The latest beta release for the highly regarded automation and tower defense title, Mindustry, has arrived. Build 154 introduces substantial modifications to both the game's audio presentation and the core campaign mechanics, specifically addressing long-standing issues with the background simulation on Serpulo sectors.
Complete Audio Engine Rework
The most immediately apparent change in Build 154 is the complete overhaul of the game's soundscape. Developers focused primarily on units and blocks associated with the Serpulo content, providing a massive influx of new sound effects for structures, units, and functions that previously lacked dedicated audio. This extensive rework aims to enhance player immersion and feedback during combat and construction phases.
Crucially, the underlying audio engine has been significantly upgraded. The active sound cap has been dramatically increased, rising from 32 to 100 simultaneous sounds. This improvement ensures that intense battles do not result in audio cutting out prematurely. To maintain clarity, the system now limits simultaneous playback to a maximum of approximately six sounds per specific type, preventing any single audio loop from overwhelming the soundscape. While these changes required the renaming of most sound effects, which will temporarily impact existing mods and logic, the developers deemed the restructuring necessary to move past the previous, confusing naming convention.
Campaign Progression and Simulation Changes
Perhaps the most controversial change in this patch is the removal of the Serpulo background wave simulation system. This system, which allowed sectors not actively being played upon to continue their progression, was often criticized for being easily exploited, highly inaccurate, and unpredictable. Sectors could be lost despite having strong defenses, or unexpectedly captured with minimal protection.
Under the new system, sectors not currently under attack will be frozen in time. They will no longer experience wave progression or produce resources, though they will still receive items and exports if they are connected to active areas. This fundamental shift also necessitated the disabling of Serpulo sector invasions by default, indicating a future where the system may be entirely removed or replaced. Additionally, the option for core incineration is now enabled by default, streamlining some campaign actions.
Balance Adjustments and Unit Tweaks
Build 154 also introduced targeted balance changes across several key units. The Beta unit's guns have been locked, preventing rotation. The Scepter's secondary weapon received visual improvements alongside a damage increase. The Ripple unit has seen its fire frequency cut in half, compensating for this with a corresponding doubling of damage per shot.
Post-release hotfix 154.2 specifically addressed the Flare unit, significantly nerfing both its damage and its range. Earlier in the main patch, the Flare unit received new attack patterns and AI, returning to the classic circling behavior seen in older versions. Other minor changes included increasing shale's oil production value and reducing research costs for higher-tier units on Serpulo, making progression slightly more accessible for advanced players.
