Update: Quality of Life Fixes & Welcome to Axakal Interactive!

Hello Anomaly Hunters!Before getting into the updates, let's talk about the image attached to this announcement. What you are seeing is a sneak peek of the completely overhauled laboratory environment I am currently building for the upcoming 1.0 Full Release. Please note that these graphical upgrades are NOT included in today's update. The transition to Unity 6 and the High Definition Render Pipeline (HDRP) is a massive undertaking, and that visual evolution is strictly reserved for the 1.0 launch.
However, in my previous announcements, I promised to address some of the bugs and difficulty spikes in the current version. Since the 1.0 update is taking time to perfect, I didn't want you to be left struggling with frustrating mechanics in the meantime. So, I am releasing a "Quality of Life" update today to smooth out your current anomaly hunting experience!🔧 What's New & Fixed?True Pause Menu: Opening the in-game menu now properly pauses the game time! You can finally take a breather, adjust your settings, or step away from your desk without the fear of an anomaly (or the monster) sneaking up on you.Full Gamepad Support & New UI: You are no longer tied to a keyboard and mouse! I have added full controller support from scratch, making it much more comfortable to track down anomalies from your couch. I’ve also added a custom, blueprint-style gamepad layout in the settings menu so you can easily reference the fixed control scheme. This is also my first major step towards full Steam Deck compatibility for the upcoming 1.0 launch!Monster Despawn Bug Crushed: Some of you noticed that the monster would occasionally get permanently stuck at the elevator doors instead of despawning after a chase. This entity logic has been completely rewritten. Once those doors start closing, the monster is guaranteed to vanish smoothly!No More Elevator Panic: Trying to click that tiny elevator button while the monster is breathing down your neck is finally a nightmare of the past. The elevator system has been reworked; if the monster is actively chasing you, simply running into the elevator will automatically trigger the doors to close. Take a breath and watch the doors shut!Difficulty & Anomaly Balancing: I noticed that the anomaly spawn rates in the final floors were overlapping too aggressively. I have rebalanced the probability of anomalies appearing in the late game to make the challenge much fairer. Survival now relies on your attention to detail, not just luck.Audio Tweaks & Atmosphere: I've reduced the frequency of random tense ambient sounds so they don't lose their eerie impact by playing too often. Additionally, the monster's growl has been adjusted to sound much deeper and more intimidating.🏢 A Solo Developer's Evolution: Hello Axakal Interactive!Along with this update, I have a major announcement regarding my developer identity. When I first started developing Lost in Anomaly, I went with the name Aximus Games. However, throughout this solo development journey, my technical skills and vision for the game have evolved significantly.To reflect this professional step forward, I am officially rebranding my studio name to Axakal Interactive! For international players, "Axakal" (Whitebeard) is a term from local culture representing a wise, experienced, and grounded elder. It’s a fitting mascot for the darker and more focused direction of the studio. All store pages and in-game branding have been updated to reflect this new identity.Looking Ahead to 1.0Please consider this update a small quality-of-life patch while I continue working on the main course. My active development is fully focused on making Version 1.0 the most stable, terrifying, and visually stunning version of Lost in Anomaly.Thank you for your patience, your continued support, and your honest feedback. You are not alone in the dark!Axakal Interactive