First hotfix patch released a few hours after Major Update 0.604, to fix a first set of new bugs introduced by the latest update!

Some major issues still remain and will be addressed in 0.606 as soon as possible, but these fixes were important enough to release now:

• [color=#00FFFF]Flashlight[/color] - A new bug caused the Flashlight to stop working if coming from Chapter 0 (but worked fine when starting from the Chapters page). The Flashlight would only restore after returning to the Main Menu and clicking Resume. This is now fixed!
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Chapter 1[/color] - Could incorrectly reload Chapter 1 instead of loading Chapter 2 upon completion if Speedrun Mode was ON.
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Chapter 1[/color] - Fixed a Chest containing a Lore item that could appear floating in mid-air if viewed too early in the Chapter.
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Chapter 1[/color] - Fixed a bug where the auto-closing Door in the Lockdown area (where the two walls and pipes explode) would prevent re-entry when using Hyper-Speed.
  - Now, this skip is possible again.
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Chapter 2[/color] - The secondary Jetpack (for Jetpackless runs) was incorrectly present at the end lift of Chapter 2, even if the player had already picked up the Jetpack earlier. This is now fixed.
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Upgrades[/color] - Fixed a localization bug for Scanner Level 3.
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Achievements[/color] - The Find all Curiosities Achievement and similar new Achievements should no longer be unlocked prematurely upon collecting them all in Chapter 1.- They will now remain unobtainable until all required conditions are met.

Please reset your save with the Reset Save button in the Main Menu, as this update has many significant changes that will require a fresh new save for Lore tablets to be counted properly, some new statistics and Achievements to work, etc.

[discord.haze-games.com]Join us on the official Discord server[discord.haze-games.com] to talk about the game and the bugs you find!

Hotfix 0.605 was released shortly after this update, to address a few newly introduced bugs by this update

This is a significant change, and long-time players might have a hard time adjusting to it - but we hope you'll like it!

• The goal is to get Chapter 1's music more consistent with the style of Chapter 0, which better matches the direction of the PC version.
  
• Depending on the area, room intensity, and outside / inside, the soundtrack will now change dynamically.
  
• This should offer more consistency and variety across Chapter 1.
  
• It's not "simply" a switch between 2 music files, and uses dynamic layers. Since it's a complex system, it's prone to have bugs and issues in this first version. If you encounter any bugs, please be patient and report them :)
  
• A lot of optimization was done to this system already - but as this is more resource-intensive, it's possible that on low-end CPUs, you may experience audio de-syncs or other bugs. Please report them too, they'll need to be fixed.
  
• Currently, the "chase" music while detected by Cameras is still the same old music. It will be replaced too in the near future.

[color=#FFA500]NOTE:[/color] Currently, only Chapter 1 has this new dynamic music system. All other Chapters will have a new soundtrack later on, and use this new system too.

First prototype versions of Difficulty settings have been added! :)

HARD:

• Most traps deal more damage.
  
• Ammo Packs and Health Packs never respawn.
  
• Health Backpack does not auto-consume from inventory for death prevention (manual request required, but still auto-consumes when requesting to use Hyper-Speed without enough Health, but Healthpack available, or when reaching “Health Too Low” point while it is active).

EXTREME:

• Same as HARD, but all traps are instant-kill, with the exception of small damage events like Generator explosions (newly added in 0.604) which deal the same increased x2 damage compared to Normal (same as in Hard).

[color=#FFA500]WARNING:[/color] From HARD difficulty and above: Softlocks are possible if you are not careful with Health for Hyper-Speed and Taser Energy. These are intended in these difficulty settings, please don't report as a bug, but maybe as a suggestion if you think an area should be modified to prevent them. For that reason, only Normal difficulty will be available on the first New Game run upon release, and higher difficulties will be unlocked when completing the game.

• [color=#00FFFF]Manual Interaction[/color] - A new in-game interaction cutscene system has been added, allowing some buttons to be only interacted with manually while disallowing Taser shots. Some buttons already behaved this way (Taser shots had no effect), but it was unclear, leading to potential ammo waste. This should now be clearer. In Speedrun Mode, the animation is played 2x faster to prevent slowdown.
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Textures Quality Settings[/color] - Setting Textures to LOW no longer reduces static lighting and shadow quality. Previously, this caused visible “dark lines” between walls. Now, LOW textures can be used without affecting static shadows. However, this change slightly increases RAM & VRAM usage, so if crashes occur, consider lowering the new Shadowmaps setting.
  
• [color=#00FFFF]New Option: Shadowmaps[/color] - A new Shadowmaps option now controls static lighting and shadows separately from Textures. Lowering this setting may cause black lines between walls, which are not bugs but expected behavior for low settings. Reduce only if experiencing performance issues or crashes:
  
• [color=#00FFFF]New Lore System[/color] - Many new lore items have been added in Chapter 1 with a new interface to read them. More will be introduced in future chapters.
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Statistics[/color] - A new UI page now tracks various player statistics:
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Fragile Walls[/color] - Debris from Fragile Walls will no longer prevent interactions. You can now interact with Buttons, Cubes, and Power Cores directly through debris. This is unrealistic but improves Quality of Life and reduces frustration :)
  https://youtu.be/AsReaX5KwC4
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Fragile Walls[/color] - Now easier to walk through after being destroyed by a Hyper-Shot. While they are now less obstructive, bricks will still take time to clear (intended). Dodging remains the fastest method for Speedrunning:
  https://youtu.be/xHwD2s5vMCg
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Fragile Walls[/color] - In Zero-G, after being Hyper-Shot at least once, they can now be moved through. Previously, most debris would block movement entirely, even when using Dodge. Now, Dodge will work without needing extra Taser shots.
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Lasers[/color] - New Tutorials added to make it clear that diagonally-placed (cross-shaped) Lasers will always kill you. Similar tutorials have been added for Laser Fields. These tutorials will appear only once, but can appear at different diagonal lasers or Laser Fields in Chapter 1, depending on which one is approached first. Not all of them trigger it, as it depends on whether it makes sense at that moment. This is a rule in the game that must be clear and consistent across all Chapters. If you find any instant-kill lasers that don’t have diagonal lasers, please report as gameplay bugs or suggestions. If needed, upcoming updates may add reminder tutorials in later Chapters, if players still do not understand or forget about it.
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Lasers Consistency[/color] - Related to the Tutorials above, many instances of regular lasers being instant-kill have been removed or replaced with either diagonally-crossed lasers or Laser Fields, depending on the situation. Some lasers are also simply no longer instant-kill, so you might now be able to pass through lasers that previously killed instantly if they are not using the crisscross pattern. Please report any inconsistencies with this new setup:
  https://youtu.be/i-gIkLR_mo0
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Explosive Pipes[/color] - A new explosive pipes system has been added, similar to the exploding walls & pipes of Chapter 1 upon returning with the Taser. In this Chapter 1 room, they explode automatically due to design reasons and because the player has no Taser ammo. However, these new explosive pipes (which will be used in various areas, including the future new ending of Chapter 1) require a shot from the Taser to explode. Currently, only one has been added in Chapter 3, but more will come later :)
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Physics Objects[/color] - New physics objects / debris were added in preparation for the future new Chapter 1 ending. They are used in one or two places in Chapter 1.
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Steam[/color] - Steam is now required to be running before starting the game in order to report bugs. However, you can still play without it. This requirement ensures security and prevents certain players’ bug reports from being posted on Discord. (I’ll still receive them, and they will be posted in a private channel for moderators). Additionally, some players' Leaderboard Scores are now blocked from being uploaded.
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Steam Cloud[/color] - Fixed Steam Cloud sync issues that could cause saved game data to not properly sync between Windows, Mac & Linux versions. All saved data should now sync correctly across all platforms, allowing you to resume progress on any of the three platforms :)
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Achievements[/color] - Clicking the Achievements button will now display the Steam Overlay on the Achievements page! This will show many Achievements that are not yet completeable. Please ignore them and do not report them as bugs, as they are not yet implemented :)
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Achievements[/color] - More Achievements were added for the new Lore System. Some might not be unlockable yet, as there are not enough lore entries available yet. This is intentional and not a bug. Additionally, some Achievements were removed and replaced with incremental Achievements due to the maximum number of Achievements Steam allows.
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Achievements[/color] - The following Achievements should now be implemented: Killed by Camera, Killed by Flames, First Room Control.
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Leaderboards[/color] - Every newly uploaded score from 0.604 will now also show the date when the score was achieved. This is timezone-adjusted to always be accurate for the player viewing the Leaderboard.
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Scanner[/color] - Can now be upgraded to Level 3 to help find not-yet-found new lore items added in this update (only in Chapter 1 for now). In addition, sound effects have been added when the scanner detects or loses something nearby.
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Tablets[/color] - Tablets collectibles are now split into two distinct categories, with different progression counters on the Chapters Page and Pause Menu (NG+ only). This change is intended to improve clarity. Additionally, regular "Information" Tablets are now the only ones with the "Information" title header, and they do not count toward progression at all :)
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Generators[/color] - Now turn orange after the first shot to indicate that a second shot may be required to break them and that the first shot was successful. They also now have a small screen displaying the generator's status.
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Safe Landing[/color] - Safe Landing Level 2 Upgrade will now show a preview of what is below the player’s feet. This can be useful, once you get used to it, to avoid needing to look down while jetpacking or jumping, as the preview helps ensure a safe landing.
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Chapter 1 | Escapism Room[/color] - The button to open Cage 1 (where the button is located) can no longer be shot from a distance and now requires manual interaction.
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Chapter 3[/color] - The door button after the Leaf Bridge has been modified to be protected, ensuring the player understands why it cannot be shot from a distance. However, once the protection is removed, it can now be shot by the Taser. This change should not cause bugs.
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Chapter 3[/color] - The initializeRoom.cpp button now has a (silent for now) dialog to help players understand that it’s not a bug that this button has strange text (intended).
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Chapter 3 | Bonus Room 7[/color] - The broken pipes through which the player must shoot the switch now have flames as you enter and will require a player action to explode. This is to provide a hint on where to look, as many players did not notice the crack through the pipes (suggested by Chris).
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Cameras[/color] - Cameras will now look fully “turned off” while stunned. This should make it more visible when a successful shot stuns the Camera. The camera will appear dark while stunned, but that should be acceptable.
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Cameras[/color] - Destroyed Cameras are now in a red color state. We’ll see if this is better than keeping them in the default blue state :)
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Cameras[/color] - Shooting Camera projectiles will now create sparks & particles when shots hit objects, surfaces, or the player.
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Audio[/color] - Cardboard boxes will now have an associated sound effect when burning due to colliding with Lasers or Laser Fields.
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Exit System[/color] - Returning to the Main Menu and Exiting the game now requires a confirmation popup. You can now Exit the game from the Pause Menu using the red EXIT button. ALWAYS USE THE EXIT BUTTON to avoid saved data corruption. Never exit the game with ALT+F4 or other methods, as it may corrupt your saved data if you do so while the game is saving (like in any other game).
  [color=#FFA500]WARNING:[/color] If not careful, 100% of pre-alpha players will now exit the game by mistake instead of returning to the menu! 😂
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Ultrawide Support[/color] - Many visual bug fixes & improvements in the user interface for Ultrawide and Super-Ultrawide display aspect ratios.
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Safe Area[/color] - Now supports Ultrawide & Super-Ultrawide monitor aspect ratios, allowing the main UI to be centered like on a regular 16:9 monitor. Holding the keys down now modifies the safe area faster. It now affects more UI elements, including the menu's bottom navigation bar, Main Menu buttons/windows placements, etc., to ensure everything looks OK on Ultrawide / Super-Ultrawide displays.
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Instant Restart[/color] - The HOME key (by default) will now instantly restart the current Chapter from the beginning when Speedrun Mode is ENABLED, without any confirmation required. This shortcut can be customized:
  https://youtu.be/wqIbC9FQ6OA
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Tablets[/color] - Information Tablets that change from a New Game to New Game+ will now allow you to toggle between the original New Game text and the New Game+ version by pressing TAB (or D-Pad Down) while zooming in with Right Click (or Right Stick Button).
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Tablets[/color] - Tablet and Encryption Key screens now jitter and appear buggy while underwater. They also react to Taser shots with a temporary buggy screen effect.
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Achievement[/color] - A new Achievement has been added for getting past the very first blinking Hyper-Speed Lasers in Chapter 3 without using Hyper-Speed (only possible after acquiring Hyper-Speed, though - intended).
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Bug Reporting[/color] - Reworked the Bug Reporting system to be much faster when displaying reports on Discord. Now, after everything is uploaded, the bug report will appear on Discord nearly instantly instead of having a 5-10 minute delay. Additionally, if no errors are shown, the system should now have a 100% success rate when publishing to Discord (previously, some rare reports could be lost in the void, though they would still reach me).
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Bug Reporting[/color] - Please have the Discord app running in the background and signed in with your main Discord account before launching the game. This ensures that bug reports are linked to your Discord account. If you do not wish to have the Discord app installed or running in the background, please contact me on fractal-space-chat or via DM. A new method is now available to link your Discord account manually without requiring the Discord app to be running.
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Background Loading[/color] - By default, the Chapter 0 to Chapter 1 transition lasts only 2-5 seconds on most PCs, thanks to a background loading system (only used for the CH0 to CH1 transition). However, in rare cases on older PCs, this may cause a crash or infinite loading after drowning. If you experience this crash, please disable Background Loading in Options | Accessibility:
  [color=#FFA500]NOTE:[/color] If you are not experiencing these issues, it is not recommended to disable background loading, as it will only increase the loading time for the CH0 to CH1 transition.

• [color=#00FFFF]Reset Save[/color] - Now has a confirmation popup.
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Hover[/color] - Now requires Taser Ammo to be engaged. If Ammo is depleted while using Hover, it will automatically disengage. Hover will not engage when aiming if Ammo is at zero.
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Framerate Counter[/color] - Changed from SHIFT+F to ALT+SHIFT+F to prevent accidental activation (can cause a temporary mini-freeze when toggled).
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Save System[/color] - Whenever an important level change happens during a Checkpoint Save or Quick Save, the game now performs a re-save as a safety measure. Previously, this re-save process could not be interrupted, making saving take much longer when triggered frequently. Now, if a re-save is required, it will interrupt the current ongoing save, making most Checkpoint saves faster than before with less risk of requiring an extra re-save.
  - Generally, auto-save should now be safer, with less risk of incorrect saved states.
  - Checkpoint saving is now slightly faster overall.
  - Please report if you experience a strong hiccup or freeze while checkpoint saving (this could affect older CPUs).
  
• [color=#00FFFF]New Game[/color] - Selecting New Game will now reset all picked-up Recordings and Color Packs as well.
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Screenshot Mode[/color] - Pressing F11 to Enable Screenshot Mode will now display a Notification for 3 seconds, showing the shortcut to disable it before engaging. This should help players who mistakenly thought it was a bug when their UI disappeared.
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Chapter 1[/color] - The final room’s first Camera patrol angles have been adjusted slightly to be more forgiving when standing next to the Door from which the player enters the room.
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Bonus Rooms[/color] - Completion state of Bonus Room screen panels (incomplete vs. complete) has been migrated to a completion percentage system. When a Bonus Room only has an Upgrade Terminal, it will be 100% completed after acquiring the Upgrade. If there are Tablets, Recordings, or Color Packs to find, the completion percentage will adjust until reaching 100%. This change needs testing, as many things can go wrong :)
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Doors[/color] - Many regular Doors in the game were not being slowed down by Hyper-Speed. Only Hyper-Doors should be immune to Hyper-Speed’s time dilation, except for some specific cases where regular Doors must close faster (but not open faster) with Hyper-Speed ON to prevent softlocks or for practicality. This is now more consistent across all Chapters. However, this change may have introduced new softlocks that will need to be fixed—testing required.
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Flames[/color] - Damage over time from Flames and other objects did not show red screen edges while taking damage. Now, the red screen effect will be displayed while being burned, and hurting sounds will now play every 1.5s while burning (intended).
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Flames[/color] - An additional flesh-burning sound has been added while being burned by flames.
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Chapter 1[/color] - The dialog “clumsy running around with Cubes” now only triggers if you actually have a Cube in your hands.
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Chapter 1 | Speedrunner[/color] - Threshold reduced to 1:28! 🎉
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Chapter 1 | Whoopsie Area[/color] - Falling into the void now displays an “Imminent Death” warning. If you attempt to skip past the walls, you will now experience the intended Relocation instead, depending on how far down you fell.
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Chapter 2[/color] - In the first Zero-G scene with 2 Cubes and the second Zero-G scene with a Power Core, rare cases could cause both Cubes and/or the Power Core to “go back downwards” after enabling Zero-G. Adjustments ensure these important objects are now stabilized and remain motionless after Zero-G activation.
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Taser[/color] - When reloading, ejected batteries are now thrown at a slower speed, making them more noticeable, especially in Zero-G.
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Low Fuel[/color] - Now only shows the LOW FUEL notification once per session within a Chapter to prevent spam. The “low fuel” sound still plays every time—this is intended and not a bug.
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Depth of Field[/color] - Depth of field is now disabled when aiming at transparent Windows and Fragile Windows. This ensures that you can always see the window properly, as well as the contents behind the window. Previously, this sometimes caused blurry windows or blurry content behind them.
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Chapter 3 | Entrance to Vertical Room[/color] - Lasers are no longer force-enabled behind you as you approach the entrance of the Vertical Room (where you reach the large vertical moving platform).
  - You can still go back outside by dropping between the lasers below.
  - Now, only the “entrance lasers” controlled by the Timer are instant-kill diagonal lasers.
  - More freedom: Upon approaching the large vertical moving platform inside the Vertical Room, it no longer locks the door behind you. This allows you to backtrack more easily if you haven’t explored the Bonus Room at the top yet (outside) and are curious to explore outside more. No bugs should be present.
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Chapter 3[/color] - The first two lore tablets, located right after exiting the first room and entering the secret area, now have small traps in the room. Difficulty may be increased in the future.
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Cameras[/color] - Live preview screens for Cameras in Chapter 1 are now higher quality, and the “censored” effect on the player is now more visible. Feel free to suggest other Camera feeds that should have improved preview quality (only where relevant).
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Imminent Termination[/color] - No longer triggers any dialogs—only Relocations do.
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Chapter 4[/color] - Fixed various softlocks.
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Fragile Walls[/color] - Fragile wall rubble pieces will now be more easily movable by shooting at them. Previously, rubble on the ground would often refuse to move when shot. While this may still happen occasionally, it has been significantly minimized—most shots should now push rubble objects out of the way:
  - The most effective method is firing a Hyper-Shot, as it will move more pieces away in a single shot and push them farther
  - The same change was applied to broken glass
  https://youtu.be/zHqHj1Xd9fc
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Tablets[/color] - Can now be pushed by walking toward them.
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Audio[/color] - The slow heartbeat sound (low health) and fast heartbeat sound (low health while Hyper-Speed is ON) are now significantly louder. Previously, they were barely audible. Let us know if they are now too loud.
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Mines[/color] - The center part of mines, which looks like a Laser, will now rotate with the mine casing (intended).
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Screens[/color] - The “buggy screen” animation when shot at has been slightly improved.
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Chapter 2[/color] - You can now take the Cube from the Roof of the Big Room toward the dual-moving-platforms-with-pressure-plates area :). If lost or dropped, it will respawn correctly in the dual pressure plate room.
  - Players should no longer be able to softlock themselves below in the Roof area using Hyper-Speed.
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Chapter 2 | New Achievement[/color] - Added a new Achievement for completing Chapter 2 without using the Jetpack :)
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Chapter 2 | Jetpackless Run[/color] - Major reworks were made to allow a Jetpackless Chapter 2 in an officially supported way!
  - This is only possible in New Game+, requiring at least Dodge / Hover.
  - Most areas now feature new small platforms or objects to stand on to make it more achievable.
  - Two new optional Skips were added in Chapter 2 to allow faster completion and to make the Jetpackless Achievement slightly easier.
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Chapter 2 | New Skip Path 1[/color] - Players can now skip directly inside the dual-pressure-plates section in the vertical-moving-platforms area, bypassing the Big Room.
  - Only available in New Game+.
  - This Skip is designed to help with Jetpackless runs, as it allows players to climb to the top area above the Big Room using new pipes.
  - When reaching this room through the Skip, both Cubes...
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Chapter 2 | New Skip Path 2[/color] - After passing the first Shooting Cameras, players can now skip directly outside of the very first electrical water area.
  - This is recommended for Jetpackless Chapter 2 runs and Speedrunners!
  - The outside vent is now a locked vent, based on the locked status of the vent that is partially underwater.
  - It will remain locked unless opened via the Room Control terminal.
  - This is intended to prevent softlocks when attempting a Jetpackless Chapter 2 run.
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Chapter 2[/color] - You will be forced to pick up a secondary Jetpack at the end of Chapter 2 if you complete Jetpackless Chapter 2, as it will be mandatory to continue.
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Chapter 3[/color] - The first Hyper-Speed lasers: The objective “Use Hyper-Speed to get past lasers” will now only be marked as complete if the player actually used Hyper-Speed. Otherwise, the objective will be red and canceled instead.
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Chapter 4[/color] - The very first pillar towards Solar Station now has a short cutscene to show it appearing, as some players didn’t notice it.
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Chapter 4[/color] - The Sequence Room with colors: Poppy has been changed to Tomato, as too many players were unaware of what a poppy is 😢. Additionally, these hints are now correctly localized.
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Chapter 4[/color] - Added a new Checkpoint just after starting the Train Ride. This should reduce the chances of a respawn making you fall into the void if the Train Ride had already started while the previous Checkpoint was still saving (edge case due to save system limitations).
  
• [color=#00FFFF]Options[/color] - Resolution now displays a suffix of the aspect ratio.

[color=#FFA500]NOTE:[/color] Only a few fixed bugs are mentioned here, as I can't write a description for every single reported bug that was fixed. The bot summary will contain more details about fixed bugs. 😉

• [color=#00FFFF]Relocation[/color] - Player Relocation could be interrupted by pausing the game, causing major bugs… 😆