Symptom → Diagnosis → Fix

The Blood of Dawnwalker Troubleshooting: Find the Fix for Your Issue

Something not working? Start with the symptom. Choose the issue you are seeing to get the safest next step. Official fixes, community-reported workarounds and unverified causes are kept separate, so you do not waste time — or risk your save.

Last checked against official patch notes: 2026年9月10日 · Hotfix 1.0.5

Choose Your Problem

Each entry opens the page that owns that symptom, or the matching section of the issue index. No generic checklist.

Current Fix Status

What the newest official notes actually claim. A patch improves one problem at a time; none of them claims to fix everything.

  • Hotfix 1.0.5Improved

    Improved the shader compilation pipeline, which can reduce stuttering for some PC players.

    Official patch notes
  • Hotfix 1.0.4Fixed

    Fixed one saving blocker and several named quest progression blockers, including Murohn not spawning, On the Run infinite loading and a soft-lock after following Sara.

    Official patch notes
  • Hotfix 1.0.4Improved

    Multiple stability improvements, a Steam FPS drop caused by outdated GameInput software, and controller dead zone and sprint input adjustments.

    Official patch notes

Still reported by players

Community reported
  • Some “Saving is currently locked” cases
  • Some repeatable crashes
  • Some controller and input problems

Reported by players after the patches above. No official note covers these, so they stay open.

Find My Issue

Two questions are enough for most problems. Answer what you are seeing and you land on the page that owns it.

Step 1 · What is affected?

Pick a symptom to see the best match.

Search a Symptom

All Known Problems

The complete index. Filter by symptom, then open the page that owns the problem — this hub routes, it does not re-explain the fix.

Saving Problems

Locked saving, disabled save options and lost progress.

Saving is currently locked

Partially addressed in Hotfix 1.0.5

Hotfix 1.0.5 fixed one issue that could block saving. It does not establish that every “Saving is currently locked” case has the same cause or is now resolved.

Still seeing it on 1.0.5?

Diagnose savingSave file location

Saving Problems

“Saving is currently locked”

One save blocker was fixed in Hotfix 1.0.4, but that does not prove every locked-save case is resolved.

StatusPartially fixed · 1.0.4

Hotfix 1.0.4 fixed one issue that could block saving. That does not establish that every “Saving is currently locked” case has the same cause or is now resolved.

Diagnose

Saving Problems

Save option is disabled

Manual Save or Quicksave greyed out. One blocking cause was fixed in 1.0.4; the diagnosis below still applies.

StatusPartially fixed · 1.0.4

Hotfix 1.0.4 fixed one issue that could block saving. The 1.0.4 notes do not claim to fix every locked-save cause.

Diagnose

Saving Problems

Lost recent progress

Compare the last manual save, quicksave and autosave timestamps before loading anything. Protect the newest valid save first.

StatusDiagnosis needed

Check

Crash Problems

Startup, shader compilation and repeatable crashes.

Crash Problems

Crash / black screen

Start by choosing when it happens: before the menu, during shader compilation, loading a save, in a cutscene, when changing area, or at random.

StatusDiagnosis needed

Check

Stuttering & Performance

Shader stutter, borderless stutter and FPS drops.

Stuttering & Performance

Stuttering / low FPS

Update to 1.0.4 first. The latest patch adds stability improvements and fixes a Steam FPS drop tied to outdated GameInput software, but it does not claim to fix every stutter.

StatusPartially fixed · 1.0.4

Hotfix 1.0.4 includes multiple stability improvements and fixes FPS drops caused by connecting controllers with outdated GameInput software on Steam. It does not claim to fix every stutter case.

Update first

Controller Problems

Sprint, dead zones, mapping and input switching.

Controller Problems

Sprint keeps stopping

Controller dead zones and sprint input were adjusted in Hotfix 1.0.2 and again in 1.0.4. Update first, then check the input and platform.

StatusWorkaround available

Check

Controller Problems

Controller or input problem

Check the platform, connection type and current version. Hotfix 1.0.4 adjusted dead zones and sprint input, which may change what you are seeing.

StatusDiagnosis needed

Check

Sprint, controller and FPS checks

Start with the affected input, platform and current game version. Update to the latest patch before testing a workaround.

Sprint keeps stopping

Addressed in Hotfix 1.0.2 · Hotfix 1.0.4

Platform: PC · PlayStation · Xbox

Input: Controller · Keyboard / Mouse

Still happening? Continue with the input and reproduction checks. Neither note claims to fix every sprint issue.

Stuttering / low FPS

Update to Hotfix 1.0.5 first

The latest patch includes stability improvements and fixes FPS drops caused by connecting controllers with outdated GameInput software on Steam. It does not claim to fix every stutter case.

Performance help

  • Sprint stopping
  • Deadzone
  • DualSense
  • Input switching
  • Target lock
  • Button mapping
  • Stuttering
  • Frame generation
  • Fullscreen / borderless
  • Shader compilation
  • FPS drops

Quest Progression Problems

Blocked objectives, missing NPCs and patched quest blockers.

Quest Progression Problems

The Heart Wants What It Wants won't progress

Hotfix 1.0.4 fixed a blocker in this quest. Update first; if the objective is still stuck, check the exact objective and route state.

StatusFixed · Hotfix 1.0.4

Check Requirements

Quest Progression Problems

Ocha attacks Coen unexpectedly

Hotfix 1.0.4 fixed an issue where Ocha could attack Coen when guards attacked her.

StatusFixed · Hotfix 1.0.4

Check

Quest Progression Problems

Uriashi won't reforge

Forge It Anew blacksmith crafting. Update first, then check the Broken Sword and every required Sword Shard.

StatusFixed · Hotfix 1.0.2

Check Requirements

Quest Progression Problems

Quest won't progress

Search the objective, NPC or quest name. Job first: separate a missing requirement from a patch-known blocker.

StatusDiagnosis needed

Diagnose

Quest Progression Problems

Objective won't update

The step is done but the journal has not moved on. Re-check the exact objective text, then the item, NPC and time requirements.

StatusDiagnosis needed

Check Requirements

Quest Progression Problems

NPC is missing or will not appear

Check the quest stage, location and time of day. Hotfix 1.0.4 fixed one case where Murohn could fail to spawn.

StatusDiagnosis needed

Check Requirements

World / Interaction

NPCs, objects, doors and shop items that will not respond.

World / Interaction

Can't interact with an NPC or object

Choose what you cannot use and search the entity. Quest and location pages own the requirements; this hub only routes you there.

StatusDiagnosis needed

Check

World / Interaction

Item not in shop / can't buy

Check mapped stock, restock, requirements and purchase steps before treating a missing shop item as a game issue.

StatusDiagnosis needed

Diagnose

Can't interact? Route to the right page

Choose what you cannot use, then search the entity. Quest and location pages own the requirements; this hub only routes you there.

What can't you interact with?

Quest Won't Progress?

Search an objective, NPC or quest name. Results show the matching quest and, when one exists, the known issue and its patch status.

Check the blocked step

Check these before calling it a bug

  • Wrong objective stage
  • Missing required item
  • NPC / character state
  • Day / night condition
  • Known patch issue

Do not assume your quest or save is corrupted until you have checked the active objective, required item, NPC state and time of day.

Recently Fixed Issues

What the latest official patches actually fixed, and whether the note claims a full fix or a partial one.

PatchProblemStatus
1.0.5Shader compilation stutteringAddressed
1.0.4Saving blockerFixed specific issue
1.0.4The Heart Wants What It Wants blockerFixed
1.0.4Ocha turning hostileFixed
1.0.4Murohn not spawningFixed
1.0.4On the Run infinite loadingFixed
1.0.4Hive and Seek premature endingFixed
1.0.4Deep Down cave trapFixed
1.0.4Soft-lock after following SaraFixed
1.0.4Smoke and Ashes optional stepFixed
1.0.4Steam FPS drops from outdated GameInputFixed
1.0.4Game stabilityAddressed
1.0.4Controller dead zones and sprint inputAddressed
1.0.2Uriashi blacksmith craftingFixed
1.0.2Controller dead zone and sprint input (PC)Addressed
Read official patch notes

Before You Troubleshoot

Five checks that keep diagnosis possible. Most “nothing worked” reports come from changing several settings before knowing which one mattered.

  1. 01

    Check your current game version

    A fix only applies from the patch that lists it. Confirm the version before testing anything.

  2. 02

    Write down the exact symptom

    “It crashes” and “it crashes while compiling shaders” have different causes and different fixes.

  3. 03

    Protect your latest working save

    Copy the save folder before you reload, reinstall or change anything that could overwrite it.

  4. 04

    Disable mods before reporting a bug

    A modded install cannot be compared with an official note. Reproduce it on a clean install first.

  5. 05

    Reproduce it once before changing settings

    Change one thing at a time, so you know which change actually helped.

If the symptom is covered by an official patch note or repeated reports, open the matching issue guide. If it is not, treat it as an open problem rather than a known fix.

Can't find your issue?

Search a quest name, objective text, NPC, item or the exact error message. Do not send save files.

  • Quest name
  • Objective text
  • NPC
  • Item
  • Exact error message

If you do not know the next step, use the walkthrough. If the next step exists but does not happen, stay here.

Find my next step

Troubleshooting Questions

What should I do first if Dawnwalker is not working correctly?

Identify the exact symptom and confirm your current game version before changing multiple settings. Several reported problems were fixed in Hotfix 1.0.4 and Hotfix 1.0.5, so a fix may already be installed on your machine.

Is “Saving is currently locked” fixed?

Hotfix 1.0.4 fixed one save-blocking issue, but some save-lock situations are still reported. The patch notes do not state that every locked-save case shares that cause.

How do I fix stuttering?

If it happens in Windowed or Borderless mode, switching to Full Screen is the official workaround; Hotfix 1.0.5 also improved the shader compilation pipeline for some systems.

What if the game crashes while compiling shaders?

The developer’s known-issue guidance points affected players at checking whether their BIOS is up to date, on top of verifying files and updating GPU drivers.

What if my quest will not progress?

Check the active objective, required item, NPC state and time of day first. Several progression blockers were already patched, and quest-specific diagnosis is still more reliable than a generic fix list.