Dark Waters Release Changelog

Attention Officers,

The Dark Waters Release is upon us, and with it comes plenty of changes for free with the base game. You can now buy the Dark Waters DLC on Steam here. Below is the changelog for Dark Waters, covering free changes to the base game, those exclusive to the DLC, those related to the DLC.

If you already own and have activated the Supporter Edition, the Dark Waters DLC is now included for free in your library.

The majority of the Dark Water Release content is available for free in some manner and included as part of the general game update. Here's a quick outline of how it works:

• DLC weapons: Free for all players
• DLC maps: Free in multiplayer if the lobby host owns the DLC
• DLC cosmetics: DLC purchase needed

Within the changelog "Base game update changes" refers to the general changes that will be included for everyone as part of the base game and are not related to the DLC. "DLC Exclusive changes" refers to the handful of changes that will only be accessible via DLC ownership. Finally, "DLC Related changes" refers to changes that are part of the DLC, but will be accessible to everyone in some manner.

Important Note: Until mod owners have updated their versions to match the game, if you have mods installed you should select the “launch in safe mode” option for Ready or Not to prevent crashes/conflicts that may occur with outdated mods.

Gameplay

AI

Base game update changes:

• New compliance/non-compliance behaviors and animations for suspects/civilians across all missions.
• Added new suspect AI loadout system across all missions which allows them to use sidearms, start with holstered/unholster weapons, melee weapons, and use attachments like flashlights or suppressors. The sort of weapons and attachments available to suspects are unique to each mission and type of suspect, with some randomization possible.

Dark Waters DLC Related changes:

Note: In future updates we want to try to include the below Dark Waters DLC Related AI features into the pre-existing missions where appropriate and feasible; for now we intentionally ended up not implementing these features to the 21 existing missions. This is because there was a lot of extra risk and resources required to properly implement these new features in such a widespread manner at once for the Dark Waters Release, which could have caused new issues or sacrificed other new features.

• Mission Event system on “Mirage at Sea” mission which allows the mission to switch from 'Barricaded Suspects' to 'Active Shooter' mid-mission depending on active gameplay conditions and orders from the key suspect.
• New suspect squad behaviors “Rally” and “Regroup” added for Dark Waters missions.
• Added physical weapon cache system on Dark Waters missions, which allows suspects equip weapons that they did not have at the start of the mission.
• Added a UH-60 AI-piloted helicopter on Dark Waters missions, which provides a thermal camera, radio call-outs, and a spotlight for locating suspects/civilians.
• Pre-restrained civilians system for “Leviathan” mission.

Engineering

Dark Waters DLC Related:

• New achievements for Dark Waters missions

Base game update changes:

• Official gamepad support and UI added across the entire game
• Arrest cancelling added

General Performance:

Base game update changes:

• Upgraded DLSS to 3.7.20
• Improved performance of flashlights
• Performance optimizations across various audio systems
• Further optimized various character models

Visuals

Animation

Base game update changes:

• Inverse Kinematics animation support added for SWAT AI.
• New suspect AI weapon hesitation animations across all missions.

Character Art

Dark Waters DLC Exclusive

• 2 new cosmetic uniform sets
  • V.B.S.S. (Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure)
    • Eli-Tec Helmet
    • TP-1E Carrier
    • Phoenix Flight Suit
    • Phoenix Gloves
    • Panama Boots

  • ATLAS Association
    • Sallet T5X Helmet
    • Phantasm LS-911 Carrier
    • ATLAS PRO Top
    • OxFort Pilot Hard Knuckles
    • ATLAS PRO Pants
    • Salmon 4D GTX Boots

• 3 new tattoos: Tentacle’s Embrace, Tiki Fury, and Oil Veil

Base game update changes

• Added SWAT name tags to rear of armor plates which reflect player usernames/SWAT AI names.
• Added team-colored chemlights to improve friendly SWAT identification.

Other

Dark Waters DLC Related:

• New helicopter and boat loading screens on Dark Waters missions.

Base game update changes:

• Improved NVG effects and GPNVG overlay. 

Audio

Dark Waters DLC Related:

• Helicopter pilot makes directional callouts for AI that they spot

Base game update changes:

• New TOC voice-over
• Added missing dialogue for various SWAT officers
• Optimizations across various audio systems
• Reverb improvements
• Bomb vest explosion SFX adjustment
• TOC now specifies maps that may have booby traps
• Foley for crouching and leaning
• Improvements to character voiceline clarity during loud circumstances
• Fine-tuned event trigger for music track at end of “Hide and Seek” mission

Weapons

Dark Waters DLC Related:

• 5 new weapons:
  • M14S-16 rifle (7.62x51mm caliber)
  • GA51 rifle (7.62x51mm caliber)
  • G3 rifle (7.62x51mm caliber)
  • MK17 rifle (7.62x51mm caliber)
  • MP5SD6 submachine gun (9mm caliber)

• 4 new attachments
  • Side angle grip
  • TH-Grip
  • XE Sight optic
  • 510C optic

Dark Waters DLC Related changes:

• Updates to general weapon handling and feel, including screen shake, recoil, and visual momentum (when looking around).

User Interface and Experience

Dark Waters DLC Related:

• Helicopter thermal camera tablet view section added for Dark Waters missions

Base game update changes:

• Added advanced ban/lobby manager, allowing players to choose not to match-make with specific players in the future, or preventing them from being able to join their hosted lobby.

Levels

Dark Waters DLC Related:

• 3 new missions:
  • “Mirage at Sea”
  • “Leviathan”
  • “3 Letter Triad”

• Updated Police HQ themed for DLC 2

Bug Fixes

AI:

• Fixed suspects being able to open wedged doors. 
• Fixed SWAT sometimes being unable to move and clear on partially open doors. 
• Fixed suspects getting stuck trying to kill civilians, if the suspect’s line of sight to the civilian was interrupted by a door.
• Fixed suspects being pepper sprayed automatically locating other SWAT after killing a player.
• Fixed SWAT AI freezing up when ordering them to peek a closed door with a trap on it.
• Fixed SWAT AI sometimes opening doors when ordered to close the door.
• Fixed SWAT AI ignoring close door commands after opening a peeked door.
• Fixed SWAT AI being unable to close doors with traps on them.
• Fixed SWAT AI sometimes not following through on breaches when told to hold, then resume during breaches.
• Fixed broken SWAT AI animation when interacting with a door while holding a shield.
• Fixed SWAT AI sometimes not performing the “Here then back” command correctly.
• Fixed suspect guns floating when suspects exit surrender and pick a gun up off the floor.
• Fixed suspects/civilians spinning after punching a target.
• Fixed suspects sometimes snapping to their surrendered pose when surrendering while stunned.

UI:

• Fixed missing tablet team cam UI when opening it for the first time. 
• Fixed other players in multiplayer appearing too faded out on the tablet roster screen. 
• Fixed equipped text disappearing when equipping an equipment style other than the main one. 
• Removed deprecated entry point button from the tablet. 
• Fixed tablet roster not updating properly while open in multiplayer lobbies. 
• Added missing mandible loadout icons. 
• Fixed mouse clicks scrolling to certain UI elements without also selecting them. 

Customization: 

• Fixed stretchy shoulder strap of the FPC Plate Carrier. 
• Fixed incorrect textures being assigned to certain parts of the FPC Plate Carrier. 
• Improved deformations of the SWAT '99 HRM Tactical Vest. 

Audio: 

• Fixed main briefing audio starting automatically after a briefing media audio recording ends. 
• Fixed certain instances of weapon holster audio not playing. 
• Fixed certain animations playing incorrect audio. 
• Fixed voice commands only being audible by the player issuing them in multiplayer.
• Fixed issue where SWAT dialogue could sometimes play with / without radio effect rapidly
• Assorted subtitle typo fixes

Replay Viewer:

• Fixed missing sounds. 
• Fixed character models freezing after being incapacitated or killed. 
• Fixed missing arrest animations. 
• Fixed missing replay data if replay recording was disabled mid-mission. 
• Fixed visual issues when re-entering the station after viewing a replay. 
• Fixed disappearing doors. 
• Fixed replays unpausing when pressing escape while paused. 

Level Specific: 

Thank you, come again 

• Fixed various navmesh issues. 
• Fixed grenades not being able to break windows. 

Twisted Nerve

• Fixed stack up bug on certain doorways. 

Valley of the Dolls

• Fixed missing bar stool physics. 
• Fixed grenades not being able to break windows. 
• Fixed SWAT AI being unable to move and clear through certain doorways. 
• Fixed collision issues on outside staircase. 

Greased Palms

• Fixed destructible soda machines not getting destroyed.

Elephant

• Fixed C2 displaying on the wrong side of the door. 
• Fixed destructible soda machines not getting destroyed.

The Spider

• Fixed story timeline error. 
• Fixed destructible soda machines not getting destroyed.
• Fixed various LOD issues.

Dorms

• Fixed various navmesh issues. 
• Fixed AI getting stuck in one specific spot. 

Sinuous Trail

• Fixed collision issue on curb.
• Fixed keycard spawning inside of the desk.

Port

• Fixed destructible soda machines not getting destroyed.

Narcos

• Fixed various navmesh issues. 

Lawmaker

• Fixed grenades not being able to break windows. 
• Fixed gap in one of the walls.

A Lethal Obsession

• Fixed stack up points not generating on one of the doors. 
• Fixed collision issues on the main staircase. 

Carriers of the Vine

• Fixed issues with NPC faces looking malformed under certain circumstances. 
• Fixed SWAT officers standing on flowerpots when clearing a specific room. 
• Fixed evidence being able to fall through certain parts of the level.
• Fixed collision issue on one of the staircases.

Relapse

• Fixed stack up points not generating on certain doors. 

Buy Cheap, Buy Twice

• Fixed stretched eyelash on one of the suspect models. 

Rust Belt

• Fixed certain double doors not getting destroyed properly by C2. 
• Added missing face ROMs to Coyote characters.

Ends of the Earth

• Fixed collision issues in one of the player starts.
• Fixed palm tree LOD.

Miscellaneous Fixes:

• Fixed rare crashes after telling SWAT AI to report a dead/incapacitated suspect or civilian.
• Fixed crash for host in multiplayer when restarting the game while any client is bleeding.
• Fixed rare host crashes when clients attempt to join their multiplayer lobby. 
• Fixed CS Gas related crash. 
• Fixed cover related freezes/crashes on certain CPUs. 
• Fixed rare crash when exiting the loadout menu.
• Fixed rare crash when incapacitating/killing suspects or civilians in multiplayer.
• Fixed various AI related crashes.
• Fixed soft lock when opening the tablet while arresting a suspect/civilian. 
• Added missing facial rigs to characters across various levels. 
• Fixed a few instances of mismatched skin tones between body and head. 
• Fixed team cam section being skippable in the tutorial. 
• Fixed jittery credits. 
• Fixed breakable sounds sometimes cutting out during gunfights. 
• Adjusted pistol holster bones to minimize clipping. 
• Fixed various DLSS related issues affecting NVGs and scopes. 
• Fixed oversized world generation data for modded maps. 
• Fixed laser dots being misaligned with their beams. 
• Fixed laser dots lagging behind the aim. 
• Fixed infrared laser beam lagging behind when player is aiming at the sky. 
• Fixed laser beams clipping through geometry. 
• Adjusted VKS description text. 
• Fixed being able to join multiplayer lobbies before the host finishes loading, causing players to get kicked from the lobby. 
• Fixed being able to join lobbies after the lobby closes. 
• Properly centered character model in loadout menu. 
• Fixed The Fool, The Magician, First Arrest and Due Process achievements not being awarded to clients in multiplayer. 
• Fixed players' third person animation sometimes not properly resetting after free leaning. 
• Fixed being able to crash games by pepperspraying players while they’re in the loadout menu. 
• Fixed personal best ratings not updating when completing missions as client in multiplayer.
• Increased breaching shotgun damage.
• Fixed unnatural twisting of suspects while aiming.
• Fixed frozen team cam when dying during the training.
• Fixed incorrect icon for PBS Suppressor in the loadout menu.
• Fixed changing toggle ADS keybind breaking training pop-ups.
• Fixed training softlock if player is killed after Split Team phase.
• Fixed M320 holster animation.
• Fixed team cam not turning off during post mission screen.
• Fixed ragdoll issues when dying to a trap while carrying a suspect or civilian.
• Fixed cursor not appearing on the spectator screen when killed while in the pause menu in multiplayer.
• Fixed NVG overlay staying on screen when entering loadout menu with active NVGs and unequipping NVGs.
• Fixed rare crash while transitioning between levels in multiplayer.
• Fixed doors sometimes getting stuck in the doorframe after using C2 to blow them up.
• Fixed instances of characters having really shiny hair.
• Fixed mod.io adding mods to the wrong directory.
• Fixed ‘No Officers Dead’ penalty not appearing correctly in multiplayer.

Known Issues:

• Rare set of audio circumstances on “Leviathan” mission that may make it so voiceovers are silenced for the remainder of the mission (Fix prepared)
• If a SWAT AI officer performs a restrain and a command to clear a room is then sent out, the Swat AI fails to follow the command (Fix prepared)
• On “Mirage at Sea” mission, a specific doorway under the Sun Deck is only able to receive commands from one side (Fix prepared)
• Surrendered suspects and civilians may exit surrender state when still in close proximity of the player and/or SWAT (Fix prepared)
• Some suspects with SMGs can have bugged gun idle animations (Fix prepared)
• Graphics driver-side issue where sometimes certain DLSS settings can cause screen to reduce in size and flicker with graphical artifacts when in the Pre-Mission loading screen
• When selecting a loadout for the SWAT AI and exiting the menu, all changes are reset to default settings upon re-entering the menu unless saved as a preset
• Tablet screen can sometimes freeze while using helicopter camera
• Face wear and night vision are displaced from the player's face when using a multitool to unlock a door
• When using the gamepad in character customization screen to change cosmetic item style, sometimes it will change the selected character instead
• If an officer performs a restrain and a command to clear a room is sent out, the SWAT AI fails to follow the command
• When selecting a piece of gear and hovering over any other piece of gear, or the same piece of gear again, the variations for the selected piece of gear in the bottom of the screen disappear. The workaround is to maneuver the cursor around other customization options.
• TV in the main living room on “Mirage at Sea” mission is playing the TV news report audio from DLC 1
• Different dialogues are mixed up in the "Legal services & administration" Room. Dialogue from the “Listening Room” can be triggered
• Zoom remains active when transitioning to low ready mode while aiming down sights
• Two suspects on the “3 Letter Triad” mission have their head clipping through their hat
• While in the mission briefing room, the client is also able to walk up to the desk and will get the prompt to select a mission, even though only the host is meant to select missions
• Waves of water visually clip slightly through the sides of the “Mirage at Sea” yacht walls in the engine room
• On gamepad When playing commander mode, pressing the D-pad right in the mission debrief screen sends the player to the main menu
• When player arrives at the optiwand section of training using gamepad, the control pop-up prompts player to ‘press' the button to equip the optiwand rather than to 'hold’
• When a SWAT AI shield bearer attempts to open a door with deployed shield, the door opening animation plays incorrectly
• Within the Replay Viewer there is a rain VFX overlay on the HUD at all times on “3 Letter Triad” and “Leviathan” mission
• When a Suspect performs the Fake Surrender action, the Pistol can be observed flying out of their hands for a second, before returning to their hand
• Final suspects can be stuck performing another action (such as taking cover or being in a designated hiding spot) instead of searching for players
• Occasionally, when SWAT AI is executing the 'Open and Clear' command, the leading officer will open the door and then run to find another path to the room