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This Article contains content that either is going to, is currently, or was recently featured in the 7.7.2 Public Test Build. Any information featured in this and directly related Articles (such as the various Add-on Articles in case of a new Killer) may be subject to changes and should be taken with a grain of salt. |
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This hatch I found baffles me. As I witnessed the last Survivor being, yet again, the victim of the dreaded hook I stumbled upon it as I slowly backed away. I finally found my keyhole. With my last strength I opened it, entered its tunnels and somehow found my way to the campfire. Now I sit here contemplating its purpose. Is hope more important for the Entity than I thought? Is this hatch just a treat you give a dog to as encouragement? For now I take what I can get. | 
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| ~ Benedict Baker's Journal |
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On one rare occasion, I encountered an alternative way to escape. It suddenly dawned on me that I was the only remaining Survivor |
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| ~ A Note signed 'V.' (potentially Vigo) |
The Hatch, originally (and still on older Add-ons) known as the "Black Lock", is one of the two potential ways for Template:IconLink to escape a Trial in Template:IconLink.
Overview
The Hatch is last-resort option for the Last Survivor Standing to escape a Trial in which they failed to open up or even power the Template:IconLink.
If there at least 2 Survivors still alive, special spawn conditions apply and a Template:IconLink must be used to open it.
Opening
The Hatch will generally spawn closed, in which case it can be opened using either the Template:IconLink or Template:IconLink.
A manually opened Hatch will only remain open for 10 seconds, after which it will close itself again.
During this time period, any Survivor still remaining in the Trial can interact with it and immediately escape the Trial.
Last Survivor Standing
If only a single Survivor is left alive in the Trial, the Hatch opens automatically and will remain open indefinitely, until either the Survivor escapes or the Killer closes it.
Closing
- This interaction was implemented with Patch 2.7.0, before which the Hatch could not be closed manually.
The Killer has the ability to interact with an open Hatch and close it, barring the remaining Survivor(s) from escaping through it.
Reopening
If the remaining Survivor has a Template:IconLink, a manually closed Hatch can be re-opened, giving them another chance at escaping.
Triggering Endgame Collapse
Closing the Hatch manually will immediately initiate the Template:IconLink, powering-up the Template:IconLink as a last way for Survivors to escape the Trial Grounds.
Hatch Grabs
- This interaction was disabled with Patch 2.7.0.
Before Killers were able to manually close the Hatch, they had the ability to grab a Survivor mid-jump and immediately hoist them onto their shoulder.
Spawn Location
The Hatch will spawn in a randomly selected location on the Map at the very start of the Trial and remain invisible and non-interact-able to both the Survivors and the Killer until specific conditions are met.
This allows for it to be tracked with a Template:IconLink or a regular Template:IconLink equipped with the Template:IconLink Add-on, even though it is still invisible to the Players.
However, even when it is tracked by the Maps, its Aura will not be revealed unless it turns visible (see next section).
The Hatch will reveal its location once open by emitting a peculiar sound:
As of Patch 4.2.0, it is possible to influence the spawn location of the Hatch using either of two Template:IconLink:
- Template:IconLink: likelier to spawn in the Killer Shack, if available.
- Template:IconLink: likelier to spawn in the main building, if available.
Visibility
The Hatch will become visible whenever the number of fully repaired Template:IconLink exceeds the number of living Survivors by 1:
- 4 Survivors remaining: 5 repaired Generators / Template:IconLink are powered
- 3 Survivors remaining: 4 repaired Generators / 1 Generator left
- 2 Survivors remaining: 3 repaired Generators / 2 Generators left
- 1 Survivor remaining: Spawns and opens regardless of how many Generators remain to be repaired.
Once the Hatch is visible, its Template:IconLink can be revealed by Maps tracking it or the Perk Template:IconLink.
Achievements
There are currently five Achievements related to the Hatch.
Template:Achievement TableTemplate:Achievement TableTemplate:Achievement TableTemplate:Achievement TableTemplate:Achievement Table| Icon | Name | Description |
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History
PTB 2.0.0
The first two iterations of the Hatch-closing mechanic was tested during the 2.0.0 Public Test Build and functioned as follows:
- 1st Iteration: closing the Hatch required the last Survivor to repair another Generator in order to re-open the Hatch.
- 2nd Iteration: closing the Hatch powered all remaining Generators, requiring the last Survivor to open an Template:IconLink instead.
The first Iteration was discarded rather swiftly as neither the Developers nor part of the Community were satisfied with how the changes played out in the Public Test Build.
It also opened up other problems which led to the Developers deciding to revisit the entire end-game situation instead of just the Hatch alone.
Ultimately, the second iteration was chosen as the one to be implemented, alongside other end-game changes, with Patch 2.7.0.
Change Log
Patch 2.7.0
- The Hatch now always spawns and opens when there is only one last Survivor remaining in the Trial (used to only spawn and open if there were at least 2 repaired Generators).
- The Killer may close an open Hatch, which will initiate the Template:IconLink and require a Key for it to be re-opened by a Survivor.
- Killers can no longer perform a Hatch Interrupt.
Patch 4.7.0
- Reduced the time the Hatch stays open after unlocking it with a Key from 30 seconds to 10 seconds.
Trivia
- The original name "Black Lock" stems from an earlier concept version back when the Hatch mechanic was not conceived yet and instead there would have been several "Black Locks" distributed across the Map, that could be unlocked with the Skeleton Key.
- Up to Patch 2.7.0, much like with Template:IconLink, the Killer could interrupt a Survivor in the process of jumping into the Hatch. If timed correctly, the Survivor would be grabbed out of the Hatch and hoisted onto the Killer's shoulder, regardless of the Survivor's current Health State.
- During one of their weekly Streams, Developers Dave and Ash revealed the Hatch having a deep connection with a particular Character. Said Character has been mentioned at least at some point in the Game.
- Vigo is a potential candidate, given his ability to create things and "bend the Fog's irrefragable rules."
- If a Survivor opens the Hatch while there are still generators remaining and the Killer closes the Hatch, the Endgame Collapse will initiate and the Exit Gates will be powered, regardless of how many Generators remain.
Audio Sequence
The following audio file shows the entire sequence of the Hatch's behaviour in-game:
Gallery
A closed Hatch
An opened Hatch
TL;DR
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TL;DR of Hatch
Use: Alternate way of escaping the Trial |
