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Day-Night Cycle
February 22, 2026 at 01:05 PM
New article covering day-night cycle, dynamic weather, and supernatural environmental transitions
Hethereau features a dynamic day-night cycle and weather system that continuously changes the city's atmosphere. The time of day and weather conditions affect exploration, enemy encounters, visual atmosphere, and vehicle handling.
The city transitions between daytime and nighttime on a regular cycle. Daytime presents Hethereau in its normal state as a bustling urban environment with pedestrians, traffic, and normal city life. Nighttime shifts the atmosphere, darkening streets and altering the mood. Certain locations and encounters are only available at specific times of day.
The weather system cycles through multiple conditions including clear skies, rainstorms, and heavy snowfall. Each weather type has tangible gameplay effects:
Rain affects vehicle handling, reducing control and grip during driving sequences.
Snow features real-time PBR (physically-based rendering) snow materials with subsurface scattering effects. Snowflakes shimmer with lifelike translucence thanks to Unreal Engine 5's rendering capabilities.
As players explore Hethereau, supernatural phenomena can occur that seamlessly transform the surrounding environment into a darker, more surreal version of the city. These transitions happen in real time without loading screens or cuts. The normal streets, buildings, and skyline morph into twisted, otherworldly versions that reflect the anomaly activity in the area.
The game's lore references specific time-locked supernatural events. Rumors mention a mysterious pawnshop that only appears on the night of the full moon each month. These kinds of time-sensitive encounters tie the day-night cycle directly into world-building and discovery.
Peaceful anomaly creatures (called "oddities") live among the residents of Hethereau. Some are officially recognized as citizens by the Bureau of Anomaly Control, while others cause mischief. More dangerous anomalies trigger bespoke playable cutscenes where the player must respond to sudden threats. The frequency and type of anomaly encounters can shift based on time of day and weather conditions.
