Hiraeth News

[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]

[p]I had planned a longer announcement to celebrate the launch, but the truth is: I’m still deep in development and simply don’t have the time. I hope you’ll agree that steady progress and a stable Early Access build are more important than a fancy post.[/p][p]Just yesterday, on launch day, I released the first patch — and another one might drop tomorrow. Right now, my main focus is tackling a new issue: FPS drops.[/p][h2]🎯 Performance Improvements[/h2][p]Over the past few months, performance was looking great. Unfortunately, the final builds leading up to Early Access introduced some issues. I went a bit overboard with settings — and with so many interdependent systems, it’s not a simple fix. But I’m already working on it, and performance will soon return to previous levels.[/p][p]On my RTX 2060, the game ran smoothly, and on stronger cards, even better. That’s the experience I’m aiming to restore.[/p][p]Hiraeth uses cutting-edge Unreal Engine 5.5 features: Ray Tracing, Nanite, World Partition, Lumen. It’s unlikely to run well on older GPUs. I may consider a version optimized for lower-end hardware in the future, but that’s not part of the current roadmap — and it might not be necessary at all.[/p][h2]🗺️ Roadmap for 2025[/h2][p]The current version includes many features added just recently — which is impressive, considering the project has been in development for 3 years. Here are a few highlights:[/p]

• [p]Skill leveling and progression (added this summer)[/p]
• [p]Inventory with drag & drop (since May)[/p]
• [p]Mini-games: hacking, lockpicking, repair (coming this summer)[/p]
• [p]Steam achievements — implemented during the demo phase, less than a month ago[/p]

[p]Updates are released regularly, and most issues with these features are nearly resolved. Soon, they’ll be running smoothly.[/p][h3]🔫 What’s Next in 2025?[/h3]

• [p]Weapons will be refined — both in terms of handling and overall mechanics. Melee weapons will be added shortly after (or possibly even before).[/p]
• [p]The design of Nesoi Island will be finalized — including surface and underwater areas. New caves will be added, and previously inaccessible buildings will be opened.[/p]
• [p]This year, I plan to introduce the first vehicle and a brand-new region: Ahra Prime — with a different environment and unique biomes.[/p]
• [p]New gameplay elements are also on the horizon: the first quests and mission systems will be introduced, along with interactive tasks and objectives. I’m also exploring the addition of player-controlled farming and building power systems — features that could open up entirely new layers of immersion and strategy.[/p]

[h3]🤝 True Early Access — Solo Developer[/h3][p]Hiraeth is a genuine Early Access title developed by a solo dev. If more players join the journey, I’ll be able to bring others on board to help — which would ease the workload and speed up development.[/p][p]Today’s post is just a brief look at what’s ahead. 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 for being here and supporting the project.
Warm regards,
Paweł — creator of Hiraeth[/p][p][/p][p][/p]

[h3]Unlock the signal. Step into ☵ Hiraeth — a space where memory meets momentum. The signal is live. Early Access began 3 September.

Offer ends 10 September – Don’t miss your chance to join the transmission![/h3][p][/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][h2]📡 Signal check: heartfelt thanks from the dev[/h2][h3] Thanks so much to everyone who’s already jumped into Hiraeth Early Access, joined the playtest, or simply shared kind words about the game. As a solo developer, your support means the world — this project is made for you, and it wouldn’t exist without you.[/h3][p]A bigger announcement is coming soon to mark the Early Access launch (which kicked off yesterday, 3 September), but for now just a heads-up: there’s a limited-time launch discount running until 10 September.
[/p][p]Stay tuned,
Paweł – developer of Hiraeth[/p]

• [p] Addressed an issue that often prevented players from standing up after crouching after loading a saved game — effectiveness of the fix still needs confirmation.
  [/p]
• [p] Sleeping no longer triggers an automatic save. You can now manually save the game at any time using F6. For more details, please check the in-game help section.[/p]

[p]This is a quick hotfix — a larger update is coming soon! Feel free to join our Discord community, where I try to be available whenever I can.

Thanks for your support 💙
Developer[/p]