Hiraeth News

[h2]Today’s update focuses mainly on system cleanup and a wide range of UI improvements[/h2][h3]Player damage after loading a save[/h3]

• [p]The player no longer takes damage before the save file finishes fully loading.[/p]
• [p]This requires confirmation both immediately after loading and during normal gameplay. I tested all related systems, but there are many dependencies, so it’s possible something slipped through.[/p]
• [p]If any issues are reported, the fix will be quick and straightforward.[/p]

[h3]Improved validation for the Looter skill[/h3]

• [p]Fixed an issue where XP for the Looter skill could be granted for items added to containers outside the player’s inventory.[/p]
• [p]Fixed XP being incorrectly awarded when moving items between the player’s own backpacks.[/p]
• [p]As intended from the beginning (and now fully enforced), Looter XP is granted only for discovering unique items. Adding duplicates does not increase XP.[/p]
  • [p]This creates a natural progression curve: early-game XP gains are high, and they gradually decrease as fewer unique items remain. Already‑found items now grant only a symbolic 1 XP.[/p]

[h2]UI[/h2][h3]Minimap — continued improvements after yesterday’s release[/h3]

• [p]The minimap now features an automatic night mode that activates between evening and morning.[/p]
• [p]The display system is still under development. Upcoming features include Thermal Vision, adjustable detection ranges, and more.[/p]
• [p]The minimap’s capabilities will also depend on the module’s tier, which will soon be upgradable through crafting (system still WIP).[/p]
• [p]Minor flickering may still occur in shadows cast by the main camera — ongoing refinement.[/p]

[h3]Quick Access Menu[/h3]

• [p]After using Move All, invalid bag slots (outside pockets and front bags) are no longer shown by default.[/p]
• [p]Increased the size of the Quick Access Menu and expanded the number of icons per row from 3 to 4.[/p]

[h3]Main Menu / Bags[/h3]

• [p]Increased the number of horizontal slots from 3 to 4.[/p]

[h2]Recycling Machine[/h2]

• [p]Prevented depositing any non‑allowed items when using Move All.[/p]
• [p]Upon entering the machine interface, available categories and a short description are now displayed, in addition to the list shown on the machine itself.[/p]

[p]This time it’s a very quick (day‑to‑day) and small update, mainly focused on testing the new minimap system.[/p][h2]Minimap[/h2][p]Activation requires installing the new EVA Suit “SCAN‑Uplink” module. This is the first test version.[/p][p]Future iterations will include adjustable range and rotation, with multiple variants (MK1, MK2, etc.). Integration with the updated full map (default key \[M]) is also coming soon.[/p][p]The SCAN‑Uplink module can be found at the Forwarding base.[/p][p][/p][p]For now, the minimap may cause minor shadow glitches on certain GPUs — you can disable it by simply removing the module.[/p][p][/p][h2]A few quick miscellaneous fixes[/h2]

• [p]Enabled equipping the Crowbar directly from the inventory. As mentioned before, this still needs testing.[/p]
• [p]Fixed Overload behavior for the Talon AI. For now, its weight has been disabled. After introducing stackables, further adjustments will be required.[/p]
• [p]Corrected the “uncompleted” typo on the task widget.[/p]
• [p]Fixed a small gap in the Hydron Nodes.[/p]
• [p]Removed the Laser Rifle battery from the world, since the weapon itself isn’t added yet.[/p]

[h3]Wishing you all a great weekend,[/h3][h3]Paweł[/h3][p]
[/p][p][/p][p][/p]

[p]It’s been a week since the last major update, and here comes another one — and I think there’s a good reason for it. The previous update brought an engine upgrade and huge performance improvements. This time, we’re taking a big step toward the story mode in Hiraeth: the first substantial quest, complete with gameplay and world changes.[/p][h2]Comm Center Access Quest[/h2][p]This is the first longer, multi‑stage quest in Hiraeth. For now, it still appears in the list as a Task, but soon quests and tasks will be separated properly.[/p][p]Your goal is to gain access to the Comm Center, and the quest begins during your first inspection of the facility.
[/p][p]This quest will be part of the main storyline — leaving Nesoi Island and traveling to another region of Ahra Prime. For now, the reward is access to the Comm Center itself: a large structure with items, workstations, and more.[/p]

• [p]It requires meeting several conditions[/p]
• [p]It includes a few optional, related side tasks[/p]
• [p]It has no time limits (a new thing — tasks usually do)[/p]

[p][/p][p]As more quests are added to the future main storyline “Leave Nesoi,” some elements may change so you can experience new content, but the core idea will remain the same.[/p][p]For leaving Nesoi, I’m planning around 15 in‑game days of tasks for a speedrun. Many of them will have no time limits, and soon they will also depend on the selected difficulty level.[/p][h3]IMPORTANT: Due to major systemic changes, starting a new game is required. Using old save files may cause errors and prevent quests and objectives from functioning correctly. I apologize for the inconvenience — this is, unfortunately, something that can happen in a rapidly evolving Early Access game.[/h3][h2]Changes on Nesoi Island[/h2]

• [p]A new station related to the Comm Center quest, along with connected details like cables running from the Comm Center[/p]
• [p]More intense overall world colors on Nesoi; multiple presets (cinematic, dystopian, etc.) are in the works[/p]
• [p]Corrected large antenna on the Comm Center[/p]
• [p]As seen in the quest, an early version of the energy management system for objects and devices has been added — this system will be expanded and used frequently later on (not always for quests this complex)[/p]
• [p]Numerous foliage changes on Nesoi (including rocks and similar elements) and terrain/landscape adjustments[/p]
• [p]During testing I noticed some foliage rocks lack collision — I’m skipping this for now, since the entire foliage setup on Nesoi will be replaced soon anyway[/p]

[h2]Other Changes[/h2][p]I focused almost entirely on the quest, which required a lot of coding and systemic adjustments. Other changes were postponed, except for the ones below.[/p][h3]Navigation & Performance[/h3][p]I made several changes to the navigation system. In Unreal Engine, you can currently choose between a very stable setup (no engine crashes) or a very performant one that heavily loads the system. As you can see, I managed to create a lightweight and stable version — no crashes despite many hours of quest testing. In many areas, performance is even better than before, which was already very good compared to other Unreal Engine games.[/p][h3]Equip Crowbar From Inventory[/h3][p]You can now equip the crowbar directly from the inventory, not only when picking it up from the world. It generally works fine, but the entire weapon‑handling system will be reworked soon. This was added at the last moment and may need tweaks.[/p][h3]Weapon Jamming Condition Changes[/h3][p]Hiraeth has a detailed procedural weapon jamming system, but settings and actual randomness don’t always align. Jams could occur even just below 90% condition and cleanliness, despite the theoretical chance being almost zero. For now, weapons will not jam at all when condition and cleanliness are above 50%.[/p][h3]Save System Changes[/h3]

• [p]Brighter and higher‑resolution save slot icon[/p]
• [p]Saving during sleeping or waiting no longer triggers every in‑game hour like normal gameplay[/p]
• [p]After migrating to the newest engine version, world item saving requires updates — some fixes are included now, the rest will come in the next update[/p]

[h3]Access Terminal Message Selection Fix[/h3][p]After the engine upgrade, some terminal buttons couldn’t be selected. This is now fixed.[/p][h3]Inventory Item Collision[/h3][p]Adjusted collision between items and the player. This will be refined further, but it already prevents certain objects from being “launched into space” after colliding with the player.[/p][p]I hope you enjoy completing the new quest and have a great time exploring! These are only the most important changes — this weekend’s issue of The Ahra Prime Times will cover the game’s development and upcoming fixes. Even though many issues are already resolved, the engine migration introduced new ones to address, such as occasional non‑disappearing widgets like Take Item.[/p][p]Warm regards, Paweł[/p]

[h2]Migration to Unreal Engine 5.7.1[/h2][p]This update moves Hiraeth to the newest version of Unreal Engine 5.7.1.[/p][p]This upgrade brings improved stability, smoother performance, and better overall consistency across systems.[/p][p]The migration was significantly more demanding than previous engine updates, but… let’s leave that part unspoken.[/p][p][/p][h2]Windows User Files – Updated Folder Structure[/h2][p]I also reorganized the game’s file structure to make it cleaner and more future‑proof.[/p][p]Previously, game files (saves, logs, configs) were stored in:  [/p][p][c]%LOCALAPPDATA%\\Hiraeth2025[/c][/p][p]Now they are stored in:  [/p][p][c]%LOCALAPPDATA%\\Hiraeth[/c][/p][p]This matters because you can manually move your old saves and settings into the new folder. Simply copy the entire Saved directory from the old location into the new one.[/p][p]This is a one‑time change, and I don’t plan to modify this structure again. Sorry for the inconvenience.[/p][p][/p][h2]DSLL Update (Nvidia)[/h2][p]The new engine version allows Hiraeth to use the latest December DSLL build from Nvidia.[/p][p]I also improved how video settings are applied — both after changing them and when loading the game.[/p][p]DSLL in Hiraeth is still in an alpha state and may require several attempts to find the best settings for your hardware. There are two reasons for this:[/p]

• [p]Nvidia optimizes DSLL primarily for AAA titles.[/p]
• [p]Working with DSLL is extremely time‑consuming, and I can’t dedicate as much time to it as I’d like.[/p]

[p]From my tests, the game looks noticeably better on the same settings compared to the previous DSLL version. The older build tended to oversimplify the image.[/p][p]As for performance — hard to say. Thanks to unusual project‑level optimizations in the previous update, my RTX 2060 already achieved very solid results: not EPIC settings, but stable ~60 FPS both in Training Center and the much heavier Nesoi Island (large map, ocean, and many FPS‑impacting features).[/p][p]Performance on my aging RTX 2060 using the settings shown. In other areas I can reach around 60 FPS even on EPIC (though not fully stable). Considering the technologies used in Hiraeth, this is an excellent result for this GPU.[/p][p][/p][h2]New Performance Features (Normally Unavailable in UE)[/h2][p]This update enables additional performance‑oriented features, including AVX2 support.[/p][p]AVX2 allows the CPU to process certain operations more efficiently, improving performance in systems that rely heavily on math and data processing.[/p][p][/p][h2]HLOD Update[/h2][p]Hierarchical Level of Detail (HLOD) systems have been refreshed.[/p][p]HLODs help the engine render large environments more efficiently by grouping distant objects into simplified clusters. This reduces draw calls and improves performance, especially on large maps like Nesoi.[/p][p]A perfect showcase of Hiraeth’s next‑gen HLOD system: from Athens you can see the full panorama of Nesoi Island — distant isles, stations, everything — rendered flawlessly with zero performance loss.[/p][p][/p][h2]AI Navigation Optimization[/h2][p]I updated several project‑level navigation settings to make the AI navigation system more stable and more efficient.[/p][p]This should reduce edge‑case errors and improve overall runtime performance.[/p][p][/p][h2]Creatures Return[/h2][p]With the navigation system updated, I restored creatures that were temporarily disabled in a previous version:[/p]

• [p]Raptus[/p]
• [p]Spider[/p]
• [p]Slug[/p]

[p]There are now more of them, and some appear in new locations.[/p][p][/p][h2]New World‑Loading Checks for Certain Items[/h2][p]Dynamic world loading brings many challenges, and engine rules keep evolving.[/p][p]I added new checks to ensure that certain items — for example, weapons — verify whether the object beneath them is already loaded before enabling physics.[/p][p]What does this fix?[/p][p]Previously, for example, a rifle placed on Mr Gilz could occasionally fall straight through the world and end up at the bottom of the ocean.[/p][p]This new system should prevent that. It uses advanced internal checks but has zero noticeable performance cost.[/p][p]In my tests, items now stay exactly where they’re supposed to.[/p][p][/p][h2]Removal of the Starting Pistol in The Last Drop[/h2][p]You now start the game with a crowbar — if you find it.[/p][p]Players who don’t look around or experiment won’t survive long on Ahra Prime. Simple as that.[/p][p]Nesoi Island still has plenty of easily accessible weapons, but this will change in the future once I add new gameplay elements to replace that availability.[/p][p][/p][h2]Many Small but Important Fixes[/h2][p]A lot of seemingly minor adjustments have a big impact.[/p][p]For example, some lights were reconfigured to eliminate flickering — such as the previously unstable Charger Air light under certain video settings.[/p][p]There are also numerous tweaks across Nesoi Island, foliage, and various environment settings.[/p][p][/p][h2]Fixes for Overload Issues[/h2][p]After introducing stackables, several overload problems appeared — for example when moving Duct Tape and other items.[/p][p]I fixed everything I found, but the system still needs refinement. It’s new to Hiraeth, and the new engine version introduced workflow changes that I’m still adapting to.[/p][p][/p][h2]Simple WIP Head‑Bob Reduction[/h2][p]A work‑in‑progress head‑bob reduction system has been active for some time, even though I didn’t announce it earlier.[/p][p]Press \[L] to toggle between normal camera mode and reduced head‑bob mode.[/p][p]This isn’t yet visible in the keybindings menu (for now), but the key works.[/p][p]How to check?  [/p][p]Look down at your feet and press L — you’ll see the camera shift slightly.[/p][p]This is just a side effect, but it confirms the mode switched.[/p][p]In this mode, the camera also applies partial smoothing to reduce animation‑driven motion.[/p][p]I don’t use it personally, but I’ll continue improving it.[/p][p][/p][h2]Using Old Saves[/h2][p]With changes as deep as a new engine version and major system updates, starting a new game is recommended — but the choice is yours.[/p][p]As described in the previous announcement:
[dynamiclink][/dynamiclink]Playing with old saves requires moving your files from the old folder to the new Windows User Files location.[/p][p][/p][h2]Summary[/h2][p]Beyond the changes listed above, there are many smaller improvements I’m not mentioning individually.[/p][p]Gameplay itself hasn’t changed much, but the combination of a new engine version, navigation overhaul, DSLL update, and performance features makes this a Major Update.[/p][h3]IMPORTANT[/h3][p]With so many deep changes, some issues may still slip through, even though I tested this build for many hours and it is stable. If you encounter any problems, please report them on Steam or Discord — your feedback helps me improve Hiraeth for everyone.[/p][p][/p][h3]Good luck out there, survivors. Keep your eyes open, trust your instincts, and may your journey across Ahra Prime be a long one. [/h3][p]All the best, Paweł[/p]

[p]As a reminder, after some updates, a NEW GAME is required to avoid many errors, especially with inventory – playing from old saves can cause various errors with inventory and items in the world![/p][p]You can sometimes accept them, but if the problem is serious, check whether to restart the game.[/p][p]As both the author and the player, I try my best to make changes without having to restart the game, but unfortunately, it's often technically impossible.[/p][p][/p][p]This is quite common in Early Access games. I hope this requirement will be eliminated later, because as a player, I know how devastating it is. Unfortunately, changes introduced by hardware or software manufacturers, such as Windows, often force this requirement, which is beyond the developers' control.[/p][p]I apologize for any inconvenience.[/p][p][/p][p]Best regards, Paweł[/p]