The Alpha Update, originally planned for release last week, is still in its final internal testing phase. During the latest test runs, we identified a few remaining technical aspects that we want to optimize before releasing the update.
What’s happening right now?
We’re working on targeted fine-tuning to further improve stability, performance, and overall user experience. Our goal is to deliver a solid version that runs reliably across different systems.
What’s next?
As soon as the current adjustments are complete and meet our quality standards, the update will be made available on the open Alpha branch.
How can you support us?
If you'd like to support the project, you can add the game to your wishlist and follow us to stay up to date. This not only helps with visibility but also shows your interest in the ongoing development.
Thank you
We truly appreciate your patience, your feedback, and your support.
We'd like to give you a quick but important update on the current status. After an intensive week of targeted optimization work, we've successfully addressed the memory issues that were discussed in the last blog post.
Technical Optimizations Showing Results
Over the past few days, we've made several adjustments to assets and textures, removed unnecessary data, and improved compression. These measures have led to significantly reduced memory usage and more stable performance in our internal tests on various systems.
Next Step: Alpha Update
Based on the current results, we plan to release the update for the Open Alpha branch next week – assuming the final tests continue to go as expected. Our focus remains on delivering a stable and high-quality version.
Thank You for Your Patience
We know many of you are eagerly awaiting the update. Your feedback, support, and patience mean a lot to us and are a key part of our development process.
See you soon, Your MS Games and Software Team
Progress Blog #20 – Optimization Work for the Open Alpha Branch
Hello everyone,
We regret to inform you that the planned update for the Open Alpha Branch will be slightly delayed. During our internal testing this week, we discovered that the game is currently consuming too much memory, which can lead to performance issues.
Our next focus: Optimizing assets and textures To address this issue, we are dedicating this weekend to optimizing assets and textures. Our goal is to reduce memory consumption without compromising the visual quality of the game.
We know that many of you are eagerly awaiting the update, and we are working hard to deliver the best possible version. As soon as we are satisfied with the optimizations, we will update you on the new release timeframe.
Thank you for your patience and understanding! We’ll keep you posted.
Your MS Games and Software
Progress Blog #19: We're working on the next Alpha update!
Hello everyone,
We would like to update you on the current status of our work in the open Alpha branch. Based on your valuable feedback, we have been working intensively on several aspects, and now we are preparing a new update – although it has not been released yet!
What has been achieved?
New Objects & Bugfixes: We have planned new objects and are currently addressing some bugs. In particular, since today we have been analyzing isolated crashes in the tutorial and the main menu. Once these issues are resolved, we can release the update.
Expanded Tutorial: The tutorial, which is essential for getting started with our game, will be expanded in the upcoming update. Our goal is to provide new players with an even better and smoother start.
General Improvements: Thanks to your feedback, we were able to identify and resolve several issues. With small, steady steps, we are getting closer to the major update for version 0.9.0.
What’s next?
Our current build in the open Alpha branch will continue to be tested. Based on the results and your feedback, we will implement the next features. As soon as we are confident that the new version runs stably and meets our quality standards, we will inform you immediately.
Please note: This update is still in the development phase and is currently being tested internally only. As soon as we are satisfied with the results, we will let you know right away.
Thank you for your patience and your ongoing feedback – together we are getting ever closer to the final update!
Your development team
The Ghost – Open Alpha Update 0.9.0-3024
As announced in our last post, we are excited to present the latest update for the Open Alpha branch on Steam!
New Features and Content:
215 New Textures: Added for keyboards and future controllers.
New Objects in the Tutorial: Additional items have been added to the tutorial area to better guide new players.
New Textures: Various new textures have been added to enhance visual variety.
Additional Dialogues in the Tutorial: New dialogues have been integrated into the tutorial to improve guidance.
Engine Update: The game engine has been updated to the latest version to benefit from new features and improvements.
New Flashlight Beam: The flashlight now has a new beam for better illumination.
New Computer in the Main Menu: A new computer has been added to the main menu to support various new systems.
New UV Lamp: A UV lamp has been added to reveal hidden clues and traces.
UV Textures: New UV textures have been introduced to interact with the new UV lamp.
Removed:
Old Computer in the Main Menu: The old computer in the main menu has been removed.
Improvements:
Performance: Overall game performance has been optimized to ensure smoother gameplay.
Bug Fixes:
Flashlight Spawn Point: Fixed a bug where the flashlight would appear at a new spawn point after being dropped by the player.
Note: We are still in the internal testing phase for some features, which will be gradually released in the Open Alpha branch over the coming days and weeks. As a result, the changelog is not yet complete, and the tutorial is still unfinished – stay tuned for continuous updates!
A big thank you to all Alpha testers for your valuable feedback and support!
Progress Blog #18 – Alpha Branch & Co-op Development!
Hello everyone!
We are currently in an intense internal testing phase to ensure everything runs smoothly and without issues. If this testing phase is successful, we will release a new update to the open Alpha Branch on March 14, 2025, at 18:00 UTC. Once the update is live, we will provide more details in a new blog post.
The open Alpha Branch is available to all players who already own the game. So, if you're eager to get an early look at upcoming updates and want to support us with your feedback, you're more than welcome to join!
Additionally, we are working hard on further developing the game, especially the co-op mode. Our goal is to make it smooth and secure so that you can enjoy an optimal gaming experience with your friends. However, great things take time – it will still be a while before everything is perfect. We are continuously testing to ensure you get the best possible experience!
Thank you for your support and interest! We will keep you updated.
Your Team
Progress Blog #17 – Welcome to 2025!
Welcome to the new year! We're excited to kick off the first progress blog of 2025 with great news: Our work on version 0.9.0 continues to move forward. While there are still many details to refine, we've reached several important milestones:
Bug fixes in the File Manager: Minor issues identified during previous tests have been resolved.
Main menu optimizations: We tackled some persistent issues, particularly with controller input, which are now fixed.
Main menu atmosphere: Sound effects have been added to the light switches in the house to further enhance immersion.
Ghost AI improvements: Additional bugs in the Ghost AI were identified and fixed, making it more stable and responsive.
With small but steady progress, we're working hard to bring you version 0.9.0 as soon as possible.
We thank you for your patience and support as we continue to develop this important update. As always, we’ll keep you informed with all the latest news. Stay tuned, and here's to a successful 2025!
2024 Recap & Exciting Plans for 2025!
2024 – A Year of Progress and Challenges
As 2024 comes to a close, we reflect on twelve eventful months. It has been a year full of successes, but also challenges that we’ve overcome together with you.
Highlights from 2024
Some of the biggest strides this year include:
Ghost AI: Our newly developed Ghost AI is a milestone that you can expect in future updates. With enhanced perception and realistic interactions, we’re on track to create an immersive gaming experience.
Performance Optimizations: Particularly, the work on the day-night cycle and ambient lighting has taken the game to a new visual level.
Tutorial Development: We’ve laid the foundation for a comprehensive tutorial that will soon help you get a better start in the game.
Challenges: We’re Listening to You
Not everything went as planned. Especially the delay of the COOP mode, which was originally meant to launch this year, was a setback. However, we are still working intensively to bring this feature to you soon. Your feedback helps us make the mode even better.
An Exciting 2025 Awaits Us
Looking ahead to the coming year, we’d like to announce some exciting new features:
Live Streams on the Steam Store Page: Starting in 2025, we will begin regular live streams directly on our Steam store page. These streams will not only help undecided customers make a better-informed decision, but will also serve as a direct channel between you and us. You will be able to:
Ask questions and get answers in real-time.
Provide feedback that we can take into account.
Get a behind-the-scenes look at us and our work.
In-Game Events: Another highlight will be exclusive in-game events starting in 2025. We don’t want to spoil too much, but we promise surprises that will elevate your gaming experience to a whole new level.
Stay Tuned!
2025 is going to be an exciting year for our game. With live streams, new features, and in-game events, there’s a lot to look forward to. We thank you for your support in 2024 and look forward to starting a successful new year together with you.
We wish you a great start to 2025!
Progress Blog #16: Ghost AI – Optimization and Testing Phase
Hello Ghost Hunters,
Over the past week, we’ve been working intensively on the Ghost AI, addressing some well-known issues that arose during our testing phases. One of the biggest challenges was that the Ghost AI struggled to detect obstacles and navigate stairs – a critical aspect for the planned levels where such movements are essential.
What Have We Improved?
Obstacle Detection: The ghost can now interact with obstacles more efficiently, preventing it from getting stuck on objects.
Stair Navigation: A frequent issue was the AI’s inability to properly navigate stairs. This has been resolved, which is vital for the dynamic level designs we aim to achieve.
These improvements have already been tested on our test map in various scenarios, and we are confident that the Ghost AI now operates reliably. We’ve tested it across multiple platforms and under different conditions to ensure it performs well in all situations.
What’s Next?
The Ghost AI is currently undergoing internal testing and will be further refined alongside numerous other features set to launch in Version 0.9.0. While we’re very pleased with the results so far, some final tests are still required before we can make the new features accessible to everyone.
Our internal tests have been very promising so far, and we are confident that the changes will be available to you soon. However, there are still a few final steps we need to complete to ensure everything works as intended. Once we’re confident that the new features are stable and the performance has improved, we’ll be sure to let you know.
Conclusion
The development of the Ghost AI continues to make good progress, and we are confident that this feature will soon become an integral part of the game. We’ll keep you updated and inform you as soon as we’re ready to release the update.
Thank you for your patience and support!
Your Development Team
Progress Blog #15: Ghost AI, Main Menu & Environmental Lighting
Hello Ghost Hunters,
We have some exciting development news to share with you!
Brand New Ghost AI
Our team has completely re-engineered the Ghost AI with an innovative perception system. This system enables the Ghost AI to react more realistically to its surroundings and the player.
Starting today, we are testing this new feature across all the platforms we support. This marks a significant step in making in-game interactions more thrilling and dynamic.
Revamped Main Menu
In parallel, we are testing our entirely redesigned main menu. It has been improved not only visually but also in terms of usability and performance. We’re eager to hear feedback from our internal testers.
New Environmental Lighting
Another highlight is the new environmental lighting, which has also been integrated into the latest test build. This update aims to enhance the game’s atmosphere and create a more immersive experience.
New Build Available for Internal Testing
The new development build, featuring all of the above-mentioned updates, is now available for our internal testers.
What’s Next?
Once all the new features are stable, we’ll integrate the next batch of features into internal testing. Our goal is to bring you a comprehensive update as soon as possible.
Great Progress
Thanks to the dedicated efforts of our team, we’re making noticeable progress again. We are optimistic about sharing more exciting updates with you soon.
Thank you for your patience and support—together, we’re getting closer to the goal!
