Hytale Update 5 brings controller support, new scripting tool for modders, social features

Making Hytale easier to play with a gamepad and handhelds like the Steam Deck - Update 5 is out with some major new features for everyone.

For the newly added controller support - they said this is just the start, with more tweaks and improvements still planned for it. Right now they said you should be good to go with an Xbox, PlayStation, or Nintendo Switch controller but certain "advanced features" may not be hooked up yet.

A big addition is the new Trigger Volume Tool, allowing modders to make better scripted encounters. As the developers said: "The Trigger Volume Tool allows you to place persistent 3D volumes that trigger configurable effects when conditions are met, such as when players enter or exit them, or break blocks within them. Volumes are saved to the world and can be included in prefabs, enabling scripted encounters, environmental effects, area transitions, and other interactive moments without writing any code. "

Here's the example of it in action:

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There's also the first integration of proper social features. This includes a full social side-bar with a friends system and notifications. On top of that there's also server discovery implemented into the game!

Audio got spruced up as well with the inclusion of Audio Occlusion and Diffraction, plus an hour of new music to chill with while you go exploring. Plenty more like new emotes, improvements to the command system with tab autocomplete, better player movement, the addition of Simplified Chinese (and more being worked on).

On Linux you might also need to do a re-install of the Flatpak version of the launcher, as mine flagged up a message today when loading in warning me to download a fresh version of it. A bit annoying! Hopefully they'll smoothen this process for future launcher upgrades but mine was from the pre-release and the game is nowhere near finished so issues are to be expected anyway.

See the full patch notes for all the info. We can look forward to many years of updates to the game since it sold so well initially.