Early Access 1.2 - Buddy System

Early Access 1.2 - Buddy System was the second content update for Subnautica 2 Early Access. Released on August 19th, 2026, this update focused heavily on enhancing the multiplayer experience with features like cross-platform voice chat, direct item trading, and player revives, alongside significant bug fixes and quality-of-life improvements to base building and vehicle handling.

Gameplay Features

Multiplayer & Communication

• Cross-Platform Voice Chat: Added support for voice communication across platforms. Hosts can choose between Global and Proximity Voice Chat (volume decreases with distance). Modes include "always on," "push to talk," or "always off."
• Item Trading: Players can now interact with each other to directly exchange inventory items.
• Revival System: Players can revive downed teammates before they reprint. Revived players retain their equipment and regain a small amount of oxygen. Downed players also have the option to immediately reprint at their assigned Biobed.
• Emotes: Added a radial menu for emotes, including Wave, Clap, Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down, and Frustrated. These can be triggered in water or on land and are interruptible by gameplay actions.

Tools & Mechanics

• Tracking Tag: A new item that acts as a short-range beacon when placed in carryables (like lockers). If held in hand or inventory during reprinting, it increases the black box search range.
• Character Customization: Added Jegna and Grace character options, along with two new color schemes.
• Upgrade Biobeds: Interaction text clarified. Added distinct audio beeps and visual flashes when interacting with upgrade spots.

Fauna & Flora Updates

Several creatures received animation and behavior updates:

• Flinch Animations/VFX: Added to Marrowbreach, Hammerhead, Nibbler, Needlershark, Epicurean, and Twin Eel.
• Bullethead: Adjusted to deal more damage but with dodgeable attacks.
• Coral Crab: Added new animations.
• Bloom Parasite: Revised model and animations.
• Jelly Ring: Improved tentacle visuals.

Base Building Improvements

• Placement UI: Enhanced with alignment guide lines for easier construction.
• Multiplayer Move Mode: Improved handling for clients moving objects in multiplayer sessions.
• Size Snapping: Base edits now account for size snapping, allowing full deconstruction of rooms using the Shrink tool.
• Trashcan: Now functional; items placed inside are destroyed one by one after a five-second delay.
• Construction Restrictions: Bases can no longer be built inside the Great Jaw. Objects preventing construction are now listed in the UI.
• Tadpole Dock: Icon updated to reflect the new model.

Vehicles, Tools & Equipment

• Feedback Resonator: Now stuns creatures instead of causing them to flee.
• Sonic Resonator: Stun duration extended to 10 seconds.
• Scanner HUD: Acid sources now appear as green dots. Tallshrooms now have a scanner icon.
• Repair Tool: Unlocks after scanning two fragments.
• Tadpole Recovery: Tadpoles destroyed outside the Early Access Barrier now teleport inside the fence for recovery.

UI & Visual Enhancements

• Signals: Icons scale with proximity; text appears on hover for distant signals to reduce HUD clutter.
• Save Codes: Can now be pasted directly into the Cloud Save Download input.
• Builder Menu: Scroll position persists when reopening the menu.
• Pinned Recipes: Highlighted when relevant resources are acquired; items are no longer dimmed for better readability.
• Audiologs: Display elapsed and remaining playback time.
• VFX Performance: Optimized for the Graveyard and Water Slugs. Improved consistency for sparks, electricity, and shock effects (e.g., Hammerhead impacts).
• Environment: Added light poles connecting the Observatory and Rosetta Stone. Enhanced environmental effects in abandoned outposts and wrecks.

Audio & Narrative

• Localization: Previously unlocalized lines are now localized. Naming for Carryable Racks standardized.
• Databank: Added entries for the Modification Station and missing audiologs.
• Music: New tracks added to Tufa Zone, Thermal Area (Graveyard), and North Coral Gardens.
• Voice Over: Improved prioritization to ensure critical lines are heard. Reduced frequency of NOA alerts.

Bug Fixes

This update included a massive list of bug fixes, particularly focusing on multiplayer stability and progression blockers:

Multiplayer & Progression

• Fixed an exploit where swapping resources in a Metal Farm inherited previous growth times.
• Fixed issues where clients could not move Growbed items, causing desynchronization.
• Fixed bases remaining powered after Power Storage depletion.
• Fixed Hydroelectric Turbines stopping production after 120-160 minutes of gameplay.
• Fixed Solar Panels stopping power provision after 45-60 minutes in multi-base saves.
• Fixed clients being unable to trigger signals for Camp One and Old Habitat.
• Fixed an issue where clients could complete the prologue without obtaining Pressure Tolerance.
• Fixed Adaptations being obtainable without healing the related Angel Comb.
• Fixed network disconnects trapping players in the initial Biobed.

Vehicles & Base Building

• Fixed Collector Leviathan spinning 360 degrees when grabbing/throwing a Tadpole.
• Fixed Tadpole docking issues when space is insufficient or when detaching chassis.
• Fixed Power Transmitter ray visibility issues for multiplayer clients.
• Fixed Metal Farms producing resources while UI indicated no power, or losing power in series connections.
• Fixed Habitat Beacons remaining indestructible after base deconstruction/refund.
• Fixed Tailing Jars having inconsistent sizing in rooms.
• Fixed players getting stuck in Tadpoles when detaching chassis or exiting near walls.

Creatures & World

• Fixed Jetocaris PDA image mismatch.
• Fixed Sandspear getting stunned underground or floating out of nests.
• Fixed Epicurean infection limits (only one Tongue Thief at a time).
• Fixed Nibblers hunting reliability.
• Sealed multiple under-map exploits near the Observatory, Power Plant, Axum Metal Farms, and Ruins.
• Fixed Bloom infestations showing Alterra logos on Scanner Stations.

UI & General

• Fixed save file deletion appearance after crashes.
• Fixed Steam Overlay not pausing the game.
• Fixed FOV changes only applying after exiting Settings.
• Fixed various texture clipping, floating objects, and missing collision issues.
• Fixed audio mismatches in several logs and dialogues.

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