scalability as development continues. This update also focuses heavily on the core systems that will shape Ships At Sea moving forward. It introduces a completely redesigned fish ecosystem, major weather system improvements, a new fuel consumption model, multi-engine throttle controls, refined buoyancy and ship handling, and the first iteration of the new fuel station system.
In addition, players will notice the first foundations of our new character system, including new male and female main character models, improved on-foot movement, better character stabilization, and the beginning of a reworked animation framework designed to support future interactions and character features.
The Logbook and several UI systems have also been redesigned to improve clarity, navigation, and overall usability.
As always, we would greatly appreciate your help testing this Public Test build. Your feedback is extremely valuable and helps us refine these systems before they move to the main branch. Together with the community, we continue shaping the future of Ships At Sea.
As usual, to avoid any potential issues, we strongly recommend backing up your save files before joining to the Public Test version v0.8.6
To find your Steam for Ships At Sea saves:
Press Win + R to open the Run Window
Paste the following path: %USERPROFILE%/AppData/Local/Sas/Saved/SaveGames into the field
Press OK
To try the PUBLIC TEST, please follow these steps:
Open Steam
Right-click on Ships At Sea in your library
Select Properties
Go to the Betas tab
Enter the password: SaSPublicTest
Choose "public_test" from the "Beta participation" drop-down list
Wait for the game to update the files (if nothing happens, restart the Steam client)
Launch the game
Note: Also, remember to verify the integrity of game files via Steam to avoid issues.
With Public Test Major update v0.8.6, Ships At Sea now supports Dedicated Servers, expanding multiplayer possibilities for the community.
Friends List and Peer-to-Peer (P2P) multiplayer remain fully supported as usual with up to 4 players, so you can continue playing easily with your friends through the existing system. Nothing changes for players who prefer quick sessions with their usual crew.
In addition, we now offer Dedicated Server support for players who want to connect with others around the world — without needing to be on each other’s Friends List. You can host or rent your own server and build your own maritime and ship simulation community with up to 8 players in the same session, bringing together captains from across the globe.
Whether you're organizing fishing operations, running a service fleet, or creating a long-term simulation environment, dedicated servers allow for greater flexibility and control.
Please note: Password protection and additional server management features will be introduced in upcoming updates.
By default, a dedicated server starts with standard settings (such as a default server name and level). Server hosts can customize these settings to match their preferences.
One of the most common changes will be the Server Name, allowing your server to appear with a unique name in the multiplayer server list.
Do the following steps:
Open the Steam Client
Go to your Library
Select Tools from the category filter
Search for and install the Ships At Sea Dedicated Server
You'll also need to open the following ports on the machine running the Dedicated Server: Port 15000 and 7777, both TCP/UDP.
Currently, the dedicated server is Windows only — Linux support is coming in a future update!
Step 1 – Locate the Configuration Folder
Navigate to: steamapps\\common\\Ships At Sea Dedicated Server
Create the following folder structure so it matches the example below:
steamapps\\common\\Ships At Sea Dedicated Server\\Saved\\Config\\WindowsServer
Step 2 – Create the Settings File
Inside the WindowsServer folder, create a new file named: DedicatedServerSettings.ini
Add the following content to the file:
\DedicatedServerName=My Dedicated Server
You can replace "My Dedicated Server" with any name you prefer.
Step 3 – Restart the Server
Save the file and restart your dedicated server.
Your custom server name will now appear in the multiplayer server list.
Additional Notes
If you want to see the dedicated server log output, start the server with the "-log" command line parameter.
The Weather System in Ships At Sea is now largely complete and has received significant improvements in this update.
Waves now behave more naturally across the world. Out on the open ocean, you’ll experience the full force of rough seas driven by wind and swell. As you approach coastlines, ports, islands, and fish farms, wave height gradually decreases, creating calmer and more controlled operational areas for the players.
Wave direction now dynamically follows wind direction, and transitions between changing weather states are much smoother than before. This results in more believable sea movement and a more immersive maritime experience.
The system supports both dynamic and manual weather generation control.
Dynamic weather continues to evolve naturally with the seasons, time of day, and environmental patterns.
Manual Weather has been significantly improved. After applying changes, the weather no longer switches instantly. Instead, it now transitions gradually over time. This visible interpolation phase allows you to observe how conditions develop — clouds building up, light shifting, wind strengthening, and rain forming naturally as the atmosphere moves toward your selected settings.
You can now log specific weather stages and repeat them whenever you wish, allowing you to recreate preferred conditions.
Storm control has also been refined. Storms can be triggered or cancelled at any time, and they now blend seamlessly into the existing weather system while maintaining their dramatic impact.
The Weather Settings interface has also been refined. When accessing it through the logbook, you will see:
Current weather values on the left
Custom adjustment options on the right
The Marine Weather Forecast, accessible via the VHF radio, now provides a 4-hour forecast including wind strength, wind direction, precipitation, cloud cover, snowfall, temperature, and approaching storms.
We have also added atmospheric phenomena such as the Aurora Borealis, visible on clear nights, and rainbows, which appear under specific light and weather conditions. These natural events enhance immersion and bring additional visual depth to the maritime environment.
For full details on wind, swell, wave behaviour, manual controls, atmospheric phenomena, and advanced weather settings, please refer to the newly redesigned and updated Help page.
Important Note
Adjusting weather settings not only affects current conditions — it recalculates and regenerates the entire weather forecast from that moment onward. This means that any previously forecasted weather, including calm periods or incoming storms, may change significantly.
In addition, the snow environment has been further improved, and we also added support for snow footstep effects to enhance environmental immersion. When walking through snowy areas, your character will leave visible footprints that react dynamically to movement and terrain.
These footprints appear as you walk, run, or move across snow-covered surfaces, adding another layer of realism to on-foot exploration in Ships At Sea. To ensure stable performance across different systems, these effects are currently enabled at the Port of Røst and on Ultra-quality settings. At this level, the environment supports advanced landscape weather effects, including 3D snow accumulation, puddles, footprints and trails in the snow, and sound effects such as footsteps in snow or splashing through puddles.
We plan to gradually expand and optimize these environmental effects in future updates to maintain strong performance while continuing to improve visual realism.
Rain behavior inside vessels has been corrected, resolving the issue where rain could appear dripping inside cabins.
The rain mask on boat and ship windows has also been improved, providing more realistic water accumulation and visibility during rainfall. In addition, an issue where rain was not visible when using the Ultra or Low graphics presets has been resolved, ensuring consistent weather visuals across all quality settings.
We’re introducing a new fuel consumption system based on actual engine load. Fuel usage is no longer tied directly to RPM alone. Instead, it now depends on how much work your engine is truly performing.
This means heavy acceleration, towing operations, and pushing against strong resistance will significantly increase fuel consumption. On the other hand, maintaining a steady cruising speed or operating under lower load will consume noticeably less fuel.
Smart vessel handling, efficient cruising, and proper boat setup now directly impact your fuel efficiency, adding more depth and realism to propulsion management.
Ships At Sea now supports advanced multi-engine propulsion systems. Vessels equipped with twin or triple engines feature independent throttle and gear controls for each engine.
This allows for:
Differential thrust for tight manoeuvring
Precise low-speed control
Improved docking performance
Realistic multi-engine vessel handling
Multi-engine throttle control operates independently from bow thrusters and serves as the vessel’s primary propulsion system.
The Class 3 Service Ship is equipped with a dual-engine control unit, as it features two propellers.
Each throttle lever controls one engine:
Forward / Neutral / Reverse gear selection
Throttle control (engine RPM)
When set to Neutral (N):
The engine remains running
No thrust is applied
The vessel drifts naturally due to inertia, wind, and current
This enables smooth transitions between forward and reverse and provides fine control during docking.
The Class 3 Cargo Ship is equipped with a triple-engine control unit as it features three propellers.
Throttle Layout
Port Lever (Left) – Controls the port engine
Center Lever (Middle) – Controls the center engine
Starboard Lever (Right) – Controls the starboard engine
Each lever is interactable and provides:
Forward / Neutral / Reverse gear selection
Throttle control (engine RPM)
This system allows highly controlled manoeuvring and realistic heavy-vessel handling.
Triple-Engine Throttle Control Panel Functions
Red – Throttle Override
Disables automated gear behaviour and enables full manual control of each throttle lever.
Orange – Engine Synchronizer
Synchronizes RPM across all engines
All engines match the RPM of the last adjusted lever
Ideal for steady cruising and fuel-efficient operation
Green – Start All Engines
Starts all inboard engines simultaneously.
Engines can still be started individually via ignition controls.
White – Emergency Stop
Immediately shuts down all engines.
Functions as a full emergency shutdown.
Vessels equipped with multiple engines will now display separate power bars in the HUD — two bars for twin-engine ships and three bars for triple-engine configurations. Each bar corresponds directly to an individual engine, allowing you to clearly monitor throttle output and power distribution in real time.
The HUD layout and information structure will continue to be refined in upcoming updates to improve clarity and readability.
The Class 3 Cargo and Service vessels have been upgraded with a joystick steering system to better reflect their real-world bridge configuration.
The joystick functions similarly to a traditional steering wheel. When you move it to port or starboard, the vessel responds accordingly by adjusting the rudder angle in that direction. It directly translates player input into steering movement, providing intuitive and accurate control.
With v0.8.6, we’ve continued refining ship physics and overall vessel handling across all classes.
Forward and reverse thrust behaviour has been rebalanced to improve momentum transitions. Previously, shifting from forward to reverse (and vice versa) could feel overly delayed or unresponsive. This has now been adjusted to create a more natural and controlled propulsion response while maintaining realistic vessel weight and inertia.
Steering and manoeuvrability have also received further tuning across Class 1 to Class 3 ships, resulting in more authentic handling characteristics depending on vessel size and type. Rudder control has been significantly improved, including smoother centre alignment, making it easier to return the rudder to neutral during course corrections and docking operations.
We are also introducing a new Adaptive Steering option, a feature many players have requested to improve vessel handling at different speeds. When enabled, the rudder angle can dynamically adjust based on the vessel’s speed. This helps prevent overly aggressive steering at high speeds while still allowing full control during slow manoeuvres such as docking or navigating tight harbour areas.
Players can customize this behaviour using adjustable sliders to define minimum and maximum speed thresholds, making the speed-based rudder limitation entirely optional and tailored to individual preference.
Buoyancy calculations have been further enhanced by improving how vessels react to rising and falling wave levels. Boats now better account for vertical wave movement, allowing hulls to respond more naturally in rough sea states and high waves. This results in more believable motion and improved stability behaviour in dynamic weather conditions.
In addition, engine and propeller parameters have been rebalanced for more accurate thrust representation and improved propulsion feedback — another step toward delivering a truly authentic ship simulation experience.
The Class 2 Service Ship is now equipped with stern-mounted waterjet engines, improving manoeuvrability and responsiveness during service operations. Waterjet-engine propulsion will be completed with the upcoming update.
Public Test v0.8.6 introduces a completely redesigned fish ecosystem system — inspired by the mechanics players loved in our previous titles, but significantly improved and rebuilt to function in a multiplayer environment.
Fishing in Ships At Sea is now more dynamic, immersive, and alive than ever before.
Fish are no longer limited to static habitats. Instead, species inhabit specific ocean layers and respond to different fishing techniques accurately. Fish move freely across the entire ocean map, creating a living ecosystem that reacts to player activity.
Species are distributed throughout the water column based on their natural behaviour:
Pelagic (mid-water): Mackerel, Salmon, Herring
From shallow coastal waters to deep ocean and seabed: Cod, Haddock, Halibut, Pollock, Redfish, Spotted Catfish
Seabed species (upcoming species, Class 4 Fishing Ship) Snow Crab, Brown Crab, King Crab, Lobster
As development continues toward Version 1.0, additional species will be introduced and ecosystem behaviour further refined.
Fishing gear now requires realistic soak time, and bait attraction has been significantly improved.
Bait now actively attracts different species depending on the ocean layer in which your gear is deployed. Species respond more naturally based on their feeding behaviour and depth preference, making gear placement and timing more important than ever.
As time passes, fish enter nets or attach to hooks, and the catch accumulates gradually. While it’s possible to retrieve gear earlier — especially if a fish shoal passes through nets — optimal results are typically achieved at 17 in-game hours. After this point, the gear will begin to lose catch, reducing overall yield.
Every fishing action reduces the local population of that species within the area.
Overfishing will temporarily lower availability, encouraging responsible harvesting and strategic diversification. Given time and proper conditions, fish shoals will naturally recover.
Species now reach peak size and availability during specific months, closely reflecting real-world commercial fishing seasons. The seasonal system has been further improved, making seasonal changes more noticeable and impactful.
During peak season, fish are more abundant and typically found in their fully grown stage, increasing both catch volume and value. As the season progresses toward its end, populations gradually decrease, and species begin to shift their locations.
Fishing during peak season improves efficiency and profitability, while respecting seasonal cycles reinforces sustainable harvesting and long-term ecosystem balance.
On the map, players will find each fish shoal displayed within a soft radius, indicating its approximate size. Inside that radius, a species icon shows the dominant species present in the shoal.
Since fish shoals move dynamically through the ocean, the location of these icons will change over time. As fish migrate, their positions update accordingly on the map.
In addition, the fish icons rotate to indicate the direction in which the shoal is heading. This allows you to anticipate movement patterns and position your vessel more strategically when preparing to deploy gear.
During certain seasons, shoals may merge into larger concentrations. When zooming in closer on the map, these merged shoals become more recognizable, often forming mixed-species areas with higher overall density.
Shoal Information
Hovering over a shoal icon reveals additional details:
The dominant species present
A population percentage indicator, displayed as a progress bar, showing the current population level of that species within the shoal
For players who prefer a more immersive or realistic experience, the Fish School filter can be disabled on the map, allowing you to rely entirely on your sonar system to locate fish in the surrounding waters.
What would commercial fishing be without a functioning fish market?
Ships At Sea features a dynamic market system where fish prices fluctuate at the ports. Currently, pricing is influenced by fish species season, meaning certain species become more valuable during peak fishing months, while others may decrease in demand outside their primary season.
In future updates, the market system for commercial fishing will evolve to include more advanced economic factors and give players greater control over how they sell their harvest.
One planned improvement is the ability to selectively unload specific fish boxes at different ports, allowing you to take advantage of better regional prices for certain species. Currently, all fish boxes spawn automatically under the hatch when unloading begins, but this system will become more strategic and management-focused over time.
This system will be further expanded in a future update.
When using a standard buoy, deployed gear is exposed to environmental conditions. Over time, it may drift, deteriorate, or suffer wear due to prolonged exposure. If not retrieved within approximately 72 hours, the gear can be permanently lost.
The licensed PingMe equipment is currently being reworked to integrate with the new fish ecosystem system. Once reintroduced, upgrading to PingMe will eliminate the risk of gear loss.
Fuel management is a core element of any serious ship simulation, and with this update, we’re taking it to the next level of authenticity.
Both the small and main fuel stations are being replaced with completely new models to improve visual quality and overall immersion in Ships At Sea. The redesigned stations better reflect realistic maritime infrastructure and strengthen the operational feeling when refuelling your vessel.
As with all major systems in Ships At Sea, the fuel station system is built modularly. This allows us to expand and evolve gameplay over time, opening the door for deeper logistics mechanics and more advanced refuelling systems in future updates.
A further reworked and expanded fuel station system will be introduced in upcoming updates as development continues.
The port crane in Ships At Sea has been upgraded with a brand-new licensed model from our partner Lorentzen Hydraulikk.
This updated crane features increased height and extended reach compared to the previous version, allowing for more efficient and realistic loading and unloading operations at the docks. The improved range provides better accessibility for class 2 vessels and cargo configurations, enhancing both functionality and immersion during port operations.
This upgrade represents another step toward greater authenticity in cargo handling and maritime logistics within the world of Ships At Sea.
Looking ahead:
Crane physics and animations are planned for further rework in an upcoming update. Our goal is to deliver smoother, more precise handling and improved synchronization in multiplayer environments, ensuring the best possible experience when operating heavy equipment together with other players.
This upgrade represents another step toward greater authenticity in cargo handling and maritime logistics within the world of Ships At Sea.
The Seamarker Repair Mission has been reworked and is now fully enabled.
Players can find active seamarker repair contracts available at the Office. Once accepted, you’ll be tasked with navigating to the damaged seamarker and carrying out the necessary repairs to restore its function.
In addition, the seamarker itself has been completely redesigned visually. It now features an improved structure and a proper docking area, making it easier and more practical for smaller vessels to approach and operate safely during maintenance tasks.
This rework improves both mission clarity and operational immersion at sea.
The entire Logbook UI has been completely redesigned to improve clarity, usability, and overall navigation. You can access the Logbook as usual by pressing the Tab key or by interacting with the Logbook asset in the wheelhouse.
All major sections — including Player, Contracts, Company, Help, and Weather Settings — have been updated with a fresh, cleaner design for better readability and smoother interaction.
Under the Contracts tab, you can now:
View All Contracts, or
Use the left and right arrows to switch between Company Contracts and Global Events
Tracking a contract or global event is now much easier. Simply click the mission directly, or use the Track button to activate it.
The entire Help section has been revised to reflect the latest changes in Ships At Sea. We have also added quick navigation buttons to help you easily move between different help topics and find the information you need more efficiently.
As development continues, the Help page will be updated regularly to reflect new systems, features, and improvements introduced to the game.
The new Weather Settings menu now clearly separates between Current and Custom Weather.
This allows you to directly compare live conditions with your custom adjustments before applying changes. The Current Weather tab also includes a detailed overview button, giving you deeper insight into the active weather conditions.
When hovering over individual settings, you will see tooltips explaining what each slider controls.
When adjusting sliders, weather changes occur in real time:
You will see clouds forming and conditions building up gradually
Sliders transition smoothly toward your desired values
Environmental effects update progressively rather than switching instantly
This improved transition system makes the weather feel more alive and reactive to your adjustments.
You can now lock specific weather parameters individually. Simply tick the checkbox next to a setting to lock it.
When a setting is locked:
The slider colour changes, clearly indicating that this value is locked
A lock icon appears next to the setting
Locked values will remain fixed while other weather parameters continue to evolve dynamically. This gives you greater control when you want to specify conditions while still allowing natural variation in others.
A Lightning Flash Density slider has been added. This allows you to control thunderstorm intensity by determining how frequently lightning occurs during storm conditions.
Thunderstorms and lightning effects are now fully integrated again.
The Office UI has received a fresh new look, along with a redesigned Mission Progression window for improved clarity and structure. Mission steps are now easier to follow, giving players a clearer overview of objectives and current progress.
We have also updated the Session XP Summary UI, providing a cleaner and more transparent breakdown of your earned experience at the end of a session. When completing a contract or event in co-op, the summary now also shows a detailed breakdown of how much XP each crew member has received.
In addition, an XP pop-up notification has been introduced. Each time you earn experience, a small on-screen pop-up with a smooth fade animation will appear, clearly showing the XP gained. This provides immediate feedback during gameplay and makes progression more visible and rewarding.
All contracts now clearly display compatible ship classes, making it much easier — especially for beginners — to understand which vessels are suitable for each mission. In addition, contracts now include visible requirements and required items. When hovering over listed items, you will find additional information to help you prepare properly before starting a mission.
As always, the UI is not final. As Ships At Sea continues to evolve, we remain committed to further refining the user interface, design and overall user experience in future updates.
Environmental level design continues to make strong progress across the world of Ships At Sea. The Dry Dock area is already taking shape and increasingly resembles a fully functional maritime facility, adding both atmosphere and operational depth to the ports.
In addition, a newly redesigned world map is currently being finalized and will be introduced in an upcoming patch in the next few days.
At the same time, vegetation such as trees and bushes across the islands and coastal areas is gradually being expanded to further shape the environment. As development continues, we also plan to introduce more NPC activity, additional NPC vessels, and other world elements to make the environment feel even more alive and immersive.
Looking ahead, we also plan to expand environmental life and activity, including additional NPC presence, wildlife on land and at sea, and future AI traffic systems, to create a more dynamic, living world around your operations.
With this update, we are introducing the first iteration of completely new main character models for both male and female players, significantly improving overall authenticity and visual quality.
The improvements go beyond appearance. We are enhancing character stabilisation, camera behaviour, and overall movement handling, resulting in smoother transitions and a more natural on-foot experience throughout the world of Ships At Sea.
In addition, we have reworked the core animation system architecture. The new scalable animation framework is designed to perform reliably in a multiplayer environment while allowing us to expand and improve animations in upcoming updates.
On-foot mechanics such as walking, rotating, walking sideways, running, and general character movement can already be tested in this update, giving players an early look at the foundation of the improved character and animation system.
Please note that the new character models do not yet use the upcoming new clothing system. A full Character Customization System is currently in development and is planned for update v0.8.7.
The upcoming customization system will allow players to personalize their appearance in several ways. You will be able to choose from multiple hairstyles, select different facial hair options such as moustaches and beards, and adjust skin tones to better represent your character. In addition, a selection of new outfits will reflect different career or role paths, including fisherman, service crew, and offshore worker styles. New accessories will also be available, including hats or helmets, shoes, gloves and hoodies, allowing you to further define your professional or private look in Ships At Sea.
A new Beginner Tutorial has been introduced to help new players get started in Ships At Sea.
The tutorial can be enabled through the Settings Menu before starting a new game. Once activated, it will guide you around the ports and introduce you to key facilities such as the Sea Taxi, Warehouse, Dry Dock, Office, and other essential operational areas.
Additionally, all UI windows include an “i” (information) icon in the top corner. You can click this icon at any time to reopen the explanation for that specific window. This allows players to quickly refresh their memory when something is unclear or they need a reminder, ensuring a smoother, more accessible learning experience.
This is the first step in expanding our onboarding experience. Additional tutorial features and more advanced guidance systems are planned for future updates as the game continues to evolve, helping support both new captains and returning players.
With this update, we’ve started introducing the ability to sit down and become more connected to the world of Ships At Sea.
You can now sit on the benches at the ports or relax on the sofa in the Office. This is the first step toward creating a more immersive and personal experience within the SAS world.
In upcoming updates, this feature will be expanded to vessels as well — including co-pilot chairs and other workstations on the bridge, as well as additional seating areas throughout the ship — once our new sitting animations have been further refined.
Our goal is to introduce more meaningful ship interactions, strengthen the connection between you and your vessel, and enhance the sense of presence alongside your crew members. We know many of you have been looking forward to this, and this is just the beginning.
The previous object highlighter used when interacting with controls in the bridge or objects in the world has been updated to a new outline-based highlighting system.
Instead of fully highlighting objects, the new system draws a subtle outline around interactable elements, improving visual clarity while keeping the object’s original appearance visible. Players can still adjust the highlight intensity through the settings menu, allowing them to customize the visibility to their preference.
We have resolved an issue affecting players using AZERTY keyboards where keybinding labels in the UI displayed normalized QWERTY keys instead of the actual keys pressed.
While keyboard input was internally translated correctly, the UI previously showed incorrect key labels, which caused confusion for players using non-QWERTY layouts. Keybinding labels now properly reflect the local keyboard layout, ensuring that the displayed keys match the physical keys used on AZERTY and other international keyboard configurations.
As this build is released to the Public Test branch, we would greatly appreciate your help testing the new systems and improvements. Your feedback helps us identify issues early and refine the experience before the update moves to the main branch.
While testing continues, we will focus on polishing, balancing, and stability improvements based on your reports and observations. Our current goal is to release this update to the main branch in mid-March, provided testing goes smoothly.
This update is an important step for Ships At Sea. Many of the systems introduced here — from weather and fishing to propulsion and server infrastructure — strengthen the core foundation of the game. Our goal is to build systems that can support a wide range of vessel types and maritime activities as the project continues to grow, even beyond the full version.
At the same time, development continues in parallel on several upcoming features, including larger vessel classes such as the highly anticipated Class 4 ships. Alongside this, we are working on new gameplay systems, level design, expanded animations, and improved sound effects to further deepen the Ships At Sea experience.
A small early glimpse of one of the upcoming Class 4 vessels currently in development.
There are many exciting things on the horizon, and we look forward to continuing this journey together with our community.
Added a new fuel consumption model. Fuel usage now depends on actual engine load
Added a new fish habitat system
Added dedicated server support for up to 8 players
Added dynamic fish prices that fluctuate based on fish type and season
Added weather forecast via VHF radio
Added lightning, thunder, aurora and rainbow weather effects
Added repairable seamarker missions
Added a tutorial when starting a new game
Added sitting feature allowing players to sit on chairs on benches, sofa and onboard ships
Added XP pop-up notification
Added twin and triple engine throttles for Class 3 service and cargo ships
Added F (Forward), N (Neutral), R (Reverse) indicators to all throttle controls
Added health system for inventory items
Added inventory for the rowboat
Added support for azimuth pods
Added the ability to swap items while hauling gear
Added info buttons providing explanations for UI tabs
Added interaction outline for objects
Added second fish unloading areas in Værøy and Røst
Added an additional docking area on Vedøya
Added new fuel stations
Added a new Tier 1 crane from Lorentzen Hydraulikk
Added Dry Dock signage
Added the missing Sea Taxi NPC in Teist Hammeren
Added the correct office laptop in Bodø office, enabling services and crew management
Added new decals for cargo areas
Added new mission completion window
Added new icons for items and boats
Added new map icons
Added mission requirements displayed in the office UI
Adjusted fish prices and seasonal values
Adjusted payload values for all vessels
Adjusted kiosk item prices and earnings
Adjusted timers on some burning houses to stagger their start times
Improved buoyancy and ship physics systems
Improved boat movement systems
Improved boat reversing behaviour
Improved rudder control for easier centering
Improved propeller and engine RPM behaviour
Improved searchlight distance and angles
Improved searchlight control panel and added joystick support
Improved calendar functionality for fish habitats
Improved mission manager
Improved mission and contract details with compatible boats, required rigging, items, and skills
Improved wheelhouse instrument layout across multiple boats
Improved character camera and rotation
Implemented first-person stabilization
Improved gamepad navigation for the office and logbook
Improved player tab in logbook
Improved loading screens
Improved game icons
Improved boat world markers
Improved tags displayed over boats and ships
Improved ocean color and water visuals
Improved overall lighting
Improved overall performance
Improved raindrops and wipers on all vessels
Improved seabed depth for smoother wave height transitions
Improved textures on fish farm feeding machines
Improved textures on mooring posts and towing anchors
Improved weather system across quality settings with customizable and lockable options
Improved UI for logbook and office
Improved Dry Dock level design
Improved savegame compatibility messaging
Improved engine behaviour when fuel runs out (hybrid engines keep electric motors running)
Rebalanced boat and ship upgrade costs
Rebalanced contract rewards and XP payouts
Rebalanced catchability for longline and net fishing
Reduced boat jittering
Reintroduced storms triggered via weather settings
Renamed cargo capacity to payload (now includes rigging and smaller items)
Renamed missions to contracts
Removed fish habitat restrictions for longline and net gear
Removed the fuel tank and speedometer HUD from the rowboat
Disabled global event cancellation
Slightly adjusted control sensitivity
Smoothed towing behaviour to prevent sudden jerks
Reworked crane operations with unified input settings and new joint control modes
Reworked mission tracking system
Reworked the searchlight control panel and joystick controls
Reworked boat movement systems
Fixed autopilot activation via the P key
Fixed autopilot path marker replication for multiplayer
Fixed RPM replication and propellers
Fixed rain dripping inside the wheelhouse on certain ships
Fixed camera controls while dragging boat controls or the joystick
Fixed camera jitter when switching between first- and third-person characters
Fixed client interaction issues with logbook, autopilot, and engines
Fixed client crash when switching companies or exiting the game
Fixed client unboarding when rejoining a hosted session
Fixed player getting stuck under the net table
Fixed large fish getting stuck on the conveyor belt after gutting
Fixed player being unable to unequip gutted fish
Fixed sale issues with large quantities of fish
Fixed the fish hooking issue on Flippy boat
Fixed passenger mission completing before starting
Fixed whale watching mission issue
Fixed cargo spawn issues in Sørvågen
Fixed floating cargo in some port areas
Fixed cargo reach issue in Måstad
Fixed Dry Dock spawn issue for Nordland vessel
Fixed landscape clipping in Dry Dock
Fixed texture stretching near ports
Fixed map typo for Bliksvær
Fixed UV map issues on some windows
Fixed Discord link
Fixed character limit issue on feedback form
Fixed key rebinding issue on AZERTY keyboards
Fixed typos in Russian and Turkish localization
Implemented automatic loading of the latest savegame on dedicated servers
Updated Unreal Engine from 5.4.4 to 5.7.3, providing significant performance improvements
Updated and improved Help sections
Updated almost all language localizations (Chinese pending)
Updated cargo and map icons
Updated radio station list (removed non-working URLs)
Ahoy Sailors,
We’re happy to officially announce Z-Bridge as a new license partner for Ships At Sea.
The Z-Bridge Bring-to-Work system has already been fully modeled and will be featured on our upcoming Class 4 Wind Farm Supply Vessel. This advanced, motion-compensated system allows for safe and realistic crew transfers to offshore wind turbines, and will play an important role in future wind farm gameplay.
Z-Bridge is a Dutch maritime technology company specializing in advanced motion-compensated access systems for offshore operations. Their Bring-to-Work solutions are designed to ensure safe and efficient crew transfers in challenging sea conditions, particularly within the offshore wind and energy sectors. Z-Bridge systems are used on modern service vessels worldwide and are recognized for their focus on safety, precision, and operational reliability.
With this partnership, players will be able to experience an authentic and highly detailed Bring-to-Work workflow, including a fully realized cockpit that reflects the real-world controls and operational logic of the Z-Bridge system.
Behind the scenes, we are currently deep into development across a wide range of systems. This includes further refinement of ship physics and buoyancy, continued improvements to UI/UX, and support for twin and triple throttle units, allowing independent control of multiple propellers for more authentic vessel handling. We are also working on a new fish habitat system, enabling dynamic fish movement across the entire map, alongside dynamic fish pricing, seasonal fishing, gear soak time, better bait attraction that responds to changing conditions.
In parallel, we are improving weather systems and the tutorial experience, while continuing development of the upcoming Class 4 vessels, which introduce more advanced and professional ship systems. We have also officially started improving our animation architecture to support a wider range of animations across the entire game. All of this work is focused on expanding gameplay depth while reinforcing the authenticity and ship-simulation–driven foundation at the core of Ships At Sea.
Stay tuned — there’s plenty more on the horizon!
“Smooth seas never made a skilled sailor.” - Maritime slogan
Team Misc Games
We’ve just deployed a small hotfix with the following fix:
Fixed floating cargo when playing as a client in multiplayer
If you continue to experience issues after updating, we recommend verifying the integrity of your game files via Steam, as this can resolve many common problems.
If you’re experiencing lower performance, especially after updates, here are a few settings that can help:
Lower Global Illumination quality (this has a significant performance impact)
Reduce Shadow Quality
Disable or lower Post-Processing effects if needed
Close background applications while playing
We’re also actively working on further performance improvements, and optimization will remain a focus going forward.
Thank you for your continued support and for helping us improve Ships At Sea 🚢
Happy Holidays, Fair Winds and Safe Sailing!
- Team Misc Games
Ahoy Sailors!
Another small hotfix deployed: Fixed a random inventory crashFair Winds and Happy Sailing!Ahoy Sailors!
Hotfix deployed: Fixed an issue where clients were unable to haul fish.
Fair Winds and Happy Sailing!
Ahoy Sailors,
After a successful Public Test and a lot of valuable feedback from the community, Update v0.8.5 is now live. This update focuses heavily on making ships feel more realistic and natural on the water, with major improvements to buoyancy, steering, engine behavior, seperate thrusters, and overall handling.
Alongside these core changes, v0.8.5 introduces the Sea Taxi system for faster travel between locations and company-owned ships, the new Burning House mission, and numerous quality-of-life, UI, stability, and performance improvements.
Many of these changes are a direct result of your reports and testing during the Public Test — thank you for helping us shape this release. We hope you enjoy the improvements, and as always, we look forward to hearing your feedback as we continue developing the world at sea.
This update delivers Part 2 of our Buoyancy and Ship Physics Overhaul, significantly improving how vessels behave in the water and laying a stronger foundation for realism in Ships At Sea.
More natural wave response with reduced bouncing and jittering
Improved buoyancy and wave interaction in rough seas
Improved steering and maneuverability at both low and high speeds
Smoother acceleration and more controlled deceleration
Resolved overly aggressive instant turning behavior
More accurate weight distribution, engine, and propeller force simulation
Support for multiple engines and rudders
Refined wave height transitions between open ocean and calmer areas
Reduced water flow disturbance effects on some boats — propellers and keels are no longer visibly exaggerated
Optimized water shader and overall performance improvements
A major technical change in this update is that thrusters now have their own dedicated engine, fully separated from the main propulsion system. This allows bow thrusters on Class 3 ships to operate independently, even when the vessel is stationary, matching real-world behavior.
Several refinements to slamming forces and engine torque calculations, improved steering efficiency at low speeds, and a new efficiency factor for rudder wash from propellers. An engine overload effect has been implemented for abrupt gear changes (for example, switching from full ahead to reverse), and multiple engine-related issues have been resolved, including continued acceleration while the clutch was in neutral/idle and a throttle state where power could become stuck at 100%. The center of mass has been adjusted, and all boats and ships have been rebalanced—including propellers and engines—to properly reflect the new ship physics foundation.
This update marks an important foundational milestone toward achieving the level of realism players expect from Ships At Sea. With the new physics system now active, the groundwork is in place, and the focus moving forward will be on fine-tuning and balancing individual boats and ships. However, the system provides a robust framework for authentic handling across all vessel classes or types, supporting larger ships introduced leading up to v1.0 and continuing well beyond, as Ships At Sea evolves as a long-term project.
Looking ahead: Because the updated physics now support multiple engines and propellers, we will introduce dedicated dual and triple throttle levers on ship bridges in v0.8.6. for the Class 3 ships.
One of the most requested features from the community is now live: the Sea Taxi.
This first iteration of the Sea Taxi system allows players to quickly travel between ports and company-owned ships at sea, or move efficiently within larger ports such as Røst, Værøy, and Bodø. The system is designed to make logistics smoother while still preserving the core sailing experience — offering convenience when you need it, without replacing the journey itself.
With v0.8.5, you can now also use the Sea Taxi to jump between locations within Port Røst, for example between the main port and Port Glea, improving navigation in larger harbor areas.
If you want to teleport with your entire ship and crew, this can be done via your handheld radio. Be aware that this option can be costly, especially without insurance.
Interact with the Sea Taxi NPC at ports
Open the destination tab on the world map
Select a ship or port location
You’ll be transported directly to the chosen destination
All available Sea Taxi locations are clearly marked on the map for easy identification.
Teleportation between ports is one-way
You can travel from small ports to main ports with a dry dock
Travel from main ports to small ports is not supported
The Burning House mission has arrived as a fully dynamic emergency event, playable in both single-player and co-op. This isn’t just about putting out flames — buildings now progress through multiple stages of fire and destruction, creating a more reactive and realistic firefighting scenario.
As fires spread, structures visibly deteriorate, transitioning from light scorch marks to intense flames, heavy structural damage, and eventual collapse. Firefighting requires constant attention — stepping away too long can allow flames to reignite, while failing to respond at all will result in the house being completely destroyed and reduced to ruins. Successfully managing these escalating situations comes with higher payouts and better rewards, reflecting the increased risk and effort involved.
This system will be expanded in future updates so any house in any port can become part of dynamic fire events. Destroyed buildings currently rebuild automatically after a set time, but later updates will introduce reconstruction missions, allowing players to deliver materials and actively participate in restoring damaged areas.
We’ve also refined the firefighting experience with adjusted water cannon pressure and improved visual effects. Fire intensity and health are now clearly communicated through visual indicators, making it easier to track progress during emergencies. Additional water cannon animations and further refinement of burn stages are planned for upcoming update.
Side note: We’ve also added new boats for Burning Boat missions, expanding the range of emergency situations players may encounter at sea.
We’ve added new details when hovering over fish in bleed boxes or longline buckets. When hovering over a bleed box, players will now see the type of fish stored inside and the total weight of each fish species.
For longline buckets, you can clearly see the bait type assigned once bait has been attached, making it much easier to track which bucket contains which bait and improving overall clarity during fishing operations.
We’ve improved lighting across the world to make nighttime and winter scenes feel more atmospheric and visually cohesive. Ships, ports, and surrounding environments now feature better contrast, clearer illumination, and more natural reflections, improving visibility during nighttime operations while enhancing the overall mood of winter conditions.
In addition, searchlights on boats and ships have been improved, with light beams now properly reflecting on the water surface, further enhancing realism and situational awareness during night operations.
Our level design work continues to progress step by step. Areas like the Dry Dock are steadily evolving into believable, around-the-clock operational spaces.
While there’s still more to come, each update adds new details, vegetation, and polish as we continue shaping a richer and more immersive world in Ships At Sea.
We’ve improved keyboard layout detection at game start to ensure consistent input behavior across different keyboard configurations such as QWERTY, AZERTY, and Dvorak. All physical key presses are now translated internally to a standard US QWERTY layout.
This resolves issues where some players experienced missing, incorrect, or non-responsive keybindings due to regional keyboard layouts, ensuring a more reliable and predictable control experience across all setups.
The kiosk fridge aboard the Class 3 service ship now offers increased storage space. This gives players more room to stock supplies in advance, making passenger service missions easier to manage and reducing the need for frequent restocking during operations.
We’re excited to welcome NorSap, a global leader in pilot, operator, and helmsman seating, as a new license partner in Ships At Sea. NorSap chairs are designed for professional maritime operations, offering excellent style and comfort during long hours at sea.
To showcase this addition, the Class 3 service ship is already equipped with a NorSap chair. Alongside this, the view toward the bow has been adjusted to improve forward visibility from the wheelhouse, further enhancing the overall piloting experience and reinforcing the authenticity of ship operations.
The Class 1 fishing boat can now be upgraded to carry XS and Small cargo, allowing players to take on smaller cargo missions alongside their fishing activities. This added flexibility supports early-game progression by enabling more mission variety without the need to switch vessels, making the Class 1 boat a more versatile option for everyday operations.
Battery charge levels are now clearly displayed when hovering over tools such as the drill and flashlight in your inventory. This makes it easier to check remaining power at a glance and plan tasks more effectively, helping you avoid unexpected power loss during operations.
Inventory management is now faster and more intuitive. Items can be dragged and dropped directly between inventories, such as moving equipment from the player inventory to the boat inventory by simply selecting an item and dropping it into another tab. This streamlines item handling and removes the need for right-click menus when quick interactions are needed during active operations.
Bridge lighting is now controlled separately from interior lights. A new dedicated light source allows players to manage illumination on the bridge independently, improving visibility where it matters most and offering greater control during nighttime and low-light operations.
We’ve added direct Discord and Roadmap link buttons to the Main Menu, making it easier to join the community, follow ongoing development, and stay up to date with upcoming features and improvements.
With v0.8.5, we’ve reached an important milestone. For those who have been with us since the early days of Early Access, it should be clear how much Ships At Sea has evolved over time. This past year was largely focused on improving and strengthening the core systems and architecture of the game — from ship physics and buoyancy to the introduction of a new map, as well as foundational gameplay systems that everything else builds upon.
Looking back, this work was essential. It required time, patience, and iteration, but it has resulted in a much stronger and more stable foundation. Because of what we’ve achieved this year, we’re confident moving forward and excited about what comes next. With this groundwork in place, we can now build further and faster, introducing new larger ship classes, expanded gameplay, and deeper systems that fully take advantage of the improved technology.
Next year is shaping up to be an exciting one!
As always, thank you to our amazing community for all the feedback, reports, and support — especially to everyone who participated in the Public Test and helped shape this update. Your input continues to play a huge role in improving Ships At Sea.
From all of us on the team, we wish you a Merry Christmas, happy holidays, and safe sailing — both digital and in real life. We look forward to continuing this journey together in the new year.
Team Misc Games
Missing collision on several assets
Automatic return of inventory items when tasks are canceled
Updated world map
Buoyancy adjustments on Conquest and Skarven
Buoyancy correction for Skomcat
Gamepad dead zone handling
Replication between host and clients
Whale Watching mission behavior and stability
Reduced water flow disturbance effect strength on some boats
Reduced top speed on Conquest to 16 knots when fully upgraded
Boat abruptly switching to full forward speed when reversing
Button interactions not working in client configuration
Client showing one power bar remaining after engine shutdown
Automatic mode throttle not returning to position 0 when shifting into neutral
Autopilot initialization error when loading a savegame
Excessively loud menu sounds
Font overlap in sections of the Company tab in the logbook
Incorrect bait quantity returned after baiting longline buckets
Incorrect throttle status display when a boat is moored
Incorrect FSR label and toggle behavior in upscale mode settings (now correctly reflects hardware and version)
Incorrect player name displayed for the boat driver
Fish food hanging from a crane not being pickable
Buckets remaining airborne after the host removes a ship on the client
Heavy cargo food not disappearing on the client after removal
Flickering window issue on Skomcat
Whale flying during observation missions
Player profile level icon exceeding screen bounds in the main menu
Sudden acceleration when unmooring a boat
Starter stopping when using the clutch lever
Burning House mission ending prematurely due to timer issues
Removed incorrect caught fish toast due to weight mismatch; fixed toast behavior for NetHauler
Removed duplicated Sea Taxi NPC in Teist Hammeren
Resolved wet window despite roofing issue on the Class 1 cargo boat
Please note: The skill tree is planned to be reworked in future updates. For now, unavailable skills have been disabled in the UI to reduce confusion and improve clarity.
Efficiency factor for rudder wash from propellers at low speeds
Engine overload effect when abruptly changing gear direction (e.g. full ahead to reverse)
Ability to unequip longline bucket
Fish information after untangling fish from the net
HUD aspect ratio setting for widescreen displays
Discord and Roadmap link buttons in the main menu
Additional Sea Taxi (teleporting) details in the Help section
Ability to use Sea Taxi within Port Røst, for example between the main port and Port Glea
Slamming forces and engine torque calculations
Steering efficiency at low speeds
Center of mass on Turbo
Top speed on Class 2 service boat and Class 3 service ship
Cabin lighting on some boats
Searchlight illumination on all boats and ships — searchlights now reflect on the water surface
Weight display for container items
Rebalanced all boats and ships, including propellers and engines
Improved savegame loading timer behavior
Improved profile loading after session quit
Boat continuing to accelerate while clutch was in neutral/idle
Throttle issue where power could get stuck at 100%, preventing clutch operation
Engine start button not activating when the starter was engaged
Second engine incorrectly configured as a main engine instead of a thruster
Client unable to fully turn the steering wheel when autopilot was enabled
Boat parts remaining invisible to clients for several seconds after activation
Fish getting stuck on the hook after hauling a longline
Fish not visually appearing when picked from the net
Longline and net buoys not appearing on the map
Boat name displaying incorrectly when hovering over the map
Player username not displaying correctly when joining another session
Voting time displaying differently on host and client
Map filter issues
Client unable to proceed with the Whale Watching mission
Please note: The PingMe item has been temporarily disabled in the tool shop and will return once its functionality is fully implemented.
Accept and decline options for the game analytics window popup
Battery charge feedback for drill and flashlight when hovering in inventory
Boat overloading checks and warning messages
Bridge lights on Class 3 ships, allowing independent control of wheelhouse lighting
Burning House missions
Cargo rigging support for Flippy (now supports XS and S cargo)
Detailed hover information for fish in bleed boxes and longline buckets
Feedback for net hauler lever activation on Conquest
Clear failure feedback when the crane cannot pick up cargo
Feedback when hooking fish with a fishing hook
Feedback when players cannot pick up fish by hand or catch via jigger
New boats for Burning Boat missions
NorSap captain chairs added to Skomcat and Nordland for improved driving visibility
Sea Taxi system for teleporting to company-owned ships at sea and within ports
Expanded XS and Small cargo mission distances to include more distant ports
Increased fridge capacity to hold up to 20 items
Crash related to fishing gear
Despawn location issues causing players to get stuck at docking points
Steering forces incorrectly applying while airborne
Items failing to quick-slot for clients after rejoining a session
Lighthouse stairs blocking player ascent
Incorrect icons shown in map filters
Missing collision on pallets
Player marker not displaying correctly after using the radio
Quick feedback messages sending only 130 characters instead of 1000
Quickslots not working while driving
Stair collision in drydock causing players to get stuck
Waves appearing too bright at night
Rain visible under roofs at Røster
Ability to cancel global events (removed)
Boat physics and buoyancy system
Boat engine system (now supports multiple engines and rudders)
Cubemaps on buildings
Drag-and-drop item handling in warehouses
Drydock level layout and collision
Exiting the game or boat while equipped with a buoy
Boat icon display when entering drydock
Money calculation (now rounds up instead of down)
Inventory system and interactions
Keyboard layout detection at game start
Night and winter lighting
Port and onboard ship lighting
Client replication of cargo and trash
Savegame routines
Snow textures on props during winter
Display of unloaded fish boxes during fishery sales
Trash missions
Water cannon camera for better visibility
Water cannon spray visual effects
Wave height transitions between open ocean and calm areas
Watershader optimization
Overall performance
Boat and ship balance across the entire fleet
Localization
Drag-and-drop item transfers between inventories
Hide bottom prompts when middle prompts are active
Show close button when viewing the logbook
Show max weight and cell capacity in inventory and cargo areas
Moved Quick Feedback below “Return to Game” in the menu
HUD restricted to 16:9 monitors
Additional level design improvements across the map
Ahoy Captains!
This Patch brings significant improvements to ship physics and handling, making vessels feel more realistic and responsive on water. Thanks to all the reports and feedback during the Public Test — we hope we’ve addressed everything you raised.
Alongside these changes, the patch also includes multiple fixes, UI & performance improvements, and quality-of-life updates.
Improved slamming forces and engine torque calculations
Improved steering efficiency at low speeds
Added an efficiency factor for rudder wash from propellers at low speeds
Implemented an engine overload effect when abruptly changing gear direction for example in reverse
Fixed an issue where the boat continued accelerating while the clutch was in neutral/idle
Fixed a throttle control issue where the power value could get stuck at 100%, preventing clutch operation
Adjusted center of mass on Turbo
Increased top speed on Class 2 service boat and Class 3 service ship
Fixed an issue where the second engine was incorrectly configured as an engine instead of a thruster
Fixed an issue preventing the client from fully turning the steering wheel when autopilot was enabled
Rebalanced all the boats and ships, adjusted propeller and engines
Fixed an issue preventing activation of the engine start button when the starter was engaged
Removed the second fuel gauge
Improved cabin lights on some boats
Fixed an issue where some boat parts remained invisible to clients for up to 10 seconds after activation
Fixed searchlight illumination issue on all boats and ships. The searchlight now reflects on the watersurface which was previously not possible.
Added ability to unequip longline bucket
Fixed issue where fish could get stuck on the hook after hauling a longline
Fixed issue where picking fish from net did not visually show the fish being picked up
Added fish info after untangling fish from the net
Fixed issue causing longline and net buoys to be invisible on the map
Removed temporary PingMe from the tool shop. Will be enabled again as soon the functionality is in place.
Removed debug lines from cargo items
Added HUD aspect ratio setting for widescreen in options
Changed text to indicate events have expired rather than failed
Changed how weights display for container items
Corrected the order of scale application to input actions
Fixed issue where boat name displayed incorrectly when hovering over the map
Fixed issue where player username did not display correctly when joining another session
Fixed an issue where voting time displayed differently on host and client
Fixed map filter issue
Added Discord and Roadmap link buttons to the main menu
Added details about Sea Taxi (teleporting) to the Help section
Fixed issue where client could not proceed with the Whale Watching mission
Improved how the timer is set during savegame loading
Improved loading profile after session quit
You can now use Sea Taxi to jump between locations in Port Røst, for example, between main port and port Glea.
Note: Teleportation between ports is one-way. You can only travel from small ports to main ports with a dry dock— not from main ports to small ports.
Port Glea is now the primary location for large cargo operations. Large cargo missions will spawn there.
Fair Winds and Happy Sailing!
Team Misc Games
Ahoy Sailors, the coastline is calling....
It’s time again for a new Public Test! Today, we’re launching Update v0.8.5 into the Public Test Branch — and it holds alot of quality of life improvements and much more. From the brand-new Sea Taxi system, which lets you teleport to company-owned ships out at sea or move quickly within ports, to the dramatic new Burning House mission and major improvements to our Buoyancy and Ship Physics/Handling, there’s plenty to explore. We can’t wait to hear what you think!
As usual, to avoid any potential issues, we strongly recommend backing up your save files before joining to the Public Test version v0.8.5
To find your Steam for Ships At Sea saves:
Press Win + E
Paste %USERPROFILE%/AppData/Local/Sas/Saved/SaveGames into the search bar.
To try the PUBLIC TEST, please follow these steps:
Open Steam
Right-click on Ships At Sea in your library
Select Properties
Go to the Betas tab
Enter the password: SaSPublicTest
Choose "public_test" from the "Beta participation" drop-down list
Wait for the game to update the files (if nothing happens, restart the Steam client)
Launch the game
Note: Also, remember to verify the integrity of game files via Steam to avoid issues.
This update delivers Part 2 of our Buoyancy and Ship Physics Overhaul, significantly improving how vessels behave in the water.
Key improvements include:
More natural wave response with reduced bouncing and jittering
Improved steering and maneuverability at both low and high speeds
Smoother acceleration and more controlled deceleration
Resolved overly aggressive instant turning behavior of vessels
More accurate weight distribution, engine, and propeller force simulation
Support for multiple engines and rudders
Refined wave height transitions between open ocean and calmer areas
Optimized water shader and overall performance improvements
A major technical change in this update is that thrusters now have their own dedicated engine, entirely separated from the main propulsion system. This means bow thrusters equipped on the Class 3 Ships work independently and can be controlled even when the ship is stationary, behaving as expected in real-world operations.
This update marks another important foundational milestone toward achieving the level of realism players expect from Ships At Sea.
Please note: With the new ship physics system now active, our next step is to further fine-tune the handling and behavior of all boats and ships so they fully align with this improved foundation.
Because the updated physics support multiple engines and propellers, we will also introduce dedicated dual and triple throttle levers on ship bridges in the upcoming v0.8.6 update.
One of the most highly requested features from our community is finally here: the Sea Taxi!
This first iteration of the new system gives players the option to quickly teleport from a port to their company-owned ships out at sea or to move efficiently within major ports such as Røst, Værøy, and Bodø. You can also teleport between ports when needed, making logistics smoother while still preserving the core sailing experience. The Sea Taxi provides convenience when you want it, without replacing the journey itself.
If you want to teleport with your entire ship and crew, you can use your handheld radio, which could be quite costly without an insurance!
Interact with the Sea Taxi NPC at the ports, open the destination tab on the world map, and choose either a ship or a port location. The Sea Taxi will then transport you directly to your selected destination.
All available Sea Taxis are marked with an icon on the map for easy identification.
The new coastal Burning House mission event in single- or co-op is much more than simply putting out a fire! Buildings now go through stages of burning and destruction, giving you a far more dynamic and realistic firefighting experience.
As the fire spreads, you’ll see the structure visibly deteriorate — from light scorching, to full flames, to heavy damage, and eventually complete collapse.
Just like in real life, pausing your firefighting efforts can allow the flames to reignite, so players must stay alert and persistent. If the fire is not extinguished at all, the house will ultimately be reduced to a ruin — a pile of ash.
Currently, there are few houses configured for the Burning House mission for the Public Test version, however, we will expand this system so that any house in any port can catch fire as part of future dynamic events. Destroyed houses are automatically rebuilt after a certain amount of time.
However, in a later update, we plan to introduce missions where players can deliver rebuilding materials to help restore these structures manually, adding more depth and variety to the world’s dynamic events.
We’ve also adjusted the water cannon pressure, improved the visual effects, and refined the camera view to enhance the firefighting experience. In addition, we’ve added a clear visual indicator for fire intensity and health, making it easier to track firefighting progress. New animations for water cannon operation will arrive in upcoming updates, and we also plan to further smooth and refine the burning stages to create a more immersive firefighting experience.
Side note: We’ve also added new boats for Burning Boat missions, expanding the variety of emergency scenarios players can encounter.
We’ve added new details when hovering over fish in bleed boxes or longline buckets. When hovering over a bleed box, players will now see the type of fish stored inside and the total weight of each fish species.
For longline buckets, you can clearly see the bait type assigned once bait has been attached, making it much easier to track which bucket contains which bait and improving overall clarity during fishing operations.
We’ve refined the lighting system to make nights and winter scenes more atmospheric and visually consistent. Ships, ports, and surrounding landscapes now benefit from improved contrast, clearer illumination, and more realistic reflections, ensuring better visibility during nighttime operations and creating a more immersive winter environment across the world.
Our level design work continues to move forward step by step. The dry dock is slowly starting to look like a real 24/7 operational facility. That said, there’s still plenty to do — more vegetation, more details, and more polish are coming with each update as we continue shaping the world.
We’ve improved keyboard layout detection at game start to ensure consistent input behavior across different keyboard configurations such as QWERTY, AZERTY, and Dvorak. All physical key presses are now translated internally to a standard US QWERTY layout.
This resolves issues where some players experienced missing, incorrect, or non-responsive keybindings due to regional keyboard layouts, ensuring a more reliable and predictable control experience across all setups.
The kiosk fridge on the Class 3 service ship can now hold significantly more items. We’ve increased its storage capacity to give players greater flexibility when stocking up for kiosk operations, allowing for better preparation during passenger service missions.
We’re excited to welcome NorSap, a global leader in pilot, operator, and helmsman seating, as a new license partner in Ships At Sea. NorSap chairs are designed for professional maritime operations, offering excellent style and comfort during long hours at sea.
To showcase this addition, the Class 3 service ship is already equipped with this beauty, further improving the wheelhouse experience and enhancing overall authenticity.
The Class 1 fishing boat can also now be rigged to carry XS and Small cargo, allowing players to complete smaller cargo missions alongside their fishing activities.
This upgrade adds more flexibility to early-game progression, letting players take on additional mission types without switching vessels and making the Class 1 boat more versatile in day-to-day operations.
We’ve added clear battery charge feedback when hovering over tools like the drill and flashlight in your inventory. This makes it easier to see remaining power at a glance and better plan your tasks without surprises.
Inventory management is now faster and more intuitive. Players can drag and drop items directly between inventories—such as from the player inventory to the boat inventory—by simply selecting an item and moving it to another tab. This removes the need for right-click menus when faster interactions are needed during operations.
We’ve added a new dedicated light source for the bridge, separating it from the interior lighting system. This allows players to control bridge and interior lights independently, giving you better visibility where you need it and more control over lighting conditions during night operations.
Accept and decline options for the game analytics window popup
Battery charge feedback for drill and flashlight when hovering in inventory
Boat overloading checks and warning messages
Bridge lights on Class 3 ships, allowing independent control of wheelhouse lighting
Burning House missions
Cargo rigging support for Flippy (now supports XS and S cargo)
Detailed hover information for fish in bleed boxes and longline buckets
Feedback for net hauler lever activation on Conquest
Clear failure feedback when the crane cannot pick up cargo
Feedback when hooking fish with a fishing hook
Feedback when players cannot pick up fish by hand or catch via jigger
New boats for Burning Boat missions
NorSap captain chairs added to Skomcat and Nordland for improved driving visibility
Sea Taxi system for teleporting to company-owned ships at sea and within ports
Expanded XS and Small cargo mission distances to include more distant ports
Increased fridge capacity to hold up to 20 items
Crash related to fishing gear
Despawn location issues causing players to get stuck at docking points
Steering forces incorrectly applying while airborne
Items failing to quick-slot for clients after rejoining a session
Lighthouse stairs blocking player ascent
Incorrect icons shown in map filters
Missing collision on pallets
Player marker not displaying correctly after using the radio
Quick feedback messages sending only 130 characters instead of 1000
Quickslots not working while driving
Stair collision in drydock causing players to get stuck
Waves appearing too bright at night
Rain visible under roofs at Røster
Ability to cancel global events (removed)
Boat physics and buoyancy system
Boat engine system (now supports multiple engines and rudders)
Cubemaps on buildings
Drag-and-drop item handling in warehouses
Drydock level layout and collision
Exiting the game or boat while equipped with a buoy
Boat icon display when entering drydock
Money calculation (now rounds up instead of down)
Inventory system and interactions
Keyboard layout detection at game start
Night and winter lighting
Port and onboard ship lighting
Client replication of cargo and trash
Savegame routines
Snow textures on props during winter
Display of unloaded fish boxes during fishery sales
Trash missions
Water cannon camera for better visibility
Water cannon spray visual effects
Wave height transitions between open ocean and calm areas
Watershader optimization
Overall performance
Boat and ship balance across the entire fleet
Localization
Drag-and-drop item transfers between inventories
Hide bottom prompts when middle prompts are active
Show close button when viewing the logbook
Show max weight and cell capacity in inventory and cargo areas
Moved Quick Feedback below “Return to Game” in the menu
HUD restricted to 16:9 monitors
Additional level design improvements across the map
⚓ Final Words
Update v0.8.5 marks another major step forward for Ships At Sea, with a strong focus on improved ship physics and handling — an area many of you have shared valuable feedback on. These long-awaited improvements also lay an important foundation for larger and more complex ships coming soon.
Alongside the physics updates, we hope you enjoy exploring the new Burning missions and the additional features included in this Public Test. We’re excited to hear your thoughts as we prepare for the full release next week.
Thank you for sailing with us on this journey — your continued support truly makes a difference.
Safe sailing, Captains!
Team Misc Games
Hey Sailors!
Today, we’re excited to give you a first look at something new coming to the docks in Ships At Sea: a fully redesigned port crane that will soon replace the current Tier 1 model.
The crane currently in-game has shown some apparent limitations—especially during medium cargo operations, where certain cargo items could end up just out of reach. To address this, we’re introducing a much more capable crane based on the real-world design from our license partner Lorentzen Hydraulikk, which we have recreated and modelled. This upgraded crane is built to meet your port logistics needs and will provide a smoother, more reliable cargo-handling experience.
Now that you’ve seen the comparison between the old crane and the new one, let’s take a closer look at what makes this upgraded model such a big improvement. And here’s your improved specs header and list:
The new port crane comes with significantly improved dimensions and reach:
Total length (retracted): 6.4 m
Width: 1.5 m
Height: 4.0 m
Extended reach: approx. 10 meters
We hope you’re as excited about this upgrade as we are — and we can’t wait to share even more improvements and new features with you soon! Stay safe at sea, sailors, and happy Friday!⛵️✨
Team Misc Games
Ahoy Captains,
Update v0.8.4 is now live — our biggest and most transformative update to Ships At Sea yet! This release introduces an entirely new 50×50 km map, a refreshed environmental system, overhauled graphics, lighting, and weather, and the first phase of our boat physics rework. The new fully accessible Dry Dock has also been added to prepare for upcoming larger vessels.
You’ll notice significant performance improvements, expanded onboard interactions — including a functional onboard kiosk on the Class 3 Service Ship — and many enhancements across ports, interiors, and world content.
We’ve also transitioned from the old “Tier” naming to a new “Class” system that matches real vessel certification standards. On top of that, this update brings a completely revamped inventory and UI, accessible offices and shops, a huge list of bug fixes, optimizations, and numerous quality-of-life improvements.
Set sail and enjoy the new experience — the world of Ships At Sea just got a whole lot bigger, and there’s even more on the horizon! 🌊🚢
The foundation for Dedicated Server support is largeley in place, and you’ll notice a new Server tab when creating a session. This feature is not enabled yet, so please continue joining sessions through your Friends List for the time being.
Once the remaining tasks is complete, full Dedicated Server support will be unlocked and allow players to connect with ship-simulation enthusiasts from all around the world. Stay tuned!
Since this update introduces an entirely new map, your existing save data has been adjusted to fit the new world!
Here’s what to expect:
All boats will be deactivated, but you can easily reactivate them in the newly designed Dry Dock
All players will start at the port of Røst
No progress will be lost unfairly — you’ll receive compensation for any items or assets affected by the transition, ensuring your company can continue operating smoothly
Compensation Details:
500,000 NOK per lost fish farm
250,000 NOK for all other assets (buoys, equipment, etc.)
Bonus Cash: Even players who did not own any assets before the update will still receive this compensation as part of the transition to the new map.
We’ve now enabled game analytics to help us better understand how players interact with Ships At Sea and to improve the overall gameplay experience. Only game-relevant data is collected — nothing personal!
When you start the game for the first time, you’ll see a notification explaining how analytics are used.
An in-game setting has also been added, allowing you to enable or disable analytics at any time.
This update introduces the first part of our extensive ship physics rework — a major milestone of improvements to our force and physics systems.
Boats and ships now feel more natural than ever, whether you’re accelerating or performing slow manoeuvres in harbours or open seas, in both manual and automatic gear. The throttle, engine, and RPM behaviour have been completely refactored and rebalanced, eliminating the previous instant acceleration issue on certain vessels — engines now build up power authentically and truly work for their speed. Furthermore, the previously reported issue where throttle and acceleration would stop abruptly on some vessels has also been resolved.
Our physics system is complex and interconnected, influencing many aspects of each vessel. We’re continuing to refine ship handling and overall physics behaviour, and you can expect additional improvements to the buoyancy system itself soon, resulting in less bouncing and jittering and more natural floating across different vessels.
In addition, several new features are in development, including twin- and triple-lever throttle support for the Class 3 service and cargo ships, implementing joystick steering, and the ability to control propellers and thrusters separately. These upgrades are planned for release as Part 2 with v0.8.5 before Christmas.
Note: As part of the ongoing engine and physics improvements, fuel consumption on some ships have been temporarily increased in update v0.8.4 This will be corrected once we complete Part 2 of the physics improvements.
Thank you for your patience and understanding as we roll out these improvements step by step. This lays the foundation for even more authentic and larger ship types, realistic sailing, stable and reliable ship simulation experience.
We have completely reworked the map, 50x50km in size, featuring major upgrades to level design, lighting, graphics, weather, and performance. The overhauled weather and storm system enhances realism and atmosphere, while this full redesign prepares the world for larger ships and more complex gameplay systems. The new map remains an open-world environment, giving players greater freedom to explore new areas and discover expanded regions across the coastline or on foot.
The new ports are still a work in progress and not yet finalized from a level design perspective—some currently are still empty or contain placeholders. At the same time, existing ports are receiving major updates, including the replacement or addition of new houses and environmental details.
With this overhaul, we’re introducing a new approach to environmental design. Houses, industrial buildings, and offices will now reflect different levels of maintenance—from freshly painted and well-kept to weathered and aged by the elements. This marks the first time we’ve brought visible ageing to our environments, giving towns and villages a far more authentic, lived-in atmosphere. Whether you’re walking past a new home or an old seaside warehouse, the world will feel more dynamic and alive than before.
Ports have also been reorganized to reflect their real-world functionality better. Depending on the port's size and purpose, each now features designated areas based on activity — for example, medium cargo drop-off zones, large cargo terminals, and fisheries focused on general fishing or on fish container deliveries and unloading. Smaller passenger missions will have their own dedicated docking areas, while future ferry vessels will operate from purpose-built ferry terminals and so on.
The level design will remain an ongoing process, with more houses and natural elements continuously added and expanded to further enrich the world over time. In addition, a new port crane is currently under development and will replace the existing Class 1 port crane, offering smoother operation.
Upgraded Ports: Røst • Vedøya • Kveldsbeita • Lyngvær • Kårøya • Stavøya • Måstad • Værøy • Teist Hammeren • Mosken
New Ports Added: Bodø • Fenes • Helligvær • Moskenes • Reine • Sørvågen • Å
Ports Removed: Ellevsnyken • Skomvær
As in this example Port of Røst - Glea is now one of the ports officially equipped to handle large containers.
Work on Port Bodø — our largest and most ambitious port yet — has officially begun, and it’s already shaping up beautifully.
With the new map, we’re also introducing a fully accessible Dry Dock complete with a control room, built to accommodate upcoming large ships as we move toward version 1.0 and beyond. This new facility has been designed to handle any class of vessel, serving as a foundation for future ship expansions.
Just like the Shipyard, the Dry Dock is fully explorable — you can walk down the stairs and inspect your ship up close if you wish. For those who prefer convenience after a long day at sea, an elevator system, commonly found in real dry docks, will be added later to offer a quicker way down to the dock floor. Furthermore, the Dry Dock’s UI functionality and visuals are still a work in progress and will be improved in upcoming updates.
The level design is also ongoing, so expect further visual polish and environmental detail in future updates. At the moment, the Dry Dock is still referred to as the Shipyard on the building — this will be updated soon.
The Dry Dock marks another important step toward expanding Ships At Sea’s simulation depth, giving players a more immersive and authentic way to interact with their vessels as we continue developing the next generation of ships and tailored gameplay systems.
Our entire weather system has been completely overhauled and optimized for the new map. From heavy rain, mist, and clear skies to lightning and intense storms, the atmospheric immersion is now deeper and more dynamic than ever.
More improvements are already underway and will be introduced soon — including the ability to cancel storms, instantly adjust wave conditions, and switch between dynamic and manual weather modes. In addition, an upcoming Marine Weather Forecast feature will provide detailed information to help you plan your trips and navigate the seas more effectively.
We’re taking another step forward in expanding immersion by making the Office, Tools & Supply, and Fishery areas fully accessible. This update allows players to explore these spaces more freely, deepening the sense of presence and connection to the world.
As part of this update, players can now step inside the Tools & Supply Shop and fully explore its interior. The shop is stocked with everything you need for upcoming missions — from maintenance and repair equipment to supplies such as sandwiches, pizza, and drinks for your onboard kiosk operations. Items previously found in the Tools Shop, like fish food for your fish farm and smolt, are now correctly located in the Fishery Shop.
We are also finalizing the new battery functionality for items like the flashlight and power drill. After extended use, batteries will need to be replaced, adding an extra layer of realism and resource management to the gameplay. We have also included a green battery charge indicator for the power drill, as well as new HUD prompts with input hints for both the drill and flashlight.
In future updates, you can also expect additional tool-related features, including tool teardown.
Please note that the battery replacement animations for the drill and the flashlight are not finalized and animations in general are planned to be introduced with our upcoming updates.
At the Fishery Shop, you’ll find all your essential fishing-related items — from gear, buoys, and smolt to fish food for your farms. The shop’s gate can now be opened, although the control panel isn’t fully functional yet. We’ve also introduced a temporary fish price list at the fishery, which will later evolve into a dynamic pricing system with fluctuating values across different ports.
Additionally, unloaded fish containers now appear here when interacting with the laptop, bringing even more realism to your fishery operations.
Please note that updated fish box UI icons — displaying accurate fish labels for boxes delivered at the fishery — will be introduced in an upcoming update.
We’ve added a new function that makes managing your catch easier than ever. When hovering over any fish box, players will now see detailed information showing what types and sizes of fish are stored inside — including the total weight.
This addition helps you quickly keep track of your storage, especially when selling your catch. You’ll instantly know how much weight you’re carrying and when a box is getting too heavy.
The Maritime Service Office can now be found at select ports that offer missions. Smaller ports will feature compact offices, while larger ports will have more spacious versions. Just look for the Maritime Service Office sign to locate them. In future updates, we plan to make these areas more interactive, allowing you to take a seat and gather with other players — turning the office into a social hub for planning missions and sharing the next steps of your journey.
This feature will also expand to ships, enabling players to sit together in the crew cabins or wheelhouses, making co-op life at sea feel even more connected and immersive.
Please note that the Office UI, Logbook, and mission-related UI functionality and visuals are still a work in progress and will be updated in upcoming updates.
To complement the new systems, a camera feature has been added to the shops, allowing players to see in real time where their purchased items are spawned in the cargo area — and instantly connect with the cargo item for smoother management.
The inventory has been completely redesigned and enhanced to make managing your items smoother, faster, and more intuitive than ever.
What’s new:
Drag & Drop – Effortlessly move items between slots
Split & Stack – Take full control of consumables and grouped items
Custom Quickslots – Assign tools and equipment exactly the way you prefer
This update not only refreshes the interface but also expands functionality — offering a cleaner layout, seamless interaction, and greater flexibility on deck, so you can focus on the journey ahead.
For our ship-simulation enthusiasts, this update introduces the first stage of our new boat weight capacity system, which will define how much each vessel can realistically carry — from cargo and rigging to upgrades and fish.
To lay the groundwork, every cargo and inventory item now comes with its own defined weight, visible directly in your inventory under the Weight section.
This is just the beginning! In the next planned update v0.8.5 - Part 2, this system will expand to include clear load limits for both your ship’s total carrying capacity and personal inventory, making vessel management more strategic and true to real-world maritime operations.
The boat ownership system has been upgraded to make co-op gameplay smoother, more flexible, and more aligned with the idea of running a shared company at sea.
All vessels you acquire are now part of the company fleet, rather than being tied to a single player. This means any company member can enter the Dry Dock, manage rigging and upgrades, and purchase gear or supplies for any active boat.
Crew members on a vessel now also have full access to the boat’s inventory, enabling them to gut fish, handle equipment, and complete onboard tasks directly. Previously, only the player who activated the boat had inventory access — this limitation has now been removed.
To dock a specific ship, simply select the vessel you want to bring into the Dry Dock when interacting with the entrance. You can also enter the Dry Dock without a ship if you wish to explore the area.
If you choose to dock a vessel while other players (crew) are onboard, a vote will be triggered to confirm the action.
To enhance docking realism we have introduced mooring rings. You’ll now see your ship visually secured to various moorings, with dynamic mooring ropes connecting vessels to shore.
On smaller piers, ropes are tied using a cleat hitch, while mid-sized ports feature ropes secured with a round turn around a bollard. This addition removes the previous “floating” effect, making docking and towing feel far more authentic.
These finer details make each mooring sequence feel complete — and true to real harbour life.
The warehouse system at the ports has been upgraded with a completely new UI for better clarity and control. Cargo moved to a warehouse as part of a mission now displays the correct item icons, and when hovering over them, you’ll see the mission ID and destination details the cargo belongs to.
A new submenu also gives you direct access to all other warehouses across ports, showing exactly how many items you have stored in each location. This improvement makes tracking and managing your cargo network smoother and more intuitive than ever.
A new feature has been introduced for the Class 3 Service Ship — the ability to run an onboard kiosk and earn some additional income! Players can now purchase supplies such as hamburgers, pizza, and various drinks from the Tool Shop under Supplies, stock up supplies in your Storage Room, and serve passengers during their journey.
Who said hard work at sea can’t come with a good meal?
Passengers will now request snacks and drinks directly at the counter, creating a more interactive and immersive experience at sea. You can even assign a crew member to operate the kiosk, ensuring smooth service while you focus on navigation and ship operations.
To restock supplies, simply interact with the counter or fridge. A helpful tooltip will display how much of each item remains in its package. When it’s time to serve passengers, simply interact with the sales counter. The ordered item will spawn on the desk, allowing you to hand it over and complete their request.
This feature lays the foundation for future passenger service gameplay, bringing your vessels to life and adding onboard activity like never before.
The Lighthouse: Repair Electricity mission is now fully implemented! When the lighthouse’s electrical system isn’t functioning as it should, a repair mission will automatically begin. Players will be tasked with restoring power by fixing faulty components in the network — such as breakers or light bulbs.
Each objective will guide you to the specific malfunctioning element and indicate the condition required to restore it. The system monitors the entire electrical network from start to finish, ensuring you always know what remains to be repaired.
In addition, the lighthouse docking platform has been resized to accommodate Class 3 service ships better, ensuring smoother docking operations with the improved mooring system.
We’ve rebalanced the purchase prices for all Class 2 and Class 3 vessels to make them better aligned with their class, size, and capabilities. This adjustment ensures a more consistent progression as you expand your fleet within its category.
We’ve improved the wind speed unit handling to address confusion between the values shown in the HUD and the Weather Settings. The HUD now correctly converts wind values from the weather system — for example, 14.23 m/s is accurately shown as 51 km/h or 27–28 knots, depending on your selected unit preference. This confirms that the in-game conversion logic is now working as intended.
The final step is still in progress: the Weather Settings menu currently displays wind speed only in raw m/s. In a future update, this menu will also respect your chosen unit (km/h, knots, etc.) to ensure full consistency across the entire interface.
Fixes
Fixed autopilot and compass coordinate display issues
Fixed daylight-dimming bug that occurred when a client entered the Dry Dock in multiplayer
Fixed mission display issue in Moskenes port
Fixed an issue where fuel cost incorrectly displayed in the UI as zero
Fixed incorrect asset used for the Nautical Pro steering wheel upgrade
Fixed an issue preventing medium cargo from being picked up by the port crane
Fixed small cargo not being available at several ports
Improvements
Improved engine performance on the Turbo, which was previously running slower than intended
Adjustments
Reduced fuel prices by 50%
Added
Floating pier at the fish farm to simplify docking and prevent class 3c argo ship from undocking after loading a save
Green battery charge indicator for the power drill
Graying-out of quickslot items when none are available in the inventory
Message shown after starting a vote to move an item to the warehouse
Object placed on the counter after NPC order acceptance in the kiosk
Passenger missions in Fenes and Helligvær
HUD prompts with input hints for the drill and flashlight
Refuel stations in Helligvær and Stavøya
Second docking location in Sørvågen for improved ship spawning
FSR 3.1 Frame Generation support
Adjusted / Rebalanced
Adjusted fish farm selling prices
Adjusted max zoom on the class 3 service ship and fishing ship to prevent culling of outer doors
Adjusted which cargo types certain ports allow
Engines rebalanced across all boats; fixed sudden throttle drop
Improved
Improved lighthouse code
Improved lights inside the lighthouse
Improved interaction feedback on circuit breakers in switchgear
Improved rudder control on certain ships when reversing
Improved level design across the map
Inventory now displays item weights
Blocked player interaction when the kiosk is full
Blocked players from leaving port areas
Minor performance improvements around the map
Disabled passenger disembarkation at sea
Fixed
Crash related to the warehouse system
Boat names not displaying correctly
Boats and ships not spawning correctly in specific ports
Broken cubemap on a window in Rost
Fish not visible to clients during production
Fish not appearing when hauling the longline
Crew getting stuck when unassigning from kiosk duty
Customization locker issues
Doors not rusting on Nordland and Skomcat
Gutting issues on the Turbo
Gutting knife appearing twice
Ice buildup on instruments
Keyboard movement on the map
Net fishing not functioning
“Next fish” button not working during gutting
Passenger spawning below the port in Vedøya
Quickslot issues for clients
Incorrect string in the towing mission
Whale watching mission not progressing for clients
Incorrect profile playtime (when it should have been zero)
AUTO mode rotary knob blocking autopilot heading changes
Rudder adjustment knob moving in only one direction
Player getting stuck inside the office after save/load
Rowboat spawning after exiting Dry Dock even without an active boat
Skomcat failing to dock after activation in Sørvågen
Weather sound effect volume not applying during the first two seconds after launching the game
Player unable to rotate steering wheel while autopilot was enabled
Crew members and passengers falling overboard
Fish jittering on the conveyor belt
Moving snow/puddle textures while driving
Snow flickering
Incorrect “Throttle lever” prompt during ship repair
Inconsistent Dry Dock entrance widget behavior
Performance drop near Værøy
Shallow water issues in several map areas
Wind speed unit mismatch between the HUD and the Weather Settings - Wind Speed
Added
Added crew task to run the kiosk on the Skomcat
Added game analytics (with in-game setting to enable/disable)
Added automatic conversion of boat speed and radar settings to match selected units in game settings
Added batteries to the flashlight (must now be replaced when drained)
Added instructions for using the gear remote control in the Help menu
Added detailed fish box information, showing quantity and fish size when hovering
Added new Dry Dock, replacing the old Boathouse
Added new inventory system and UI
Added new Lighthouse Repair mission
Added new 50×50 km map featuring new ports: Bodø, Moskenes, Fenes, Helligvær, Reine, Sørvågen, and Å, replacing the old map
Added multiplayer join flow for player slots
Added interiors for the Fishery, Office, and Tool Shop — now fully accessible
Added new shop UI
Added new weather and lighting system
Added warehouse port selection to the inventory
Added inventory weight system
Adjusted / Rebalanced
Adjusted player position when driving the Røster
Adjusted prices for Class 2 and Class 3 ships to better align with their class
Adjusted prices on all shop items
Rebalanced engines across all boats
Rebalanced cargo missions (distance, item quantity, and time limits)
Rebalanced gutting knives and hooks; adjusted quality percentages
Improved
Improved boat ownership system from player to company level
Improved boarding interactions on the Skomcat
Improved cargo and mission system
Improved engine speed calculation — engines now rev up realistically before applying load
Improved fish gutting and production systems
Improved door blocking logic
Improved fish display in inventory
Improved NPC crew equipment handling (equip/unequip logic)
Improved inventory functionality and flow
Improved mission system
Improved mooring system
Improved net fishing mechanics
Improved NPC behavior and animations
Improved save game routine and weather saving
Improved performance, graphics, and lighting across the game
Fixed
Fixed boat position resetting to default after exiting Dry Dock
Fixed camera height to better match character and NPC levels
Fixed fish visibility issues in parts of production
Fixed fishing missions to accept only the correct fish types
Fixed handheld radio teleportation issue
Fixed boats persisting after destruction
Fixed missing passenger icon on NPCs
Fixed client inability to sell fish from the fish farm
Fixed circuit breaker removal block when overheated and the player lacks electrical skill
Fixed multiple ship repair blocking issue
Fixed knives not transferring to boat inventory
Fixed net buoys disappearing when quickly picked up and stored
Fixed XP reward issue for “boat on fire” and “boat in distress” missions
Fixed missing money rewards when selling fish boxes
Fixed missions not showing rewards in the company tab
Fixed unequipping yarn hook while holding fish preventing hauling
Fixed mission reward inconsistencies between office and accepted missions
Fixed net clearer movement while hauling
Fixed run option for controller input
Fixed casting net disappearing after loading saved game
Fixed net clearer wheel rotation while hauling
Updated / Changed
Updated item names in shops and inventories
Updated all languages
Renamed ship “Tier” to “Class” when buying or viewing ships in the Dry Dock
Replaced several cargo items
Restricted gear purchases for unrigged boats
Reworked binoculars — players can now purchase and use any binocular tier
Increased lighthouse platform size for easier docking
Disabled world map access while in Dry Dock
The save game will automatically upgrade, with compensation granted for gear and equipment left in the old world
The system now automatically selects save slots for multiplayer sessions
Refactored buoyancy system
Thank you again for your incredible support, feedback, and patience throughout Early Access. Update v0.8.4 opens the door to even bigger improvements, new systems, and the next major steps for Ships At Sea.
We truly appreciate your continued support — and stay tuned, because the horizon is full of exciting things to come.
Fair winds, Captains!
Team Misc Games
Fellow sailors!
This Public Test patch brings several important improvements and fixes based on the many detailed reports and feedback from our community. Highlights of this update include:
Rebalanced engines across all boats, including a fix for the sudden throttle drop reported by multiple players
Major fixes to crew and passenger behavior, including resolving the issue where NPCs could fall overboard
Level-design corrections to shallow-water areas in several parts of the map to improve navigation and prevent unintended stranding
A targeted performance fix near Værøy, addressing the heavy frame drops reported by the community
Autopilot – AUTO Mode
In AUTO mode, the autopilot maintains the set heading/course. Players can freely adjust the heading using the rotary knob to port or starboard, and the knob can be physically rotated for precise course corrections.
Manual steering will override both NAV and AUTO modes when avoiding obstacles. After manual input, NAV mode will correct the vessel back to its planned route, while AUTO mode will return to the previously set heading.
Floating Pier at the Fish Farm
A temporary floating pier has been added at the fish farms to make docking smoother and prevent the Class 3 cargo ship from undocking after loading a savegame. This is an interim improvement — a full fish farm overhaul is planned for a future update.
Fixed and adjusted price for fish sold from fish farm, which solves the money exploit
These improvements come alongside many additional bug fixes, optimizations, and small quality-of-life additions. Full changelog is listed below:
Floating pier at the fish farm to simplify docking and prevent class 3c argo ship from undocking after loading a save
Green battery charge indicator for the power drill
Graying-out of quickslot items when none are available in the inventory
Message shown after starting a vote to move an item to the warehouse
Object placed on the counter after NPC order acceptance in the kiosk
Passenger missions in Fenes and Helligvær
HUD prompts with input hints for the drill and flashlight
Refuel stations in Helligvær and Stavøya
Second docking location in Sørvågen for improved ship spawning
FSR 3.1 Frame Generation support
Adjusted fish farm selling prices
Adjusted max zoom on the class 3 service ship and fishing ship to prevent culling of outer doors
Adjusted which cargo types certain ports allow
Engines rebalanced across all boats; fixed sudden throttle drop
Improved lighthouse code
Improved lights inside the lighthouse
Improved interaction feedback on circuit breakers in switchgear
Improved rudder control on certain ships when reversing
Improved level design across the map
Inventory now displays item weights
Blocked player interaction when the kiosk is full
Blocked players from leaving port areas
Minor performance improvements around the map
Disabled passenger disembarkation at sea
Crash related to the warehouse system
Boat names not displaying correctly
Boats and ships not spawning correctly in specific ports
Broken cubemap on a window in Rost
Fish not visible to clients during production
Fish not appearing when hauling the longline
Crew getting stuck when unassigning from kiosk duty
Customization locker issues
Doors not rusting on Nordland and Skomcat
Gutting issues on the Turbo
Gutting knife appearing twice
Ice buildup on instruments
Keyboard movement on the map
Net fishing not functioning
“Next fish” button not working during gutting
Passenger spawning below the port in Vedøya
Quickslot issues for clients
Incorrect string in the towing mission
Whale watching mission not progressing for clients
Incorrect profile playtime (when it should have been zero)
AUTO mode rotary knob blocking autopilot heading changes
Rudder adjustment knob moving in only one direction
Player getting stuck inside the office after save/load
Rowboat spawning after exiting Dry Dock even without an active boat
Skomcat failing to dock after activation in Sørvågen
Weather sound effect volume not applying during the first two seconds after launching the game
Player unable to rotate steering wheel while autopilot was enabled
Crew members and passengers falling overboard
Fish jittering on the conveyor belt
Moving snow/puddle textures while driving
Snow flickering
Incorrect “Throttle lever” prompt during ship repair
Inconsistent Dry Dock entrance widget behavior
Performance drop near Værøy
Shallow water issues in several map areas
Wind speed unit mismatch between the HUD and the Weather Settings - Wind Speed
Thank you for sailing with us — your feedback keeps shaping Ships At Sea. Stay safe out there, Salute, Captains!
Ahoy Captains,
With Update v0.8.4, we’re pleased to launch the Public Test for our biggest update yet! This version introduces an entirely new map with a refreshed environmental approach, overhauled graphics and lighting, improved weather, the first part of the boat physics rework, and a fully accessible Dry Dock to accommodate upcoming larger ships. You’ll also notice performance enhancements and expanded onboard operations — such as a working kiosk on the Class 3 Service Ship, plus much more!
We’re also moving away from the old “Tier” naming and introducing the new “Class” system for ships, reflecting how it appears on each vessel’s official certificate. Alongside this, you’ll find countless bug fixes, optimizations, accessible offices and shops, a revamped inventory and UI with added functionality, and numerous quality-of-life improvements across the board.
As usual, to avoid any potential issues, we strongly recommend backing up your save files before switching to the Public Test version v0.8.4.
To find your Steam for Ships At Sea saves:
Press Win + E
Paste %USERPROFILE%/AppData/Local/Sas/Saved/SaveGames into the search bar.
To try the PUBLIC TEST, please follow these steps:
Open Steam
Right-click on Ships At Sea in your library
Select Properties
Go to the Betas tab
Enter the password: SaSPublicTest
Choose "public_test" from the "Beta participation" drop-down list
Wait for the game to update the files (if nothing happens, restart the Steam client)
Launch the game
Note: Also, remember to verify the integrity of game files via Steam to avoid issues.
The groundwork for Dedicated Server support has been implemented, and you’ll now notice a Server tab when creating a session. However, this feature is not yet fully functional. For now, please continue to join sessions through your friends list as usual. Full dedicated server support will be introduced once development is complete.
Because this update introduces an entirely new map, existing save data had to be adjusted to fit the new world.
Here’s what you need to know:
All boats will be deactivated; however, you can reactivate them in the newly designed Dry Dock
Players will start at the port of Røst
And don’t worry — you won’t lose progress unfairly! You’ll receive compensation for potential lost items during the transition so your company can continue operations smoothly.
Compensation details:
500,000 NOK per lost fish farm
250,000 NOK for all other assets (such as buoys, etc.)
Even if you hadn’t owned any assets before the update, you’ll still receive the compensation as part of the transition to the new map.
We’ve now enabled game analytics to help us better understand how players interact with Ships At Sea and to improve the overall gameplay experience. Only game-relevant data is collected — nothing personal.
When you start the game for the first time, you’ll see a notification explaining how analytics are used. An in-game setting has also been added, allowing you to enable or disable analytics at any time.
This update introduces the first part of our extensive ship physics rework — a major milestone of improvements to our force and physics systems.
Boats and ships now feel more natural than ever, whether you’re accelerating or performing slow manoeuvres in harbours or open seas, in both manual and automatic gear. The throttle, engine, and RPM behaviour have been completely refactored and rebalanced, eliminating the previous instant acceleration issue on certain vessels — engines now build up power authentically and truly work for their speed.
Our physics system is complex and interconnected, influencing many aspects of each vessel. We’re continuing to refine ship handling and overall physics behaviour, and you can expect additional improvements to the buoyancy system itself soon, resulting in less bouncing and jittering and more natural floating across different vessels.
In addition, several new features are in development, including twin- and triple-lever throttle support for the Class 3 service and cargo ships, implementing joystick steering, and the ability to control propellers and thrusters separately. These upgrades are planned for release as Part 2 with v0.8.5 before Christmas.
Thank you for your patience and understanding as we roll out these improvements step by step. This lays the foundation for even more authentic and larger ship types, realistic sailing, stable and reliable ship simulation experience.
We have completely reworked the map, 50x50km in size, featuring major upgrades to level design, lighting, graphics, weather, and performance. The overhauled weather and storm system enhances realism and atmosphere, while this full redesign prepares the world for larger ships and more complex gameplay systems. The new map remains an open-world environment, giving players greater freedom to explore new areas and discover expanded regions across the coastline or on foot.
The new ports are still a work in progress and not yet finalized from a level design perspective—some currently are still empty or contain placeholders. At the same time, existing ports are receiving major updates, including the replacement or addition of new houses and environmental details.
With this overhaul, we’re introducing a new approach to environmental design. Houses, industrial buildings, and offices will now reflect different levels of maintenance—from freshly painted and well-kept to weathered and aged by the elements. This marks the first time we’ve brought visible ageing to our environments, giving towns and villages a far more authentic, lived-in atmosphere. Whether you’re walking past a new home or an old seaside warehouse, the world will feel more dynamic and alive than before.
Ports have also been reorganized to reflect their real-world functionality better. Depending on the port's size and purpose, each now features designated areas based on activity — for example, medium cargo drop-off zones, large cargo terminals, and fisheries focused on general fishing or on fish container deliveries and unloading. Smaller passenger missions will have their own dedicated docking areas, while future ferry vessels will operate from purpose-built ferry terminals and so on.
The level design will remain an ongoing process, with more houses and natural elements continuously added and expanded to further enrich the world over time. In addition, a new port crane is currently under development and will replace the existing Class 1 port crane, offering smoother operation.
Upgraded Ports: Røst • Vedøya • Kveldsbeita • Lyngvær • Kårøya • Stavøya • Måstad • Værøy • Teist Hammeren • Mosken
New Ports Added: Bodø • Fenes • Helligvær • Moskenes • Reine • Sørvågen • Å
Ports Removed: Ellevsnyken • Skomvær
Work on Port Bodø, our largest and most ambitious port, has begun — and it’s already starting to take shape beautifully.
With the new map, we’re also introducing a fully accessible Dry Dock complete with a control room, built to accommodate upcoming large ships as we move toward version 1.0 and beyond. This new facility has been designed to handle any class of vessel, serving as a foundation for future ship expansions.
Just like the Shipyard, the Dry Dock is fully explorable — you can walk down the stairs and inspect your ship up close if you wish. For those who prefer convenience after a long day at sea, an elevator system, commonly found in real dry docks, will be added later to offer a quicker way down to the dock floor. Furthermore, the Dry Dock’s UI functionality and visuals are still a work in progress and will be improved in upcoming updates.
The level design is also ongoing, so expect further visual polish and environmental detail in future updates. At the moment, the Dry Dock is still referred to as the Shipyard on the building — this will be updated soon.
The Dry Dock marks another important step toward expanding Ships At Sea’s simulation depth, giving players a more immersive and authentic way to interact with their vessels as we continue developing the next generation of ships and tailored gameplay systems.
The weather system is being completely overhauled and optimized for the new map. From heavy rain and clear skies to lightning and intense storms, the atmospheric immersion will be deeper than ever.
Further enhancements are also in progress and will be introduced soon — including the ability to cancel storms, instantly adjust wave settings, and switch between dynamic and manual weather modes. In addition, a new Marine Weather Forecast feature will provide detailed conditions to help you plan your sea journey more effectively.
We’re taking another step forward in expanding immersion by making the Office, Tools & Supply, and Fishery areas fully accessible. This update allows players to explore these spaces more freely, deepening the sense of presence and connection to the world.
As part of the public test, players can now step inside the Tools & Supply Shop and fully explore its interior. It’s stocked with all the essentials for your next mission — from maintenance and repair tools to supplies like sandwishes, pizza, or drinks for your onboard kiosk operation. The previously offered fish food for your fish farm and smolt is now available at the fishery shop.
We´re also finalizing battery functionality for items such as the flashlight and power drill, as part of the Tool Shop update. After a certain period of use, batteries will need to be replaced, adding another layer of realism and resource management to your experience. Please note that the battery replacement animation has not been added yet.
At the Fishery Shop, you’ll find all your essential fishing-related items — from gear, buoys, and smolt to fish food for your farms. The shop’s gate can now be opened, although the control panel isn’t fully functional yet. We’ve also introduced a temporary fish price list at the fishery, which will later evolve into a dynamic pricing system with fluctuating values across different ports. In addition, unloaded fish containers will now appear here when interacting with the laptop, adding another layer of realism to your operations.
We’ve added a new function that makes managing your catch easier than ever. When hovering over any fish box, players will now see detailed information showing what types and sizes of fish are stored inside — including the total weight.
This addition helps you quickly keep track of your storage, especially when selling your catch. You’ll instantly know how much weight you’re carrying and when a box is getting too heavy.
The Maritime Service Office can now be found at select ports that offer missions. Smaller ports will feature compact offices, while larger ports will have more spacious versions. Just look for the Maritime Service Office sign to locate them. In future updates, we plan to make these areas more interactive, allowing you to take a seat and gather with other players — turning the office into a social hub for planning missions and sharing the next steps of your journey.
Please note that the Office UI, Logbook, and mission-related UI functionality and visuals are still a work in progress and will be updated in upcoming updates.
To complement the new systems, a camera feature has been added to the shops, allowing players to see in real time where their purchased items are spawned in the cargo area — and instantly connect with the cargo item for smoother management.
The inventory has been completely redesigned and enhanced to make managing your items smoother, faster, and more intuitive than ever.
What’s new:
Drag & Drop – Effortlessly move items between slots
Split & Stack – Take full control of consumables and grouped items
Custom Quickslots – Assign tools and equipment exactly the way you prefer
This update not only refreshes the interface but also expands functionality — offering a cleaner layout, seamless interaction, and greater flexibility on deck, so you can focus on the journey ahead.
All ship simulation enthusiasts will likely look forward to this one—we’ve begun implementing a boat weight capacity system to determine how much each vessel can realistically carry in total, whether it's cargo, rigging, upgrades or fish.
To support this feature, all cargo and inventory items now have defined weights, which are displayed in your inventory under the Weight section.
This system will, in the future, support clear load limits for both your personal inventory and your ship’s total carrying capacity, making load management more strategic, immersive, and authentic to real-world ship operations.
The boat ownership system has been improved to better support co-op play!
All boats and ships acquired are now part of the company fleet, rather than being tied to a specific player. This means any player within the company can now enter the Dry Dock, manage riggings and upgrades for any active vessel, and purchase the necessary gear or supplies.
Players serving as crew members on a vessel now also have full access to the boat’s inventory, which was previously unavailable. This allows them to perform onboard tasks such as gutting fish and completing other processes directly on the ship. Previously, only the player who activated a boat had access to its inventory.
This enhancement makes cooperative gameplay smoother, more flexible, and true to the shared company experience at sea!
To enter the Dry Dock with any active ship, select the vessel you wish to dock when interacting with the Dry Dock. You can also enter the Dry Dock without a ship if you prefer to explore the area.
If you choose to enter the Dry Dock with a ship while players (crew) are onboard, a vote will be initiated to confirm the action.
We’ve introduced mooring rings to further enhance docking realism. You’ll now see your ship visually secured to various moorings, with dynamic mooring ropes connecting vessels to shore.
On smaller piers, ropes are tied using a cleat hitch, while mid-sized ports feature ropes secured with a round turn around a bollard. This addition removes the previous “floating” effect, making docking and towing feel far more authentic.
These finer details make each mooring sequence feel complete — and true to real harbour life.
The warehouse system at the ports has been upgraded with a completely new UI for better clarity and control. Cargo moved to a warehouse as part of a mission now displays the correct item icons, and when hovering over them, you’ll see the mission ID and destination details the cargo belongs to.
A new submenu also gives you direct access to all other warehouses across ports, showing exactly how many items you have stored in each location. This improvement makes tracking and managing your cargo network smoother and more intuitive than ever.
A new feature has been introduced for the Class 3 Service Ship — the ability to run an onboard kiosk and earn some additional income! Players can now purchase supplies such as hamburgers, pizza, and various drinks from the Tool Shop under Supplies, stock up supplies in your Storage Room, and serve passengers during their journey.
Who said hard work at sea can’t come with a good meal?
Passengers will now request snacks and drinks directly at the counter, creating a more interactive and immersive experience at sea. You can even assign a crew member to operate the kiosk, ensuring smooth service while you focus on navigation and ship operations.
To restock supplies, simply interact with the counter or fridge. A helpful tooltip will display how much of each item remains in its package. When it’s time to serve passengers, just interact with the sales counter to complete their orders.
This feature lays the foundation for future passenger service gameplay, bringing your vessels to life and adding onboard activity like never before.
The Lighthouse: Repair Electricity mission is now fully implemented! When the lighthouse’s electrical system isn’t functioning as it should, a repair mission will automatically begin. Players will be tasked with restoring power by fixing faulty components in the network — such as breakers or light bulbs.
Each objective will guide you to the specific malfunctioning element and indicate the condition required to restore it. The system monitors the entire electrical network from start to finish, ensuring you always know what remains to be repaired.
In addition, the lighthouse docking platform has been resized to accommodate Class 3 service ships better, ensuring smoother docking operations with the improved mooring system.
We’ve rebalanced the purchase prices for all Class 2 and Class 3 vessels to make them better aligned with their class, size, and capabilities. This adjustment ensures a more consistent progression as you expand your fleet within its category.
Added
Added crew task to run the kiosk on the Skomcat
Added game analytics (with in-game setting to enable/disable)
Added automatic conversion of boat speed and radar settings to match selected units in game settings
Added batteries to the flashlight (must now be replaced when drained)
Added instructions for using the gear remote control in the Help menu
Added detailed fish box information, showing quantity and fish size when hovering
Added new Dry Dock, replacing the old Boathouse
Added new inventory system and UI
Added new Lighthouse Repair mission
Added new 50×50 km map featuring new ports: Bodø, Moskenes, Fenes, Helligvær, Reine, Sørvågen, and Å, replacing the old map
Added multiplayer join flow for player slots
Added interiors for the Fishery, Office, and Tool Shop — now fully accessible
Added new shop UI
Added new weather and lighting system
Added warehouse port selection to the inventory
Added inventory weight system
Adjusted / Rebalanced
Adjusted player position when driving the Røster
Adjusted prices for Class 2 and Class 3 ships to better align with their class
Adjusted prices on all shop items
Rebalanced engines across all boats
Rebalanced cargo missions (distance, item quantity, and time limits)
Rebalanced gutting knives and hooks; adjusted quality percentages
Improved
Improved boat ownership system from player to company level
Improved boarding interactions on the Skomcat
Improved cargo and mission system
Improved engine speed calculation — engines now rev up realistically before applying load
Improved fish gutting and production systems
Improved door blocking logic
Improved fish display in inventory
Improved NPC crew equipment handling (equip/unequip logic)
Improved inventory functionality and flow
Improved mission system
Improved mooring system
Improved net fishing mechanics
Improved NPC behavior and animations
Improved save game routine and weather saving
Improved performance, graphics, and lighting across the game
Fixed
Fixed boat position resetting to default after exiting Dry Dock
Fixed camera height to better match character and NPC levels
Fixed fish visibility issues in parts of production
Fixed fishing missions to accept only the correct fish types
Fixed handheld radio teleportation issue
Fixed boats persisting after destruction
Fixed missing passenger icon on NPCs
Fixed client inability to sell fish from the fish farm
Fixed circuit breaker removal block when overheated and the player lacks electrical skill
Fixed multiple ship repair blocking issue
Fixed knives not transferring to boat inventory
Fixed net buoys disappearing when quickly picked up and stored
Fixed XP reward issue for “boat on fire” and “boat in distress” missions
Fixed missing money rewards when selling fish boxes
Fixed missions not showing rewards in the company tab
Fixed unequipping yarn hook while holding fish preventing hauling
Fixed mission reward inconsistencies between office and accepted missions
Fixed net clearer movement while hauling
Fixed run option for controller input
Fixed casting net disappearing after loading saved game
Fixed net clearer wheel rotation while hauling
Updated / Changed
Updated item names in shops and inventories
Updated all languages
Renamed ship “Tier” to “Class” when buying or viewing ships in the Dry Dock
Replaced several cargo items
Restricted gear purchases for unrigged boats
Reworked binoculars — players can now purchase and use any binocular tier
Increased lighthouse platform size for easier docking
Disabled world map access while in Dry Dock
The save game will automatically upgrade, with compensation granted for gear and equipment left in the old world
The system now automatically selects save slots for multiplayer sessions
Refactored buoyancy system
Jump aboard, test the new features, and let us know what you think — together, we’re shaping the future of Ships At Sea!
Fair Winds and Happy Sailing!
Team Misc Games
About
This page aggregates Steam news feeds, patch notes, and developer announcements for Ships At Sea, sourced from official Steam community posts.
Major updates, balance changes, and seasonal events often correlate with player-count spikes — cross-reference announcements here with the live charts on the main Ships At Sea statistics page.
Articles link back to Steam for full changelogs. SteamScope refreshes news entries as new posts are published to the game's Steam hub.