📰 🪐 The Ahra Prime Times – Welcome to New Order | Week 4

👋 Greetings, Survivors of Ahra Prime

Welcome to a special edition of The Ahra Prime Times, dedicated to the release of the major new update for ☵ HIRAETH —the central theme of this fourth weekly issue.

This moment marks a turning point: not just a technical leap, but a symbolic shift in the journey we’ve been building together. Whether you’ve been here since the earliest builds or joined recently, this update reshapes the terrain beneath your feet—literally and metaphorically.

Let’s dive into what’s changed, what’s coming, and why this version sets the stage for everything that follows.

🔔 Update 0.9.8 – New Order

Yesterday marked the release of the long-awaited update 0.9.8 – New Order. It’s more than just a patch—it’s a symbolic reset. You can read the full announcement here:

[dynamiclink href="https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2646160/view/546747327690311428"]Below, I’ll walk you through some key aspects and share what’s coming next.

Shortly after the Early Access version was updated, the demo was also brought up to version 0.9.8.

⚙️ Stability, Performance, and No More Crashes

The single most important reason for switching to Unreal Engine 5.6.1 was the ability to eliminate potential crashes caused by issues in previous engine versions. It also brings a general boost to game stability and performance.

This update finally resolves long-standing problems with key features like Nanite and Lumen, as well as AI navigation—which, while sporadic, could cause major crashes in specific map areas and situations across all hardware. Other engine-level issues have also been addressed.

This transition was never about chasing new features. While a few are available, I’ll only consider adding them once their reliability is fully confirmed. I want to emphasize: this was the deepest engine migration I’ve ever undertaken, and I’ve worked with Unreal since the early 4.xx days—and even back in 3.xx..

🌌 No Barriers, no Borders, Just Milestones

What matters most now is that HIRAETH, while still in Early Access and in need of refinement, no longer faces external, unsolvable blockers. From version 0.9.8 onward, only tasks remain—not obstacles. And I’m ready to take them on with renewed energy.

As a single-player game designed with intention from the start, HIRAETH may encounter temporary issues, but none of the critical or unresolvable ones that plague some multiplayer titles or projects burdened by excessive production costs.

🚀 DLSS 4 – Showcase and What’s Next

DLSS 4 is now available in-game. It’s currently a showcase version, but a more refined implementation will arrive later this week.

📊 FPS Boost – Training Center Example:

• Version 0.9.7 (internal, before / no DLSS) – 39 FPS

• Version 0.9.8 (Steam, DLSS Super Performance) – 105 FPS Tested on RTX 2060, Epic settings, identical scene.

The FPS boost on The Nesoi Island wasn’t as dramatic—I'll explain why in a future issue or DLSS-focused update.

The test was, of course, performed on the same hardware—RTX 2060—with identical "Epic" settings. Technically, aside from DLSS, both versions are nearly identical.

The FPS boost wasn’t as significant on The Nesoi Island as I initially expected. There are several reasons for this, which I may discuss separately in future issues of The Ahra Prime Times or in an upcoming DLSS-focused update.

🧠 Who Benefits from DLSS?

DLSS 4 works on all supported GPUs, but available features depend on your card’s version. I’ll soon publish a comparison table and open dedicated forums on Discord and Steam to discuss best practices.

More on NVIDIA page

🔴 AMD FSR – Coming Soon

I plan to add support for Radeon cards as soon as possible. While implementation is