- What we've been up to! Plus new dev log from Doug! - 5 September 2026
WHAT WE'VE BEEN UP TO!Greetings, Trailheads new and old! It's been a while. Sorry, we didn't mean to leave you hanging. With the latest dev log, we wanted to give you an update on what we've been up to! Last year, when planning for the melee update, we confronted the possibility that we might really actually want the full, IK body for Wendigo. We had made a long-standing promise to users for years that we would give this an honest try, and we decided it was time. So we spent some months on this. We created a fully realized, modeled and costumed Wendigo character, and built a system that featured much of what people expect from IK bodies in VR. But even after all that work, when looking down that path there was still a very long way ahead. Along with fundamental issues with complex physics that plague all game engines, there were joint misalignments, clipping and stretching issues, and a…
- Main Branch Update 0.4 - 25 May 2025
Main Branch Update 0.4 Hello players — we’re excited to announce that all Experimental Branch content has now moved to the Main Branch as we prepare for the next wave of updates. We Introduce: C.A.P.E.C.O.D. Clinically Accurate Physically Expressed Cause of Death Our revolutionary new damage simulates human physiology in detail. It allows NPCs to experience cascading physical consequences from blood oxygen loss to organ failure. Major Features Complete overhaul of enemy AI: smarter positioning, varied awareness states, emotional reactions, and over 1500 contextual voice lines. Revamped enemy design and clothing systems to support the upcoming story mode. (Hair and additional variations coming soon!) New Arcade Maps: Dreamcatcher, Jumper New Sandbox Maps: Doppelganger, Grey Matter Enemies in RAID mode now patrol in an unaware state, enabling stealth kills. Piovra 9mm is now suppressed, i…
- Experimental Branch Update - 19 April 2025
Experimental Branch Update Changes Improved ragdoll physics. Bodies now appear heavier and carry more realistic momentum. (Note: Ragdoll behavior will continue to evolve throughout development.) Made large, high-velocity blood stains permanent when using the Frozen Ragdoll option. Fixes Fixed an issue that was making stabbing attacks more difficult than intended. Corrected damage decals used by certain stabbing weapons. Fixed collision on some ramps in the Survival mode map "Homewrecker." (If running, please restart Steam to ensure the update queues.) https://i.imgur.com/tEUzAYR.gif
- RAID Returns! - 29 March 2025
Experimental Branch Update New Content RAID mode is now fully restored, with all 9 levels updated and enhanced. Changes Significant improvements to enemy AI behavior across all modes. Enemy NPCs now wear headlamps during nighttime scenarios. Added facial variation to enemy NPCs for greater visual diversity. NPC footsteps now play appropriate surface sounds and are spatialized for accurate directional audio. Fixes Fixed a bug where gore effects were not displaying correctly on the right knee. (If running, please restart Steam to ensure the update queues.)
- Experimental Branch Hotfix - 5 December 2024
Experimental Branch Update Changes Adjusted Runner AI to make them more accessible and easier to locate during gameplay. Optimized collision in the map "Heartbreaker" for improved performance and smoother navigation. (If running, please restart Steam to ensure the update queues.)
- "Homewrecker" Map Returns with Enhancements - 30 November 2024
Experimental Branch Update New Content Brought back the survival mode map "Homewrecker". Changes Applied numerous optimizations to the map. Updated lighting for enhanced visual quality. Added new areas of interest and cover. Notes Runners may be difficult to locate in "Homewrecker" at this time. We're working on updating their AI in an upcoming update to flesh out their behavior and make them easier to find. This map has highlighted an existing issue with ragdolled enemies being able to get stuck in walls. Please bear with us while we consider a fix. Thank you. (If running, please restart Steam to ensure the update queues.)
- Experimental Branch Update - 9 November 2024
Experimental Branch Update New Content Rerelease of the map “Dreamcatcher,” featuring an updated look and layout for this classic forest map. Foggy and dark conditions require the use of headlamps and night vision. Changes Permanent blood effects now appear around inactive “frozen” NPC corpses. Crack lighter is now visible to enemies in the dark. Fixes Fixed a bug where NPCs were shooting from incorrect angles. Brightened muzzle flash light for improved visibility. Various optimizations to NPC rendering performance. Permanent blood stains remain around inactive enemies.
- Experimental Branch Update - 1 November 2024
Experimental Branch Update Please note that this Experimental Branch update introduces new content that is largely untested by the public and may present unexpected bugs or performance issues. We appreciate your feedback as we refine these additions and work to enhance the gameplay experience. New Content Added new Survival Mode map, "Jumper," set in a forest rock quarry with verticality and plenty of cover for intense shootouts. Changes Reintroduced headlamp and night vision: reach above your head (L side - headlamp / R side - NV) ) to toggle between them. The headlamp’s beam is visible to enemies in the dark, extending their detection range. Suppressed Wendigo's Piovra 9mm to prepare for stealth features in the upcoming Raid update. (Enemy Piovras remain unsuppressed). Increased fall damage for NPCs. Fixes Fixed an issue with enemies shooting themselves. Improved NPC navigation in the…
- Experimental Branch Hotfix - 31 August 2024
Experimental Branch Hotfix Hey everyone! I was out of the office for the last update, so we didn’t get a chance to post a changelog. To keep you in the loop, I’m combining the changes here. The only change this time is a fix for the duplicate Wendigo spawning in Black Site; the rest are from the previous update. Fixes Empty-handed punches no longer cause damage or hit reactions when striking limbs. Resolved a bug that caused a duplicate Wendigo to spawn in the sandbox map "Black Site." Changes Implemented several performance optimizations since the previous experimental build. Updated the player settings menu. Added a separate voice volume multiplier option. Added player options to control the Ragdoll Freeze Effect. Introduced a new setting for managing the number of simultaneous dynamic blood drippers. Increased the maximum ragdoll count (recommended only for players with high framerat…
- Experimental Branch Hotfix - 7 August 2024
Experimental Branch Hotfix Changes Introduced an experimental optimization feature for dead NPCs, making them non-interactable once the player stops focusing on them. This may become an optional setting for higher-end systems. Optimized the "Heartbreaker" survival mode map by reducing the complexity of landscapes and materials. Enhanced navigation in "Heartbreaker" by adjusting various areas for smoother player and NPC movement.
- Experimental Branch Hotfix - 2 August 2024
Experimental Branch Hotfix Fixes Fixed logic that caused runner enemy types to crash the game; AI is temporarily less advanced but smarter pathfinding will return. Fixed spawners in "Paint Thinner" map. Fixed scale of .308 rounds in the magazine. Improved accuracy of velocity readings for melee blunt weapons. Fixed bug preventing some discarded magazines from culling themselves. Removed ability to stab your own hand, which caused glitchy physics behavior. Fixed issue where damage effects were triggered twice on headshots, potentially causing slowdowns. Fixed issue where Wendigo's footstep sounds did not play on some surfaces. Changes Significant performance optimizations. Brought back unlimited Crack Time™ in sandbox maps.
- Experimental Branch Hotfix - 28 July 2024
Experimental Branch Hotfix Fixes Fixed spawners in sandbox map "White Noise." Changes Disabled runner enemy type temporarily while we investigate the cause of crashes. Removed melee particle effect.
- Experimental Gore + AI Update - 26 July 2024
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. R…
- Getting closer - 22 June 2024
Hello! The update is coming along well and we are hoping to enter the experimental branch at some point in the near future. In the meantime, here's a couple of sneak peek images from the new gore system we'd like to share with you. The first is the aftermath of a pipe bomb blast - burned skin, scorched clothing, and rising smoke. The next is what remains after a 30+ foot fall. Yes, blood puddles now flow down sloped surfaces! Thank you!
- A sneak peek at critical neck hits - 11 February 2024
Hey all. We've been busy with our noses to the grindstone. We are working as fast as possible to bring you this monstrous update, but we felt it was a good time to show one of the latest features we've implemented. Enjoy! Click the imgur links below! Critical neck hits Fall detection and damage (oof)
- Sneak preview of the upcoming gore system! - 26 December 2023
Hey everyone! We thought you'd enjoy this sneak peek at the NEW GORE from our upcoming GORE & AI UPDATE! As many of you know, we have been working hard on this update for a long time and we are so excited to be able to show you a lot more very soon. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all our long term players and new players alike! 2024 is going to be a huge year for Blood Trail!
- New Dev Log! - 10 September 2023
Hey everyone! Doug's put out a new dev log here for you to watch. He goes over what we've been up to, what is coming up, and more. We'd also like to again thank everyone for their patience. Lots of good things happening behind the scenes and we can't wait to get rolling again with updates and content. We know you've been waiting a while, and we're just as excited as you are to deliver. Enjoy!
- What's the Latest With Blood Trail? - 14 May 2023
Hey, everyone. We've noticed some concerns recently from people claiming that Blood Trail has been abandoned. WRONG! Blood Trail is more alive than ever. Although it may not seem that way from the outside, as we haven't had an update in many months, we understand your frustration. We're also eager to have an update ready for you. We're working intensely on a series of updates that will quite literally change the game. We've been carefully listening to your feedback and are pushing forward with a massive overhaul that will address everything. Not only that, these updates will put Blood Trail in the right position for us to continue fully with the story campaign. These updates will first appear on the Experimental Branch. When they're stable, we will move them to the Main (default) Branch. Here's the current plan: Update 1: Gore / NPC / AI This major update will include a comprehensive re…
- Developer Check-In - 26 December 2022
Merry (belated) Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of our players, old and new! Doug is back with a quick update!
- New Developer Check-In Video - 18 December 2022
Hello everyone! We're hard at work on some major updates. NPCs, AI, gore, and more... It's a lot of big stuff, so it will be a while, but well worth it and gets Blood Trail ready for it's next phase. Here's the latest from Doug...
