Because of the holidays, we’ve been a little silent… but we are now back in action (and larger than ever – more on that next time)! If you’re following the news section here on Steam, you know that Timberborn’s closed beta is underway and has received a few important updates. [h3]Here's a quick summary:[/h3] [list] [*] We have new models for our flora – trees and berries. We're about to release new, optimized models for the crops as well. [*] Labor house and labor flag have been replaced with four separate structures. Work continues on a slew of brand new buildings with fresh functionalities. [*] We fixed quite a few issues (such as the beavers’ inability to demolish resources) and improved the game’s balance. [*] Most importantly, we have upgraded the rendering engine, improving the GPU performance by up to 50%, and added [b]real shadows[/b]. [/list] [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//36026812/79426825ca1905b82b2f11b6014df977b034c8c7.gif[/img] Some of you might be wondering: why haven’t I received a beta key yet and can’t play with that myself? [h3]Closed beta access [/h3] For starters, we sent out a small-ish wave of invites this week and we have more to come. And if you haven’t signed up for the beta access yet, [url=https://mechanistry.com/betaform]here’s the form you need to fill[/url]. Now, there’s another way of getting the key – either for you or your friend. If you visit us on Twitter within the next few days, you'll find a giveaway there. You can get the beta key for a measly price of “retweet & follow”! [b]We want more people to know about Timberborn[/b], so we hope you join the party! ːsteamhappyː [b][u][url=https://twitter.com/Timberborn]JOIN THE TWITTER GIVEAWAY[/url][/u][/b] ːsteamhappyː [h3]What's coming?[/h3] Speaking of Twitter, expect a lot of tasty sneak-peeks there. This week, for example, we showed you the [url=https://twitter.com/Timberborn/status/1306298304305614848]work-in-progress on the reworked natural resources system[/url]. Soon, you will be able to build fields and orchards in any shape you want! That's just an option, though. You could also turn them into a glorious mess similar to this: [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//36026812/eca94ec35e09820fa6b7e1937548bf69d540546b.gif[/img] That’s just one of the many features we are working on, including new buildings, races and ways of customizing your settlement. Dams are coming together, too. However, we want to know what YOU would like to see in Timberborn. [h3]Community showcase[/h3] [url=https://mechanistry.com/discord][img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//36026812/8fcba30d68cbacba042ae3bda67d9379432784e9.gif[/img][/url] Soon we're going to invite you to share your wildest Timberborn dreams in a new format. Here's a hint: [url=https://mechanistry.com/discord]our official Discord channel[/url] will come in handy, and you can already join the discussion. Plus, you're going to find a lot of great community creations there. Just look at this marvellous structure built by [b]seedback[/b]! [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//36026812/b01eafd4b67fc5491d880d6e4072db9e5dfc150e.jpg[/img] Or check out one of the amazing entries to our [i]beavart[/i] contest, courtesy of [b]Bunfire~[/b] (a.k.a. [url=https://twitter.com/Lowest_Fi]@Lowest_Fi[/url] on Twitter – be sure to have a look if you're into chibi art :3 ). [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//36026812/d42c775615ae06736850f331ce5cac195e66563c.jpg[/img] Okay, we think the message is clear here: you just need to [url=https://twitter.com/Timberborn/status/1306616208624619520]join our Twitter giveaway[/url] and win that beta key. Seriously though – we look forward to communicating with you on a more regular basis. It's about [i]dam[/i] time.