With release inching closer, we wanted to let players know all about crossplay. Read on in the Hub. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre will have crossplay features, but being on 8th and 9th generation consoles means there is far more to discuss than a simple announcement would do. We wanted to break down all the necessary information on partying up, platform compatibility, and cross-progression.
Platforms:
There will be different matchmaking options depending on platform and generation.
They will be listed below:
PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S (ninth generation) can matchmake with each other
Xbox One will only be able to matchmake with other Xbox One players (eighth generation Xbox).
PlayStation 4 players will only be able to matchmake with other PlayStation 4 players (eighth generation PlayStation).
Settings:
There are specific settings for enabling or disabling crossplay.
Crossplay settings, by default, are on across all platforms that feature crossplay. You can choose to turn it off at any time within the menu. With crossplay enabled, you will see other players from other platforms in public matches, according to the chart above. When crossplay is turned on, on a supported platform, you can matchmake with other players who have also enabled crossplay.
If you turn crossplay off, you can only matchmake with players on the same platform who have also turned off crossplay.
Please note, a player's friend list is not viewable on other platforms. However, players can create game-generated invite codes. Those codes can invite friends on different platforms to a party or directly load them into a lobby. Once a friend on a different platform is in a party, everyone will play together until it's disbanded.
Note: partying/inviting friends on the same platform will work when using a platform-specific friends list and invite system too, such as the console dashboards.
In the lobby, players will see which players are on different platforms. They will appear with unique naming and icons to indicate that they’re on those separate platforms.
Reports and Cross-Progression:
Our user reporting will function seamlessly with crossplay. This means that across all platforms, you will be able to use the same reporting system. These reports will then be actioned and funneled appropriately.
Lastly, there will be no cross-progression for The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. Player progress and saves will be tied to the individual platform you are playing on.
Thank you for reading about crossplay, and we can’t wait to see everyone back in Texas. You can keep the conversation going on our official subreddit, r/TXChainSawGame.
Tech Test Has Ended
Servers are now fully shutdown for the Tech Test. We appreciate each and every one of you that has helped us test The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.
We'll see you back out by County Road 172 soon.
Tech Test Extension
We hear you loud and clear.
You need a little more time in Texas.
Tech Test is now extended and will end on Monday evening at 11:59PM Eastern US time.
Tech Test Sign Ups Are Live!
Sign ups for the Technical Test are now LIVE!
Make sure to sign up for a chance to participate and keep an eye on your Steam associated email for keys. Keys will start going out early next week and if you do not get in right away, don't panic. We will be releasing more and more keys throughout the Tech Test.
The Tech Test will run from Thursday, May 25th to Sunday, May 28th.
Tech Test Sign Ups
Tech Test Sign Ups will open tomorrow! Make sure your notifications are turned on so you don't miss out.
UPDATE: Unfortunately, the Tech Test sign up page has run into some issues and will not deploy today. We are working with our partners at Steam to resolve the issue and will update you all once we verify the sign ups are live.
Technical Test Explained
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.
Family Abilities and Attributes Explained
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.
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre - Unrated Cut Gameplay Trailer
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.
