Welcome, Visionary Architects!
Happy New Year! As we step into 2026, the team at Iceflake is eager to provide a transparent look at the development of our inaugural patch. Our goal is to maintain a steady stream of communication between releases, with these updates primarily spotlighting upcoming features, though we’ll also explore broader topics as development continues.
This debut update is substantial, incorporating several long-awaited features requested by the community. For this edition of the City Corner, we are highlighting the visual enhancements arriving in the first patch. Our next entry will delve into gameplay mechanics. If development remains on schedule, you can expect to experience these changes firsthand in the latter half of February. Let’s dive into the details!
Your City, Your Masterpiece
A splash of color can turn a functional district into a breathtaking landmark. Taking a leaf out of the book of the brilliant “Recolor” mod by yenyang, our first patch introduces a native system for applying custom color palettes to assets. Initially, this functionality will be available for buildings, props, and vehicles, though we are currently refining the system to include trees, foliage, and other environmental elements.
The sleek new color customization interface!
Looking ahead, we plan to implement a “favorites” system to save your preferred schemes, ensuring stylistic consistency across your metropolis. Furthermore, you will eventually have the power to apply colors to entire districts—so if you’ve dreamt of a neon-pink industrial zone, your vision is about to become a reality.
A Modernized Interface
We recognize that clear communication between the game and the player is vital. While the UI remains a work in progress, we are thrilled to debut a more intuitive design. We have refined the onboarding experience and reimagined icons to be more expressive and contextually relevant. The primary toolbar has undergone a significant transformation; it now features a modernized aesthetic with softer, rounded edges and a redesigned focus on demand bars for better readability.
The updated Development Tree and toolbar, featuring a refined visual style and higher-fidelity icons.
In addition, we are building an in-game Encyclopedia—a centralized hub containing comprehensive data on gameplay mechanics, DLC content, and strategy. With a built-in search function, this tool will allow you to quickly clarify complex systems on the fly. While this feature won’t be ready for the first patch, it is high on our priority list for a subsequent update.
Atmospheric Illumination
Living in Finland, we are no strangers to long nights, but your city shouldn’t have to suffer in the dark. We have overhauled the lighting engine for both day and night cycles. Nighttime visibility has been significantly improved, and the skybox textures have been upgraded for greater realism. For daytime play, we’ve balanced cloud frequency to ensure more dynamic and varied vistas across different maps.
Fog mechanics have also been tied more closely to the weather engine. Expect to see atmospheric fog roll in during storms or heavily overcast days, adding a layer of immersion to the environment.
A mountain village under previously static clear skies…
…and the same view following the update, showcasing dynamic cloud cover.
Climate Realism & Seasonal Shifts
Since geography dictates weather, we’ve recalibrated map climates to feel more authentic. It is now easier to distinguish between regions; for instance, boreal maps will experience significantly heavier snowfall compared to their tropical counterparts.
Furthermore, when the winter chill sets in, snow will now realistically accumulate on lots and ground surfaces. We’ve addressed the immersion-breaking “perfectly manicured grass” during blizzards. In true Nordic fashion, your city will now be properly blanketed in white when the temperature drops.
We are also investigating further environmental refinements, such as high-fidelity ground textures, the ability to plant trees in tighter clusters, and a toggle for tree age. While some of these improvements are still in the laboratory, we hope to roll them out in the near future.
Looking Forward
As we mentioned, we will publish another City Corner prior to the patch launch to discuss mechanical balancing and technical fixes for issues reported on our forums. We are dedicated to polishing the experience based on your feedback. Until then, we look forward to hearing your thoughts on these visual upgrades!
See you in the next update!