🪐 Ahra Prime Reset — ☵ HIRAETH 0.9.8 & New Engine Foundation + DLSS Integration

[p]This update marks one of the most important technical shifts in Hiraeth’s development so far: the migration to Unreal Engine 5.6.1. It wasn’t just a version bump — it was a full rebuild of the game’s foundation. The process took nearly a month, due to unprecedented changes introduced in this version of Unreal Engine. Many systems had to be restructured from the ground up, and several legacy solutions no longer worked as expected. What followed was a deep, methodical reconstruction — not just of code, but of how Hiraeth breathes.[/p][p][/p][h2]🧠 Why Was This Necessary?[/h2][p]The previous engine version, while stable, had reached its limits. Memory overloads, unpredictable crashes, and performance bottlenecks were becoming harder to fix without deeper structural changes. Some issues — especially those related to memory fragmentation and garbage collection — were simply not solvable within the old framework. To move forward, and to prepare for the future of Hiraeth, I had to rebuild the game on a stronger, more scalable base.[/p][p][/p]

• [p]The entire game now runs on Unreal Engine 5.6.1, with improved memory handling, better compatibility, and new rendering systems.[/p]
• [p]Many core systems had to be rewritten or reconnected — including movement, collision, saving, inventory, and UI.[/p]
• [p]Some features were temporarily disabled or simplified to prioritize stability and ensure the update could be released without further delay.[/p]
• [p]The work pipeline has been restructured to better support future updates, optimizations, and content expansion.[/p]

[p]This update is not just a patch — it’s a reset. A new technical era for Hiraeth, and a new chapter for all of us.[/p][p][/p][h2]✨ What Does It Mean for You?[/h2]

• [p]No more systemic limits — the game is now free to grow in ways that were previously impossible.[/p]
• [p]Crash elimination — the memory-related crashes that affected various devices are now resolved. These were not fixable in game code alone and required an engine-level change.[/p]
• [p]Faster world loading — transitions between areas are smoother, with fewer stutters and delays.[/p]
• [p]Better FPS and future optimizations — performance is already improved, and the new engine opens doors to further tuning and enhancements.[/p]

[h2]Engine Migration & Core Fixes [/h2][p]A new foundation for Hiraeth begins here.[/p][p][/p][p]Contains only the most important changes for players:[/p][p][/p][h2]🔧 New Unreal Engine Version 5.6.1[/h2][p]Resolves memory overload issues occurring without clear cause, and crash events on certain devices. Confirmed fixes include for example:[/p]

• [p]Improved garbage collection handling[/p]
• [p]Reduced memory spikes during map transitions[/p]
• [p]Better compatibility with older GPUs (especially integrated ones)
  
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[h2]🧬 DLSS is now available in Hiraeth![/h2][p]Players with NVIDIA RTX graphics cards can now enable Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) for smoother performance and sharper visuals. This marks the first experimental implementation of DLSS in Hiraeth, accessible via F10 on supported systems.[/p][h3]Please note:[/h3]

• [p]DLSS was integrated at the last moment and is still in an early, experimental phase. Settings management and persistence are being refined.[/p]
• [p]For now, only the options highlighted in yellow within the DLSS panel (F10) are expected to save correctly.[/p]
• [p]By default, DLSS should auto-enable at game launch if supported and your framerate is stable — no manual tweaks required.[/p]
• [p]Performance may vary slightly depending on your GPU and resolution. More insights will be shared in the upcoming issue of The Ahra Prime Times.[/p]
• [p]Some options may be unavailable depending on your hardware. A dedicated DLSS panel tailored to Hiraeth is in development.[/p]
• [p]This version of the DLSS panel operates independently from the main video settings. Be sure to check for potential conflicts, such as an active frame rate limit.[/p]
• [p]Future updates will unify DLSS (and FSR) with the video settings menu, including live previews directly within the game view.[/p]
• [p]Now in user settings you can choose to show or not show the current fps in the upper right corner. It's off by default.[/p]

[h3]Support for AMD Radeon cards is also on the horizon[/h3][p]With FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) planned for a future update.[/p][p][/p][p]The stars align, but pixels must too. 🌌[/p][p][/p][h2]🚫 No More Random Movement Blocking[/h2][p]Due to the collision-checking system introduced just before Early Access launch, players experienced movement lockups in unnatural situations. Resolved — this issue no longer occurs.[/p][p][/p][h2]🎒 Improved Inventory Load Management[/h2][p]To help you monitor your carry weight, new widgets have been added:[/p]

• [p]In \[OPERATOR] (top-right log), a progress bar now shows your max lift capacity and current load.[/p]
• [p]In the inventory view, each backpack now displays its individual weight limit.[/p]

[p][/p][p][/p][h3]⚠️ Overload Detection — Improved but Still Under Review[/h3][p]The system now better detects overload conditions, but further refinement is needed. This remains a key goal for upcoming updates. In rare cases, you may still become overloaded or unable to pick up items.[/p][p]Recommendation: Travel light. Keep at least 5kg, ideally 10kg, of spare capacity.[/p][p][/p][h2][/h2][h2]💾 Save/Load System Changes[/h2][p]In addition to changes in how player and world states are saved (which now require new save files), the following improvements were made:[/p][p]Save/Load Screen (F6):[/p]

• [p]Enlarged selected slot text with yellow color and subtle shadow for better readability[/p]
• [p]After confirming save name and pressing Enter, the screen now closes (same behavior as clicking \[Secure the Present])[/p]
• [p]A new loading screen appears during save load, disappears once loading is complete. Includes basic save data like name, location, and player state. Also features random tips from the Esc Menu pool.[/p]

[p][/p][p]Save Restrictions:[/p]

• [p]Saving is now only allowed while walking or swimming — disabled during jumping, falling, and other movement types.[/p]
• [p]Not strictly blocked, but still not recommended in airlocks or other dynamic areas.[/p]

[p]Training Center Save Enabled:[/p]

• [p]Saving is now possible in the Training Center. Still needs refinement (e.g. proper loading of already opened doors), but does not block training continuation.[/p]

[h3]⚠️ Important — New Save Files Required[/h3][p]Due to new work pipeline rules in the updated engine version, the game only works correctly with new save files. Hopefully this won’t be necessary in future updates — previous engine upgrades never required this, as far as I recall.[/p][p]To be safe: Delete old save files using the F6 screen, or manually via Explorer in the folder:[/p][p]%LOCALAPPDATA%\\Hiraeth2025\\Saved\\SaveGames[/p][p](Copy and paste into File Explorer)[/p][p]Delete all folders named after your save files. Apologies for the inconvenience.[/p][p][/p][h2]🗺️ New Load Widget for Map Start[/h2][p]Partially loaded world visible for a few frames at map start should now appear less often — or disappear faster or just issue gone.[/p][p][/p][h2]🔫 Weapon Handling Changes[/h2]

• [p]Improved weapon selection info (left-side messages)[/p]
• [p]HUD now correctly displays equipped status — no longer shows JAMMED for discarded weapons[/p]
• [p]This is not an announced weapon update that will be coming soon, but necessary improvements to its handling.[/p]

[p][/p][p][/p][h2]📦 Crate Capacity Adjustments[/h2][p]Crates now have weight capacity matching their visible size. For example: Cargo Crate now holds up to 100kg (previously 10kg)[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]🪜 Ladders[/h2][p]Fixed issue where players could ascend infinitely in some cases. General ladder handling should now be smoother across multiple locations.[/p][p][/p][h2]📐 Blueprint Transfers from Crates[/h2][p]Previously discovered blueprints were correctly saved to your blueprint list, but those transferred from crates were not. Now they update properly.[/p][p]Note: The new engine version sometimes triggers blueprint add/remove messages at odd moments. It’s annoying during gameplay but doesn’t affect functionality. Will be addressed in upcoming updates.[/p][p][/p][h2]🔪 Kunai Knife Crafting[/h2][p]Now crafts correctly — takes approx. 8 in-game hours.[/p][p][/p][h2]⚠️ Seizure Warning[/h2][p]Now appears only once after acceptance — previously triggered on every game launch.[/p][p][/p][p]My focus during this phase was on restoring core gameplay functionality after the engine switch — a process that took much longer than expected. To avoid delaying this release even further, I’ve allowed a few issues to remain in this version. These do not directly affect gameplay or survival, but they do impact immersion and overall experience. I’ll be addressing them very soon.[/p]

• [p]Medkit and Air Bottle Hangers — suspended items may duplicate or disappear. Fortunately, there are plenty available elsewhere.[/p]
• [p]Sound Classes and Audio Behavior — the new engine seems to introduce changes here too. Some sound classes may scale worse than before, and audio delays can occur.[/p]
• [p]Crates in Certain POIs — they may not appear randomly, although after the recent changes there shouldn't be a problem[/p]
• [p]Mushrooms — currently do not spawn at all. You can survive without them… but for mushroom hunters, this is a temporary setback 😉[/p]

[p][/p][h2]🛠️ Legacy Issues from Before the Engine Migration[/h2][p]As we all know, Hiraeth still has plenty of areas that need improvement. This update allowed me to fix many critical issues — but others I can only begin addressing now. More details below.[/p][p][/p][h2]ːp2cubeː In-Game Help Update[/h2][p]The current in-game help system hasn’t been updated yet, but it runs independently from the game client and pulls data directly from the web. I plan to refresh its content within the next few days. This may coincide with the next game update, but if not, I’ll post a brief announcement here once the changes go live.[/p][p]This groundbreaking engine update marks a major shift — not just for the game, but for me and for all of you. To dive deeper into what it means for Hiraeth and where we go from here, join me for the next Sunday edition of The Ahra Prime Times, where this topic will take center stage.[/p][p][/p][p]Thank you all for your patience during this unusually long — but absolutely necessary — pause between updates. Your continued support means the world, especially as Hiraeth evolves behind the scenes.[/p][p][/p][h2]Tested under the wings of Eagle 🦅[/h2][p]Our community tester and steadfast collaborator. Throughout the migration process, Eagle dedicated dozens of hours to testing internal builds, catching edge cases, and helping refine every layer of the update. Without his help, those hours would have fallen solely on me, and this release would have taken even longer to reach you. Thank you, my friend — your contribution is woven into every pixel of this version.[/p][p]Catch you in The Ahra Prime Times tomorrow — and with each upcoming update.[/p][p]This unusually long break in updates was due to the scale of essential work required. We’re now returning to regular development rhythm, with fresh updates every few days. The demo version of the game will also be updated to 0.9.8 shortly.[/p][p]
Warm regards ːss2heartː[/p][p]Paweł — creator of Hiraeth[/p]