Weekly Update (1/12/18) -- Beta Release 2, January Stream, Bathing in Skyrim, & Art of the Catch

Hello my friends, and welcome back to another Weekly Update!

Please offer a warm welcome to our newest Patrons <3

• Basil Vervoort
• cthilhi
• Eric Anderson
• EX0stasis
• Fudlow
• Garrett McArthur
• Giovane Magalhaes
• Hadegs
• Horatius
• James Gregory
• Kyriakos Evgenidis
• Liam Roberts
• Macjango
• Mango44
• Michael David Merrifield
• Vilmos Draven
• -W-

Now, onto the update! This one contains a lot of info, so bear with me!

• Beta Release 2 will drop next Friday, January 19th along with the Weekly Update. It will contain all the new mods and content implemented thus far, including the content added next week.
  
  
• The January Patron Stream will take place next Sunday, January 21st at 12 Noon PST. I'll be showcasing some of the new features and content implemented by Beta Release 2, and generally kicking it with you fine folks. ;) I hope the new weekend timeslot will allow all interested parties to attend!
  
  
• I'm pleased to announce the addition of Bathing in Skyrim by mzin. If you're unfamiliar, BiS allows players to clean themselves in any body of water (including inn bathtubs).
  
  Squeaky clean players receive small bonuses to Disease Resistance and Speechcraft, and exceptionally dirty players will experience penalties to the same. Players with average hygiene experience no bonuses or penalties, to prevent tedious micromanagement.
  
  Players can also craft & purchase soaps that confer unique and fun bonuses. These bonuses last as long as the player remains clean, and are thoughtfully patched for Ultimate Skyrim's gameplay ecosystem.
  
  I'm very excited about BiS, because I believe it adds significant fun & depth to player management without ever feeling obtrusive. It also interacts with pre-existing systems in enjoyable ways: towns and cities become even more important (as safe places to bathe), and water temperature/dry shelter becomes an important consideration when bathing in colder areas, or in the wilds.
  
  
• I'm also pleased to announce the inclusion of Art of the Catch by Chesko. AotC adds real-time fishing to the game, which is a great way to source a meal or simply pass some time. It also removes the player's ability to catch fish with their hands, which is a mechanic I always found strange.
  
  Fish must actually be present for you to catch them, and different fish are available in different regions/water types, so keep an eye on Skyrim's rivers and oceans as you explore. Dragonflies tend to congregate around schools of fish, so look out for them as well.
  
  I believe AotC works wonderfully alongside Fishing in Skyrim to expand US's fishing gameplay, so I'm excited for you guys to experience these new changes!
  
  
• I've integrated a custom version of Simple Bedrolls and Supplies to fill some gaps in currently available craftables. Players can now craft bedrolls, chests, barrels, and a few other miscellanea using simple materials they've gathered during their travels. A small tweak, to be sure, but an important one!

That wraps up this week's update! Thank you as always for reading, and I'll continue to post reminders about Beta Release 2 and the January Stream as next weekend approaches.

Until next time!

BB