Riven News

[h2]Patch 1 notes - June 28th, 2024[/h2]

Thank you all for the massive amount of support we’ve seen from Riven’s launch!

We have a new patch for you: Patch 1, version 1.1.0 (e3584-p25462)

You can find the build number above in the Options → Help section of the menu.

[h2]Fixes/changes made a part of this new build on June 28th[/h2]
[h3]Major[/h3]

• Fixed being able to save/load on the tracks in the minecart cave and getting stuck underwater in specific circumstances
  
• Fixed being able to enter the engagement zone of the minecart on Boiler Island from outside of the cart and getting stuck
  
• (SPOILER) Fixed getting caught on the fire marble tray when it rises
  
• Fixed collision to prevent getting stuck on the path to the spider room chair
  
• Added additional safeguards for a crash that could happen in OpenXR (see notes in “Existing Considerations” section if you are on a Vive HMD)
  
• (SPOILER) Fix for being able to climb a ladder you shouldn’t have been able to in the Starry Expanse under specific circumstances, which led to the player becoming stuck
  

[h3]Minor[/h3]

• Fixed steam rising from the wahrk effigy waterhole while the waterhole was closed
  
• Earthquake sound fixed for the ending
  
• Fixed being able to overwater the beetle tree
  
• Modified the auto focus on Gehn's Age 233 speeches to allow the player to look around more freely
  
• Sound fixes and improvements added
  
• Art fixes and improvements added
  
• Character art improvements added
  
• (SPOILER) Fixed the Starry Expanse loading in too late after the PMDs opened
  
• Cleaned up the animation for one of Gehn's exits in Age 233
  
• Fixed an achievement firing off too quickly
  
• The player can now no longer open the inventory and enter engagement zones
  

[h2]Existing considerations[/h2]

• If you are experiencing a crash on startup, and if you have a customized or older VR setup with options you can’t recall whether or not you’ve turned on or off, please disable the “motion compensation layer” in your OpenXR backend settings. This appears to be an engine bug prevalent in our version of Unreal and can occur regardless of playing in 2D or VR
  
• If you are experiencing crashes while playing Riven with a Vive HMD, please enable the “ViveVR OpenXR SRWorks” option through SteamVR, as this appears to prevent various crashes from occurring through OpenXR (unfortunately not something we can resolve).
  
• Riven officially supports the specific HMDs listed in the requirements on our store page. Many folks have been able to play Riven without a hitch on their unsupported HMDs by tweaking various OpenXR or SteamVR settings. For issues encountered playing Riven on unsupported HMDs (like WMR devices, BigScreen devices, and more), we recommend checking out our community forums for support on those issues.
  
• In certain VR configurations, the laser for selecting options might render behind the menu
  
• There is an issue with certain newer-gen Intel CPUs crashing on startup for many UE5 games, including ours. This appears to be a hardware issue and the only workaround is to modify BIOS settings. More information here: https://cyan.com/docs/riven-launches-but-closes-never-gets-to-the-menu-sometimes-shows-an-error-message/

Thank you for playing our demo of Riven! Here is a list of information about the current build you are on that you should know about.

Windows (including Steam Deck)/Mac build number: e3549-p25334

You can find the build number above in the Options → Help section of the menu.

[h2]Fixes/changes made a part of this new build on June 20th[/h2]

[h3]Major[/h3]

• (Mac only) MetalFX has received an approximately 10%+ improvement to performance and is now the default supersampling method on Mac.
  
• Fixed an issue where you could not re-read a book once read all the way through.
  
• Fixed an issue with the trap book disappearing during a sequence when it should not.
  

[h3]Minor[/h3]

• Improved the appearance of some characters in the game.
  
• Improved some animations of characters in the game.
  
• Improved contact shadows in the game.
  
• Improved the appearance of the stroboscopes.
  
• Patched some instances where the player might want to mess with their satchel during a sequence where their satchel is needed.
  
• Improved audio occlusion in some areas.
  
• Modified some visibility regions to make some areas visible sooner.
  
• Added a trap book panel material that is shown while you are in the trap book.
  
• Fix for a dagger disappearing in the lever on Temple Island under certain circumstances.
  
• Added some agave plants to Temple Island.
  
• Fixed some tooltip text showing up overlapped at 4K and above resolutions.
  
• Fixed the player being allowed to look away from the trap book window.
  
• Fixed some typos in D’ni script in the gate room on Temple Island.
  
• Adjusted the audio attenuation of earthquakes in the game.
  
• Updated the appearance of the beetles in the gate room.
  
• Updated the linking book window material so that it will animate with earthquakes that happen in the game.
  
• (Mac only) Improved screenshot timing so that images will not show up black in some cases.
  
• Fix for too low (or too high) of an FOV setting being respected on startup of the game if folks manually manipulate their user settings file.
  
• Fixed a seam in the skydome.
  
• Fix for some books hunting down the player if they click on a book and then run away.
  
• Fixed journal pages not earth-quaking with everything else.
  
• The player can now no longer zoom while linking.
  
• Updated some UI localization.
  
• Updated the appearance of some of the cliffs on Temple Island.
  
• Disabled the Brightness adjustment setting if you have HDR enabled.
  
• Fixed a visual “pop” that could occur when entering a trap book sequence.
  
• Adjusted the default gamma setting bias.
  
• Adjusted timing on sounds during trap book sequences.
  

[h2]Existing considerations[/h2]

• Character animation & lighting is still being improved for launch day
  
• If you are experiencing a crash on startup, and if you have a customized or older VR setup with options you can’t recall whether or not you’ve turned on or off, please disable the “motion compensation layer” in your OpenXR backend settings. Yes, this applies to the game running in 2D mode as well. This appears to be an engine bug prevalent in our version of Unreal.
  
• There is an issue with certain newer-gen Intel CPUs crashing on startup for many UE5 games, including ours. This appears to be a hardware issue and the only workaround is to modify BIOS settings. More information here: https://cyan.com/docs/riven-launches-but-closes-never-gets-to-the-menu-sometimes-shows-an-error-message/

Thank you for playing our demo of Riven! Here is a list of information about the current build you are on that you should know about.

Windows (including Steam Deck)/Mac build number: e3406-p25005

You can find the build number above in the Options → Help section of the menu.



[h2]Major[/h2]

• Fixed a crash that could occur on some machines just walking around
  
• Fixed a crash on startup that could occur if you had an incomplete or old OpenXR installation
  
• Fixed some issues with the interactions on the telescope
  
• Integrated DLSS 3.7; performance on Windows cards that support it is even better now
  
• (Mac only) Integrated MetalFX
  

[h2]Minor[/h2]

• Improved the graphics settings menu to show which settings need to be applied vs. which settings have an immediate effect. Moved the Apply button into the Display subheader in Graphics settings menu
  
• Atrus’ hair has been age-ified a bit
  
• Improved the appearance of the telescope view on Temple Island
  
• Fixed some black rocks around Temple Island
  
• Improved the look of the stroboscope icons
  
• Fixed some visibility regions aggressively hiding some areas when they should not be hidden
  
• Fixed the old gate pin being clickable again once you click on it the first time
  
• Continued polishing some animation sequences and character appearances
  
• Renamed FSR to FSR 2.2 for clarity on version of FSR we are using
  
• Various minor texture improvements and fixes
  
• Added some foliage to Temple Island
  
• Fixed some minor hitches occurring as you walk around the game
  
• Fixed a duplicate fade occurring when you start a new game from the main menu.
  
• Added a blur effect to the menu only when you are on the top-level menu from the in-game menu
  
• Fixed footstep sounds in the rotating room on Temple Island
  
• Fix for the motion controller something being able to bypass puzzles by sticking your hand through walls
  
• Added a trigger to close the Temple Island PMD when you get far enough away from it
  
• Fixed motion blur setting not being respected
  

• If you are experiencing a crash on startup, and if you have a customized or older VR setup with options you can’t recall whether or not you’ve turned on or off, please disable the “motion compensation layer” in your OpenXR backend settings. Yes, this can even impact the game when you launch it in 2D. This appears to be an engine bug prevalent in our version of Unreal.
  

For the first time ever, the remake of Riven has a non-VR demo available to play NOW as a part of Steam's Next Fest!

This is your chance to get a sneak-peek of what awaits you on Temple Island, the area you have access to at the very beginning of the game.

You can play this demo of Riven on Windows devices, Steam Deck, and Apple Silicon Macs. Minimum or recommend spec for all platforms is still To Be Announced, and we will have more information coming on that soon.

Don't forget that the full game releases on June 25th, 2024 (just a couple of weeks from now!) and ESPECIALLY don't forget to wishlist Riven in advance -- it helps a LOT!

If you want to play through the entire Myst series in advance of playing the remake, pick up the original Riven as a part of the collection here for an additional 20% (!!!) off: https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/37135/Myst_30th_Anniversary_Collection/

--

Embark on a thrilling adventure that delves deeper into the enigmatic universe that Cyan’s first game Myst only hinted at. Riven seamlessly weaves its puzzles into a sprawling and decaying world, immersing players in a conflict between the world’s villainous ruler and those rebelling against him.

In this from-the-ground-up and expanded remake of the 1997 best-seller, players will be able to explore this lush, mysterious age with complete freedom of movement and a world brought to life through updated visuals, gameplay, and freedom of movement. While Riven has been a video game touchstone for decades, this modern update allowed Cyan Worlds to add depth and scope to both the story and world..

The key team of creatives that made 1997’s Riven such a landmark game contributed to bring the game to a modern audience. Puzzles have been refreshed, new characters will be introduced, and new challenges are waiting to be discovered. Whether you’re a fan of the original or new to Riven, the expanded storylines and breathtaking visuals will take players on an exhilarating journey like no other.

Riven is a modern remake of 1997’s monster hit Riven: The Sequel to Myst and is a love letter to classic narrative-driven puzzle games of the ’90s. When exploring Riven’s decaying age, the player will feel like an archeologist, slowly unraveling the mysteries revealed by carefully exploring Riven’s five enigmatic islands. Players will lose themselves in the world as they uncover clues, decipher foreign languages, and immerse themselves in the game’s intricate lore.

Key Features:

• Intricate Storytelling and Mind-Bending Puzzles: Challenge your intellect with Riven’s cunning puzzles woven throughout its narrative.
  
• Immersive Environments and Stunning Graphics: Explore surreal islands, each meticulously crafted with unparalleled attention to detail, from dense, lush jungles to awe-inspiring caverns.
  
• An Expanded World To Explore: Encounter an immersive and visually stunning world that will captivate newcomers and reveal new mysteries for long-time fans.
  
• Fully Re-imagined Gaming Experience: Experience Riven like never before, with free movement through a real-time 3D environment. Whether you’re a seasoned adventurer returning to Riven or a newcomer eager to explore Riven’s mysteries for the first time, this immersive and visually stunning world will captivate you.
  
• A Truly Immersive Experience Developed in Parallel for Flatscreen and VR: Cyan Worlds is simultaneously developing the flatscreen and VR versions of the game to ensure a high-quality experience regardless of players’ platform of choice.
  

Watch some of the developers of the new remake of Riven play through the new demo!