Patch Notes

This update moves the alpha onto a current engine generation and onto the studio's new infrastructure, with a real performance pass and a new drone on top. It is not a content patch: the world, the systems and the gameplay are the ones you know. Here is what changed under the hood.

One infrastructure

• New backend. Accounts, the NDA, in-game news, patch notes and bug reports all go through the studio's new infrastructure, on new hardware. The old server is retired.
• Crash reports actually arrive. Earlier alpha builds silently dropped them. Crashes now upload a full diagnostic report that points me at the exact line instead of a raw address.

Bug reports

• Moved to the new backend. A report ships your description, a screenshot taken at that moment and the session log, in one upload.
• Linked to your session. Reports land in my tracker already tied to your session data, so I can cross-reference them with performance samples and crashes from the same session. "It broke somewhere" becomes something I can reproduce.

Telemetry

• Histograms, not averages. The update brings the telemetry described in the alpha NDA. Performance is recorded as frame-time distributions, so I can compute exact percentiles per zone of the island instead of a meaningless average.
• A heatmap of the island. Regular position samples show where players actually go, and how the game runs there.
• Light by design. Everything is batched, compressed and stored locally when offline; the footprint is a few kilobytes per hour of play.

The far world (HLODs)

• The world finally has HLODs. Until now, past a few hundred meters only the landscape and foliage existed; buildings simply were not there until you got close. Three tiers of long-distance stand-ins now cover the whole island, from mid-range detail to a horizon tier you can see from anywhere, drone included.
• Tens of thousands of objects reintegrated. A large part of the world had been excluded from HLOD generation and could never get a stand-in. That is fixed at the source, not per point of interest.
• No more magenta at distance. Hundreds of materials could only render as flat magenta in packaged builds; they are fixed.
• Net result. A real skyline, far fewer pop-ins, and no memory wasted on invisible detail.

A new drone

• Built for Rooted. The old drone was a full quadcopter physics simulation, far too expensive for what it does. The new one flies on a lightweight flight model with near-zero performance cost; the tilt and hover you see are pure presentation.
• Readable in flight. New HUD with compass and gauges, a permanent exit prompt that shows your actual key, and a full audio pass.
• For everyone. The drone is now meant to be pilotable by every player, not tied to a specific role. Deploy it, fly it, hand it over.

Anything odd, use the in-game bug reporter: those reports now arrive with everything I need attached.

Mat

• Fixed item spawners, including an issue where spawned items could destroy themselves
• Updated graphics settings by removing VSM related options because Lumen requires them, and disabling them caused a major FPS drop
• Global Illumination settings now offer only Lumen High and Lumen Ultra
• Disabled WPO on vegetation, since vegetation will fully switch to geometry soon and keeping WPO active was an unnecessary performance cost
• You can no longer fire while squeezing through tight passages
• Updated several UI icons
• Fixed aim offset when hipfiring
• Fixed collision in one of the Mansion rooms
• Added new ammo spawners

Gameplay & Controls

• Aiming sensitivity now behaves correctly, so you can fine-tune your aim the way you prefer
• Axis inversion is fully functional again
• Emotes and pie-menu selection work smoothly with a controller, making interactions easier 

Survival & Items

• The tent can now be dropped without issues, so placing your camp is more reliable
• Clothing clipping has been greatly reduced for a cleaner look
• Hair lighting has been adjusted for more natural results

Stability Improvements

• The fatal error that happened when a player joined a session has been fixed
• Distant terrain now loads properly, improving the overall feeling of the world

New Features

• First version of the weapon system added
• New weapons: M4A1 and Glock
• A training target is available so you can try them out
• The admin/cheat menu is now accessible
• New female clothing options: pants and a T-shirt variant

World Updates

• A new shooting range has been added near the Mansion so you can test weapons in a safe area 
• Work continues on Starter Island

Hey Survivors,

This update marks a milestone for Rooted as we’ve fully migrated the project to Unreal Engine 5.6. It brings numerous technical and visual improvements for a smoother and more immersive experience.

General

• Migrated the entire project to Unreal Engine 5.6
• Major open world optimization, resulting in significantly faster loading times
• Reworked berry and junk scattering across the environment, fixing the micro-freeze that occurred when collecting berries
• Added a new settings management system, improving stability and flexibility

Character

• Integrated Mutable: reworked the equipment system to use Mutable, improving stability, performance, and multiplayer replication
• Added female characters
• Added a full female clothing set
• Updated locomotion and several animations based on community feedback

Note: We’re aware of the current skin rendering of characters. This will be improved in a future update for increased realism.

Optimization

• CPU Optimization
  • Large optimization pass reducing overall CPU load
  • Performance gains may vary depending on your setup — if your system is GPU-bottlenecked, you might not feel the full improvement yet

Environment

• Communication Tower: currently being upgraded to high-poly for enhanced visual fidelity
• Started implementing tessellation to improve realism while also aiming for better performance

Thank you all for your continuous support and feedback. Keep sharing your thoughts on Discord and Steam,  it truly helps us shape the world of Rooted.

See you in the woods, Survivors.

It seems we might have tested the last build with god mode activated... and accidentally disabled item consumption! Good news: it's now fixed. You can eat and drink safely again! Happy gaming!

We initially planned to release a more comprehensive update next week but couldn't leave you without any news this weekend since we had already announced an update for today! 
Thank you for your patience and understanding! 

Important Notice 

Due to the extensive changes in this update, previous game saves will no longer be compatible. We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your understanding. 

Save System Overhaul

We've completely reworked our save system to improve optimization and expand support for saved items. Numerous modifications have been made to ensure your game saves are now more reliable, load faster, and handle a greater variety of in-game objects seamlessly. Please don't hesitate to use the in-game bug report feature to let us know of any issues you encounter. 

New Storage Chests

You can now craft and utilize brand-new storage chests. These versatile containers allow you to store virtually any item, making inventory management easier and keeping your base tidy and organized. 

Updated Campfire Mechanics

Campfires now require fuel to operate. You can use almost anything from your inventory as fuel, with different items providing varying lengths of burn time. Experiment to find the best fuels to keep your campfire burning efficiently and survive the night! 

Mechanical Workbench Inventory Saving

The mechanical workbench inventory now saves correctly. Feel free to leave crafted planks or other items within the workbench, knowing they'll be waiting for you when you return! 

Thank you for your support!

This quick update includes fixes for the Alpha Guide system, ensuring proper functionality even while driving vehicles, and resolves issues affecting the player inventory for proper item management. (And yes, this should be the last patch note for the weekend… hopefully!)

This update focuses on behind-the-scenes improvements and adjustments to support upcoming features. No visible changes for now, but these refinements help set the stage for what's next. Thanks!

We are thrilled to bring you a fresh update packed with exciting features, improvements, and fixes. Thank you for your continued support!

New Features

• Slabs Rack: Store slabs efficiently with this new rack.
• Planks Rack: Keep your planks organized and accessible.
• Metal Sheets Rack: A dedicated rack for metal sheet storage.
• Cooking Pot: Boil water safely for drinking.
• Temperature Impact: Temperature now plays a greater role. Stay warm by dressing appropriately, building a fire, or seeking shelter indoors.

Improvements

• Build Menu: Double-click to select and automatically close the menu.
• Build and Craft Menus: Added buttons for menu closure in addition to keyboard shortcuts.
• Item Weight and Volume: Updated slabs, planks, and logs for better consistency now that racks and sleds improve management.

Fixes

• Fixed water shaders for the Water Collector and Water Filter.
• Fixed the issue that prevented cutting wood in FPS view.

Additional Content

• Manor Memorial: Added photos to enhance immersion.
• First Bunker: Explore the newly added bunker.
• Alpha Tester Guide: Updated with the latest information to help testers.

Enjoy this update and stay tuned for more!

We want to take a moment to express our heartfelt gratitude to our Founders for their unwavering support!As the holiday season unfolds, we’re thrilled to bring you this festive patch filled with exciting new features and exclusive gifts. Let’s celebrate together!

Build

• Interactive elements are here! Build and interact with items like doors, adding a dynamic touch to your constructions.
• Revamped Build Menu: A fresh look and feel for the build menu (still a work-in-progress, but looking great!).
• Survival Essentials: New buildable items for survival, including a water collector, water filter, and more!

Craft

• Workbench Unlocked: You can now craft and use the Workbench to kickstart your crafting journey.
• First Craftable Item Released: Time to test your crafting skills with this brand-new feature!

Exclusive Xmas Assets for Founders

• Special Gifts for Our Founders: This holiday season, we're bringing some exclusive festive cheer!
  • A complete outdoor kit featuring a hammock, bench, garden set, and a brazier—perfect for cozy winter nights (find them in the build menu).
  • Christmas Garlands to light up your builds (available in the build menu).
  • Exclusive Craft: Geodome Pod, the ultimate structure for your winter hideaway. Available to all Founders who pledged from the beginning and until January 31, 2025, inclusively.

Enjoy this new patch!

Mat