Valheim Patch 0.217.38 Notes: Yule Items Return, Settings Get a Rework

Yule has landed in Valheim with patch 0.217.38. The release brings a settings menu rework, fresh Xbox input options, and a healthy stack of fixes.

Quick rundown

The headline change is how seasonal items now appear. From this patch onward, Yule decorations such as the Yule Tree, Yule Wreath, and Yule Garland will only be obtainable during their actual calendar window. Outside of that window, they cannot be crafted through the normal path.

If you absolutely need a Yule Tree in the middle of summer, console commands still work for spawning seasonal items off-window. The restriction only affects standard crafting.

Xbox players also get a treat: keyboard and mouse input has finally arrived on the console version. PC and Linux players get expanded settings tabs and several preset graphics modes.

Fixes and improvements

Most of the patch reads as quality-of-life cleanup. The highlights:

• Inventory item counters no longer look blurry
• Player profile links in the Player List stop opening multiple windows
• The hardcoded "None" text in the build HUD now uses the localized string
• Build HUD amount text auto-sizes so longer translations actually fit
• Music stuttering at low FPS has been reduced
• Seasonal items now toggle automatically based on date
• Skill value UI text refreshes correctly for bonus levels
• Proper IME input support added
• NumPad keys work for the Hotbar
• Key hints display correctly on non-QWERTY layouts
• The game can now detect low local disk space during saves
• Admins on dedicated servers can again kick players from the Player List UI
• Boss spawning has been tweaked so bosses stop getting stuck
• Signs no longer flash when anti-aliasing is enabled
• Boats take less spurious damage at low FPS
• D-pad input in menus works again on Steam Deck
• Localization received its usual round of updates

Settings menu overhaul

The settings layout was reorganized to make options easier to find:

• The old "Controls" tab is now split into "Controller" and "Keyboard & Mouse"
• PC and Linux gain dedicated "Gameplay" and "Accessibility" tabs
• Some entries appear under multiple tabs so they are not buried
• Several settings were moved to more logical homes
• Tooltips were added where the function was not obvious
• PC and Linux get four graphics presets: Performance, Quality, Balanced, and Very Low
• Xbox now has its own "Keyboard & Mouse" tab plus expanded graphic customization
• Camera inversion can be configured separately for controller and mouse
• Overlapping controller button labels have been fixed

Xbox specific

• Keyboard and mouse support is now enabled on Xbox

Source

The official write-up lives on the Steam announcement page if you want the developer's own wording.