HumanitZ Experimental 1.1 update is live with NPC recruitment

HumanitZ’s Experimental 1.1 branch is out now on Steam, about six months after the game’s 1.0 launch. The opt-in build feeds into the full 1.1 release, which will arrive with the Spooky Update, and adds NPC recruitment, community outposts, new weapons and clothing, plus a large batch of fixes and quality-of-life improvements.

Right-click HumanitZ in your Steam Library, select Properties, then Game Versions and Betas, and choose the Experimental option dated 27 August. Progress made on the Experimental branch will carry over to the full 1.1 release. There are no official Experimental servers at this stage, and more content will be added during the cycle.

Save warning: It’s highly recommended to start a new save. Loading old or current saves in Experimental is at your own risk; once a save has been updated to the branch, it cannot be reverted to 1.09.A without corrupting it.

Random NPCs can now be recruited out in the wild. Recruits can follow you on runs, work around your base, provide security, and be sent out on tasks. Pay attention to their traits: some won’t reveal themselves until they’ve spent time in your community, and not everyone is as friendly as they appear. Recruiting is optional.

The Experimental build gives you automatic access to the Community Tower to start your community. You can create up to two additional outposts, upgrade them to house more Survivors, and swap Survivors between locations. Your community will communicate its needs, wants, and grievances, and maintaining morale is your responsibility—let it drop and the consequences can be catastrophic. More recruitment methods, including CB Radio calls, walkie-talkies, and quests, will be added over the course of the Experimental period.

• New lever-action rifle and nail gun
• New clothing: pants, jackets, shirts, scarfs, ponchos, and balaclava
• New lootable large toolbox
• Increased camera FOV
• Removed the Async Save System, which caused lost progress and saves
• Party and clan members can now ride a horse with you
• The Dog Companion must be in Sit to access its inventory
• ZM7 ammunition can be crafted at the gun bench; Sharpening Stone repair value increased
• No-build zone added to Lab Bunker
• More lootable cars, with parts found in the engine compartment
• Reduced zombie, bandit, and vehicle geometry for better performance
• Drastically reduced XP gain from killing NPCs
• Lawnmowers can now be dismantled for scrap metal and oil

The update fixes item duplication exploits, vehicles unclaiming after 14 days of inactivity, decayed base assets dropping materials, and the Compost Bin’s unlimited water usage. It also addresses the flamethrower challenge only completing when letting a zeek burn out, the Bear Coat not counting toward the Wild Armor Challenge, equipped HAZMAT hoods rendering characters bald, eggs not respawning in chicken coops (a nearby chicken is still required), old or spoiled fish no longer giving fresh meat, shotgun trap sound range, car dismantling noise, weapons crate placement, PC tower dismantle prompts, vaulting into Survivor SUVs, guard tower damage and stability, and assorted map, terrain, and spawner issues.

Other fixes include a player-crafted door flipping 180 degrees, the nukebuilding command now removing awnings, sheds, stables, and explodable barrels, profession tree requirements, zombie firework response radius, Improvised Fridge item stacking, missing hose dismantle tags, second-floor corpse and hat visuals, female tattoo graphics on male models, and characters getting stuck when dismantling a crafting station in use by another player.

Watch the update video