Dear gamers,
Welcome to the first official Afterheat devlog, written during the ongoing Closed Pre-Alpha phase. Development is progressing steadily, and we're working hard to prepare the game for its eventual Early Access launch. While no release date is set just yet, it will be announced well in advance.
🐺 Wildlife AI
Over the past weeks, I’ve focused heavily on developing and fine-tuning a dynamic AI system for wildlife, with special attention to predator behavior. The goal is to make animals feel reactive, natural, and believable — both in how they hunt, roam, and flee.
🌦️ Dynamic Weather, Temperature & Overheating
In parallel, I've implemented the foundation of a dynamic weather system, featuring a highly detailed temperature simulation:
The world is divided into small chunks, each with unique weather and temperature properties.
Temperature is influenced by many factors: solar position, solar intensity, radiation, shadows, humidity, wind, and local terrain features.
There is now an overheating mechanic — if the temperature gets too high, players will suffer heat-related effects, making sun exposure a real survival threat.
🧥 Clothing System
To help players survive the extreme conditions, a clothing system is being developed. Clothing items will offer varying levels of heat protection, and selecting the right outfit for the environment will be crucial.
🌄 Day-Night Cycle & Ambient Sounds
The sun now moves dynamically based on the in-game clock, affecting lighting and temperature across the map.
The sound system which is currently being developed is also tied to time of day:
Daytime includes ambient sounds like wind and birds.
Night brings quieter, more atmospheric audio for a calmer, immersive tone.
🌬️ Wind, Shade & Environment Effects
Objects in the world, such as rocks, trees, or shelters, now influence the local heatmap. Being in the shade or near certain structures can significantly reduce heat exposure. A wind system is also being planned, which will influence local temperatures and cooling over time.
🛠️ What’s Next?
Upcoming features in development:
Expanded animal behaviors and herd logic
Stat-based clothing and temperature resistance
Shelter and building-related heat protection
Exploration and early loot systems
Continued AI and performance optimization
Thank you for following the development of Afterheat.
Make sure to wishlist our game, if you wish to support us further.
Your support and interest means a lot — more updates coming soon!
— Afterheat Developer