The Engineers of the Endless Railway have declared that various bugs and issues that plagued RailGods of Hysterra shall be fixed.

1. DX12 Banished - That cursed rune, DX12, has been sealed away! The madness that it brought with it caused much of the instability. Thus, DX12 shall slumber until its madness is tamed.
   
2. The Chains of Time and FPS are Reforged - No longer shall the framerate run wild like a shoggoth on fire. 60 FPS shall now be the sacred norm, with 30 and 120 offered to those who crave either serenity or frenzy. Existing save games will also default to 60 FPS.
   
3. Windowed Fullscreen Ascends - The first awakenings into Hysterra shall occur in the dreamlike state of Windowed Fullscreen. Existing save games will also default to Windowed Fullscreen.
   
4. Vanishing Treasures Restored - The chest in the final Wagon/carriage, was found to be a monster in disguise, consuming the precious items stored in it. The beast has been defeated and thrown back into the Dreamworld and replaced with a properly inspected chest. Your items can now safely be stored here
   
5. The Aspect Ratio Ritual (16:9 Enforced) - Though it pains us to have to do so, the game will temporarily run in 16:9 ratio only. Important: This means that widescreen is (temporarily) no longer supported. It will return once we have the bug situation under control.

Now return to the Hysterra with renewed vigor, and may your RailGod purr with satisfaction at these fixes.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3201910/RailGods_of_Hysterra

We at Troglobytes are thrilled to invite all players to get on board the RailGod and wander through the Lovecraftian world we crafted with so much love and passion! See you all in Hysterra, and remember: Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn!
The Dreamers have returned. The Endless Railways have carved a path throughout the world, and the RailGod has finally risen. The fight to reclaim Hysterra from the Great Old Ones has begun.

Once you were a Dreamer, traveling through the Dreamlands seeking a way to save humanity from the Great Old Ones, now, your planning has paid off and you have returned to the waking world, but you have not returned alone. The Endless Railways now binds the remaining human towns and cities, and the RailGod, a colossal, sentient locomotive that fuses Dreamworld and human technologies.

Now, you must travel across the shattered world of Hysterra, harvest power from the madness-infected monsters that now roam the world, and prepare to challenge the Great Old Ones!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3201910/RailGods_of_Hysterra

---

The Great Old Ones came, they saw, and they conquered. Humanity fell, and the Old Gods became the new rulers, infecting the world with their madness. But you are special, you were led by H.P. Lovecraft, who foresaw the return of the Great Old Ones, and so before they arrived, he led a chosen few to the Dreamlands in search of a way to fight back against the Old Gods. Now, you have returned to the waking world, and the way to fight back is through the RailGods!

The RailGod serves as your base, she pulls wagons that you can develop into a unique roaming base. Build workstations, research technologies, hold prisoners captive, sacrifice them to the RailGod, and more!

True to Lovecraftian lore, the biggest obstacles to overcome are not combat based, but madness. As you explore a world controlled by the Great Old Ones, you will feel your mind unravel as you struggle to understand the world around you. But, as one tied to the RailGod, madness can be power, for you can offer it to the RailGod, and in return she will grant you powers…but at what cost?

Whether you wish to take on the Great Old Ones alone, or join a team, the choice is yours. Play solo or with up to 4 other people (5 total) in the Co-Op mode.

Each stop along the Endless Railways brings new procedurally generated locations, giving you endless opportunities to explore the broken world of Hysterra and uncover its secrets.

---

The first blast of the RailGod's whistle has screamed across the Wastelands of Hysterra, and the wheels of our madness have begun to turn.

Early Access is but the first station on a far darker journey in our great campaign to cast down the Great Old Ones and reclaim the ruins of Hysterra from their writhing grip. The RailGod has awakened, but she is still growing!

We, the maintainers of the RailGod have already taken heed of your dreams and deliriums, shared during the demo, and we will continue to do so going forward. Development roars forward like a beast unchained, so gaze now upon what comes next!

---

When the demo was released into the waking world, we were overwhelmed by the passionate roar of your voices. Over five full pages were carved into the Steam Discussions, and we read through them all as if they were prophecies of the future. Your insights, wild speculations, praise, and criticisms have been devoured with gratitude, and it is thanks to you that the RailGod emerges ever stronger.

If so, we encourage you to seek fellow Dreamers in our Co-Op subforum on Steam, or join us on Discord[discord.gg]!

Those who make their way to our Discord will find a dedicated feedback forum[discord.com], the special place for collecting feedback and bugs. This section is watched daily by our lurking team, so we encourage you to use this section to let us know what you think of the game. We have but one request to those who wish to do this: seek out the previous suggestions and see if someone else has brought up what you wish to write already. If so, don't start a new topic; support the one that exists already.

---

We created the Early Access Supporter Pack as a heartfelt thank-you to everyone who believes in our vision and wants to support the development of RailGods of Hysterra. It includes unique in-game items, digital artbook, OST, and a small token of our gratitude, signed by the team.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3601390/RailGods_of_Hysterra__Early_Access_Supporter_Pack/

---

For the next two weeks, the game will be 10% off, and we’re also excited to announce a special bundle with ASKA, available during the same period!

https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/52533/RailGods_of_Hysterra_x_ASKA/

---

Have you already felt the madness creeping in? Are the whispers starting to feel… familiar?
If you're enjoying RailGods of Hysterra for its unique kind of madness, share your thoughts and leave a review on Steam, the RailGod will be forever grateful!


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In the shadows of screaming stars and beneath the bootheel of ancient gods, I scratch these words in madness and hope - there must come a being of mercy, made of flesh and steel, who shall save us from the Great Old Ones.

The dreams have turned to screams, and the screams to steam. The blackened veil parts, and what lies behind it is not salvation, but the truth.

You who follow the RailGods, steel your soul and prepare your minds, for now, we shall unveil the story behind RailGods of Hysterra.

From the moment humanity fell to the Great Old Ones, to the secret plans hatched by H.P. Lovecraft and his Dreamers, and finally, to the rise of the RailGod, the secret weapon that will help humanity reclaim Hysterra.


Early Access begins soon, across all borders, through all time zones, the Endless Railway shall soon descend!

A cosmic timetable etched in flame and rust, listing the local time at which your descent into Hysterra shall begin has been prepared for you, commit this knowledge to your heart, and be ready, for the RailGod waits for no one.

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Greetings Dreamers,

The whispers of the RailGod have reached the darkest corners of Steam. From today until April 21, join us in the Lovecraftian Days and descend deeper into the madness of Hysterra.

Do not think for one moment that we are joining this event empty-handed, for the RailGods of Hysterra Demo shall be updated.

Now, as you depart the Dreamlands and slowly return to the waking world of Hysterra, your eyes shall see a clearer glimpse of the true madness that awaits you.

• Refactored Main Menu
  
• Added control rebinding options in the Main Menu
  
• Added advanced graphics settings
  
• Added shared chests/workbenches (multiple players can interact with them simultaneously)
  
• Added connected chests on the train (players can access all items in nearby chests/workbenches from any chest interface)
  
• Added crafting using resources stored in chests or workbenches (no longer necessary to move items to the Dreamer’s inventory before crafting)
  
• Added train carriage teleportation (default key: J)
  
• Added quick-interact button for retrieving death drops (default key: F; it will re-equip gear from your death drop — in the future, it will also restore item hotkeys)
  
• Polished combat feedback
  
• Refactored and improved tutorial
  
• Overall UI improvements (Info Points added in key UI sections)
  
• Added save/load system for Fog of War data
  
• New Train Stops added
  
• New Dark Gifts added
  
• Added Madness visual and sound effects
  
• Added a ladder plan that allows access to carriage rooftops
  
• Spawns of Cadath can now appear while traveling by train (spawn frequency depends on the rail line color — only the green line is available in the demo, so encounters will be rare)

⚠️ We recommend starting a new game after this patch, as the significant changes may cause compatibility issues with previous save files.

Yes, we’re aware of the current issues with localization and text formatting. Our team is already working on it, and a new fix addressing this problem will be released very soon.

Join us during Lovecraftian Days and experience the improved madness of Hysterra firsthand!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3201910/RailGods_of_Hysterra


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Dear Dreamers,

Last week, we shared the exciting news that we are launching RailGods of Hysterra - Early Access on April 23rd. However, after recent internal playtests and feedback from our dedicated testers, we've realized that we need just a bit more time to ensure the experience matches the quality and depth you've come to expect.

Your excitement and feedback have inspired us to refine key features, enhance the game's stability, and improve the overall gameplay. This is because it is essential to us that your first experience with RailGods of Hysterra is both memorable and truly satisfying.

With that in mind, we've made the difficult decision to move the Early Access launch from April 23rd to May 7th, 2025. This additional time will allow our team to polish the game further and deliver the immersive, Lovecraftian experience we envisioned.

We deeply appreciate your patience, understanding, and continued support. Mark your calendars for May 7th, and get ready to board your RailGod for an unforgettable journey through the haunting world of Hysterra!

Warm regards, The RailGods of Hysterra Team

Recovered from a rust-stained carriage, found adrift on the Endless Railways.
Entry #7 – Lexicon of Hysterra

---

Some call them gods, but I refuse. They are calamities given form, vast and ancient. When they returned, Earth wept blood. Each reshaped the land into their vision of what a playground of madness would look like.

Yes, I wrote returned intentionally, for this was not the first time that they roamed the Earth.

They are the sleepers, led by Lovecraft before the Great Old Ones returned. They gathered in secret and were sent to the Dreamlands to find a way to save the earth and humankind - but in a way that would become real in the Waking World.

It was in the Dreamlands that they created the RailGods, and how the RailGods came to reality.


The Endless Railways is a marvel of oneiric engineering, a self-repairing track of living metal that wraps around the entire planet forming an endless, undying loop.
Forged in the Dreamlands, it channels eldritch energies through its stations, casting great protective domes over the towns it touches.

This is a form of advanced, dream-based science and technology that operates according to the principles of the Dreamlands rather than conventional physics. It allows the creation of structures and mechanisms that would be impossible in the waking world.


The RailGods are our salvation…terrible salvation. Sentient locomotives were made when shoggoth-plasm and steel were merged. Their origins lie within the obscure sorcery of the Dreamlands and with the willpower of the Dreamers.

These engines travel the Endless Railways and are fueled by sacrifice and sorcery. As they travel the Endless Railway, they trace a signal/mesh that blocks the Great Old Ones from our realm.

This is a refined extract from the dreaded Shoggoths (an ancient horror that we dare not speak of). The Shoggoth-Plasm allows us to bond flesh and machinery, ultimately creating the RailGods. It thinks, grows, hungers, and evolves.


Similar to the train stations from before the Old Ones returned, but now with a much bigger purpose.
Each Station is a conduit of the Endless Railway’s living current, and by using that power, they cast a shield around them, a shield that protects the fragile remnants of humanity.
Within the shield dome, the whispering chaos and madness are held at bay, and only here may the RailGod rest, and the Dream breathe without madness pressing in.


A Dreamer who has returned from the Dreamworld and is now tethered to the RailGod. Some say that they drive the train, others say that they are subjugated to her, but those who meet them know…they do not drive the RailGod, they live in symbiosis with it.

This was once Earth.
Now, under the reign of the Great Old Ones, it has become twisted, poisoned, and seeped in madness. After conquering the world, the Great Old Ones divided the land between them and twisted it beyond all recognition. Each god terraformed its territory to its own liking.


Dark Gifts are the powers granted to Conductors by the RailGod. These abilities are far beyond what a human dreams of, but they come at a cost to the Conductor. With each Dark Gift, the Conductor loses a part of their humanity.


To walk the lands of Hysterra as they are now is to invite madness. The twisted presence of the Great Old Ones is always felt, not through sound or shape, but through a pressure on the soul.

While aboard the RailGod, and within the domes cast by the stations, the Dreamer is safe. But during exploration, Madness slowly rises, a response to the ever-present influence of the Great Old Ones, the warped environment, and the horrors that roam it.

Regular humans quickly succumb to madness, however, Dreamers are different. They have the RailGod on their side, it can cleanse the Dreamer of their madness, and in doing so, the RailGod learns more of the horrors that exist in Hysterra. And as the RailGod learns, she will be able to grant you the Godkeeper Skills.


Unlike the Dark Gifts, the Godkeeper Skills are non-combat abilities gained through the RailGod’s growing awareness of the world’s horrors.

They help the Dreamer become a more efficient Conductor, allowing faster movement through carriages, expanded inventory, improved resource collection, and more.

Godkeeper’s Skills reflect care, control, and adaptation, not violence.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3201910/RailGods_of_Hysterra


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When the Great Old Ones returned, the world was shattered. Billions perished. The
survivors? Scattered, half-mad, clinging to remnants of reason. Time, space, and even memory were twisted under the will of ancient gods who reshaped Earth beyond recognition.

The gods divided what remained among themselves and each began terraforming their territory to their liking.

---

Before the world fell, one man, H. P. Lovecraft, saw the signs of the impending doom. He gathered Dreamers from across the globe; visionaries, mystics, and outcasts, all united by a single purpose: to save humanity. Together, they hid themselves in mausoleums and crypts, suspended themselves in a supernatural sleep, and descended into the Dreamlands. There, beyond the reach of the Great Old Ones, they sought knowledge from ancient priests, brilliant polymaths, and forgotten professors, until finally, in the city of Sarkomand they forged a plan. The plan was the Eternal Railways and the instrument of that salvation?

---

Born of Dreamland knowledge and bound in steel and shoggoth-plasm, the RailGod is no mere machine, it is a living god forged for one purpose: to carve a path of survival through a world consumed by madness.

And now, the time has come.

On April 23rd, the Dreamers shall awaken.
The RailGod will rise.

And salvation shall thunder across the rails of Hysterra.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3201910/RailGods_of_Hysterra


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RailGods of Hysterra is not your average survival game. Instead of a cabin in the woods, your home is a living, tentacled train, a monstrous RailGod that you are symbiotically bound to.

You are a Dreamer, part mage, part scavenger, part god-touched survivor, and you'll be exploring Hysterra as you set forth on the Eternal Railways with your RailGod to gather resources, and expand your mobile base… all while managing your sanity in a world corrupted by the Great Old Ones.

Combat in RailGods of Hysterra is a fusion of early-industrial firearms and forbidden magic, granted to you by the RailGod itself, though there is a price to pay if you choose to accept its gifts - your humanity!

The latest trailer, Guns'N Foes, showcases many of the weapons and combat styles in the game, from handcrafted pistols, Victorian rifles, mystical blasts, and even your bare fists (if you're brave enough).

---

---

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3201910/RailGods_of_Hysterra


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"You could stay human. You could keep your fragile sanity intact. Or… you could take the gift offered by the RailGod. But to gain power, something must be given in return, that something is your Madness.
For those who serve the RailGod, Madness need not be a burden, it can be a currency. The question is, how much are you willing to spend?"

Before you can wield Madness, you must understand it.

In our previous article, Of Madness and RailGods, we explored the origins of this mechanic. We spoke of how Madness evolved from a punishment into a choice, even becoming something akin to a currency that can be traded for power, and how it manifests not just as a mechanic, but as a psychological experience. If you haven’t yet read that article, we recommend starting there to grasp the full weight of what Madness truly means.

For this article, we will be diving into Madness again, but this time it will be more of an explanation of how it works. We'll be covering how Madness becomes fuel for transformation: how it is gained, how it is spent, and how it unlocks the forbidden God-Keeper Skills. We’ll also explore the mysterious Magic Wheel, the strange mechanism by which power is granted - or denied.

---

Perhaps the most important thing to know about Madness as a mechanic in RailGods of Hysterra is that it is not random, it is the result of a series of choices. The goal is simple, every interaction should come with a cost.

---

Madness can be gained through various actions, some intentional, some unavoidable.

• Remaining away from the RailGod for too long
  
• Exploring corrupted lands where reality is unstable
  
• Witnessing eldritch horrors that should not exist
  
• Reading ancient texts filled with knowledge mortals were never meant to understand
  
• Interacting with artefacts infused with the energy of the Great Old Ones

As you trigger any/each of these points, Madness will build and it will gradually alter the way that you perceive the world.

---

Displaying the effects of Madness to the player is not as easy as it sounds. After all, as we described in the previous article we wanted to move away from simply relying on visual tricks, and instead, have the mechanic be something that has a direct impact on the player's experience by distorting what they see, and make survive a challenge.

• Eyeballs appear in the inventory.
  This is to give the player the impression that, as they go "mad", they lose memories of what they have. That herbal tea you once had in your inventory? Well, now you no longer know what it is. Don't worry, once you relieve yourself of the madness, you will recognise it again.
  
• The world is bathed in red mist.
  To show the player's vision is impaired, a red fog closes in on the player.
  
• The Mini-map becomes useless.
  This works hand in hand with the previous two points. It is another layer that makes players feel like they are forgetting what they once knew / they begin to question what is real and what is not.

These are the features that we have right now, however, we are constantly looking to build on this. So for the future, know that we are likely to add more ways that Madness can impact you, especially if it ultimately results in the player feeling disoriented, lost, and vulnerable.

---

As we've mentioned a few times, we've always wanted to include some form of "choice" when it comes to Madness. Not by means of whether it affects you or not, but by means of what you can do with it.

The first step in doing this is to have a way that players can manage the Madness. This means that there has to be a way for players to purge themselves of its creeping grasp.

Ways to cleanse Madness include:

• Returning to the RailGod
  The act of offering Madness to the RailGod will reset the Dreamer’s mind, for a time. However, in doing so the player will walk down a path that sees their humanity slowly be eroded.
  
• Drinking Herbal Teas
  Certain concoctions help suppress Madness, though their effects are temporary. This method will dissipate the Madness, removing it from the player's body entirely. By taking this method, the player will retain their humanity, but they won't get anything in return from the RailGod.
  
• Avoiding eldritch corruption
  There are places no sane Dreamer should walk. Some step into the darkness and never return. Whether or not this is always possible is a different point entirely.

Ultimately, for those who wish to hold on to their humanity, managing Madness is a constant battle.

For those who don’t, there is another path.

---

"To wield power beyond mortal understanding, one must first accept the cost. The weak fear Madness. The strong wield it."

The God-Keeper Skills are gifts granted by the RailGod, but only to those willing to surrender their Madness in exchange.

Unlike traditional RPG abilities, these are not passive perks, they are transformative. The more a Dreamer embraces the RailGod’s power, the less human they become, but in doing so, they become more powerful than they could possibly imagine.

---

God-Keeper Skills are not freely given, they must be earned by offering Madness to the RailGod. It is through this mechanism that we turn Madness into something far more than just a debuff.

However, one must know that acquiring power always comes at a cost, each ability pushes the Dreamer further from what they once were.

The Most Sought-After God-Keeper Skills

The most powerful abilities allow Dreamers to transcend their limits, but none come without consequence.

• Teleportation
  The most praised ability. Allows Dreamers to instantly return to their RailGod but at what cost?
  
  
• Gathering Tentacles
  Enhances resource collection, but replaces the Dreamer’s arm with something… other.
  
  
• Unveiling the Map
  Clears the fog of war, but does the Dreamer truly see the land as it is… or how the RailGod wants them to see it?

Dreamers may find themselves wondering: Did they make the choice, or was the choice made for them?

---

The Magic Wheel is the interface for the powers that the RailGod has granted you.

• When the player gets a power from the RailGod, they need a way to access/use that power.
  
• This is handled by the "magic wheel", think of it as a power selector.

---

"The strongest warriors of Hysterra are not those who resist Madness, but those who wield it."

Madness is not an obstacle it is a tool, a currency, and a path to transformation.
Dreamers must decide:

• Do you control the Madness, or does it control you?
  
• Do you embrace the gifts of the RailGod, knowing you will never be the same?
  
• Do you spin the Magic Wheel, knowing you may never return to what you once were?

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3201910/RailGods_of_Hysterra


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