Weekly Update! More Bug Fixing & Polish

[p]Hey Everyone! First of all a huge thank you to everyone who has played Those Who Dwell so far and taken the time to share feedback and report issues. As a solo developer, your feedback, bug reports, and suggestions directly shape every update. This game genuinely wouldn’t be improving at the speed it is without you.[/p][p]This week’s update is heavily focused on bug fixing, performance improvements, and polishing multiple late-game areas and endings. Here’s everything included so far:[/p][hr][/hr][h2]Performance & Lighting Improvements[/h2]

[p]General lighting updates across multiple levels[/p]
[p]Performance optimisations, especially on Levels 9 & 10[/p]
[p]Fixed volumetric light orbs appearing incorrectly in some areas[/p]
[p]Reduced the glow intensity of spirit memories[/p]
[p]Fixed floating rocks in several locations[/p]

[hr][/hr][h2]Progression & Soft-Lock Fixes[/h2]

[p]Fixed a progression blocker after Level 8[/p]
[p]Fixed a progression blocker after Level 9[/p]
[p]Fixed an issue where wood and nails were not required to progress after Level 3[/p]
[p]Fixed the puzzle door bug in Level 10[/p]
[p]Fixed a bug that prevented rekindling the final light in Level 10 when out of light[/p]
[p]Disabled “Continue” on the Main Menu after returning there from an Ending[/p]
[p]Fixed the Ending epilogues being swapped[/p]

[hr][/hr][h2]Puzzle, Shrine & Totem Updates[/h2]

[p]Removed the secondary interaction from shrine totems[/p]
[p]Fixed a bug where you could place a totem but still be holding one[/p]
[p]Disabled interaction with the lockbox in Level 5 after it’s opened[/p]
[p]Polished the candle stairway puzzle in Level 5[/p]
[p]Added a door rumble, screen shake & sound when completing puzzles in Levels 7, 8 & 9[/p]
[p]Reduced the amount of light taken when offering to shrines by 50%[/p]
[p]Improved the chalk interaction in Level 10 to be clearer and more forgiving[/p]

[hr][/hr][h2]Controls, UI & Input Fixes[/h2]

[p]Fixed a major bug where pressing A/Interact after pausing could return you to the Main Menu[/p]
[p]Changed running input from gamepad stick hold → trigger hold[/p]
[p]Fixed interaction prompts sticking on the screen[/p]
[p]Fixed the secondary prompt option missing correct gamepad input[/p]
[p]Disabled decals appearing on held items[/p]

[hr][/hr][h2]Visual Polish & Level Fixes[/h2]

[p]Made the cave painting more visible in Level 3[/p]
[p]Fixed a visual level gap in Level 2[/p]
[p]Fixed the hard-hat scaling in Level 2[/p]
[p]Polished paper notes to be easier to spot in certain levels[/p]
[p]Removed hint text from wooden boards after Level 1, since the crowbar is already obtained[/p]
[p]Added another oil interactable at the end of Level 4[/p]
[p]Fixed being unable to collect oil after the “I can’t hold anymore” message[/p]
[p]Polished various late-game visual moments and all endings[/p]

[hr][/hr][h2]Coming Very Soon[/h2][p]Before the next weeks update, I’ll also be adding:[/p]

[p]A Level Select option on the Main Menu for players who have already completed the game and want to revisit specific chapters[/p]
[p]More in-game context and storytelling for the cave paintings[/p]

[hr][/hr][h2]Thank You & Keep the Feedback Coming[/h2][p]Bug fixing, optimisation, and polishing is still ongoing and constant, and it’s all been driven directly by player feedback. A massive thank you to everyone who has played so far and shared their thoughts![/p][p]If you haven’t already:[/p]

[p]Feel free to leave feedback in the Steam Discussions[/p]
[p]Let me know what you love and what you hate[/p]
[p]And if you enjoy the game, please consider leaving a Steam review as it makes a huge difference for small indie developers like myself.[/p]

[p]More updates soon.
— Luke[/p]