Hiraeth News

[p]The new task, quest, and message system may not yet transform gameplay dramatically, but its arrival in the upcoming update marks the beginning of something much bigger.[/p][p][/p][h2]New System: Tasks/Quests and Messages[/h2][p]Coming in update 0.9.8.2 (this week), this system lays the groundwork for major gameplay changes. While early tests show it’s stable and well-structured, the initial version includes only a few trial tasks — many of which will be revised, expanded, and joined by new ones soon.[/p][h3]Tasks & Quests[/h3][p]Tasks are assigned by the system, by characters, or triggered by scenario events.[/p][p]Currently, tasks are optional. Soon, you’ll be able to choose between: [/p]

• [p]Pure sandbox survival — with or without tasks [/p]
• [p]Story mode — where quests play a major role and many are required to progress[/p]

[p]This is an early version: tasks are sorted and come with notifications. It works — but both aesthetics and functionality will be refined and expanded.[/p][h3]Signals, Messages[/h3][p]Often linked to quests, but not always. Currently, two test messages from a single sender…[/p][p][/p][p]Basic information about tasks and signals now in the OPERATOR menu[/p][p]Detailed with filtering in DATAVAULT[/p][p][/p][h2]Update published
[dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/h2][h2]When does it expand? [/h2][p]Very soon! The system is ready, but new content will arrive alongside the Nesoi Island update and the introduction of difficulty selection. The goal is by year’s end — and with December just around the corner, it’s closer than ever.[/p][p][/p][h2]Other Work [/h2][p]Alongside today’s feature — which changes the rules of play — I am also working on:[/p]

• [p]Nesoi Island — major changes coming soon[/p]
• [p]Audio system — the new engine version requires revisiting many previously polished areas, while also unlocking new possibilities for full audio control[/p]
• [p]Difficulty selection — testing and integration in progress[/p]

[p][/p][h2]Closing Signal [/h2][p]See you in the next issue of The Ahra Prime Times. Carry out your tasks faithfully — even the test ones. XP is always useful, and the Stranger’s favor may be the key to survival.[/p][p]— Author[/p]

[h2]Recent Changes & Updates[/h2][p]A lot has changed since last week’s issue—some updates went live without announcements. Below is a curated summary of what’s new.[/p][h3]🏆 Steam Achievements[/h3][p]Many achievements needed fixing, likely due to engine changes. Most now work correctly. Some hidden ones (like Such a Perfect Week!) may activate after today’s update. New achievements will arrive with the next major update, but no additional ones are planned for the Demo.[/p][h3]☣️ Chronic Diseases[/h3][p]Acute Radiation Syndrome has been in-game for a while. Now, chronic food poisoning joins the roster. It’s up to you: risk eating spoiled food or stick to fresh, safe sources—found mushrooms, hunted meat. Water purifiers help, but even clean water and food degrade over time. Food now spoils primarily in the world (soon also in containers). More diseases are coming. This is just the beginning.[/p][h3]🎚️ Difficulty & Disease[/h3][p]Players seeking challenge will find it. Disease mechanics will scale with difficulty—above Wayfarer (easy), they’ll have real impact. Currently, difficulty is averaged, but the system already accounts for it. Diseases may be disabled entirely for Wayfarer. Focus remains on higher tiers. Guides will expand soon. For now, Discord is the best place for questions.[/p][h3]🏃 Movement Speed[/h3][p]Movement has been tweaked—slightly faster overall, with terrain slope now affecting speed both uphill and downhill. This system will evolve and tie into:[/p]

• [p]Difficulty selection[/p]
• [p]Character progression[/p]
• [p]Future support modules[/p]

[h3]🧪 Demo Update Incoming[/h3][p]The Demo hasn’t seen updates in a while, despite major game changes. A cumulative update is planned this week. I’m considering new Demo limitations—possibly save restrictions. While Early Access will soon expand beyond Nesoi, the Demo will remain there.[/p][h3]🔜 What’s Next[/h3][p]Recent changes lay the groundwork for major gameplay shifts. Coming soon (order not final):[/p]

• [p]More threats and enemies (some already added to Nesoi)[/p]
• [p]Difficulty selection[/p]
• [p]Environmental changes on Nesoi, followed by a new Early Access location[/p]
• [p]First quests and tasks—leaving Nesoi will require completing them[/p]

[h3]🛠️ Stability [/h3][p]The new engine resolved most crash issues. Still, HIRAETH pushes next-gen GPU features hard. If you experience crashes:[/p]

• [p]Check GPU usage (WindowsKey+Alt+G via Game Bar)[/p]
• [p]If near 100%, lower Epic settings, max FPS, or resolution[/p]
• [p]Ensure proper cooling—overheating causes crashes[/p]
• [p]Optimization doesn’t depend on scene complexity; I explained this last week[/p]
• [p]For freeze/crash issues, this registry tweak may help: Epic Games GPU crash guide[/p]

[h3]🎮 Gamepad & Third-Person View[/h3][p]I’ve explored gamepad and third-person support, but feedback and polls show it’s not a priority for most players. These features are paused for now—focus remains on core gameplay.[/p][h3]🌍 Language Support[/h3][p]Localization is important, but delayed due to engine migration. Supported languages were removed from the Steam page (only active ones can be listed), but plans haven’t changed. German and French lead the wishlist, but Steam Workshop will open translation opportunities for many others. The game’s main font will stay—it’s modern, readable, and safe for special characters across all future languages.

[/p][h2]Closing[/h2][p]The next Ahra Prime Times and Hiraeth devlog will arrive next week—let’s see what changes this week brings to the game![/p][p]Stay safe, survivors! Author

[/p]

[p]We’re closing in on key gameplay changes, and health monitoring fixes remain important. Current changes are universal; once difficulty tiers are introduced, availability will depend on the selected difficulty. For example, tougher modes won’t auto-interrupt sleep/wait on risk, and detailed disease info will require the Medic skill and/or access to the health monitoring module (coming soon).[/p][h2]Versioning update[/h2]

• [p]Version: Updated to 0.9.8.19 #3[/p]
• [p]Note: Keeping 0.9.8.2 reserved for an upcoming larger update[/p]

[h2]Operator tab — chronic disease visibility[/h2]

• [p]Added: Chronic disease information in the Operator Tab[/p]
• [p]Risk note: Chronic conditions can be dangerous even at low progression and were previously easy to miss[/p]
• [p]Icons:[/p]
  • [p]ARS: Acute Radiation Syndrome icon now live[/p]
  • [p]Food poisoning: Icon now live[/p]
• [p]Resolution behavior: Icons disappear after successful treatment[/p]

[p]the danger icon appears even at a minimal stage of disease development. Remember that ARS is a disease that occurs when you receive the full allowable radiation exposure.[/p][p][/p][h2]Sleep/Wait interruption changes[/h2]

• [p]New trigger: Sleep and Wait are now also interrupted when any chronic disease is active[/p]
• [p]No other changes: Existing triggers (health loss, thirst, hunger) remain as before[/p]
• [p]In progress: Expanding interruptions for other accelerated-time actions (e.g., crafting, breaching). Some exist already; full coverage requires comprehensive validation[/p]

[h2]Difficulty-dependent behavior (preview)[/h2]

• [p]Harder modes: No automatic sleep/wait interruptions on risk[/p]
• [p]Detailed health info: Gated by Medic skill progression and/or the health monitor module (planned feature)[/p]

[h2]Near-term roadmap[/h2]

• [p]Health monitoring module: Integrating access and UI[/p]
• [p]Action interruptions: Auditing and extending coverage across time-accelerated tasks for consistency and clarity[/p]

[p]Yesterday’s silent fix addressed several achievement issues. Today’s update brings the following changes:[/p][h3]🕒 Time tracking display[/h3]

• [p]Fixed incorrect playtime (days) display across different parts of the game.[/p]
• [p]Resolved inconsistencies when viewing playtime in various UI locations.[/p]

[h3]🛠️ Tinker Skill Progression[/h3]

• [p]All repair actions now grant XP to the Tinker skill.[/p]
• [p]Tinker-based tasks will soon become significantly more important.[/p]

[h3]💧 Water Filler (Charger)[/h3]

• [p]The Water Filler now instantly purifies and fills with fresh water.[/p]

[h3]🏆 Steam Achievements[/h3]

• [p]Several achievements have been fixed.[/p]
• [p]A few remaining ones are still in progress.[/p]
• [p]Achievement descriptions updated on Steam (and in your Steam client).[/p]
• [p]New icon added for ‘Armed and Lost’.[/p]

[h3]⚠️ Health Risk Interruptions[/h3]

• [p]Sleeping and waiting are now interrupted if health is at risk — especially useful for initially symptomless conditions like AR Syndrome or Food Poisoning.[/p]
• [p]Added a short delay to the interaction button after death. Previously, it was possible to skip the summary screen too quickly and return to the main menu without realizing what happened.[/p]

[h3]🔥 Cooking Fix[/h3]

• [p]Fixed a bug where newly added food would instantly burn if placed on a cooker after a previous item was overcooked.[/p]
• [p]Improved texture handling for newly added mushrooms during cooking.[/p]
• [p]Updated descriptions for mushrooms that are now only edible when cooked.[/p]

[h3]🧬 Other Adjustments[/h3]

• [p]Slight increase in creature and enemy density.[/p]
• [p]Removed Ferret from broken drone loot (still craftable).[/p]
• [p]Ferret crafting battery now correctly displayed as a Resource.
  
  [/p]

[p]Survive! Author[/p]

[p]I invite you to take a look at the changes in this new update. Alongside plenty of interesting tweaks and fixes, a major new feature has arrived: the Food Poisoning System. While there are already many improvements, the truly big changes are just around the corner![/p][p][/p][h2]🍲 Food Poisoning System Added[/h2][p]An important change. Many players have complained about the excess of food; now, even though the overall amount on Nesoi Island remains the same, truly safe food is much more limited. Recovering and managing spoiled supplies will soon become a vital part of gameplay.[/p]

• [p]Fresh food never causes food poisoning.[/p]
• [p]Eating spoiled food, however, carries a chance of infection — the more spoiled it is, the higher the risk. [/p]

• [p]The probability depends on difficulty level: currently only Drifter is available, but once difficulty selection is introduced, Wayfarer (easy) will have little to no risk (still under consideration), while higher difficulties will increase the chance. [/p]
• [p]The Survivalist skill level reduces the likelihood, but never eliminates it entirely. [/p]
• [p]Food poisoning is sporadic, but meaning it may occur even on the very first bite of suspicious food.[/p]
• [p]Symptoms are currently without special visual effects, though infection can be heard. [/p]
• [p]Untreated poisoning progresses very slowly over many hours. Once it reaches a certain threshold, it causes pain and reduces overall health, which also impacts stamina. It also leads to dehydration and increased hunger — currently minimal, with final values to be adjusted after testing and difficulty balancing.[/p]

[p]Treatment is possible with Gutshield Tablets, which can be found in the world. You start with one pack in your pockets, and later you can craft additional tablets once you discover the blueprint. At present, treatment is fast and always effective, nearly instantaneous.[/p][p]
* You may find the tablets on Nesoi Island, but you should probably rely on them being made yourself.[/p][p][/p][h2]🏆 Steam Achievements Fixed[/h2][p]Steam achievements should now function correctly. This is especially important for the latest ones, such as Such a Perfect Week!, but also applies to both new and earlier achievements. We encourage you to catch up on any missed progress, as more achievements will be added soon with the introduction of difficulty levels.[/p][p]Please note that for the demo, no new achievements beyond the current set are planned.[/p][p][/p][p]Update: According to my Steam test with this update, some achievements have unlocked, some still need to be changed (probably after the engine change). I'm checking which ones work and will fix the rest soon.[/p][h3]Reminder:[/h3][p]Steam achievements only work on Nesoi Island - they are disabled on the Training Center and Space Test (some may work there).[/p][p][/p][h2]🚶‍♂️ Increased Movement Speed[/h2][p]Movement speed has been improved. This is an ongoing development, as many factors will change once difficulty levels are introduced. For now, you will generally move faster across the world.[/p][p][/p][h2]🛡️ Visual Armor Fixes[/h2]

• [p]Removed conflict when equipping a helmet after finding another.[/p]
• [p]Eliminated the possibility of equipping a second helmet or Neck Guard.[/p]
• [p]Fixed the “visual unequip” issue when removing from inventory an identical armor piece that was not equipped. [/p]

[p]This fix requires broader testing — it works correctly on my side, but needs confirmation.[/p][p][/p][h2]🔧 Other Changes[/h2]

• [p]Restored increase of MAX LIFT along with overall level progression.[/p]
• [p]Nature food now requires one in‑game week to fully spoil.[/p]
• [p]Scrapping screen updated — proper buttons and hints now aligned with other similar screens.[/p]
• [p]Royalty Recycler[/p]
  • [p]Improved interaction, removal of the freezing widget.[/p]
  • [p]Capacity increased from 10 kg to 51 kg.[/p]
  • [p]Soon to become a highly desirable device…[/p]
• [p]Repairing minigame: Rescan via assigned key (default E) now works correctly.[/p]
• [p]Nesoi Island: some misplaced chests should now return to Mr Gilz’s place and Lisanne.[/p]
• [p]Many other minor fixes and adjustments not listed here.[/p]

[h2] 📜 Final Note[/h2][p]I invite you to catch up on your Steam achievements and wish you success in finding fresh food! A major update is coming soon — possibly preceded by regular smaller ones — and certainly accompanied by the next edition of Ahra Prime Times.[/p][p]
Survive! Author[/p][h3]
AFTER UPDATE SOME CONFIRMED UNLOCKED ACHIEVEMENTS [/h3][p][/p][p]Such a Perfect Week should work, but need other confirmations [/p]