- System Refinements & Guidance Improvements - 14 June 2025
This update focuses on enhancing player experience, performance stability, and interaction clarity across key gameplay systems: Subtle Player Guidance: Introduced light tutorial elements to improve early-game direction without compromising exploration freedom. Key actions are now better signposted through contextual interactions and environment cues. Energy Tree Interaction Enhancements: Interaction text now adapts dynamically based on tree condition (e.g., withered states) and the player's equipped tools. This ensures clearer feedback and streamlines resource harvesting. Performance Optimization: On certain configurations, players may see a 10–20% FPS increase due to strategic removal of Nanite rendering on dense foliage assets. These are now handled via improved instancing and HLOD offloading. Collision Passes: Removed faulty collisions on select terrain features. Reduced unnecessary…
- NaturesAscendancy 1.0 – Full Release Now Available - 4 June 2025
After a long and rewarding journey through development, NaturesAscendancy has officially launched into version 1.0. This marks not just a milestone in terms of polish and completeness, but a culmination of everything the game has grown to become — an exploration-driven survival experience grounded in atmosphere, narrative depth, and emergent discovery. Key Features in the 1.0 Release: 🔹 Reworked Alien Structures All major Architect structures have been overhauled with new visual elements, improved guidance via environmental clues, and updated logic that ties more directly into the world’s mystery. These changes better support the late-game arc and make each structure feel significant and earned. 🔹 Streamlined Progression Flow Blueprint acquisition and core gameplay pacing have been adjusted to improve clarity and reduce ambiguity without relying on hand-holding. The game’s systems now…
- Full story and performance - 6 May 2025
We’re proud to announce that the full narrative experience of Nature’s Ascendancy is now live and playable. This marks a significant milestone in development: the entire core storyline, including all three ancient structures and the concluding sequences, is now complete and ready for players to explore. This update brings not only the complete narrative arc but also major performance improvements. Nature’s Ascendancy now meets its framerate targets across all supported hardware configurations, ensuring a smoother and more stable experience for everyone. With this milestone, we are entering the final phase of Early Access. Our focus will now shift toward refinement, polish, and preparing the game for its full release. We want to thank our players and supporters who have been with us on this journey. Your feedback and enthusiasm have helped shape every step, and we’re excited for you to e…
- UPDATE LOG — v0.11.0 | Radio, progression and onboarding - 20 April 2025
We're pushing another foundational update to the default branch as we continue to refine early-game experience and progression flow. Added: The Radio System A new deployable radio unit has been added to the standard survival kit. It will automatically detect and tune into surviving UIN distress signals, personal logs, and atmospheric anomalies. The radio will serve as a narrative and navigational anchor, offering optional guidance while maintaining the game’s environmental exploration focus. Basic Tutorial (Early Game) A short, non-intrusive tutorial has been implemented for new players. Prompts will appear when interacting with core mechanics (pod exit, movement, collecting resources, opening inventory, reading logs, etc). Designed to maintain immersion while clarifying essential gameplay elements. Additional Improvements Minor UI polish for log interactions. Small tweaks to radio sign…
- Nature’s Ascendancy – Update 9 Patch Notes - 1 March 2025
Major Changes & Additions - New Underwater Effects – Enhanced visual clarity and depth perception underwater. - New Alien Structure Layout (WIP) – The first structure is being redesigned for better exploration flow. - Improved Swimming Controls – No more tank controls; movement is now more intuitive and fluid. - New HUD System – The old bars have been replaced with a cleaner, more informative display. Performance & Visual Improvements - Shader Improvements – Reduced shader complexity for better performance. - Temporal Anti-Aliasing (TAA) Added – Smoother visuals and reduced shadow flickering. - Increased Shadow Resolution – Improves depth perception and environment detail. - Music & Sound Enhancements : - New Underwater Music – Dynamic ambient tracks for submerged areas. - New Low Energy Music – Subtle audio cues for when resources run low. - Improved Music Dimming – Smooth transitions…
- Update 8.19 – Technical Overhaul & Stability Improvements - 16 February 2025
This update focuses entirely on technical enhancements, bringing significant improvements to performance, stability, and rendering. While no new content has been added, these changes lay the foundation for a smoother and more reliable experience. Key Improvements Upgraded to Unreal Engine 5.4 – Enhanced optimization, improved rendering, and overall system stability. Shadow Mapping Implemented – Resolves previous flickering issues, providing more consistent and realistic lighting. Performance & Stability Enhancements – Optimized memory management and CPU utilization. Improved asset streaming to reduce stuttering. Multiple crash fixes, particularly for extended play sessions. DirectX 11 Support – The game can now be launched in DX11 mode using the -dx11 launch flag. Save System Overhaul – Fixed save file corruption affecting certain edge cases. Introduced save file validation to prevent c…
- NaturesAscendancy 0.8 - Update Notes - 28 January 2025
New Features PDA Visual Overhaul The PDA interface has received a complete visual rework, making it sleeker and more intuitive. Improved readability and accessibility for key functions like logs and crafting. Item Collection Rework Collecting items has been revamped for a more satisfying experience: Materials are now gathered with visual outcrop effects and subtle animations. Audio cues have been added to enhance the tactile feel of gathering resources. Dynamic Music Dimming Music now dynamically fades out during PDA logs and voicelines, ensuring better clarity and atmosphere. Sound Design Enhancements Added a variety of new environmental and interaction sounds: Some alien wildlife now emits soft, ambient noises, bringing the ecosystem to life. Enhanced sound effects for tools, resource collection, and crafting stations. Story Updates Major advancements in the main storyline: Expanded l…
- NaturesAscendancy 0.7 - Update Notes - 22 January 2025
New Features: The creature system has been optimized for smoother performance, now designed to work efficiently with systems containing 16GB of RAM. While the old scaling system still applies, it has been modified to prioritize 16GB setups, ensuring the game consumes fewer resources from other applications. This will result in performance improvements in other applications while running the game but not necessarily within the game itself. Base Building System (Rudimentary): A rudimentary base building system has been introduced, allowing players to construct and customize basic structures in-game. This is the first step in building a more expansive system in future updates. Players can now activate the Foundation Core, place living compartments, and craft new items to aid in survival and exploration. Expect more improvements and additions to this system in upcoming patches. New Crash Si…
- Patch notes: Progression, Fixes and more - 12 January 2025
This update brings exciting improvements to your exploration of Zhorus Prime, with A redefined progression path, essential fIxes, and some groundwork for what's to come. Let’s dive into The details: Additions & Improvements New Progression Path: The Approach to the 2nd Alien Structure As you close in on the second Alien structure, you'll find a revamped progression path designed to enhance your journey. Resource Balance: Supplies and crafting materials have been adjusted to ensure steady progress without bottlenecKs. Your AI companion now provides additional commentary as you Explore. Enhanced Exploration Rewards Scanning alien lifeforms yields new data entries, adding depth to your logs. Rare materials are now more distinguishable from standard resOurces. Terrain Updates Grassmaps have been further optimized, ensuring smoother traVersal and reducing pop-in during high-spEed movement. B…
- Update Notes: Modding, new biome and polish - 3 January 2025
New Content: New Biome: A brand-new biome has been added, expanding the world and offering new environments to explore. Look out for unique terrain features and challenges! Modding Support: Proof of Concept Modding API: The first iteration of our modding API is now live! Currently, it supports item name modifications, allowing modders to start customizing the world with their own creations. More modding features will come in future updates! Stability & Tweaks: Stability Improvements: Several tweaks have been made to improve the stability of the game. Crashes and performance issues should be reduced. Visual & Gameplay Adjustments: Alien Structures: Minor changes have been made to the alien structures, improving their aesthetic and making them more immersive within the game world. Animal Redesigns: Some animals have received a fresh redesign, giving them a more polished and varied appeara…
- Stability Update: Crashes Resolved - 26 December 2024
We can now gladly let you know that we finally squashed those annoying crashes that had affected some of our players. Thanks for your detailed reports and the patience; after finding out the source, we took all needed for granting smoother and stabler play from now on. If you have refunded the game due to instability before today's fix, we want to make it right. Just send an email to our support over at [email protected] and we will provide you with a free copy of the game for your support and understanding. Your feedback has gone a long way in helping us refine NaturesAscendancy, and we're committed to keeping this journey as seamless as possible. If you come across other issues, don't be afraid to reach out to us-we listen at any time. Thanks for bearing with us through this remarkable journey. More updates shall follow, and always happy exploring!
- System Improvements and Bug Fixes - 22 December 2024
Rehauled Music and Inventory Systems The music system has been overhauled for a richer and more immersive experience, better complementing the atmosphere of the game. Inventory management has been improved with a streamlined interface and better functionality. GUI Improvements We have made some great updates to the graphical user interface, cleaning it up and making it more user-friendly. Pause While in PDA A new setting has been introduced to allow the game to pause while you’re in the PDA, giving players more control during gameplay. Fixed Foliage Setting Bug An issue with foliage settings not saving correctly has been resolved, ensuring a more consistent visual experience.
- Fixes and QoL changes - 16 December 2024
Fixed settings not saving Upped creature density Minor bugfixes
- Alien structures and balancing - 10 December 2024
What's New High Effect: Eating mushrooms now causes a high effect—visual distortions and unique audio to add immersion (and confusion). Food System Rebalance: Adjusted nutritional values and spoilage rates to improve balance and challenge. Improvements Alien Structures: Updated designs for alien structures, with improved textures, lighting, and functionality. Music System: Enhanced dynamic transitions between tracks based on player activity (exploration, combat, etc.). Bug Fixes Fixed numerous typos throughout the game. Resolved a crash when interacting with alien terminals in specific regions. Improved collision detection for some props. Fixed issues with audio logs cutting off prematurely. Corrected UI misalignments in various menus. Addressed performance drops when multiple visual effects were active.
- HLOD and performance boosts - 7 December 2024
We are pleased to announce a significant performance increase with the latest update to NaturesAscendancy! The game now includes HLOD and is ready to try out. New in this version: HLOD System: This new feature enhances performance by dynamically adjusting the level of detail for far-away objects, reducing unnecessary strain on your system while maintaining close-up visual quality. Performance Improvements: Smoother gameplay with optimized rendering, especially in large and expansive areas.
- Performance & Rebalancing Update - 5 December 2024
Performance Improvements Optimized resource loading to reduce stuttering when transitioning between biomes. Improved rendering performance for underwater environments, leading to more stable frame rates. Reduced memory usage for active environmental effects (e.g., radiation zones, weather). Rebalancing Adjustments Slightly adjusted crafting times for early-game items to streamline progression. Rebalanced resource spawn rates to improve consistency in gathering (especially Lead and Biological Fibers). Increased durability of basic tools to reduce the frequency of early repairs. Bug Fixes Fixed an issue where environmental hazards were not correctly damaging the player under certain conditions. Resolved a rare bug causing crafted items to disappear when inventory was full. Addressed inconsistencies with the Rad Suit's protective properties in high-radiation zones.
- New Quality of Life Features - 4 December 2024
In response to player feedback, we've just added some highly-requested quality-of-life improvements in today’s update: Custom Keybinds: You can now customize your controls, making your gameplay experience more comfortable and tailored to your preferences. Say goodbye to default layouts and hello to personalized controls! Mouse Sensitivity Slider: Adjust the sensitivity of your mouse for smoother and more precise aiming and movement, perfect for those who prefer more control or need fine-tuned sensitivity.
- Progression Update - 1.0.2 - 3 December 2024
Underwater Crafting Progression: The new Rad Suit is now available, which will allow you to navigate through radiation zones. To craft the suit, you'll need Lead (found in deep water) and Biological Fiber (harvested from seaweeds in shallower waters). This unlocks new areas for exploration and introduces underwater survival mechanics. Increased Depth to Exploration: With the introduction of the Rad Suit, you can explore more challenging environments and push forward your crafting and exploration journey. Minor Bug Fixes: We’ve also addressed some small bugs to ensure smoother gameplay.
- First Early Access Patch - 2 December 2024
Bug Fixes: Achievements Not Triggering: Fixed an issue where certain achievements were not triggering correctly. Players should now be able to unlock achievements as intended. Crafter Functionality: Resolved a bug that prevented the Crafter from working properly. Players should now be able to craft items without issues. General Updates: Minor optimizations to improve performance. Minor UI tweaks for clarity and consistency.
