New Compression System + .NET 10 Preview

Anti-Extinction Playtest Alpha · build 18162943 · published

On SteamNotes only · this build shipped before we watched the app

We’ve deployed a major update to the Anti-Extinction launcher system — introducing NessiePreLoader, our new runtime management tool.

This update streamlines future upgrades by safely handling .NET transitions, executable replacements, and launcher validation — all without user disruption.

⚙️ What Is NessiePreLoader?

  • A transitional bootstrapper built with .NET Framework 4.8
  • Executes from a temporary, isolated user directory to avoid file locks
  • Detects and removes outdated runtime previews
  • Installs .NET 10 Preview 4 components
  • Verifies all file hashes using SHA256 before proceeding
  • Replaces the original launcher with the updated .NET 10 version
  • Cleans up after itself to leave no trace

What Happened During This Update

  • NessiePreLoader launched from a secure temporary environment
  • Detected that .NET 10 Preview 4 was not installed
  • Identified and attempted cleanup of .NET 10 Preview 3 remnants
  • Verified local installer file integrity using SHA256 hashing
  • Installed both the .NET Runtime and Windows Desktop Runtime
  • Located and validated KaikoAetherLauncher.zip
  • Extracted 17 files into the game installation directory

Executable Handoff Completed

  • Backed up the original .NET Framework launcher to a safe location
  • Renamed Pre_Anti-Extinction.exe to Anti-Extinction.exe
  • Launched the new .NET 10 executable
  • Performed full self-cleanup of temp files and stubs

Safety, Stability & Transparency

  • All installer files passed SHA256 hash verification
  • All operations were timestamp-logged for traceability
  • Runtime checks were attempted post-install for extra safety
  • Installation continued safely even when some registry keys weren't found
  • Final status: All steps completed successfully

Summary

  • NessiePreLoader is now part of our core update infrastructure
  • Anti-Extinction now runs on .NET 10 Preview 4
  • Future updates, patches, and transitions will be handled smoothly
  • No user input, launcher restart, or external tools required

Note: we are awaiting Unity 6 alpha 10 to arrive for the vulkan SDK bug to be fixed!