GHPC Early Access has been updated to version 20241124.
This is a regular update, introducing new features, adjustments, and bug fixes.
We've got plenty more in the works for GHPC! As always, you can get additional info by visiting our Discord server and YouTube channel. Links are on the GHPC website.
INFANTRY PART ONE
As a major feature on our early access roadmap, infantry has been planned for GHPC since the beginning. Today, the first phase of that feature arrives. This update introduces mechanized infantry for the US Army and the Nationale Volksarmee (NVA) in a specific set of missions. These troops perform mechanized assaults and entrenched defenses depending on the mission scenario.
Missions with infantry in this build:
- (NEW) Valley of Infantry (Eastern Hills)
- (NEW) Dancing Devils (Fulda Outskirts)
- Obscene Odyssey (Eastern Hills)
- Native Narrative (Eastern Hills)
Adding infantry to the game was a coordinated long-term effort by a team of multiple specialized developers, including new team members we hired specifically for their skillsets in relevant areas. All of those involved have displayed incredible persistence and energy to bring the feature to life, and we are grateful for their hard work.
As implied by the "part one" label, today's update is a first iteration, a way to get the feature in the hands of players and get a more complete picture of how it integrates with the experience. There are more infantry-related features and missions on the horizon, and we will release these when they are ready.
In this iteration, troops are equipped with basic rifles and light anti-tank weapons. Specifically, we have the M16A1 and LAW for the US Army, while the NVA are equipped with the MPi-KM and the RPG-7. In close-quarters confrontations with other infantry, soldiers will also pull out and use hand grenades.
Troops only fire at targets they have a reasonable chance of damaging, so the riflemen tend to ignore any vehicle with armor and only shoot at enemy troops. However, if a soldier with an anti-tank launcher gets in range of an armored vehicle, they will take the shot.
Infantry have a variety of behaviors, including changing stances, ducking down when they take incoming fire, and varying their fire rates based on the proximity of the enemy. Nevertheless, they are unarmored and highly vulnerable on a mechanized battlefield. In missions featuring friendly troops, you will need to take special care to protect them from enemy armor.
You are probably wondering whether there will be Soviet and West German troops, additional infantry missions, and a wider variety of infantry weapons. We plan to do all of these things and are actively working toward it. As always, these features will arrive when they are ready. Until then, we hope you enjoy what's available so far.
NEW VEHICLE: M151 Utility Truck
Often called the "MUTT", this vehicle was a workhorse for the US Army in the era before the HMMWV arrived. In GHPC, it debuts with two variants: an unarmed version and a version with a mounted TOW ATGM launcher. The TOW variant carries three missiles (one loaded and two on an ammunition rack) and must take advantage of its small size and high speed to survive.
As of this update, there are no missions that include the M151 by default, but the customizer can be used to place them in missions under the "Scout" or "Transport" categories.
QUALITY-OF-LIFE CHANGES
As always, we are constantly evaluating and improving the gameplay experience as we have spare time while working on new features. We have a nice list of adjustments this time around:
Tutorials shortcut
The Grafenwoehr Tank Range section of the Instant Action mode is now accessible directly from the front page of the main menu by clicking the new "Tutorials" button.
AI ammo switching
Non-player vehicles can now switch what ammo they reload based on what kind of target they're engaging, instead of using up each ammo type in order.
APC crew bailout changes
Previously, it was necessary to both immobilize an APC and take out its offensive capability to make the game consider it neutralized. Now, simply taking out the gunner will be enough to make the crew abandon the vehicle, unless it's actively carrying troops inside. This makes APCs much less stubborn targets, especially when they're dug in.
Friendly fire isn't
AI vehicle crews that get their line of sight blocked by concealment have a small window of time in which they'll be willing to try a blind shot, in case they can still hit the target. Unfortunately, sometimes the source of that concealment has been a friendly vehicle driving in front of the muzzle. Now, the AI will react to an obstructing friendly unit by switching targets or holding fire until it's clear again.
Skill issues
There were multiple longstanding AI issues that we corrected this time around. One was the tendency of helicopter pilots to eventually give up on remaining in the air, performing controlled flight into terrain. They now perceive and respond to ground proximity properly. Another issue was a complete inability for KPV gunners (as seen in the BTRs and BRDM-2) to aim directly at a target. They will no longer spray all their ammunition over the enemy.
Performance
While optimization is an ongoing task and tends to come in small bursts for now, this update sees several improvements in this area. One was a persistent stutter or micro-freeze every time the player switched between a gunsight and external view. This no longer causes any delay. Another improvement is a massive reduction in the amount of calculation required to determine what AI units can see each other. Units hiding behind smoke clouds and forests should be much less of a problem for CPU load now, and some players will likely experience smoother frame rates overall.
NAVIGATION CODE OVERHAULS
Many times, we have to make sweeping changes that have very little immediate payoff but are required to help make other features viable in the future. This update includes one such overhaul. As part of our work toward improved AI driving behaviors, we reworked the game's pathfinding system. This is the core code behind units finding their way around the map and threading through obstacles.
In its current state, it's roughly at parity with the previous version - in other words, you will not see any major difference, except that the quirks in this version may be slightly different than before. We continue to work on developing this system, and it will improve in future updates. For now, if you see anything odd with vehicle navigation, just know it's growing pains for better results later on.
With that said, it's time to list the full change log.
CHANGE LOG
NEW CONTENT
- Added first version of infantry, featuring US Army and NVA troops armed with rifles, light anti-tank weapons, and grenades
- Added infantry-based mission "Valley of Infantry" in Eastern Hills
- Added infantry-based mission "Dancing Devils" in Fulda Outskirts
- Added mission "BMP Barricade" in Fulda Outskirts
- Added infantry to existing mission "Native Narrative"
- Added infantry to existing mission "Obscene Odyssey"
- Added M151 "MUTT" to customizer in Transport category
- Added M151 "MUTT" TOW variant to customizer in Scout category
- Added 125mm APFSDS 3BM26 to customizer and campaign logistics system
FEATURES AND ADJUSTMENTS
- Added "Tutorials" button in main menu to provide easy access to firing range missions
- Completely overhauled pathfinding system to pave the way for future feature needs
- AI vehicle crews can now choose which ammo to queue up based on what kind of target they're engaging
- Added visible wires to all wire-guided ATGMs
- APC crews are now far less resistant to bailout and will abandon a combat ineffective vehicle unless carrying troops
- Reduced fuzziness of all vehicle commander night vision goggles
- Improved gain on Pact night vision goggles
- Adjusted sky light colors and moon brightness
- Slightly reduced KE resistance of glass textolite material to better match real-world live fire tests
- Pact Partnership mission now features horror/night battle track "Broken Arrow" from Longer Road mission
- Instant Action mission lists have been rearranged to place some more difficult scenarios later in the lists
- Clicking campaign mode for the first time now causes a disclaimer to appear
- Added a graphics toggle option for grass reaction to vehicles driving through it
- Reduced RAM usage of certain terrains
- Overhauled AI vision routine for reduced CPU load
- Improved some visual effects
- Updated in-flight visual model for Malyutka ATGM to show more accurate details and propulsion jets
- Moved coaxial machine gun to weapon slot 2 in M60 tanks
- Missiles that somehow punch through a surface without fuzing now get their guidance destroyed and fall to the ground
- AI gunners are more resistant to firing when a friendly is in the way
- Updated credits to include newer team members
FIXES
- Fixed a micro-freeze when changing camera views
- Fixed an issue that allowed vehicles to shoot their own gun barrels or launch rockets into their own fuselages
- Fixed a bug that caused every KPV-armed vehicle (BRDM-2, BTRs) to shoot above the target
- Fixed a bug preventing vehicle crews from using the correct low-light perception distances for their equipment sets
- Fixed an issue that caused CAS pilots to dive into the ground if they couldn't find a target
- Fixed HEAT warheads causing blast damage and forming a jet even if they impacted before arming
- Fixed BMPs having non-functional smoke screens
- Fixed T-72 LEM mod missing smoke grenade feature
- Fixed helicopter pilots not taking action to avoid controlled flight into terrain
- Fixed helicopter pilots continuing to fire at neutralized targets
- Fixed elevation limits of 9P135M missile launcher, both standalone version and mounted on BMP-1P
- Fixed 3BM8 ammunition not burning correctly when ignited in storage racks
- Fixed an issue that could cause some sub-objects such as missile tubes to rotate the wrong way in AAR posing
- Fixed some armor setup issues on T-64 variants
- Fixed people not glowing in thermal optics
- Fixed M113 getting bottomed out on terrain too easily when reversing
- Fixed some vehicles not switching to coaxial machine gun to engage soft targets
- Fixed an issue that could lead to platoon member vehicles flipping at mission start due to terrain clipping
- Fixed mission "Gregarious Gorge" being nearly un-winnable due to an enemy vehicle hiding far from the battle
- T-72 variants with early hull (80-20 array) no longer use the improved armor values of the later hull (60-50 array)
- M1 ammo rack door can no longer lag out of the vehicle at low FPS
- Fixed name of M60A3 main gun
- Fixed issues with M901 ITV flammable items
- Fixed mesh gratings on vehicles not scorching in fire
- Fixed a collider issue on the SPG-9 emplacement
- Fixed a model clipping issue on T-72 Ural rangefinder
- Fixed rare bugs that could produce error log spam
- Multiple small fixes for mission layouts
Thanks for playing!