While the game has just had its Early Access release, developer Mechanistry has announced Timberborn is getting its first content update, adding fences to the beaver city builder.

The first of many content updates brings the aforementioned fences – they come in three variants: log, plank, and metal. These are decorative and don’t serve a purpose with the functionality of your beavers, but it can help to visually organize their work better.

Other changes have been added to the core mechanics, like a better tutorial, needs of your beavers getting grouped together now – making it possible to reach a population well-being of 15 now under the better organization.

Mechanistry notes that while Timberborn is getting its first content update now, the new changes and content are preparing fans for a “large content update coming that will make good use of the updated needs system”. The devs tease that “it will be something tasty.”

You can find the rundown on the content update below:

Improved tutorial

• We’ve updated the tutorial. It is still focused on the basic aspects of running your settlement so let us know how you find it after the changes!
• Added additional tips to the tutorial.
• Icons related to the currently active tip will now blink.

Needs system rework, part 1

• There’s a large content update coming that will make good use of the updated needs system, and we’re already preparing for that. No spoilers yet, but it will be something tasty.
• Needs displayed in the Well-being panel and after clicking a beaver are now grouped (for example, Hunger, Thirst, and Sleep are now Basic needs).
• Needs previously reserved for adults are now also available to kits. What it means is that it is now possible to reach population well-being of 15.

Buildings

• We’ve added three types of decorative fences. Go ahead and customize your settlements further! Also, Paper Mill has a new model.
• New building: Log Fence (150 SP, 3 logs)
• New building: Plank Fence (150 SP, 3 planks)
• New building: Metal Fence (250 SP, 3 metal blocks)
• Paper Mill now has a new, symmetrical model that’s easier to use and connect power to.
• Fixed the lighting in Rooftop Terrace.

Bug fixes

• It is no longer possible to build Floodgates on top of the 3×2 roof.
• Lists of goods (for example in the Distribution Post) are now sorted alphabetically based on the localized names.
• Beehive no longer increases the growth progress of withered crops.
• Fixed Depth Marker’s behaviour when built on a platform.
• Fixed global height limits on water levels – the water on the map can now be as high as the highest allowed buildings.
• Fixed a bug with overlapping in-game text.
• Metal Blocks are now properly saved as “MetalBlock” in savefiles.
• Fixed rare cases when beavers refused to plant at certain spots.
• Flag workers will now try to move currently carried goods to a warehouse if their flag is paused/destroyed.
• Buildings will no longer display “vacant” warnings if they’re paused.
• Fixed performance drops that happened when large numbers of unemployed beavers tried to resupply Breeding Pods with no resources available. They were just trying to help, mkay?
• Fixed a problem with “leaking” map edges after placing and removing a water source in the map editor.
• Fixed a problem with the flooded/not flooded status on rotated Water Wheels.
• Fixed a crash caused by deleting a Deep Water Pump built at the highest possible level.
• Fixed a problem with the Underground Warehouse’s entrance being blocked when built at the lowest possible level.

Other changes

• The player logs now include more information about the user’s hardware configuration. It helps us identify scenarios where crashes and other problems occur on a specific setup.
• There are now limits on the values entered on the Custom Difficulty Mode screen.
• Map Editor now allows adding multiple ruins at once by dragging a cursor.

Timberborn is now available for Windows PC via Steam Early Access.