Hey inmates, the team behind SCUM has been at it again, pushing forward with a fresh batch of changes that will disrupt your survival experience. From triggering mines with characters to new sickness symptoms, this update is packed with all kinds of chaos and polish that could change how you play.
The coders have been busy refining cross-stream locking and improving the onboarding UI. They squashed a crash related to the dropship and foliage, and added a new admin command for hunts. Also, they improved contact shadow support on character meshes, so prisoners will look better under different lighting conditions. Not bad, right?
One feature in the works will let all consistent characters trigger mines. That’s a recipe for some serious foot-related disasters. On the health front, there’s progress on new symptoms like colds, fevers, and stuffed noses, tying into the broader disease system teased earlier. They also added a logging system for NPC kills and enabled first-person preparing with bows. Oh, and plenty of bug fixes and early research for an upcoming rework are happening behind the scenes.
Level designers have been fixing bugs, but also adding fake global illumination inside buildings to boost the atmosphere. It’s subtle but should make interiors feel less flat.
The animation team has been focused on new item animations, especially for the axe and shovel, plus updates to the flag pole animations. They’re laying the groundwork for bruises, burns, and bleeding effects, too. More interior lighting improvements and bug fixes are ongoing.
On the gear front, new items are coming. A military tomahawk and an improvised tomahawk are in progress, alongside an improvised wheel item designed to speed up repairs and enhance mobility. Seems like they want you moving faster, or at least better armed.
The soft surface team is prepping for the next Twitch drop campaign, which promises some nice loot. Meanwhile, the 2D team juggles level design concept art, Journal updates, and new UI features for pattern-based painting.
The sound team reworked camper door sounds, tweaked UI audio, and kept recording barefoot footsteps. It’s the little things that add up. The design team is juggling content development and bug fixes, plus designing a new time-limited quest for an upcoming update. What’s it about? They’re keeping that under wraps for now.
Known Issues and Player Feedback
- Boat-spawning issues are causing headaches, especially with unstable connections. The devs are looking into solutions, including items that could prevent drowning if you get separated from your boat. No fix yet, but it’s on their radar.
- Stat mechanics are working as intended to keep gameplay challenging, so characters won’t max out easily. They’re considering ways to make stat progression less punishing without breaking balance, like offering more ways to raise stats. Drying clothes and other annoyances are also on the to-do list once resources allow.
- Upcoming NPC upgrades will make enemies smarter and more reactive, increasing tension and immersion on the island. Details are still being worked out.
- RCON support for server admins isn’t on the immediate roadmap. The team has other priorities but is tracking demand and may revisit it later.
- A magnifying glass zoom feature for the map could improve usability and immersion. It’s a simple QoL addition that’s being considered for future UI improvements.
What do you think about mines that all characters can trigger? Are you ready to dodge some explosions or just hoping you don’t step on one? And will these new symptoms finally make survival feel more brutal? Wow, it’s a lot to take in, but I’m curious how these changes will play out in the wild.
