Buildings are the settlement's progression layer
Official descriptions frame Hearth and Hamlet around constructing and upgrading a medieval settlement. Buildings are not only visual milestones: they connect resource storage, worker capacity, research, policies, trade, magic, and defense.
Demo v1.0.46 added several buildings and slightly extended progression. It also tied Advisor research to the Leader's Hut or Manor. Those named structures are safe to reference for the June Demo, but a complete building list, every level, and exact upgrade table cannot be confirmed until the full game is playable.
How to evaluate an upgrade
Before spending, ask four questions:
- What problem does this solve now? Capacity, production, a required unlock, or defense is more useful than an upgrade chosen only because it is available.
- What does it delay? Wood and Stone committed here cannot fund the next competing project.
- Can the kingdom support it afterward? A building that increases population or jobs may also increase pressure on Food and workers.
- Does research gate the better option? Some settlement capabilities arrive through permanent technologies rather than repeated construction.
This avoids the common trap of treating every upgrade arrow as an instruction. Incremental games often make the next purchase visible long before it is economically comfortable.
Building roles visible in official material
Official screenshots show a progression from the Chief's Hut and gathering sites to structures such as the Public House, Library, Carpenter, Quarry, Docks, Gold Mine, Magic Academy, and Town Guards. A visible name confirms that the building appears in official pre-release material; it does not confirm every level, cost, prerequisite, or final-release effect.
| Building role | What it changes for the player |
|---|---|
| Gathering and production | Converts labour into a steadier resource flow. |
| Storage and civic growth | Raises capacity or supports a larger settlement. |
| Research and policy | Opens permanent technologies or governing choices. |
| Trade and expedition | Turns local production into routes, destinations, and Gold decisions. |
| Magic and defense | Adds advanced systems that compete with the core economy for resources. |
The safest progression rule is to keep Food stable, avoid leaving active production against a full storage cap, and choose upgrades that remove the current bottleneck. See the Research Tree for permanent unlocks and the First-Hour Guide for an opening framework.