The adventurer’s field guide

Between Adventures IDLE Known Issues & Save Answers

Developer replies and patch fixes for locked areas, merchant access and demo saves, with dates and source links.

Sources checkedEvidence dated per entry
Quick answer

Merchant access has a developer-confirmed fix. Battle areas unlock through area completion. Demo saves do not carry over to Early Access. Read the evidence and scope for each answer below.

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Issue status at a glance

ProblemStatus / source dateAnswer
Merchant suddenly lockedDeveloper reported resolved · Sep 5Fixed in Hotfix #6Check the fix and remaining symptoms
Battle areas after 1-2 lockedDeveloper answered · Sep 8Complete areas to unlock more
Demo save transferDeveloper answered · Sep 5Demo saves do not carry to EA
Quest stage confusionClarified in Hotfix #5 · Sep 9Match Act 1-4 or Act 1-6 exactly

Dates identify the source response or patch. “Resolved” applies to the reported issue, not every similar symptom.

Fixed in Hotfix #6

Official · Hotfix #6 · Sep 10 UTC

ProblemPublished fixNext action
Gathering node bonuses behave like flat XPNon-combat node bonuses apply percentage boosts correctly.Update and compare the current tooltip and activity result.
Potion cannot be equipped due to player levelAll potion player-level equip requirements removed.Update; crafting recipe levels remain separate.
Full inventory prevents opening a chestChest slot is cleared before reward-space evaluation.Try opening the chest after updating.
Completed area still looks unfinished on the mapMap completion state refreshes in real time.Recheck the map after completing combat.
Cloud save state is unclearLive sync/status badges added to save slots.Wait for the shown synchronization state before selecting a slot.

Merchant suddenly locked

Official · Developer reply · Sep 5

The developer confirmed that the reported merchant-lock issue was resolved. Update the game first. If it remains locked, record the displayed requirement and your quest state when replying to the original report.

The response does not give a universal merchant unlock level. Keep this fix separate from a new character’s normal progression requirements.

Once access returns: choose what to keep or sell →

Battle zones after the early areas are locked

Official · Developer reply · Sep 8

Areas unlock as you complete areas. The original question was answered by the developer; a locked later area alone does not establish a bug.

Follow the area-completion checks →

Can the demo save transfer to Early Access?

Official · Developer reply · Sep 5

No. The developer said demo saves would not carry over to Early Access because of the number of changes. Plan to start a new Early Access character.

The reply concerns demo-to-Early-Access compatibility. It does not establish save-file locations, Steam Cloud behavior or a manual conversion method. Keep the demo save if you want to retain that playthrough.

If your problem is still happening

Include the installed version, the exact quest or error text, the area and a screenshot when posting to Steam discussions. For a locked area, include its completion percentage and whether you changed activities. Avoid deleting or overwriting a save to test a workaround.

Evidence, not a promise of a tested route

Official Developer announcement or reply. Community Player report, not reproduced by us. Unknown More evidence needed. Next-step advice is editorial; no in-game tests are claimed.

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