Today, Misc Games revealed the contents for the next major update to its hit sea-faring simulation title, Ships at Sea update v0.8.3.
Ships at Sea Update v0.8.3 will be a big one, as it is set to overhaul the interaction system, improving both the visual aspects of the simulator while also introducing intuitive interaction across the entire game. In the Steam post revealing the announcement, the developers tease that this is the first considerable step toward a larger, more complex ship system and deeper gameplay.
Changes will fall into two primary categories: clearer interface and new player settings. You can see them broken down below.
Interface:
- Each interaction now displays with a clean background, helping text and icons stand out against the environment.
- Objective names are now clearly labelled, making it easier to understand what each interaction does at a glance.
- Indicators provide instant feedback that something is interactable or working—whether it’s a switch, control panel, or cargo crane.
New Player Settings:
- Toggle options for backgrounds, objective names, indicators, and even highlighters—choose what you want visible.
- Adjustable highlighter brightness, perfect for players who prefer subtlety or those who want maximum visibility.
These changes might seem basic right now, but they’ll open up the way to introduce more detailed subsystems in future updates. Players can expect even more interaction logic, visual improvements, and context-specific feedback in future updates, including improved gamepad support.
Ships at Sea originally launched back in 2023. Since then, Misc Games has added new content to the game on a monthly basis, with three significant additions since August: tier 2 cranes, the MacDuff partnership, and tier 3 fishing vessels.
Ships at Sea is currently available in early access via Steam starting at $24.99. For more information on update v0.8.3, as well as previous patches, like the Lighthouse Beacon, be sure to check back to Simulation Daily.