The Texas Chain Saw Massacre News

UPDATE: The Tech Test is now live! But first, we have a few key details to go over with the community.

In order to minimize instability in areas we do not fully need to pull data for at this time, our Technical Test will be using a trimmed down build. This decision was made in order to still hold the test on time and effectively. Considering that we are still working on The Texas Chain Saw Massacre at the time of the test, we wanted to make sure to pull back from any areas that could cause issues for our users and focus on the goals we set out with - making sure our servers and our backend system worked well at scale.

What does this mean?

Everything in a match will be the same as it is in the most current build. Meaning once the lobby loads into the match, you will be playing the most up to date version of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. Menus and interface will, however, be a bit more trimmed down than initially planned.

Those cuts are as follows:

Players will be randomly assigned their character upon loading into a lobby.

Squads are not in the feature list for this branch and players will need to queue up solo.

Metagame is disabled and will be shown to our community at a later date.

While these areas of the game are obviously of interest to the community, the purpose of the Tech Test is to stress the backend systems and we will still be able to accomplish that without any extraneous issues coming up. We appreciate your understanding and can’t wait for you to see more of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.

If you would like to report a bug or provide feedback throughout the Tech Test, you can email our support team at [email protected]

Continue reading for the entirety of the Tech Test Explained FAQ below.

With our Tech Test being a highly-anticipated event in our community, we wanted to answer a few common questions everyone has.

When is the Technical Test?

The Test will take place on Thursday, May 25th, 2023.

How long will the Test last?

The Test will last through the weekend.

What platform is the Test on?

The Tech Test will be available via Steam PC.

What specs are needed to play?

Below we have listed the required specs to play the Technical Test of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, separated by resolution and expected frame rate. Please keep in mind, these specs are intentionally a bit more strict than what will be present at launch. The final build of the game will have further optimization and that will impact the required specs allowing a wider variety of machines to run the game well.

The specs needed to play The Texas Chain Saw Massacre:

1080p 30FPS

i5 CPU / 8GB RAM / 30GB HDD / RTX 2070

1080p 60FPS

i7 CPU / 16GB RAM / 30GB SSD / RTX 3070

4k 30FPS

i7 CPU / 16GB RAM / 30GB SSD / RTX 3090

4k 60FPS

i9 CPU / 16GB RAM / 30GB SSD / RTX 4090

How do I participate/sign up for the Tech Test?

You can wishlist The Texas Chain Saw Massacre on Steam. Wishlisting the game is the best way to stay informed of when the Tech Test page goes live.

Is Gun Interactive working with Content Creators during the Tech Test?

All content creators can reach out to Evolve PR through Terminals.io.

How will I know if I get chosen to be part of the Tech Test?

You will receive an email from Steam when you are added to the Tech Test. You will see your status on the store page for the base game, as well.

Is the Technical Test public?

Yes. The Test will be free to the public.

How many seats for the Test?

The seats will be limited. Exact seat counts are not set in stone at this time.

Can I create and stream content of the Tech Test? NDA?

The Tech Test does not require an NDA, which means that all players can stream, create, and upload content during the Test.

Is the Tech Test free?

Yes. The Tech Test will be free for anyone who receives an email from Steam for access to the Tech Test.

What’s the difference between a tech test and a beta?

A Tech Test differs from a Beta in that the Technical Test is more focused on stress testing the game and backend services, allowing our team to adjust server load and make any adjustments prior to launch.

What content should we expect in the tech test? Maps, characters, metagame, etc?

Players can expect PVP matches with other people who received Steam keys. You will only be allowed to access the Family House map during the Technical Test. Players can expect to play as Victims Leland, Connie, Sonny, and Ana. For Family, players will be able to choose from The Cook, The Hitchhiker, and Leatherface.

What are the main purposes of the tech test?

The purpose of the Tech Test is to see how the game handles the player base, the servers, the gameplay, and the ins and outs of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. This will not only be for players but will also be for us to see what works and what may possibly need improvement before the release date of Friday, August 18th, 2023.

Is the build of the tech test close to what the game will be at launch?

The build of the Tech Test is the latest build of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, but it is not its final version. On release day, the game will be its finalized version.

Thanks for reading and we look forward to continuing the conversation here in the Community Hub, on our official subreddit, r/TXChainSawGame, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Now that the Family trading cards have all been shared and you’ve had a chance to read over the backs, it’s time to shed a little more light on what exactly these Abilities and Attributes mean, in terms of Family gameplay.

Much like on the Victim side, everyone has a job to do, a role to fill in the composition of each match. Whether that is Seek, Hunt, Trap, Bane, or Maim, taking down the Victims is specified work, and work that this cast of maniacs is exceptionally proficient in. They also all have their trade offs, their own little deficiencies that help balance the whole, making it much more effective to work as a team while still being possible, albeit slightly more difficult, to go about things lone wolf style. Also similar to how the Victim side is structured, this all can be tailored via the metagame, where players can tune the Family to their liking.

Family Attributes fall into three categories: Savagery, Harvesting, and Endurance. These Attributes differ depending on the Family member you are playing as, and can be tuned to your liking by unlocking Attribute points within the Skill Tree and assigning them to one of the three categories. On top of Attribute points, certain Perks within the Skill Tree will also buff an Attribute category by equipping it, but more on Perks once we cover the full metagame. For now, let’s talk about the main three Attribute categories.

Savagery: This Attribute directly affects the amount of damage you deal with melee hits, but should not be seen as simple strength. Think of Savagery as a proficiency level for killing in game, used in conjunction with Endurance as a way to determine the full potential for damage dealt.

Harvesting: Harvesting affects the amount of blood you gain for Grandpa when interacting with Victims. It does not, however, affect the amount of blood gained from buckets around the map. Melee hits, grapples with Victims, and executions are the specific interactions that can fill your blood vial, dependent on your Harvesting stat.

Endurance: Similar to the Victims Attribute, Endurance affects the stamina drain and recharge rate. On the Family side, however, melee strikes also drain stamina, making the Endurance Attribute important for dealing damage as well as mobility.

So you see, these Attributes all work together to make up the type of killer any given Family member is. Considering you cannot attack without any stamina left in the pool, Savagery and Endurance are tied together in interesting ways. Mix in the fact that your Harvesting rating will affect how much blood you will walk away with after each altercation and you can start to see how the balancing shapes up with our cast of cannibals.

Now it’s time to take a look at Seek, Bane, Trap, Hunt, and Maim.

The Cook: SEEK
The Seek Ability allows the Cook to lean in and listen carefully to any strange sounds he might hear around the map. If a sound is detected, he can focus in on it, revealing the location of the Victim unfortunate enough to be making the most noise.

Sissy: BANE
Sissy picked up some unique skills in her travels, like her Bane Ability. Craft poisons from local plants then blow the powder in the faces of Victims or use them to contaminate items around the map.

The Hitchhiker: TRAP
The Hitchhiker is handy with a pile of bones and his Trap Ability is an extension of that. The macabre artist can place traps around the map that alert him when an unsuspecting Victim steps in.

Johnny: HUNT
Johnny is a stalker, a predator, and like any true predator, he’s a skilled hunter. His Hunt Ability allows him to see and track the fresh footsteps of Victims around the map.

Leatherface: MAIM
This one is pretty self explanatory. Leatherface carries the saw, the saw is the Maim Ability. He can utilize it in a variety of ways, not least of which is to dismember any Victims he might get his hands on.

These Family Abilities can all be tuned up further in the metagame, and each Ability has its own breakout tree within the greater Skill Tree where players can customize aspects like cooldown, usage, etc. More on that as well as Perks and how they intersect with Abilities and Attributes in the full metagame breakdown still to come. But we aren’t quite done here yet…

Each Family Member also has additional unique characteristics, that don’t necessarily function quite the same as their Abilities but are more just a part of who they are. Let’s list those off, now.

The Cook: He can add additional locks to doors around the map, starting the match off with three in his inventory. These locks can be removed and added back into his inventory, should he choose to relocate one of them. The Cook can also close crawl spaces, causing Victims to need to reopen them quietly.

Sissy: Sissy is light on her feet, similar to The Hitchhiker, but also crafty, sneaky, and sinister. Because of this, not only can she traverse through gaps and crawl spaces, she can also utilize hiding spots to get the jump on Victims.

The Hitchhiker: He is a slippery one, and his traversal is a perfect example of that. He can play as the persistent pursuer that is tough to shake off, chasing Victims through gaps and crawl spaces. His high Endurance marks means he’s swiping at you relentlessly while doing so.

Johnny: Aside from being able to actually track you through the map, Johnny can also put his frame to work for him by being able to instantly barge doors as well as close crawl spaces in game. His hits are also concussive, delivering an extra layer of disorientation on attack to helpless Victims.

Leatherface: The destructive type, Leatherface can destroy crawl spaces, barricades, and doors. Barricades being one of the few items that can give Victims a bit of separation from the more nimble Family members like Sissy and The Hitchhiker, this destructive option changes the routes present in the map each match.

That’s all for now! Stay tuned for more on metagame and that additional layer of modifiers to everything we’ve covered with both sets of trading cards and the accompanying Hub posts.

Thanks for reading and we look forward to continuing the conversation here in the Community Hub, on our official subreddit, r/TXChainSawGame, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

You’ve met the Victims cast, heard their back stories, and now you’ve seen the trading cards that reflect their unique Abilities and Attributes. But what exactly is an Ability versus an Attribute? And further, how do they work in game?

We know there’s bound to be some questions, and probably will continue to be up until you’re there for yourself, sneaking out of the basement of the old Texas farmhouse. With this Hub article we’re hoping to shed some light on the stats shared and how they operate and hopefully answer at least a few of those nagging questions for the community.

Character stats are broken out into five main Attribute categories: Toughness, Endurance, Strength, Proficiency, and Stealth and while each Victim has a base value for each Attribute, these values can be tweaked by way of the metagame and that Victim’s unique Skill Tree. Stashed among the various perks within the Skill Tree unlocks are Attribute Unlock Points. Snagging one of those will award a point that can be used to raise the value of any Attribute the player chooses. This is just one of the options players can use to build their Victim loadouts in unique ways. Of course, the base values play an important role in this, as pumping up a low base value will cost more Attribute Unlock Points than leaning into a specific Victim’s strong suits. More on the full metagame later. For now, let’s cover what these Attributes really are.

Toughness: Toughness is NOT to be confused with Strength. True Toughness is fortitude, built from character, and in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre it’s not simply a health pool. While Toughness does help you sustain more damage before becoming incapacitated, it also shortens your recovery time, giving you a higher all around survivability.

Endurance: Similar to Toughness, Endurance encapsulates more than just the stamina pool. Endurance in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre will help with the overall stamina while also speeding up your stamina regeneration rate, getting you back to full speed faster.

Strength: Strength determines how effective a Victim is at confronting Family members. Strength can alter the stun effect duration for actions such as sneak attacks, grappling in close encounters, and bursting out of hiding spots. Strength also assists Victims in certain interactions like escaping restraints, opening crawl spaces, and turning off the generator.

Proficiency: Proficiency is the gauge we measure a Victim’s ability to accomplish skilled tasks and interactions, such as lock picking. While higher Proficiency Victims can pick locks more easily, lower Proficiency Victims still can pick locks, they just might struggle a bit more with the interaction.

Stealth: Stealth is everywhere in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and as such, the Stealth Attribute is a bit more specific than the general Stealth that all Victims are capable of. This Attribute influences the Victim’s ability to perform actions silently, generating less noise while accomplishing tasks. This does not, however, affect the general Stealth used in game, such as hiding from Family members and staying in the shadows.

While all of our Victims have their strengths and weaknesses, players have access to the full metagame, which can be extremely powerful in terms of customizing your loadouts to feel unique and play the way you would like to. While metagame will never make a Connie into a Leland, players can tinker with builds to address areas of particular Victims they feel they need to boost.

Speaking of unique elements and our cast of Victims, let’s talk a little bit about Abilities.

Connie: Focused Ability
First up we have Connie’s Focused Ability, an Ability that allows her to pick a lock much faster at the cost of stamina and her Family proximity warnings, without consuming the unlock tool.

Sonny: Heightened Sense
Sonny, our intellectual, has the Heightened Sense Ability. Triggering this will give Sonny a situational awareness buff, allowing him to detect noise made by anyone nearby, pinpointing their location and tracking their movements.

Julie: Ultimate Escape
Ultimate Escape sure sounds like a hell of an Ability, and Julie, the sporting type, makes great use of it. When activated, Julie cannot be tracked by the Family while also getting significantly reduced stamina drain while sprinting for a short time.

Leland: Life Saver
Leland can throw his weight around, literally. Use the Life Saver Ability to bump charge a Family member, stunning them. Leland can use this Ability in a variety of ways to interrupt an otherwise fatal clash with Family for himself or his friends.

Ana: Pain is Nothing
Last but not least we have Ana, the fearless leader. Her appropriately named Ability, Pain is Nothing, significantly reduces the damage she’ll take from attacks and falls, like jumping out windows. Her additional buff is a temporary immunity to the effects of any poison.

All of these Abilities can be further tweaked and tuned in a breakout section of the metagame skill trees. Players can open up the Ability panel from within the main skill tree and add earned points to either speed up the cooldown timings, buff the Ability effects, or change key parameters of the Ability and how it functions. All of that will be detailed in a future Hub post.

We hope this glimpse into the details of what exactly these Victims are capable of has both helped to satisfy the curiosity while also sparking further speculation in you, our eager community.

Thanks for reading and we look forward to continuing the conversation here in the Community Hub, on our official subreddit, r/TXChainSawGame, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Spring, 1973. Maria Flores is missing. Her younger sister, Ana, sets out to find her alongside some of Maria’s college friends.

Take on the role of one of the notorious Slaughter family, or their victims, in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, a third-person asymmetrical horror experience based on the groundbreaking and iconic 1974 horror film. Experience the mad and macabre for yourself in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.

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