Following the theme of big minor patches, we present beta 2.8.2, another big minor patch. In this release you'll see a lot of fixes and improvements, but also something a lot of people have been waiting for. Better networking! Hopefully the days are gone where you would need to do some router wizardry to host a Wayward game. We have implemented Steam networking support. This is all automatic, so you shouldn't have to worry about anything besides staying alive in-game.
And how about all that ash that has been building up from the campfires and water stills? Well, now with a bit of effort, you can turn it into ash cement to build walls and flooring. Reduce, reuse, and recycle!
This holiday season you can also stay cool with a new feature that warns you when attempting to sleep with a lit torch/candle, a long requested feature for the "Warn on Dangerous Actions" option.
Some other related changes to resting/sleeping include:

• Increased effectiveness of resting or sleeping by fire sources or when using bedding items/doodads.
• Sleeping will now mitigate hunger and thirst more effectively than just resting.

New

• Added support for Steam networking, allowing players to connect to and host multiplayer games where they were not able to before due to networking issues.
• Added ash cement, crafted from all that leftover ash, to be used for walls and flooring.
• Added a help article explaining the differences between resting and sleeping and other regenerative bonuses.

Improvements

• If "Warn on Dangerous Actions" is enabled, players will now be warned when attempting to sleep with a lit fire source equipped.
• Terrain can now spawn with differing qualities (like plants, trees, and other doodads do).
• Consumption stat messages are now condensed into a single message.
• Messages produced by dismantling and disassembling are now condensed/combined.
• Improved performance of receiving items from actions, especially for any that returned multiple items (such as from dismantling, disassembling, gathering, decaying items, etc.).
• Large numbers in the game are now broken up by locale-supported separators (such as commas or periods).
• Added detail on how score is calculated in the "Challenge Mode" section within the "Game Modes" help article.
• Drawn maps can now be dismantled.
• Improved skill descriptions and help to include the fact that skill does impact quality of items gathered or harvested.
• Sorting items by quality now sorts legendary types as well.
• Blood is no longer spawned when the damage type is not piercing or slashing.
• Added more information on the "Milestone Modifier" system within the "Milestones" help article.

Bug Fixes

• Fixed quests not looking into containers for required items. (Thanks EatAtSardis!)
• Fixed an error when loading saved games from the Steam Workshop.
• Fixed an oversight that did not allow you to fish up aberrant mudskippers. (Thanks num ca nem vi!)
• Fixed the "Seafaring" milestone not unlocking until rejoining a saved game. (Thanks Caerold!)
• Fixed drawn maps having negative and/or too low durability. (Thanks Zalpha!)
• Fixed animal dung not counting as compost. (Thanks Davadin!)
• Fixed creature tooltips returning an incorrect happiness level. (Thanks sol!)
• Fixed custom game options initial strength applying more strength than intended.
• Fixed stat modifiers applying more to health than intended. (Thanks bored_o_mir!)
• Fixed multiple stats display issues on smaller resolutions & ui scales.
• Fixed a brief screen flash when loading into the game. (Thanks Zalpha!)
• Fixed servers sometimes showing incorrect regions in the server browser.
• Fixed the message filter name input not being correct when viewing subsequent filters.
• Fixed attempting to soothe burn injury messages appearing on permanent burning pain.
• Fixed an issue where not moving your cursor when crafting/dismantling would not always re-highlight required items in the craft/dismantle. (Thanks blay.paul!)
• Potentially fixed issues with music switching randomly.
• Fixed a bug where creatures that turned aberrant would not regenerate their loot to match. (Thanks num ca nem vi!)
• Fixed dismantling and disassembling saying all items were destroyed when some in fact were returned.
• Fixed the "Corpse" note not displaying the creature's name.
• Fixed the protected "P" visual not updating on quickslots when enabling/disabling protected options.
• Fixed performance issues on certain distributions of Linux.
• Fixed a grammar issue where you "cooked cooked" food items. (Thanks Arnkh!)
• Fixed the messages dialog toggle not working correctly if the messages component was hidden.

Balance

• Increased effectiveness of resting or sleeping by fire sources or when using bedding items/doodads.
• Sleeping will now mitigate hunger and thirst more effectively than just resting.
• You can now perform actions on rafts that normally would have counted as "in water" or "swimming", disabling you from performing them.
• You can no longer pet a creature indefinitely. It will reject your advances after a certain happiness and petting threshold is met.
• Increased the durability of the raft and decreased items required to craft it (also reducing its weight slightly).
• Reduced reputation gain from petting.
• Reduced raw clay (and non-clay brick items) weights significantly.
• Raw clay bricks now require two raw clay to craft.

Modding

• Fixed `Input.setMaxLength`. (Thanks Amax!)
• Removed named variables present in language files to make it easier for translators.

Technical

• Added a `disableGpuDriverBugWorkarounds` launch option for debugging purposes.
• Full conversion/version history is now saved in each game save.