Experimental Branch Update

Dear Players,

We are thrilled to announce the release of the long-awaited Gore + AI update for the Experimental Branch of Blood Trail! This update encompasses thousands of changes and improvements. While we’ve provided an overview of the major updates, detailing every modification would be nearly impossible.

This update is currently available for the Experimental Branch only. To access it, right-click on Blood Trail in Steam, go to Properties, click on Betas, and select the Experimental Branch from the dropdown list. Please note that you will now see additional launch options—make sure to select the one indicating it is for the Experimental Branch, as it will not work otherwise.

Graphical Changes

• Completely redesigned and rebuilt NPC enemies from the ground up.
  
• Introduced a new gore system.
  
• Added new clothing and character models.
  
• Implemented new animations.
  
• Reworked three Survival Mode maps for gameplay and optimization: Heartbreaker, Paint Thinner, and Believer.
  
• Added two new sandbox maps: Gray Matter and Doppelganger.
  

C.A.P.E.C.O.D. System

• Introducing the C.A.P.E.C.O.D. System (Clinically Accurate Physically Expressive Cause Of Death System). This system moves beyond traditional HP, representing real-world health markers to make NPC deaths feel more realistic and justified.
  
• Enemies experience a rhythmic flow of data representing various critical processes in the human body, including lung function, blood volume, cardiovascular health, and critical areas such as kidneys, liver, and arteries. Pain tolerance is also considered.
  
• All these factors culminate in simulated brain activity, supported by these other simulations and disruptable in various ways.
  
• This system allows different types of damage to interact and express themselves in a coherent and meaningful manner.
  

Gameplay Changes

• Rebuilt enemy AI for enhanced behavior and strategy.
  
• Created a new enemy damage calculation system for greater medical accuracy.
  
• Enemies now vocalize during encounters.
  
• Gameplay is more challenging and rewarding, emphasizing movement and cover for realistic and skillful shootouts.
  

Missing/Upcoming Features

• Two Survival maps (Dreamcatcher and Homewrecker) are temporarily disabled for updates and optimization.
  
• RAID mode is temporarily disabled and will return soon.
  
• Melee enemies (those using melee weapons and fists) are disabled while their AI and movesets are developed.
  
• Future updates will introduce new varied faces, looks, hairstyles, and outfits for enemies.
  
• Additional maps and weapons will be introduced before the Story Mode.
  

Please remember that the Experimental Branch is for new and potentially unstable gameplay. Incomplete features and game-breaking bugs are common. Builds that appear on the Experimental Branch have often not been fully optimized and may exhibit framerate issues. It's vital that we hear back from you about any performance issues, bugs, or other problems you may encounter. Please report issues in #Bug-Reports on our Official Discord Server.

Note: If you are experiencing an issue with the exe file when attempting to launch, please take the following steps:

• Ensure you have selected the Experimental Branch (instructions above)
  
• Restart Steam (if the problem persists, it's likely that the cache needs to refresh.)
  

If you aren't being prompted and the error is happening, check Blood Trail properties > General and make sure it is set to always ask for a launch option.