Sands v0.1.34 - Visual Overhaul & Polish

Headline

Arrakis gets a stunning visual makeover. Sharp new sprites, rich biome colors, dynamic shadows, and a completely redesigned world map make v0.1.34 feel like stepping into a more vivid, polished desert.

Visual Overhaul

• Complete Map Redesign: Your world map is now a layered, color-coded masterpiece with biome tints, POI markers, dynamic sizing, and quest highlighting that pulses to guide your next move.
• Sprite Refresh Across the Board: Nearly every character and enemy got updated artwork. Fremen, smugglers, Harkonnen forces, barterers, the Naib, Reverend Mother, all with sharper details and stronger visual identity.
• Enhanced Sietch Layout: The main settlement now flows as distinct, organized districts instead of scattered elements. Water works, trade quarter, meditation spaces, and community areas each have their place.
• Shadow System: Characters and objects now cast proper shadows, adding depth and grounding to the desert world.
• Fire & Light Effects: Flickering campfires, soft ambient glows, and particle systems bring warmth and life to gathering spaces.
• Color & Polish Pass: Backgrounds, terrain, and environmental elements received color treatment to feel more cohesive and atmospheric.

New Content & Quality of Life

• Fremen Children: A lively group of kids now roams the Sietch, adding movement and chatter between the major areas.
• Organized Districts: The Sietch feels purposefully designed with clear zones for water management, trade, wisdom, and community.
• Quest Map Integration: Your active quest now highlights the nearest relevant location on the world map.
• Streamlined Feedback: Combat damage, status effects, and notifications are cleaner and better categorized.

Polish & Performance

• Unified Effects System: All visual effects (shots, explosions, particles, glows) now run through a single, optimized pipeline.
• Better Typography: New bold font variant improves readability in menus and UI elements.
• Atmospheric Lighting: Subtle glows and fire effects create focal points without overwhelming the screen.
• Cleaner Asset Organization: Background elements, sprites, and environmental pieces work together more cohesively.

This release focuses heavily on visual presentation and polish. If you notice any performance changes, please share your system details with us.

Walk without rhythm, and leave no trace.