Update log
Full HUNGER update
The complete published notes, normalized for clean reading and source attribution.
Repeated intro
Hello, Living.
Extracted changes
- Balance
- Security
- Maps
- Gameplay
Development Update
Development on the game is continuing apace. Since the last tech test, the primary focus has been the full implementation of our backend scaling architecture. This work has involved making sure all core services communicate correctly across the stack so the game can scale cleanly.
We have also implemented our anti-cheat solution, alongside a large amount of optimization work across the client and server. In addition, players will now have the option to use SSGI instead of Lumen, giving more flexibility for performance and visual configuration depending on hardware.
Alongside backend and technical work, we have continued polishing all existing gameplay systems and content that appeared in the previous test. This includes ongoing balance passes, systems tweaks, UI refinement, performance improvements, and the addition of more atmospheric detail across all maps. Every area of the game has received incremental polish, and that process is continuing.
We also have a number of small surprises planned for the next test, along with new cosmetics and additional visual improvements.
Looking further ahead, Early Access is only the first step of a much longer journey, and a large amount of new content is already in development. This includes new cosmetics, new NPCs, new quests, new maps, new types of Hunger, and new weapons expanding the current roster. We are also working on new Living characters to play as, additional cosmetic categories, and new game features designed to expand the ways players can group together and play cooperatively.
Work is also ongoing on the other districts of the Chateau, which will open over time as development continues.
Thank you for the continued support. If you have not already done so, join the Discord to stay up to date with development, and make sure the game is wishlisted on Steam.
The next tech test is approaching.
Quests
The Chateau - Hub, Town, and Quest Centre
Players begin in the Chateau, which is the main hub of Hunger. It functions as a town space where you meet NPCs, access vendors, manage your character, and pick up quests. Most progression starts here, and throughout the game the Chateau remains the place you return to between Expeditions.
Quests are the core spine of progression in Hunger. While you can gain gear through combat, looting, crafting, killing, and exploration, the intended path through the game is driven by the quest system. Early quests are designed to teach the fundamentals - looting, healing, combat, extraction, vendors, and how the Chateau itself is structured. We deliberately introduce mechanics through quests rather than front-loading everything at the start.
District Progression and Unlocking New Systems
The Chateau is divided into multiple districts, and progression is tied to moving through them in order. Each district has its own characters, story questline, and set of objectives. To advance, you must complete the main questline for the current district, beginning with the cast-offs in the Outer Ramparts.
Progression is not meant to come from grinding gear. Finishing the questline for a district unlocks the next part of the Chateau and the systems tied to it.
Moving into new districts does not just change the environment - it expands the game itself. Each area introduces new mechanics and new features. The second district, the Cauldron, unlocks major systems that are not available in the Outer Ramparts, including the ability to form guilds and the ability to begin advancing your profession. Hunger contains many interconnected features, and the quest structure allows us to introduce them gradually as you climb,
Source