Exactly when the next version will come out is unknown. Some people are on vacation. Some just want to rest from the project for a few weeks. Some are releasing concept art and HD art packs for their patreons. Probably from September they will start giving more information.
Why? There is absolutely no reason you need one for this game.
I don't know that information but try some save editor. Be careful it can corrupt rhe save. It never happened to me so far but you never know.
The two thugs you're talking about disappear after you've activated the quest to cure the runaway prostitute's poison, and talked to the three mercs to learn that the name of the poison is Whoresbane. As an aside, if your Defiance is 11 or higher at this point you actually (threaten to) beat the crap out of them and that prevents you from getting sent to the Meat Pit.
Sounds like the dev team is scattered across all fronts.....Mayhaps once the core team gets back from vacations and other side projects, we might get blessed with some more consistent and worthwhile/solidified updates.....
Have a leather guard in your inventory and run into a manticore in badlands. You need 7 Defiance for Claire not to get rekt by the manticore by the way,
So I posted this recently from the discord and since then because of feedback dev decided to flip the map to be easier to understand by players, here is what dev said:
