The Infected

• Keep it focused. While you can post more than once, please avoid spamming. Edit your post when possible to help us track feedback more easily.
  
• This thread is for intake only. No back-and-forth debates please—we’re here to read, not moderate arguments. I will remove spam, troll posts, etc.
  
• Be clear and specific. "X is bad" isn’t as helpful as "X feels unbalanced because Y. I think it would help if Z."
  
• Include anything relevant: Bugs, balance, mechanics, systems, UI, performance, features, QoL, frustrations, praise—lay it all out.
  

V23 Patch Notes

Additions:

• Save file stats now display in both the main menu and in-game menu.
  
• New tutorial and quest systems implemented.
  
• New quest journal UI. (Story mode content will use this system in the future.)
  
• New keybind added for quest journal access.
  
• Sandbox vs. Story mode selection available in the settings. (Story mode content not yet active.)
  
• Added trader tech that allows crafting of Electrical and Mechanical Parts (25,000 coins).
  
• Added Take All shortcut when looting POI containers. (Default key: T)
  
• Full controller support added.
  
• New footstep sounds implemented.
  
• Corner Dirt Plots and Stone Path foundations added.
  
• New cave added to the map. (See image below.)
  
• Fish Ration added. Can be crafted on the Food Prep Table.
  
• Quarter Foundations with legs (long) added.
  
• Mirrored Ceiling (Ladder Access) pieces added.
  
• Wooden Double Door Frame added. Can be upgraded to Metal.
  
• Double Doors added. (Two variations.)
  
• Garage Door added for use with Double Door Frames.
  
• Arrow indicator added to show door orientation.
  

Changes:

• Players now start in random spawn locations.
  
• The ATV no longer spawns at the lighthouse by default.
  
• ATV now spawns fully repaired at a random POI.
  
• Reduced number of Gas Barrels at POIs; they no longer respawn.
  
• Significantly reduced medical and bandage loot from POIs to promote crafting and survival gameplay.
  
• Bolts now auto-reload—no longer need to press R.
  
• Updated in-game UI icons (interact prompts, etc.) for clarity and controller support.
  
• Crocodiles now ignore swamp trees for smoother navigation.
  
• AI now has a chance to dodge player attacks.
  
• Some items now included in dead AI drops.
  
• Doors that were open when saving will now load in the open state.
  

Bug Fixes:

• Fixed: Upgrading a ceiling ramp to cement would incorrectly become a foundation ramp.
  
• Fixed: Extractors could have multiple ore types toggled while powered off.
  
• Fixed: Moving the NPC Town Hall and House could cause door duplication.
  
• Fixed: Snapping vertical walls below another vertical wall wasn’t functioning.
  

Reminders:

• Every time we release a new Preview Build, we’ll edit this post to include the latest changes by day.
  
• You can track the progress of the update in one place.
  

• Translations will only be added once the entire update is complete.
  

• To keep things organized, we've set up a dedicated subforum on Steam specifically for the public beta branch.
  
• All feedback, suggestions, and bug reports should be posted in this subforum. This helps us and the community moderators keep track of everything in one place. Again, we will only intake issues, suggestions, and feedback when posted to the new subforum—so please head there to post!
  

1. Open Steam
   Launch your Steam client and ensure you’re logged in.
   
2. Go to Your Library
   Locate The Infected in your game library.
   
3. Right-Click on the Game
   Right-click on The Infected and select Properties from the drop-down menu.
   
4. Navigate to the Betas Tab
   In the Properties window, click on the Betas tab on the left-hand side.
   
5. Choose the Beta Branch
   Under "Select the beta you want to opt into," choose beta- Beta Branch.
   Wait for the Update.
   Steam will now download the beta version of the game. Once the download is complete, you’re all set to launch the game!
   

V23 Preview Build Notes

Build 1 -April 7th

Additions:

• Save file stats now appear in both the main and in-game menus.
  
• New tutorial system added.
  
• New quest journal system added.
  
• New quest journal UI added. (This is where quests will live for future story mode updates.)
  
• New keybind for opening the quest journal.
  
• Added Sandbox vs. Story mode option in the game settings. (Story mode not yet implemented.)
  
• Added trader tech that allows crafting of Electrical and Mechanical Parts. (25,000 coins)
  
• Added "Take All" shortcut when looting POI containers. (Default key: T)
  
• Full Controller support added.
  
• New footstep sounds added.
  

Changes:

• Players now start at random locations.
  
• The ATV no longer spawns by default at the lighthouse.
  
• The ATV now spawns fully repaired at a random POI.
  
• Reduced number of Gas Barrels found at POIs. They no longer respawn.
  
• Significantly reduced number of bandages and medical items found at POIs.
  
• Bolts now reload automatically after each shot. No need to press R.
  
• In-game UI icons updated (i.e., interact prompts) to better support controllers.
  
• Crocodiles will now ignore swamp trees when moving.
  
• AI now has a chance to dodge incoming player attacks.
  

Bug Fixes:

• Fixed issue where upgrading a ceiling ramp to cement would incorrectly turn it into a foundation ramp.
  
• Fixed issue where multiple ore types could be toggled on extractors while powered off.
  

As a heads up:

• This patch includes foundational systems for future story integration.
  
• We’re still working on polishing controller support, UI elements, and some deeper balance tweaks—those will continue in upcoming betas.
  

Build Part Additions:

• Wooden Foundation 2
  
• Wooden Corner Foundation 2
  
• Wooden Triangle Foundation 2
  
• Wooden Ceiling 2
  
• Wooden Corner Ceiling 2
  
• Wooden Triangle Ceiling 2
  
• Wooden Ceiling 2 (Ladder Access)
  
• Wooden Corner Ceiling R 2 (Ladder Access)
  
• Wooden Corner Ceiling L 2 (Ladder Access)
  
• Wooden Triangle Ceiling 2 (Ladder Access)
  

• Wooden Foundation Quarter
  
• Wooden Foundation Quarter 2
  
• Concrete Foundation Quarter
  
• Sandstone Foundation Quarter
  
• Wooden Ceiling Quarter
  
• Wooden Ceiling Quarter 2
  
• Concrete Ceiling Quarter
  
• Glass Ceiling Quarter
  
• Sandstone Ceiling Quarter
  

• Wooden Vertical Half Wall
  
• Interior Wooden Vertical Half Wall
  
• Glass Vertical Half Wall
  
• Sandstone Vertical Half Wall
  
• All the upgrade variations of walls (Brick, wood, concrete)
  

• Wooden Slanted Roof Quarter
  
• Wooden Door 2
  
• Wooden Door 3
  
• Wooden Ramp (Ceiling) – Snaps only to ceilings and has no legs.
  
• 3 new sets of metal railings.
  
• Mirror versions of the corner foundations and ceilings so textures align correctly.
  
• Wood and Concrete half pillar.
  
• Change: Pillar snap points adjusted slightly to accommodate quarter foundations and ceilings. Previously placed pillars will maintain their original position.
  

Other Additions:

• New POI – Added a new POI and roadway near the center of the map.
  
• New POI – A more city-like POI that contains an enormous amount of loot. This POI will not include any technologies but will offer some other cool items that can be found with a fresh/new game save.
  
• Advanced Sawbench – Electric Circular Sawbench: requires 200 power and trader tech—yields five planks per log.
  
• Trader Tech – New Electric Sawbench tech available from the trader for 1000 coins.
  
• Elevators – Added both Elevator Frame and Elevator Cabin- tech required from the trader.
  
• Trader Tech – New Trader technology for unlocking elevator components.
  
• Settings – Added menu settings to adjust the number of AI spawns in POIs (default is 3).
  
• Lighting – Players can now change the color of powered lights. Additionally, lights can now have adjustable intensity and a flashing effect.
  
• Lighting – New linear light added.
  
• Lighting – New wall light added.
  
• Watermill – Provides 350 power and must be placed on rapids. Trader tech required.
  
• Trader Tech – New Watermill trader tech available for 1500 coins.
  
• Water Bottle – Can't be crafted but can be found in loot.
  

Changes:

• Build UI – Adjusted to accommodate all the new build parts.
  
• Spike Traps – Now have a 10-20% chance of breaking when hit by AI Vambies. Barbed wire is recommended for complete protection.
  
• Environment Rapids – Rapids no longer freeze in winter.
  
• Vambie Drops – 30% chance for Vambies to drop coins (between 5-15 coins). It makes coin collection easier and adds incentive for combat.
  
• Rain Sounds – Rain sounds are dampened when in buildings and bases.
  
• Log Cart – It will no longer push logs, frogs and other objects on the ground.
  

Bugfixes:

• Fixed an issue where some objects could not be placed on glass ceilings.
  
• Fixed a bug where players could get stuck in the fridge UI, requiring a forced reboot to exit.
  
• Finally resolved (hopefully) all rain-in-base issues.
  
• Mike would sometimes have issues opening gates if they were placed near slopes.
  

Here’s how it works:

Preview Builds:

• Updates on the beta branch will be released as Preview Builds (e.g., Preview Build 1, Preview Build 2, etc.).
  
• Players can test new content, provide feedback, and report bugs as we develop the patch.
  

• Every time we release a new Preview Build, we’ll edit this post to include the latest changes by day.
  
• This means you can track the update’s progress all in one place.
  

• Please note that translations will only be added once the full update is complete.
  

• To keep things organized, we've set up a dedicated subforum on Steam specifically for the public beta branch.
  
• All feedback, suggestions, and bug reports should be posted in this subforum. This helps us and the community moderators keep track of everything in one place. Again, we will only intake issues, suggestions, and feedback when posted to the new subforum—so please head there to post!
  

1. Open Steam
   Launch your Steam client and ensure you’re logged in.
   
2. Go to Your Library
   Locate The Infected in your game library.
   
3. Right-Click on the Game
   Right-click on The Infected and select Properties from the drop-down menu.
   
4. Navigate to the Betas Tab
   In the Properties window, click on the Betas tab on the left-hand side.
   
5. Choose the Beta Branch
   Under "Select the beta you would like to opt into," choose beta- Beta Branch.
   Wait for the Update.
   Steam will now download the beta version of the game. Once the download is complete, you’re all set to launch the game!
   

V22 Preview Build Notes

Build 1 - Jan 22nd:

• Bugfix: Issue where some objects could not be placed on glass ceilings.
  
• Bugfix: Could get stuck in the fridge UI, requiring a forced reboot to exit.
  
• Bugfix: I think I finally fixed all the rain-in-base issues.
  
• Change: Tweaks to spike traps—between 10% and 20% chance of a spike trap breaking when hit by AI Vambies. Barbed wire is recommended for 100% safety.
  
• Added: Map update—new POI and roadway added near the center of the map. See the image below.
  
• Added: Electric Circular Sawbench, requires 200 power and trader tech. Yields 5 planks per log and no Oil required.
  
• Added: New Electric Sawbench tech available from the trader for 1000 coins.
  

Additions:

• Stone Crate Rack – Store up to six stone crates for better organization.
  
• Electric Furnace – Offers 20 slots and consumes 200 power. Power consumption stops when no ores are smelted. (Locked behind trader tech.)
  
• Trader Tech for the Electric Furnace – Cost: 750 coins.
  
• Cooler – Preserves a small amount of food, ideal for livers or other perishables while on the go. Can be placed on the Truck. (Max 2 can be built per save.)
  
• Advanced Mixer – Requires 100 power to run. (Locked behind trader tech.)
  
• Advanced Mixer Trader Tech – Cost: 1000 coins.
  
• Brick Half Wall Slanted – Now includes the missing Dark Brick version.
  
• Wooden Corner Railing Open and Concrete Corner Railing Open.
  
• Wooden Window 2 – Can now be opened and closed.
  
• Iron Window – Can now be opened and closed.
  
• Glass Window Frame.
  
• Auto Stack/Store Button – Added for easier item organization in storage containers.
  
• Wall Sections – Snappable to the side of foundations for seamless building.
  
• Custom Food Storage – You can now decide which foods get stored in NPC Storage Chests.
  
• NPC Chest Rules – Configure which NPC Storage Chests Mike (or other NPCs) can eat from.
  

Changes:

• Increased Loot Chances – Loot chances in the large town (apartments) increased from 50% to 66.6%. Better odds for loot hunters!
  
• Animal Attacks – Bears, foxes, and wolves are now more challenging, with added blood effects and attack feedback.
  
• Auto-Return Projectiles – Harvesting animals, picking them up, or looting AI will now return arrows or bolts to your quiver or backpack automatically. No more lost projectiles!
  
• Trader Item Prices – Adjusted sale prices for some items sold to the Trader.
  
• Movable Log Stands – Log Stands can now be moved even when loaded with logs.
  
• Plant Beds Grid Snapping – Plant beds now snap to a grid for easier placement.
  
• Chest Rack Update – The chest rack in the Town Hall now supports NPC Storage Chests.
  
• Glass Texture Improvements – Glass on building pieces is now clearer, with no dirt film.
  
• NPC Chest Texture – Updated to better match regular chests with a slightly darker color for distinction.
  
• Window Mesh Update – Improved wood and brick window meshes; glass is now clearer.
  
• Stone Crate Rack Expansion – You can now add coal and sandstone crates to the stone crate rack.
  
• Stackable Clay Bowls – Clay bowls now stack in piles of 10.
  
• Mushroom Interaction – Press the interact key ([E]) to gather mushrooms. No need to right-click anymore.
  
• Gate Placement – Gates can now be placed on foundations, not just the ground.
  
• Stone Grinder Output – Now drops 5 sand per cycle instead of 10.
  
• Fish Bait Price Adjustment – Sale price changed from 0.30 to 0.06.
  
• Mike Behavior Update – Mike will now close the doors he opens.
  

Bugfixes:

• Animal AI Fix – Animals attacking players inside bases or on foundations now correctly target the player instead of structures.
  
• Empty Cans Return – Mike now returns empty cans after eating fruit or veggie salads.
  
• Rain Issue – Fixed rain appearing inside bases under specific conditions.
  
• Repair Bench Cost – Repairing depleted armor now costs 50% of the craft cost (down from 100%).
  
• Inventory Border Glitch – Fixed a small black border appearing when right-clicking items in the inventory.
  
• Mike and Log Stand Fix – Mike no longer gets stuck when placing logs in a log stand being moved.
  
• Indoor Plant Bed Fix – Plants indoors no longer die with heat provided. Doors are now recognized as part of the base structure.
  
• Rooster Requirement – Roosters are now required for chickens to reproduce.
  
• Mike Distance Issue – Fixed Mike glitching when Log Stands are more than 25k units away from his house.
  
• Watermelon/Pumpkin Crates – Added missing details for adding and removing items.
  

Preview Builds:

• Updates on the beta branch will be released as Preview Builds (e.g., Preview Build 1, Preview Build 2, etc.).
  
• Players can test new content, provide feedback, and report bugs as we develop the patch.
  

• We’ll post a patch specific news update on Steam, and every time we release a new Preview Build, we’ll edit that same post to include the latest changes by day.
  
• This means you can track the update’s progress all in one place.
  

• Please note that translations will only be added once the full update is complete.
  

• To keep things organized, we've set up a dedicated subforum on Steam specifically for the public beta branch.
  
• All feedback, suggestions, and bug reports should be posted in this subforum. This helps us and the community moderators keep track of everything in one place. Again, we will only intake issues, suggestions, and feedback when posted to the new subforum- so please head there to post!
  

1. Open Steam
   Launch your Steam client and ensure you’re logged in.
   
2. Go to Your Library
   Locate The Infected in your game library.
   
3. Right-Click on the Game
   Right-click on The Infected and select Properties from the drop-down menu.
   
4. Navigate to the Betas Tab
   In the Properties window, click on the Betas tab on the left-hand side.
   
5. Choose the Beta Branch
   Under Select the beta you would like to opt into, choose beta- Beta Branch
   Wait for the Update
   Steam will now download the beta version of the game. Once the download is complete, you’re all set to launch the game!
   

V21 Preview Build Notes

Build 1 - Nov 15th:

• Bugfix: Animals acted strangely when attacking players inside bases or on foundations—they’d attack structures instead of the player. This has been fixed.
  
• Bugfix: Mike wasn’t returning empty cans after eating fruit or veggie salads. That’s now resolved.
  
• Added: Stone Crate Rack – You can now store up to six stone crates for better organization.
  
• Change: Increased loot chances in the large town (apartments) from 50% to 66.6%. Enjoy better odds for finding loot!
  
• Change: Animal attacks (bears, foxes, wolves) are now more challenging, with added blood effects and feedback.
  
• Change: Harvesting animals, picking them up, or looting AI will automatically return any arrows or bolts to your quiver or backpack. No more lost projectiles!
  
• Change: Adjusted sale prices for certain items sold to the Trader.
  
• Added: You can now decide what foods get stored in the NPC Storage Chest.
  
• Added: You can also configure which NPC Storage Chests Mike (or other NPCs) can eat from.
  
• Added: Wall sections can now snap to the side of foundations, making building more seamless.
  

Build 2 - Nov 18th:

• Change: You can now move Log Stands while they are loaded with logs.
  
• Change: Plant beds can now snap to a grid for easier placement.
  
• Change: The chest rack in the town hall can now be used for NPC storage chests.
  
• Bugfix: Fixed an issue where rain would appear inside bases in specific scenarios.
  

Build 3 - Nov 19th:

• Change: Glass texture on all building pieces has been improved—no more dirt film! The glass is now much clearer, as players requested.
  
• Change: Updated NPC Chest texture to better match regular chests, with a slightly darker color for distinction.