Grounded opens up Public Test ring for 0.8.0 update, adds Photo Mode and more

What you need to know

• Grounded is an open-world survival game currently in early access on PC and Xbox.
• Today, Grounded is once again opening its Public Test ring, which tests early updates even before they hit early access.
• The Public Test ring is now open for the upcoming 0.8.0 feature update, which adds highly-anticipated features.
• Highlights of the 0.8.0 update include a Photo Mode, password-protected games, more building items, and lots of general improvements.

The Grounded team teased their upcoming feature update last week. Today, as promised, Grounded is opening its Public Test ring for its next major release, the 0.8.0 March Content Update. This update isn't as massive as previous content updates on the surface, but includes some wonderful features that have been requested by the community since Grounded's debut.

The highlight of the show? A brand-new Photo Mode is making its entrance in the 0.8.0 update, and dedicated Grounded players can now test it out in the Public Test ring before the 0.8.0 March Content Update is released to Grounded's early access.

Grounded is undoubtedly one of the best games for Xbox Game Pass, and it is worth a try if you haven't yet jumped into Obsidian Entertainment's larger-than-life world.

The full changelog for Grounded's 0.8.0 Public Test includes:

New features

Major features

• Photo Mode: Phase 1
• Password protecting online games

Crafting content

• New building: Door Frame
• New buildings: Triangular Stem Wall and Inverted Triangular Stem Wall

Additional features

• When you are placing an invalid building, a short message will describe why it is invalid
• When you are holding a Repair Tool, nearby damaged buildings will display an icon
• Loose arrows can be collected by walking over them
• Structures will now collapse much more dramatically when unsupported
• The Armor Dummy UI now has a button that swaps your gear with the dummies. You can also do this without entering the UI by doing a "hold" interact action on the Armor Dummy
• When you are connecting ziplines, the anchor that will be connected is highlighted
• Player nameplates in multiplayer will show if a player is knocked out and how much time they have left to be helped
• Player nameplates will show a "busy" state above it when said player is navigating a menu

Changes & tuning

Systems

• Dirty water will now apply a status effect that shows your character is sick. The more dirty water you drink, the worse the effect gets. Resting will make you feel better.
• Smoothie Station functionality has been reworked:
  • All smoothies now require a "Goop Base" and 3 "Flavor Ingredients"
  • Goop Base determines the effectiveness of the smoothie
  • Grub Goop creates a normal smoothie
  • Muscle Sprout creates a "beefy" smoothie that heals for twice the amount
  • Flavor ingredients can consist of any combination of other items and has same functionality as before

Mutations

• Reduced the damage reduction of "Dare Devil"

Combat

• More intense combat music will play when fighting spiders
• Infected weevils now move slightly faster
• Ladybugs have a new set of attacks to pick from
• Improved the accuracy of aiming with a bow using the third-person camera

Interface

• Player nameplates will transition into smaller character icons when not in the center of the screen
• The Interact HUD has been revamped to support showing multiple interaction types at the same time

World

• Big sap nodules now take longer to respawn than individual saps
• "Base music" now plays during the daytime as well. A new track has been added specifically for night "base music"

Buildings

• Structures will be less likely to be considered obstructed when placed underneath static props like leaves
• Walls will now often pivot around corners they are snapped to when rotated
• Added the facing helper arrow to the Acorn Storage
• Dew Collector recipe and unlock changed: now unlocks with woven web and requires woven web to build

Crafting

• • Smoothies have been replaced with "Beefy" smoothies
  • Double the healing power as normal smoothies
  • Same bonus status effect as normal smoothies
  • Require the same "flavor" ingredients as normal smoothies
  • Uses Muscle Sprout as a "base" instead of Grub Goop

Optimization

• Improved performance of games with large bases
• Improved performance of games that have a lot of Storage Baskets or Storage Chests with icons set
• A handful of general CPU optimizations added

Creatures

• Bees now drop pollen into the world in addition to collecting it on their legs when pollinating flowers

Bug fixes

Top community issues

• Scaffolds will now reliably be considered anchored when they are built down to the ground from above
• The amount of dew that spawns on grass each morning now matches the amount of dew that exists when you start a new game (doubled the current dew spawn amount)
• Big pebbles should now respawn

World

• Building relocation will be canceled if another player places a building on the item being moved
• Grid buildings can no longer be anchored to tables
• Stairs are now easier to place on uneven terrain
• Hitting "w" while typing in the lobby chat log no longer sends the message
• Player nameplates are now positioned properly height-wise when playing as a client

Items / equipment / resources

• The player cannot zip while swimming
• Zipline Wall Anchor, Sap Dripper, and Stair Railings can no longer be built underwater
• Zipline Wall Anchor, Sap Dripper, Stair Railings, Abomination Totem, Ant Head Totem, and Slime Mold Sconce can no longer be built inside other buildings
• Reduced volumetric scatter intensity of Firefly Headlamp light beam
• Embedded arrows no longer pop slightly above where they hit
• Repair Tool works in "Mild" mode
• Splatburst now sticks even to surfaces it impacts at an angle

Creatures

• Fireflies should no longer get stuck on the surface of the pond