The developers plan to expand the game’s crafting mechanics.
The Terraria team published their November developer diary, outlining progress as they prepare for the launch of update 1.4.5.
Regarding timing: the launch window remains the same [mid-December to late January] — though January presently seems more likely unless we get fortunate with faster-than-expected patch certification submissions. We’ll do everything we can to tighten that range. We’ll have a much clearer picture after the first round of submissions is complete.
The Terraria team also shared a teaser for update 1.4.5 — a redesigned crafting interface:
The team describes this as a “next generation” crafting system for Terraria — alongside the UI overhaul, the update will introduce the ability to craft using items stored in nearby chests (so you won’t have to open them to access their contents):
This revamped crafting interface combines the best aspects of what worked in Journey mode. It also updates the recipe layout in the guide. With tabbed categories and a text search, you’ll be able to sift through the vast number of craftable recipes for any material much faster. That capability will be particularly handy alongside the new feature that lets you craft from nearby chests in Terraria 1.4.5.
Source: iXBT.games