Big Update! | Milestone Rewards, QOL & Performance Improvement

Hey everyone!

We've been working hard on a big update for Carnival Hunt, and we're excited to finally share it with you!

This update brings a complete milestone reward overhaul, an expanded Slot Machine reward pool, significant performance optimizations, gameplay improvements, and a long list of bug fixes.

There are plenty of exciting changes, but let's start with the biggest highlights!

UPDATE HIGHLIGHTS

1. Quality-of-Life Improvements

We've made numerous quality-of-life improvements across the game, including better object interactions for both roles, improved Hunter alerts, clearer UI feedback, updated sound effects, and an overall smoother gameplay experience.

We've also made significant game and server optimizations, with performance improvements of up to 42% in optimized areas!

And that's just the beginning!

2. Milestone Rewards Overhaul — The Biggest Change!

We've heard your feedback about having to rely on luck to obtain the Gears you want.

We believe that building your character shouldn't depend entirely on RNG.

As you level up, you should be able to choose your perks, develop your playstyle, and gradually build the character you want.

That's exactly the direction we're moving toward!

We've introduced Gear Selection Chests across all rarities, carefully distributed throughout Levels 1–100 as milestone rewards.

As you reach certain milestones, you'll receive Gear Selection Chests that let you choose the Gears you actually want, rather than relying entirely on random drops.

This gives you much more control over your progression and allows you to work toward your preferred builds as you play.

Already at a higher level? Don't worry!

If you've already passed these milestones, you'll automatically receive all the Gear Selection Chests you've earned based on your current level!

3. Regular Spin — Expanded Item Pool!

We're making Regular Spin much more exciting!

Previously, the reward pool was limited, but now we've added all non-strictly-exclusive customization items to the Regular Spin pool!

That means you'll have a chance to obtain a much wider variety of rewards, including cosmetics, skins, and even the Legendary skin recipes you've been wanting!

Strictly exclusive items will remain exclusive, and always will be.

With a much larger reward pool, every spin now has the potential to surprise you!

Keep in mind that drop rates may be adjusted in future updates as we continue balancing and expanding the system.

FULL PATCH NOTES

And those are just the highlights! Here's the full list of changes included in this update.

NEW FEATURES & IMPROVEMENTS

Performance & Optimization

• Game and Server Optimization: Performance improvements of up to 42% in optimized areas.
• Ray Tracing: Added ray tracing settings.
• Texture Streaming: Increased the texture streaming pool and optimized texture exports and streaming.
• Lighting Optimization: Optimized lighting in Wings, center rooms, and connection rooms.
• LOD Optimization: Improved LOD settings for small cages and Rook assets.

Gameplay & Quality-of-Life

Interaction System

• Interactive objects and their specific interaction points are now highlighted.
• Increased interaction areas on objects to make interacting easier for both Bunnies and Hunters.

Hunter Awareness

• Added a new chat-like Hunter Alert Feed displaying detected noises, including the room and floor where each noise occurred.

Bunny Awareness

• Added "You're spotted!" notification when spotted by the Ticketman.
• Added "Hunter heard you!" notification when creating a noise alert.
• Improved the Terror Indicator.

General Gameplay

• Shockbox can now be used even when a Bunny has full energy to gain the Energized status.
• Added a hint when attempting to fire the cannon without a Gear or sufficient charge.
• Added hints when the Oiler cannot repair anything.
• Breaking free from Astral Projection now uses almost the same skill check as Madness.
• The "Player Died" announcement is now also displayed to the Hunter.

Hunter Improvements

Contortionist

• Wall and ceiling movement no longer consumes charge.
• Improved surface movement and Web Zip indicators.
• Improved first-person and held-survivor animations.
• Objective-blocking prompts now display the cooldown.

General Hunter Improvements

• Improved ability cooldown feedback for Hunters.

Jack's Slot Machine, Rewards & Economy

Jack's Slot Machine Options

• Gear Spin: Draws exclusively from the Gear pool, allowing players to focus on obtaining Gears.
• Regular Spin: Draws from the expanded item pool, including cosmetics, skins, Gears, ingredients, and other rewards.

• Added many new skin recipes, including Legendary recipes, to the Jack item pool.
• Adjusted the rarities of several skins.

Reward Screen

• Added full item previews, rarity information, and descriptions for received rewards.
• Cosmetics can now be equipped directly from the reward screen.
• Already-owned recipes are now marked "Owned" across reward screens, chest contents, the Carnival Pass, and item tooltips.

Milestone Rewards

• Added Gear Selection Chests across Levels 1–100.
• Players can choose their preferred Gears from these chests.
• Existing higher-level players automatically receive rewards for milestones they've already reached.

Main Menu & UI

Main Menu

• Role bonuses are now displayed on role selection cards.
• Added shop item hover tooltips.
• Added Steam icons for friends who are also on your Steam friends list.

Gear Menu

• Added lock icons and unlock-level tooltips to level-locked Gear slots.
• Improved the main menu Gear widget:
• Hovering highlights the main Gear.
• Clicking the Gear widget opens the Upgrade Gears panel.
• Clicking equipped Gears displays their descriptions.

HUD & Interface

• Added tooltips explaining why the Craft button is disabled.
• Claiming match rewards now automatically removes the corresponding mailbox message.

Audio & Sound

• Overhauled main menu button sound effects.
• Added a Match Found notification sound that plays even when the game is minimized.
• Improved sound feedback for Hunter abilities on cooldown.

BUG FIXES

We've also addressed numerous bugs, exploits, and technical issues across the game. Thank you to everyone who has been reporting them!

Performance & Stability

• Fixed 3 different crashes.
• Fixed DLSS issues.
• Fixed stuttering during effects such as fireworks, smoke, and oil.
• Fixed dark web rendering on DX12.

Gameplay & Mechanics

• Fixed firework area-of-effect damage not unlocking blocked objectives.
• Fixed fireworks passing through hanging webs. Direct hits now destroy webs.
• Fixed a charge/skill-check exploit.
• Fixed a rare issue where a Bunny playing dead could keep their mouth open after speaking in voice chat.

Hunter & Ability Fixes

Contortionist

• Fixed unintended flying after zipping across webs.
• Fixed teleport exit animations.
• Fixed the Contortionist's booth not being markable.

Other Hunters & Abilities

• Fixed Astral Projection failing to possess targets in certain states.
• Fixed Mind Breaker Gear not applying additional Madness from Astral Projection and other sources.
• Fixed the mirror not being markable.

Slot Machine & Rewards

• Fixed a visual issue where the Gear Spin button could be clicked without enough Candies.
• Fixed the reward screen not appearing after receiving a recipe from the Slot Machine.

UI & HUD

• Fixed duplicated and blurry FPS and Ping text on the Bunny HUD.
• Fixed an issue where opening the menu during the initial teleport could cause the HUD to disappear and leave the cursor permanently visible.
• Fixed Hunter survivor cards not appearing at match start.

Maps & Environment

• Fixed a Bunny hiding collision issue in Ring.
• Fixed a location where players could get stuck on the fourth floor in Organ Hall
• Fixed multiple collision issues.
• Fixed an issue at the end of a zipline.
• Made additional minor environment fixes.
• Fixed collision issues in Connection Room 01.
• Fixed an incorrect teleporter visual effect.

KEEP THE FEEDBACK COMING!

This is a big update, and we've introduced a lot of changes at once!

Some features and systems may need further polishing, balancing, and adjustments, and that's completely fine. We'll continue improving them along the way.

Our goal is to make Carnival Hunt more enjoyable, rewarding, and fair for everyone, whether you're a new player or someone who's been with us from the beginning.

We're listening to your feedback, and we'll keep working to address the things that matter most to you.

Thank you all for your continued support, patience, and valuable feedback!

See you in the ever-shifting carnival!