Attention, Operators. Black One Blood Brothers Early Access Update **"Western Forces"** is now live. Let’s deep dive into what you can expect from this update:
New Equipment based on the Western Special Forces
Time to head to the squad editor: the Western Forces are here! This update brings a wide array of new equipment, weapons, and gear inspired by Western nations. From new backpacks, gloves, and tactical pouches to grips, suppressors, barrels, and base weapons, you now have the tools to shape your squad exactly how you envision it. Will you opt for a fully realistic approach, or craft a unique mix-and-match setup using your favorite components? The choice is yours!
Introducing AI Improvements
Your feedback has always been our priority, and improving AI is at the core of this update. Enemy NPCs now feature new resting stances when idle, adding a touch of realism to their behavior. Alongside their existing animations, discussions, and poses, they can now patrol with flashlights, scouring every corner for signs of your operators at night. No stone will be left unturned. Pay close attention to their actions: enemies will now take cover more intelligently, adapting to their environment in smarter ways. Additionally, squad improvements have been made to enhance teamwork. Squadmates now exhibit a better, faster, and smarter understanding of complex environments, allowing them to follow their leader more efficiently.
General Improvements
Helios has listened to your feedback, and several changes have been implemented to refine your experience.
- Improved Loading Experience – We know the first load after an update can be confusing. Starting now, game loading will include animations to help distinguish between normal behavior and potential issues.
- Operator Presets – Jump into action faster with the addition of operator presets, which let you fine-tune personnel selection alongside squad presets.
- Map Optimization – Enila Island and Al-Jan Province have been resized for a smoother experience, while Burnwood Mansion and Jin-Shu Temple exteriors have received upgrades.
- UI Updates – The interface has been tweaked, with noticeable changes in menus and pre-mission designs.
Photo Mode
Capture the moments that matter. With the new photo mode, you can pose your squad before deployment, whether for a keepsake or to commemorate their camaraderie. Customize their stances to make each photo unique—whether it’s a smile before the mission or a tribute to a fallen brother.
And that’s just the beginning. Dive in now to explore the full range of fixes, improvements, and features included in this update. Stay sharp, Operators. And Read the full release notes here:
FEATURED
- Overhaul: Enemy Faction Modeling
- Addition: Asynchronous Game Loading System
- Addition: Photo Shoot Feature
- Addition: New Weapons and Attachments
- Addition: New Gear and Clothing
- Addition: Two New Firearm Resting Stances
- Addition: Enemies Can Use Flashlights During Night Missions
- Addition: New Weather Options
- Addition: Official Operator Presets
WEAPONS AND ACCESSORIES CONTENT
- Addition: Firearm - Assault Rifle - Predator A15
- Addition: Firearm - Assault Rifle - V4 Next Gen
- Addition: Firearm - Assault Rifle - V4 Proto
- Addition: Firearm - Submachine Gun - VP7
- Addition: Firearm - Sniper Rifle - WATO 3
- Addition: Barrel - VP7 - Short
- Addition: Barrel - VP7 - Long
- Addition: Magazine - VP7 - 30 Rounds
- Addition: Magazine - VP7 - 100 Rounds
- Addition: Magazine - VP7 - 200 Rounds
- Addition: Stock - VP7 - I
- Addition: Stock - VP7 - II
- Addition: Stock - VP7 - III
- Addition: Stock - VP7 - IV
- Addition: Stock - VP7 - V
- Addition: Stock - VP7 - VI
- Addition: Muzzle Flash - VP7
- Addition: Suppressor - VP7
- Addition: Stock - Versatile - IV
- Addition: Stock - Versatile - V
- Addition: Stock - Versatile - VI
- Addition: Stock - Versatile - VII
- Addition: Handguard - Assault Rifle - IV
- Addition: Magazine - Assault Rifle - IV
- Addition: Bipod III
- Addition: Laser Pointer - IR
- Addition: Holographic Sight + Magnifier
- Addition: Magnifier V
- Addition: Suppressor V - Assault Rifle
- Addition: Muzzle Flash IV - Assault Rifle
- Addition: Muzzle Flash V - Assault Rifle
- Addition: Muzzle Flash II - Sniper Rifle
- Addition: Suppressor II - Sniper Rifle
- Addition: Suppressor III - Handgun
- Addition: Scope X
- Addition: Scope XI
- Addition: Clamp Foregrip IV
- Addition: Foregrip X
- Addition: Foregrip XI
- Addition: Foregrip XII
INVENTORY AND CLOTHING CONTENT
- Addition: 4 new camouflage patterns on clothing
- Addition: New Helmet - Ballistic helmet with open bulletproof visor V1 (29 camos)
- Addition: New Helmet - Ballistic helmet with open bulletproof visor V2 (29 camos)
- Addition: New Helmet - Beret (29 camos)
- Addition: New Helmet - Beret II (29 camos)
- Addition: New Guillie - Stalker (3 camos)
- Addition: New Backpack - Ops (29 camos)
- Addition: New Backpack - Assault (29 camos)
- Addition: New Backpack - Reco (29 camos)
- Addition: New Backpack - Operator IV (29 camos)
- Addition: New Backpack - Traveler IV (29 camos)
- Addition: New Glasses - Tactical III (29 camos)
- Addition: New Glasses - Tactical IV (29 camos)
- Addition: New Gloves - Ops I (29 camos)
- Addition: New Gloves - Ops II (29 camos)
- Addition: New Tactical Groin - Protector III
- Addition: New Tactical Groin - Ops III
- Addition: New Tactical Groin - Ops IV
GENERAL CONTENT
- Addition: Squad preset - Multicam II
- Addition: Squad preset - Multicam III
- Addition: Squad preset - Forest II
- Addition: Squad preset - Desert II
- Addition: Squad preset - Winter II
- Addition: Firearm preset - Predator A15 - Versatile
- Addition: Firearm preset - Predator A15 - Marksman
- Addition: Firearm preset - VP7 - Close Combat
- Addition: Firearm preset - VP7 - Close Combat II
- Addition: Firearm preset - WATO 3 - Sniper
- Addition: Firearm preset - SA-42 - Assault
- Addition: Firearm preset - SA-42 - Assault II
- Improvement: All Squad presets
GAMEPLAY
- Addition: Animations for switching fire modes
- Improvement: "Enila Islands - Talmio" map has been reduced in size and optimized for missions
- Improvement: "Enila Islands - Talmio" map features more varied and better-positioned enemy spawn points
- Improvement: "Al-Jan Province" map has been reduced in size and optimized for missions
- Improvement: "Al-Jan Province" map features more varied and better-positioned enemy spawn points
- Improvement: "Enila Islands - Tanavia" map has been reduced in size and optimized for missions
- Improvement: "Enila Islands - Tanavia" map features more varied and better-positioned enemy spawn points
- Improvement: Level design of the "Jin-Shu Temple" map exterior
- Improvement: Level design of the "Burnwood Mansion" map exterior
- Improvement: Operational skills can be reduced to a minimum of 5 instead of 20
- Improvement: Text and sound notification when a hostage or an agent is killed by the enemy
- Improvement: Position of the objective marker when it has not yet been located
- Improvement: Door frame is not destroyed when the door is destroyed
- Improvement: Number of objectives to complete during a dynamic campaign based on the campaign's progression
- Improvement: Objects in thermal view are not highlighted when they are inactive, such as alarms or scramblers
- Improvement: Operator randomization sets operational skills based on equipment
- Improvement: Algorithm for random operator generation
- Fix: Artillery objectives could not spawn correctly on the "Lost Island" map
- Fix: Player-controlled operator who was dead or injured could experience collision issues and fall through the ground when the player switched characters
- Fix: A captured enemy could not be healed
- Fix: Some enemies might not appear under the correct faction
- Fix: Numerous obstacle traversal errors depending on the map being played and the player's position
- Fix: Numerous obstacle traversal errors occurred when a character's feet were in water
- Fix: Collision errors of bamboo platform
- Fix: Stop conditions for enemies' ambient animations
- Fix: Collision of concrete blocks on "The Mines" map
- Fix: The campaign-ending experience gained may not have been correct
AI
- Addition: New algorithm to determine enemy cover selection
- Addition: Two new firearm resting stances can be used by enemies
- Improvement: Enemies now choose their cover positions much more effectively
- Improvement: Optimization of cover position selection
- Improvement: Enemy corpses no longer trigger an alert once they have been spotted at least once
- Improvement: Suicide bombers are much more dangerous at close range
- Improvement: Suicide bombers trigger their explosives from longer distances
- Improvement: Collision system between characters
- Improvement: Squad subordinates now follow the leader much better and regain formation more quickly in complex environments
- Fix: Enemies could choose a cover point where the path might pass close to the player
- Fix: Switching control to an injured or dead operator could accidentally teleport the character
- Fix: Collision issues and fall through the ground
- Fix: A character could struggle to move through a corridor area if another character was in front
- Fix: Suicide bombers might not detonate properly when an operator was near them
RENDERING
- Addition: AA Method option
- Addition: New map thumbnails
- Addition: New blood rendering on surfaces (walls, floors...)
- Addition: Natural ambient animations for characters' arms and torso
- Improvement: Camouflage effectiveness on firearms
- Improvement: Trigger conditions for operators' ambient animations
- Improvement: Underwater environments
- Improvement: Level design of the deployment cinematic
- Improvement: Lighting rendering of the campaign HUB
- Improvement: Collision system for rain and snow on the environment
- Improvement: Animations for operators and prisoners during the mission debriefing
- Improvement: Design of the remaining time for an injured operator before succumbing
- Fix: Radios on the operator's equipment had unwanted illuminated indicators
- Fix: Blood might not display correctly on surfaces depending on the geometry
- Fix: Sky viewed through the thermal vision caused excessive lighting
- Fix: Some visual issues in prisoner of war cinematic
- Fix: Some textures were flickering on the training map
- Fix: Flashlight beam could pass through walls and be visible on both sides
SOUND
- Addition: New specific sounds for switching fire modes
- Addition: New specific sounds when the weapon runs out of ammunition in the magazine
- Improvement: Some adjustments to weapon reload sounds
- Fix: Weather sound effects error at the start of the mission
UI
- Improvement: New weather menu
- Improvement: Ranks and awards menu
- Improvement: Radial selection of operators
- Improvement: Briefing design
- Improvement: Campaign Intro design
- Improvement: Operation Titles
- Improvement: Colors and fonts of various menu titles
- Improvement: Multiple tooltip texts for difficulty settings
- Fix: Several French texts
- Fix: Difficulty categories in the campaign menu could be duplicated by mistake