Hello Bloodhunt fans, today we present the patch notes for our Spring Update. This update puts most of the focus on server performance and balancing, but we also have some more goodies in store for you, such as gamepad presets, a new weapon: the Dual SMGs, two additional maps for TDM, and more.
Most of our efforts for this update have been on improving the server performance since it was mentioned by several of you in the recent survey. We spent quite some time tracking down the major issues and can present our solutions here today. We also have made some needed Archetype and aim assist balancing changes as well as adjusted several other aspects of the core gameplay. The end result should be a more balanced, and more performant Bloodhunt after this update.
Let’s first dig into the work we did to improve our servers’ performance.
Server Performance
We have added more physical servers, as well as reducing the number of matches per server. Additionally, we have made improvements to our netcode.
Server performance netcode improvements were made in the following areas:
- We have introduced a progressive tick-rate model that reduces or increases the bot tick rate depending on their proximity to players. Bots that are near players will have priority by having a higher tick rate and bots that are far away and out of sight will have a lower tick rate. This optimization has significantly decreased the server-side calculations
- Slight tick rate adjustment for NPCs. The civilians in Prague have been optimized further which decreases the server load and improves its performance
- Additional performance optimization of bots by removing unnecessary calculations on the server
- Performance improvements of character movement by more optimized tracking of dead players. Having found ways to further reduce the character movement for dead players will decrease the load on the server
- Additional smaller adjustments that have hampered the servers
All these improvements will reduce the load on the server, which will lead to better overall server performance. We will continue to measure and monitor the performance after the patch release, as well as monitor the feedback from you to see the full impact of this effort.
Aim Assist balancing
We have made several adjustments to balance the aim assist in Bloodhunt, the goal is to make the gamepad as equal to playing with a mouse and keyboard, with the input methods having as little advantage over the other as possible.
- ADS slowdown – The slowdown when moving the reticle over the enemy character with the left stick has been reduced (faster movement)
- ADS rotational – The rotational help, when the enemy is moving vertically or horizontally, has been reduced (now requires more input adjustments)
- Character model lock – The aim assist will now require more overall fine-tuning to avoid over or undershooting a target
Each weapon in the arsenal has received individual adjustments to some or all these aspects to better fit with these changes. For additional details please refer to our recent learnings article.
Trios' matchmaking changes
The Trios game mode will now have its own matchmaker, prioritizing the number of human players whilst waiting for no more than 8 minutes before starting the match. This primarily affects the hours of the day when there are not enough players queueing for the Trios mode. If there are not enough players to fill 30 slots after 8 minutes, the match will be backfilled by bots. For more information about this change, please check out our recent Trios article.
Gamepad presets
You will now be able to change between presets for different button layouts on your gamepad (Please note that these presets will not affect the default menu navigation buttons).
These are the presets to choose from:
- Default (The default setting)
- Mirrored (L1 & L2 swap with R1 & R2)
- Crouch control (Crouch/slide on R3, heightened senses on Circle)
- Bumper Jumper – Jump on L1, Clan ability on X
This feature adds some often-requested customizability to the gamepad so you can adapt its settings to your needs.
New weapon: Dual SMGs
Armed with a pair of Dual SMGs, the player becomes a force to be reckoned with. These compact yet deadly weapons boast a blistering rate of fire, capable of shredding through enemy health bars in the blink of an eye.
The fully automatic action unleashes a hail of bullets that can send foes running for cover and the dual-wielded setup offers an unparalleled rate of fire, making every second count in the heat of battle.
However, accuracy takes a backseat in favor of raw firepower, as the recoil of these SMGs can make it challenging to control their spread. But for those who crave pure unadulterated damage output these dual SMG guns are the ultimate tools of destruction at close range, perfect for those who prefer to overwhelm their enemies with sheer firepower rather than precision.
The main difference between each of the Dual SMGs and the single SMG is that these have no silencer, and as such will make more noise.
New TDM map: Burning Church
The once holy grounds of a burning church now serve as the battleground for Bloodhunt's latest Team Deathmatch (TDM) map. As the sun sets and darkness envelops the city, the vampires come out to play, thirsting for blood and vengeance.
Prepare for intense, adrenaline-pumping combat as you navigate the narrow alleyways, climb near the blazing wall hazard, and leap across rooftops in a thrilling display of vertical traversal. Every corner holds the potential for danger, and every rooftop provides a strategic advantage. Watch your back as you engage in fast-paced skirmishes, relying on your wits, reflexes, and teamwork to survive.
New TDM map: Old Town Square
The second added map features the heart of Prague, where centuries-old history collides with the bloodthirsty chaos of Bloodhunt's new Team Deathmatch (TDM) map. Amidst the iconic landmarks of the Old Town Square and the Prince's Haven, the ancient cobblestone streets now serve as the backdrop for an all-out battle between the Camarilla and the Anarch sects.
As you navigate narrow alleyways and deserted market stalls, be prepared for intense close-quarter combat among the maze-like buildings, each with its own story to tell.
The 15th-century sculpture of the Martyr stands tall in the center, a grim reminder of the dark forces at play in this war-torn city.
Store update
Starting with this update, we will be doing something we refer to as timed store releases where we will be adding items from past seasons at the end of every month for the near future. We have seen a desire from a substantial portion of our player base to be able to obtain items from past passes, and a desire for us to expand the store – so we have automated a release schedule that will add more store items starting with this update. This addition will give you even more options for outfitting your vampire.
For this month, we are adding the following vanity items to the in-game store:
Outfits:
- Assassinatrix (Feminine body type)
- Army of Death (Universal)
- Short Fuse (Feminine body type)
- Survivalist (Universal)
Headgear:
- Veiled Vulture
Mask:
- Iron Mask
Tattoos:
- All Natural
- Distortion
- Iconic Regent
- Psychoactive
Piercings:
- Hellbound
- Vamp Vertex
Emote:
- Come Here
Makeup:
- Blood Camo
- Clairvoyant
Eyes:
- Amber Glow
Balance changes
Perk balance changes
- The Athlete perk has been adjusted to reduce the climbing speed bonus slightly.
Athlete has seen the highest use as of late so we are adjusting it a bit so that other options may feel more valid as well - The damage from the juggernaut perk has increased significantly.
The Juggernaut perk has seen little use but is now coming back with a lot more power. If you use the high ground to your advantage, you can now set up great burst damage on unsuspecting foes
Archetype balance changes
- The Siren flash range has been reduced.
You will now have to be a bit more precise with your Blinding Beauty engagements, while still awarding you when you pull it off - Warden’s Shackles leash length before breaking has been reduced.
The Warden has been falling behind a bit so they shall tighten their leash to the competition. A leashed target now has a smaller area to move in, which should result in more leashes broken and fewer options for the leashed enemy - The initial speed bump for the Tremere Levitation power has been slightly reduced.
We appreciate that players have had fun with the Scholar, but we think it should come as no surprise that a couple of adjustments are in order. The Levitation power when activated and canceled rapidly has managed to almost mimic a Brujah’s Soaring Leap, which takes away part of what makes the Brujah unique. So, this change should limit the capability of leaping too far while using this power - The Tremere passive reveal duration has been reduced.
This change should force you to make a quicker decision to pursue or use your blood lance, making it slightly more difficult. We saw that the longer reveal duration became made the passive a bit too powerful
Weapon balance changes
- Slightly shifted bullet spread on the Dual Shotguns to fall within the lines of the crosshair, as they went further outside the bounds than other shotguns
- Extended the poison duration of the Dual Daggers, increasing the max damage dealt over time
- Revolver spread recovery speed increased slightly for all but the gold variant
- The Double Tap magazine capacity has been increased by two bullets
Miscellaneous balance changes
- Entity chests will now have a higher loot variety
Bug fixes and other changes
With this update, we did some spring cleaning and managed to swipe away a lot of bugs that spent the winter in Prague. These unwelcomed guests are no longer present in the game. Additionally, we made a couple of game improvements that made Bloodhunt just a bit neater and tidier.
- We continue the work on improving the traversal by decluttering areas, changing collision settings on props, and performing additional visual polish (including adjusting LODs, gaps so the void is visible, lighting errors, etc.)
- Resolved multiple smaller server performance-related issues
- The visual aura effect on the Artifact Safes when seeing it with heightened senses has been changed so it is more easily identifiable
- The unintentional moody lighting in the Tailor Stores all over Prague now has the correct lighting
- We resolved an issue where the player’s character could land on an invisible collider near the construction site
- Resolved multiple texture flickering issues across Prague
- Tutorial: We resolved an issue where the camera would clip through the wall when the player was standing atop the wooden boxes
- Armory: Resolved an issue with props that would be loaded and unloaded in the Armory based on if a player was moving sideways
- Fixed a bug where the enemy character running and walking animations were incorrectly replicated for other players when walking over stairs in the Graveyard and Divine Disco in Prague
- Tutorial: Resolved an issue with the new tutorial where the player was able to leave the playable area by sliding under a specific location
- We fixed an issue where the player might spot another player behind lootable vehicles that unintentionally would vanish if seen beyond a certain range
- Vandal's Earthshock targeter has undergone improvements to increase its visibility and communicate where on the targeter you will land. It now also keeps up with you when you turn while crashing towards the ground
- We have addressed several issues that temporarily got a player stuck in an animation when climbing between certain specific locations
- We resolved an issue where a player might fall through the ground if they collided with a bus
- A bug was squashed that prevented the player to equip an unlocked perk for an Archetype if they loaded into Elysium as a different Archetype
- We fixed an issue where placeholder text was shown instead of the designated text for the Free Pass reward
- The player can now again close the map and the scoreboard in TDM
- The ‘Bend and snap’ emote no longer disappears from the emote wheel after joining a session in Prague
- We resolved an unintended feature that allowed the Scholar to achieve super-long jumps with certain melee weapons
Known issues
- If a PS5 player is trying to add a new Sharkmob friend, and that new friend is not in the same Elysium as they are, they won’t be able to be added
- If a player queues alone for a Trios match, and there is no pair of players available, or two other single players queueing to merge with, they might end up alone in the match, or not get a match at all
