Schedule I, the viral hit on Steam, continues to evolve with the release of Patch 5, bringing the drug dealer simulation game to version 0.3.3f14. This update marks a significant milestone for the game, as it not only introduces several key improvements but also sets the stage for the much-anticipated first content update, scheduled to launch this weekend.

Currently dominating the Steam charts, Schedule I has outshone major titles like Monster Hunter Wilds, GTA 5, and Marvel Rivals, thanks to its widespread popularity on social media, Twitch, and YouTube. In the game, players start as small-time dealers in the gritty city of Hyland Point, with the goal of becoming a drug empire kingpin. Players can expand their operations by acquiring properties, businesses, and hiring employees.

The game's developer and publisher, TVGS, led by Australian indie developer Tyler, expressed his astonishment at the game's explosive launch, calling it "amazing but pretty overwhelming." In a Reddit post, Tyler shared, "I never expected this kind of response! At the moment I’m just trying to stay focused and get patches out ASAP. Also looking forward to getting started on content updates as soon as all major bugs are patched."

Patch 5 addresses a range of issues, including employee, multiplayer, and casino bugs. It also includes pathfinding validity checks to reduce crashes, a common issue highlighted by the community. Here are the detailed patch notes for Schedule I Update 5 version 0.3.3f14:

Schedule I Update 5 version 0.3.3f14 patch notes:

Tweaks/Improvements

• Added an active display setting to choose which monitor the game displays on.
• Botanists will now automatically move product from their supplies to drying racks.
• Owned vehicles are now visible on the map app.
• Implemented a few validity checks/failsafes for NPC pathfinding and warping. I think this was one of the primary causes of crashing on certain chipsets (thanks to Chi Chi on Discord for bringing this to my attention).
• Refactored employee item movement behaviour to be a bit smarter.
• Implemented NPC effects culling at a certain distance to improve performance.

Bug fixes

• Fixed non-host clients sometimes not being able to hit/stand in blackjack.
• Fixed a quest UI bug that was sometimes causing infinite loading screens in multiplayer.
• Fixed clipboard selections not reassigning without first manually clearing the existing selection (employee beds, botanist supplies, etc).
• Fixed the dealer sometimes preemptively revealing its hand to non-host players in blackjack.
• Fixed first-person jacket looking janky.
• Fixed 'Master Chef' achievement being rewarded prematurely.
• Fixed some property null references that were causing multiplayer loading/desync issues.
• The drying rack 'dry' button is now non-interactable if the input slot is reserved by an employee.
• Fixed NPC 'stay in building' behaviour sometimes causing errors for non-host players.
• Fixed NPC voiceover emitters sometimes throwing a null reference.

Tyler has teased that sneak peeks of the upcoming content update will be shared soon, building excitement among the game's fanbase. For those looking to dive deeper into the game, check out IGN's comprehensive Schedule I guide. It covers everything from the basics of mixing recipes and creating new blends to maximize profit, accessing console commands, and the fastest way to start multiplayer co-op to conquer Hyland Point with friends.