Patch 1.1.2 for Wasteland 3 is live and inXile are calling it a “Save Scummers Delight”, saying that, “Our engineers changed how the game loads levels, reducing load times by up to 60% on PC and 25% on console.” They give the example of a 38-second load time on their test hardware dropping to 13 seconds.
The PC version did launch with some pretty long loading times, but as a relic who remembers when Thief: The Dark Project’s load screens used to take several minutes there was one advantage to that. You were more likely to live with your mistakes rather than just hitting quickload to undo them if it meant staring at a progress bar, even if it was only for 38 seconds. You young whipper-snappers can get off my lawn.
Other changes in this patch address specific bugs caused by the sniper rifle’s Chain Ambush ability and the Precision Strike perk, as well as various progress-blocking issues in the Yuma County Speedway area. The full patch notes are here, and I’ll highlight one more: “Some cinematic characters have been given microdermabrasion treatments and now have better looking skin.”
If you haven’t decided whether to play it yet, here’s a review of Wasteland 3 to help you make up your mind.
