Hiraeth News

[h2]👋 Welcome, Traveler[/h2][p]HIRAETH Needs You — Final Test Before the Patch Goes Live[/p][p]
Following up on yesterday’s announcement: testing is underway for the game running on Unreal Engine 5.6.1 — the latest version, which addresses several memory overflow issues and crashes, even on high-end devices.[/p][p]✅ Initial tests show full success. My own multi-hour playthrough on Nesoi Island ran flawlessly. Internal testing on different hardware also confirmed stability.[/p][p][/p][h3]🧪 Before releasing this version as a Steam update, I need broader testing — especially on devices that previously experienced crashes after loading Nesoi Island.[/h3][p][/p][h2]👨🏻‍🚀 Call for Testers[/h2][p]If you’ve encountered the issues mentioned above, I’d greatly appreciate your help testing this closed version — download link is at the bottom. The sooner we get confirmation, the sooner the official patch can go live on Steam. If you haven’t had any issues with the current version (based on the previous Unreal Engine build), there’s no need to test this one.[/p][p][/p][h2]ℹ️ Important Info Before You Download:[/h2]

• [p]This is a demo version. I can’t publish the full Early Access build, but technically it’s the same project — enough to confirm the fix.[/p]
• [p]Please save your game by sleeping wherever possible (see map below).[/p]
• [p]This version is intended solely for crash testing. It’s a raw build with default Unreal Engine settings — performance may be slightly heavier, but crashes should not occur.[/p]
• [p]Many players experienced crashes right at the start of Nesoi Island. For a complete test, please follow the marked route — it includes a critical area that very rarely, but even for me, caused a crash (no in this version).[/p]
• [p]The dangerous zone is small, but I’ve marked an extended area just to be safe. The issue stemmed from an Unreal Engine bug in earlier versions. According to the changelog, it should be resolved in 5.6.1 — which my video test confirms.[/p]
• [p]The game content is the same as before — only the build has changed, now running on the new engine version.[/p]
• [p]Migrating to the new engine required some updates, which I’ve already implemented. It allows over 2 hours of gameplay on Nesoi Island, but I haven’t tested everything — feel free to report anything else. The main goal is to confirm whether the game crashes on your hardware or not.[/p]
• [p]Aside from the engine update, this version is identical to the current Steam release.[/p]

[h3]* Annoucement update[/h3][p]If you couldn't start Nesoi at all before and now you can play normally, I think confirming this will be enough - the full route and a longer test will be super helpful, but even such a short test will be very useful![/p][p][/p][h2]🗺️ Map[/h2][p]The map shows:[/p]

• [p]Recommended route for full testing (green)[/p]
• [p]Save points (icons) important for this test[/p]
• [p]Previously unstable zone to be tested (pink)[/p]

[p][/p][p]By the way, an interactive map of The Nesoi Island can be found here. It will be updated soon, and new locations will appear at this address. Soon the in-game map (available under the M key) will also change significantly![/p][p][/p][h2]🎥 Video[/h2][p]Short video showing the critical part of the test — in the previously unstable area.[/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][h2]📥 Download Link[/h2][p]Files are hosted on Google Drive. They’re packed using the free and excellent 7Z tool (link included). If you run into issues, I can provide an alternative archive format.[/p][p]Download link from Google Drive[/p][p]Download free 7z [/p][h2]💬 Contact & Support[/h2][p]I’m available on Discord and on the Steam game forum. For smoother communication, I recommend Discord — there are also other players there who can help.
[/p][h3]Confirmation Submission[/h3][p]You can submit your confirmation in the discussion under this announcement, on Discord in the general channel, or by sending me a direct message. I regularly check all of these channels.[/p][p]For every confirmation — if you don’t already have it — you’ll receive the @HIRAETH-TESTER role on Discord, along with my gratitude (and hopefully others’ too)!

Join ☵ HIRAETH Discord[/p][h2]
Thank you for your understanding and support! [/h2][p]As a solo dev, this is currently the only way I can efficiently resolve issues on specific hardware setups.[/p][p][/p][p]Warm regards, Pawel — creator of Hiraeth[/p]

[h3]Launch Recap • Sales & Support • Recent Updates • Crash Fix Progress • Community Feedback • What’s Next • Closing Words[/h3][h3] Welcome aboard, and thank you for being part of this unfolding journey. Your presence means everything.[/h3][p]
On September 3rd, our shared journey to Ahra Prime officially began. I want to thank everyone who joined HIRAETH in Early Access — especially those who understand what this phase of development truly means. As a solo developer working on such a complex project, I deeply appreciate every piece of feedback, every bug report, and every moment you spend in the world of HIRAETH.[/p][p]🎮 ☵ HIRAETH had its initial testing phase as a Steam Playtest, but it’s only now — in Early Access — that the game has truly come alive. Player activity has increased dramatically, and the median playtime speaks for itself. I’ve received tons of valuable feedback from thoughtful players who understand that Early Access isn’t just about playing early — it’s about building the game together. This is the stage where bugs are identified and fixed, new features are tested, and gameplay is refined based on real player experiences. It’s clear that HIRAETH has landed in the right hands — and that gives me huge motivation to keep going.[/p][p][/p][h2]📊 Sales Report — Straight Talk[/h2][p]HIRAETH was created and released without any funding for advertising. The only investment was my time — and the incredible support from YouTubers who specialize in survival games, some of whom had already featured HIRAETH on their channels. I’m truly grateful to them and want to thank them here.[/p][p]Because of that, sales may not look impressive on paper — but to me, it’s a huge success. It allows me to continue developing the game at the pace you’ve seen since launch.[/p][p]Big titles often need massive revenue upfront to cover marketing costs and large teams. In HIRAETH’s case, every cent goes directly into development. If more players join the journey, I’ll gladly expand the team — which will help development move even faster.[/p][p]A lot depends on you — your Steam reviews and word-of-mouth recommendations. If funds allow, I’ll invest in promotion too, which will definitely help the game reach more players and evolve further.[/p][p][/p][h2]🔧 What’s Already Happened[/h2]

• [p]The demo and pre-launch testing helped lay a solid foundation.[/p]
• [p]Daily updates (0.9.7.x) have improved many aspects of the game — from UI to stability.[/p]
• [p]New features added just before Early Access have been well received:[/p]
  • [p]Mini-games: hacking, lockpicking, repairing[/p]
  • [p]A new base to explore: Comm Center[/p]
  • [p]And many other improvements[/p]

[p]Some of these additions introduced minor but annoying bugs — but fixing them is just a matter of time. After three years of solo development, I can confidently say we’re on the right track.[/p][p][/p][h2]⚠️ Stability Issues on Some Devices — Fix in Progress[/h2][p]Player reports helped identify rare but serious crash issues — especially on specific hardware configurations. This is currently my top priority.[/p][p]In response, I’ve migrated the project to Unreal Engine 5.6.1, which in early testing has shown that the crashes are resolved. This version still needs internal testing before it’s released on Steam as an official update — but it’s coming soon.[/p][p]If you’re experiencing crashes and enjoy testing — join us on Discord and contact me. I’ll share internal test builds using UE 5.6.1. The more devices we test on, the faster we can solve this globally.

Thank you for your patience — the fix is on the horizon.[/p][p][/p][h2]💬 Your Feedback Matters[/h2][p]There’s a lot of emotion in the comments — especially from those who’ve run into technical issues. At the same time, I know many of you are enjoying the game and sharing positive feedback on Discord, forums, and elsewhere.[/p][p]Many of you — even though it’s only been a few days since launch — have already spent hours immersed in the game. That’s incredibly motivating for me, and it’s just the beginning of what’s coming your way.[/p][p]If you’re enjoying HIRAETH, please leave a review on Steam. It’s the only form of promotion I have right now — and it directly affects how fast and far the game can grow.[/p][p][/p][h2]🚀 What’s Next[/h2]

• [p]Fixing current bugs and crash issues — that’s the first step.[/p]
• [p]A new region to explore, vehicles, and a difficulty progression system — already in development.[/p]
• [p]Save system for the Training Center, and fixes for save/load bugs (like duplicated items, medkits, and oxygen tanks).[/p]
• [p]A detailed roadmap will be announced once the new Unreal Engine version is confirmed stable.[/p]

[p]Thanks again for being part of this journey. Stay curious, stay safe on Ahra Prime — and see you in the next update![/p][h3]
Warm regards, Paweł Solo developer & creator of ☵ HIRAETH[/h3][p]
* solo for now — but with your support, that might change soon![/p]

[p]Here comes what’s probably the fourth round of fixes since launch last week — and this one tackles a few of the more frustrating bugs you’ve reported. Let’s dive in:[/p][h2]🔧 Changelog Highlights:[/h2]

• [p]Hacking Timeout UI Freeze Fixed The UI freeze after hacking timeout has been resolved. Last Saturday’s update introduced several improvements to mini-games, but I missed a bug that caused the UI and interactions to freeze when hacking timed out. That issue is now fixed. (I still feel like something else might have slipped through, but I haven’t found it in reports or been able to reproduce it — let me know if you notice anything.)[/p]
• [p]Fix for Heavy Backpack Pickup Logic The system now correctly checks whether the player can lift an item based on their current max lift. This prevents picking up a backpack that was too heavy to carry and had just been dropped. Note: Weapon and armor weight checks are coming in a separate patch soon.[/p]
• [p]Air Tank & Battery Swap Bug Fixed Swapping items like Air Tanks didn’t immediately show them as detached in the inventory, which could cause minor confusion. That’s fixed. Also improved behavior on chargers — please report if anything still seems off.[/p]
• [p]🏆 Steam Achievements Update[/p]
  • [p]Achievements at the Training Center are now only granted upon completing the full training sequence (Note: this requires confirmation of proper functionality — please report any issues)[/p]
  • [p]Achievements should now be disabled in the new Space Test level (This zone is purely for testing and not part of the main progression)[/p]
  • [p]As a rule, Steam achievements are intended to be available only on Tha Nesoi Island, the main game area[/p]
  • [p]If you unlock an achievement in Space Test... well, that’s probably a bug. Or a sign you’re too clever. Please report it.[/p]
• [p]Chargers Improvements[/p]
  • [p]Fixed a bug where drinking while filling water could freeze the menu. You can now grab a bottle without preview or drink directly from the charger.[/p]
  • [p]Items on chargers now support quick inventory addition. This will soon be available for all items — previews will be optional or only shown for unknown items, depending on your looter level.[/p]
  • [p]Chargers now show USE instead of OPEN when accessible.[/p]
• [p]Weapons No Longer Jam When Clean & Condition > 90% Weapons should now behave more reliably. Previously, even a 100% clean weapon could jam due to frustrating randomness — calculations were correct, but the experience wasn’t. This is now toned down. (A bigger weapon update is coming soon.)[/p]
• [p]Reduced Pushback Force on Player Collisions This is part of a new system still in progress, but early tweaks should feel better.[/p]
• [p]Other Small Fixes[/p]
  • [p]Materials updated for vests, plates, some bags, and backpacks[/p]
  • [p]Added an option to disable interaction immediately after waking up[/p]
  • [p]Crafting UI: “TOOL” label changed to “PLACE AND SELECT A REQUIRED TOOL” to reduce confusion[/p]

[h2]🧪 New Early Access Test Level: “Space Test” (EA Only)[/h2][p]A new experimental level added just for internal testing — but since it’s already in-game, why not share it with the bravest testers?[/p]

• [p]A small, minimalistic room packed with crates and devices for hacking, repairing, and lockpicking — all workbenches included[/p]
• [p]Weapons and wildlife (non-hostile) — yes, even the spiders purr sweetly if you listen closely[/p]
• [p]Sleeping and cooking stations available[/p]
• [p]Great for practicing mechanics like hacking — and once the upcoming weapon update drops, you’ll be able to test those differences too[/p]
• [p]Note: Items from this level can’t be transferred to Nesoi Island — blame the damn customs regulations[/p]
• [p]Achievements are disabled in this zone[/p]
• [p]This level was originally created for internal testing only, but if it’s well received, I’ll gladly polish it further in my spare time[/p]

[p]
Coming soon: another small test level called The Impact Crater. Neither of these are part of the main game storyline... probably 😉 (After all, the game takes place on a planet — not a space station like Space Test — but hey, maybe there’s more to it.)[/p][h2]🧪 What’s Coming Soon (likely this week):[/h2]

• [p]Performance improvements are near ready, but still untested. I didn’t want to mix them into this patch, so they’ll come separately — and we might roll back if needed[/p]
• [p]A dedicated fix for save/load issues: some items are appearing after load that shouldn’t. It doesn’t break the game, but it hurts immersion[/p]
• [p]I'm finishing work on adding save/load functionality to the Training Center[/p]
• [p]More bug fixes are on the way, as always[/p]
• [p]Weapon improvements probably won’t land this week — but I’m not ruling it out[/p]
• [p]The demo will be updated to this version soon — possibly later today or tomorrow[/p]

[p]
Thanks for all your feedback and support — keep it coming![/p][p]Warm regards, The Developer[/p]

[p]Yesterday, a bug fix was released, including one related to mini-game help closing. It turns out I overlooked the option to freeze after a successful hack – it should now work correctly.[/p][p]I'm working on a larger fix, but I was able to release this one quickly.[/p][p][/p][p]Best regards![/p]

[p]Today’s update may seem small at first glance, but your feedback will directly influence how I approach future optimization.[/p][h2]✅ Fixes:[/h2]

• [p]Resolved a bug that could lock the UI during mini-games:[/p]
  • [p]Hacking[/p]
  • [p]Lockpicking[/p]
  • [p]Repairing[/p]

[p]This change mainly affects Nesoi Island — specifically how textures and world objects are loaded in the open environment. Recently, I noticed FPS drops at the start of the game. These weren’t caused by scene complexity, but rather by how the engine handles world loading. Earlier builds performed better, though they had other minor issues. I’d love to hear your feedback — especially on Discord — about which version runs better for you.[/p][p]⚠️ Note: Textures and LOD at game start You may notice blurred textures or incorrect LODs when the game first loads. I can force high-quality loading from the start, but I’m not sure it’s necessary for all hardware setups.[/p][p]In the future, I plan to add settings that let players choose how textures are streamed and how GPU memory is managed. For now, I’m working on finding a universal default that works well across most systems.[/p]

• [p]Investigating a bug causing item duplication in the world and on hangars[/p]
• [p]Backpack can be overloaded, and dropped items may not be picked up properly[/p]
• [p]Several smaller fixes and improvements are also on my list and will be addressed soon[/p]

[p]For more details, join the Discord event this Sunday — I’ll be sharing updates and answering questions live. Check the event link for your local time.
[/p][p]Thanks again for your support and feedback!

Warm regards,
Paweł — creator of Hiraeth[/p]