August 2023 Dev Update

Welcome to the August 2023 Coral Island development update!

Please check out our Steam page to purchase the game and find out more: swg.gg/corstm

This post is part 4 of a 4-part series where we'll be going over the content you can expect to play in the Merfolk & Fall update.

We're planning to release the Merfolk & Fall update in early September. We need extra time to polish and bug-fix this HUGE update.

Adoptable pets

Adoptable pets are going live in the upcoming update. Check out all the adorable pets (designed by our very own backers) you can adopt!

You have 20 pets to choose from, ranging from cats, dogs, foxes, bunnies and a lizard.

[Lots of different animations play inside the pet shelter to bring the animals to life!]

[Animals take turns soaking up the sunshine outside, giving everyone a chance to shine!]

To adopt a pet, you'll first need to reach Town Rank E. This unlocks the availability of both the Pet Bed and Pet House at the Pet Shelter. Once you purchase either item and place it on your farmland or inside your house, you’re all set to adopt a pet!

[The different pet beds available.]

[SPIKER DOOOOOOOO!]

Auto Chest

The Auto Chest is the ultimate automation item for the crafty farmer. Head to the lab to unlock this one-of-a-kind chest. Need convincing? Take a look at what it does below:

[The Auto Chest: Not your average chest, oh no!]

Placed by your machines, this smart chest automatically moves items to and from machines on its sides. Simply load it up with the items or materials you want to process.

[Work smarter, not harder.]

When stacked, they magically morph into conveyor belts, allowing you to make your own product line. Time to turn your organization game up a notch!

[Behold our 30-chest-long conveyor belt masterpiece!]

Items will flow seamlessly between the Auto Chests and all linked machines! And when ready, just access the Auto Chest to collect your items.

[The fruit juice will be deposited into the aging barrel once complete!]

New building styles

Farmhouse

We're excited to reveal the different selection of house styles that have been added for each house level! You’ll have 5 styles to choose from, check it out:

[Level 1 farmhouse styles.]

[Level 2 farmhouse styles.]

[Level 3 farmhouse styles.]

Farm Buildings

But wait, there’s more! You can now swap styles for various farm buildings, including the barn and coop. Take a peek below:

Visit the carpenters to change the style of your farmhouse or building. A fee applies, of course.

Merit Points

Introducing Merit Points, a new feature to our game where players can trade earned points for special items at the Merit Exchange counter.

[Unlock the Merit Exchange counter as you progress through the game.] Earn your Merit points by increasing the town's rank, completing errands, and participating in festivals.

[You'll see a recap of Merit Points earned at the end of the day.] Exclusive Merit Exchange counter items include stamina fruit, mastery elixirs (granting a master skill point), and many unique scarecrow designs.

[Time to roll up those sleeves and rack up those Merit Points.]

Scarecrows!

Hold onto your sunhats, farmers! We're adding a ton of different scarecrow designs. Most can be acquired at the Merit Exchange counter, while some will fetch for a hefty price at the secret shop. Let us know what you think!

[Which one is your favorite?]

Cooking updates

Cooking just got a major upgrade! It sources ingredients from your global inventory (across all chests) and filters ingredients based on the recipe you're cooking. No more backpack ingredient juggling!

[Global inventory makes cooking a breeze.]

And here’s the icing on the cake: Each recipe now yields not one, but two dishes!

[No more tough choices between eating or gifting. Do both!]

Plus, buffs from cooked dishes are now displayed on your hot bar and in your inventory. You can have up to 2 buffs active at a time, one from food and one from drinks.

[A preview of what the buff icon looks like in your inventory screen.]

Charity DLC ($50k raised!)

A heartfelt thank you to all the Ocean Guardians around the world! Your support has enabled us to raise an astounding $50,000 USD for an incredible cause.

What's next

In September, we'll take a look at the Winter Fair, Winter Outfits and have some exciting news to share!

Thanks for reading,

Stairway Team