Stormworks v1.15.19 Adds Small Train Wheels and Addresses Multiplayer Stability

Stormworks: Build and Rescue has released version 1.15.19, an update that expands the game’s mechanical library with a specific new component while addressing a broad range of technical issues affecting simulation stability. For users constructing rail-based vehicles, this patch introduces a Train Wheel Assembly Small component. According to the developers, this addition is designed specifically for smaller train line vehicles, allowing builders to construct more compact or specialized rolling stock that was previously limited by the scale of available wheel assemblies.

While the introduction of a single new part might suggest a minor release, the update contains extensive backend improvements and bug fixes. The development team emphasized that these changes are intended to benefit many players across different aspects of the simulation experience. The scope of this patch extends beyond simple content addition, targeting core systems including multiplayer networking, physics calculations, and graphical rendering.

Multiplayer Network Improvements

A significant portion of v1.15.19 is dedicated to stabilizing the multiplayer environment. The developers have been actively reviewing how to improve the quality of experience in shared sessions, resulting in several targeted fixes for data transmission and state synchronization.

Previously, stale or duplicate body transform updates could cause the game engine to discard the rest of an event batch, leading to desynchronization between players. This issue has been resolved so that such updates no longer interrupt the processing of other events. Additionally, character positioning logic has been adjusted; positions will no longer extrapolate away from their intended location when the update stream stalls, reducing erratic movement during network congestion.

The update also addresses how corrupt vehicle bodies are handled in multiplayer scenarios. Instead of causing unpredictable behavior, these bodies now fall back to the reported world position. Furthermore, the network packet decompression system has been hardened to reject corrupt or implausible payloads, preventing malformed data from disrupting gameplay. In specific game modes, such as Conquest (available with the Weapons DLC AI), peers were not always reliably assigned to the human team; this assignment logic has now been corrected.

Physics and Simulation Fixes

Several corrections have been applied to ensure physical forces behave consistently across different environments. Handle physics forces now apply correctly in space and on the moon, ensuring that vehicle controls respond as expected regardless of gravitational conditions or atmospheric presence. This is a critical fix for users building vehicles intended for extraterrestrial missions or orbital operations.

Another stability improvement involves nuclear reactor management. The update fixes an issue where reactor temperatures would sometimes blow out to invalid values, which could lead to simulation errors or unexpected vehicle behavior. By capping these values correctly, the thermal dynamics of nuclear power systems should remain within realistic and manageable bounds.

Graphics and Rendering Adjustments

Users with AMD graphics cards may notice improvements in visual fidelity. The developers have attempted a fix for spotlight and shadow map artifacts that were previously visible on AMD GPUs. While described as an “attempted fix,” this indicates ongoing efforts to improve render quality specifically for users of this hardware architecture.

Other rendering fixes include corrections to flag display in the vehicle editor, which was not using the section plane correctly. Additionally, wheel components now properly utilize component mod mesh overrides for tyre meshes, ensuring that custom visual modifications appear as intended on rotating parts.

Scripting and Editor Corrections

For users who rely heavily on Lua scripting and modular design, several technical glitches have been resolved. Component mod Lua scripts were failing to generate properly for mirrored components; this generation process has been fixed. The function setVehicleInvulnerable() was previously overriding a vehicle’s editable state, which could lock builders out of necessary modifications; this override behavior has been corrected.

Filter matching for component tags has also been fixed, ensuring that search and organization tools within the editor work as expected. Finally, minor quality-of-life updates include fixes to RAM and storage stats reported by the feedback button, a correction to a typo in a mission Lua script description, and general improvements to ensure the simulation runs smoothly.

The Stormworks developers noted that their support for these updates is made possible by player backing. Users are directed to the full patch notes for detailed technical specifications regarding each change.