Welcome to the latest Developer Notes for Farlight 84. In this update, the new hero Freddie joins the battlefield, bringing more unpredictable elements to Farlight 84. The heroes also receive a new universal movement mechanic-- Jetslide, allowing them to move with more flexibility and agility.
Our update will take place on UTC 2024/03/07 at 00:00. This update is expected to suspend the server for 3 hours. After the completion of the update, we will distribute 4000 gold coins as compensation.
Let's take a look at the details of this update.
▌Jetslide is Here.
The previous update brought big changes to Jetpack, removing many of its beloved movement mechanisms, and led to a huge backlash from the community because of the lack of movements after the update.
Jetslide is set to be the next important movement mechanism in Farlight 84.
While the Jetpack provided a lot of movement, it became difficult for us, as developers, to design diverse heroes and weapons for the long term. A player can get out of danger almost immediately by Jetpacking away, while others who prefer a more tactical playstyle than flanking lacked options.
Jetslide, on the other hand, is expected to bring movement back to a new level while simultaneously solving the above game design problem. We feel there's now a nice balance between mobility and predictability, creating a framework where players can leverage movements to attack or defend, while skillful enemies can still correspond with tactical depth.
We studied sliding mechanisms on the market, and we thought we could do it a bit differently. For example, we added a very subtle fatigue mechanism so players cannot spam the movement. We also spent a lot of effort refining the physics and animations of Jetslide, so it feels intuitive and fluid.
In this update, Jetslide will be available to all heroes. You can trigger this function by crouching during a sprint, which will give you more mobility and flexibility in battles. And since the Jetslide utilizes the technology provided by Jetpack, your Trails will make you look so cool!
Features of Jetslide
1. Easy Operation
- In the sprint state, the crouch button turns into Jetslide. No additional buttons required. And all characters have Jetslide, so you don't need to worry about learning and developing your style, and then applying it to any hero you play. It's all universal.
2. Refined Physics and Animations
- A faster initial acceleration will lead to a faster sliding speed.
- When landing on a sloped ground from the air and gaining certain acceleration, clicking the crouch button before landing will also trigger a slide.
- Some adjustments have been made to the terrain of the new map, Sunder Realms, and undulations have been added to the roadside to make it easier for players to trigger slides.
3. Do ANYTHING During Jetslide
- You can perform all kinds of actions, such as shooting, reloading, healing, casting skills, etc.
- Jetslide can be directly followed up with climbing, wall running, and other behaviors. You can trigger operations such as jumping and using Ziplines.
Extra Notes
- Fatigue: The Jetpack requires a certain loading time, so the distance and speed of the second slide will slightly decrease when using the Jetslide continuously.
- If affected by slowing or control-type skills, Jetslide would stop working due to the vast energy the skills applied to the enemies.
- When planning to dodge attacks with Jetslide, be wary of enemies who can predict your movements.
We wish you'll enjoy playing with Jetslide. It's similar yet different from other similar mechanisms, and you'll surely feel it when the update launches on March 7th. After the update, please do share your feedback and opinions on Discord or in the comment sections on YouTube, Facebook, and so on. We need your input.
▌New Hero Freddie, Available for FREE
The new hero, Freddie, officially debuts! This hip-hop styled mechanical man is actually a string of code wandering in the virtual world. He seized the opportunity to kill his creator and took his place, excelling at deception and pranks.
After the update, you only need to play 3 Battle Royale matches to get Freddie for FREE!
After the update, you only need to play 5 Battle Royale matches to get Freddie for FREE! (Corrected on March 07)
Continue to use Freddie to complete Battle Royale matches, and you can get his new skin - 'Electro'.
Freddie's Skills
Tactical Skill 1 'Mechanic Decoy': Freddie utilizes a mechanical clone as a decoy. This clone will advance in the designated direction.
During its existence, Freddie can opt to transfer his consciousness to the clone by pressing a key, sacrificing his current body.
Upon knockdown, the decoy clone automatically scans and marks nearby enemies.
Tactical Skill 2 'Digital Blockade': Freddie throws a data core that affects enemies upon contact, preventing them from leaving the lockdown area.
Ultimate 'Data Backup': Freddie summons a mechanical clone to his location.
While active, Freddie can either manually deactivate the clone by pressing a key or automatically transfer his consciousness to it upon knockdown.
▌Hero Balance Adjustments
While the new combination of 3 active skills were super fun, learning from the ways you play with certain heroes, we think we can do better. The following are some specific adjustments:
Ducksyde:
Tactical Skill 1 'Rolling Impact':
- Lowered the damage amount required to break the airbag after Ducksyde uses 'Rolling Impact': 160 → 120
Ultimate 'Summit Crush':
- Lowered the temporary shield value obtained when Ducksyde uses 'Summit Crush'
Beau:
Tactical Skill 2 'Dazzling Mirage':
- The effect has been adjusted, where the enemies affected can no longer zoom in. Now, when they are affected, they are forced to zoom out once, and their zooming speed decreases during the effect period.
- Increased skill duration: 2.8s → 3.5s
Tactical Skill 1 'Sparks of Love':
- Increased the distance 'Sparks of Love' tactical skill creates for the user.
Ultimate 'Frenzy Bomb':
- When the 'Frenzy Bomb' ultimate is activated, the position of the Beau will be exposed to enemy players on the mini-map.
Watchman:
Tactical Skill 1 'Sheriff's Patrol':
- Adjusted the cooldown time calculation rule for this skill, now the cooldown will only start after the Sheriff is destroyed.
- Now the attack speed of the Sheriff will gradually increase with attack time.
- Optimized the attack logic of the Sheriff, it will now prioritize attacking the enemy that the Watchman is currently attacking.
- After the Sheriff is destroyed, the location of the Watchman will be briefly exposed.
- The movement path of the Sheriff will now be displayed to the Watchman, making it easier for the Watchman to control.
- During the period when the Sheriff has triggered automatic recall, once the Sheriff returns to the Watchman's recall range, the process will be interrupted.
- Optimized the skill's performance and UI display.
Tactical Skill 2 'Sentinel Alert':
- Adjusted the release method of the Sentry Drone, now it will first provide a location preview for release, and then release it with another button click.
- Optimized the skill's performance and UI display.
Ultimate 'Bite Mode':
- When the ultimate is activated, it will shorten the cooldown time of the 'Sheriff's Patrol' tactical skill; at the same time, the movement speed of the Sheriff will decrease.
Others:
- Lucinda and Ember's summoned creatures can no longer be destroyed by allies.
- Summons and projectiles can now be released in shallow water.
- Summon locations and effective ranges are displayed on your map.
▌Weapon Adjustments
Weapon gameplay is an important aspect of the design, as it directly affects the strategic depth of the game and the players' gaming experience. In this update, we have made a series of adjustments and optimizations to the weapons.
Specific Weapon Adjustments
- Increased the base damage of most weapons
- Increased the base magazine capacity of most SMGs, as well as the magazine capacity after equipping magazine attachments
- Adjusted the damage fall-off effect of all weapons
- Removed the magazine attachment slots for Bar95 and MF18
- Added a magazine attachment slot for the Mad Rabbit, reduced the base magazine capacity of the Mad Rabbit: 35 → 25
- Increased the basic magazine capacity of VSS: 15 → 20, and simultaneously increased the magazine capacity of VSS after equipping the magazine
Related Weapon Optimization
- Added the function of bullet reloading while running, now players can reload while running
- Optimized the performance of weapon's automatic fire
▌Map Adjustments
We have optimized the shelters, supplies, and some of the Ziplines in the 'Sunder Realms', improved the overall map visuals, and also adjusted the supply drops. We hope these changes will make exploring the map more fluid and engaging.
'Sunder Realms' Optimization
- Adjusted the undulations of some road surfaces to increase visual shielding effects
- Made some adjustments to the distribution of shelters to increase fairness of confrontation
- Deployed more supply chest in the wild
- Added and adjusted the original Zipline layout in the Refinery and Wind Valley area
Visual Optimization
- Enhanced the overall visual transparency
- Added cloud expressions on some mountains
- Increased the brightness of some dark corners inside buildings
Supply Drop
- Reduced the drop of blue-level shield
- Increased the drop of Assault Rifles
- Reduced the drop of Sniper Rifles and 4x Scopes, and 8x Scopes
- Increased the maximum drop of experience and shield materials after killing an enemy
- Increased the character experience gained from causing damage
Sponsor Box
- Reduced the production probability of high-level shields and increased the required activation time
- Added UI red light prompt when there are enemies in the area where the Sponsor Box is activated
- Optimized some interaction experiences and performances
Mini Map
- Now all vehicle locations in the map will be displayed directly during the cruising phase
▌New Events
Special Invitation - Sample Tracking: Complete in-game tasks to get hero Freddie and Freddie's R skin 'Electro'.
Battle Pass - Spring Hues: Obtain Watchman's SSR skin 'Blue Justice' and more.
Lottery Wheel - Fragrant Bloom: Obtain Lucinda's SSR skin 'Fragrant Dream' and Syfer's SR skin 'Fragrant Shadow' and more.
▌Mode Adjustment
'Treasure War' mode closed temporarily.
After the V2.0 update, we've noticed an increase in map and mode options causing a diversion in matchmaking queues. We will temporarily close the 'Treasure War' mode, which is seeing low participation. This decision is aimed at concentrating players into higher quality matchmaking queues.
▌Matchmaking Rule Adjustments
In this update, we've made a series of optimizations to the matchmaking rules, including score settlement. While ensuring fairness, we provide players with a more challenging combat experience.
The detailed adjustments are as follows:
- Optimized the calculation rules of damage and kills in the game, more accurately evaluating player performance and settling scores
- For players who perform well consecutively, higher bonus scores will be awarded
▌Other Battle-Related Adjustments
In this update, we have also made a number of optimizations and adjustments, including visual effects, pickup functions, and interactive experience. We hope these improvements can make players' operations on the battlefield smoother and more intuitive, and make each battle more tense and exciting.
1. Optimized the visual effect when the line of sight is blocked by vegetation.
2. Pickup Function Optimization:
- New settings have been added for the mobile version, which can choose whether to expand the Loot Box List by default.
- Players can now trigger automatic pickup in more combat states.
- Optimized the logic of replacing the scope.
- Iterated the bullet item model.
3. Added dynamic effect for interaction buttons in the mobile version.
4. In the PC version, when players try to use a consumable with a quantity of 0, an automatic voice will ask for that consumable.
5. Optimized the performance of safety zone shrink reminder.
6. Optimized the size of some icons on the mini-map to avoid blocking.
7. Optimized the pickup experience of the shield experience device. Now, when someone in the squad interacts with the device, the whole team will gain shield experience.
8. Optimized the experience of using the Catapult. Now, characters standing on the Catapult can also trigger ejection.
9. Optimized the position and performance effect of floating words.
10. Adjusted the Field of View (FOV) settings from a fixed horizontal to a fixed vertical view field to better suit various monitor ratios.
11. Adjusted the Field of View (FOV) settings parameters from the previous range of 60-90 to 75-100.
▌System Adjustments
We have made a series of system adjustments to improve everyone's game experience. These adjustments include interface display and rookie heroes, and we have also optimized game settings and game package strategies. We hope these adjustments can make everyone's experience smoother.
1. Personal Information Interface and Squad Interface
- Due to policy reasons in certain regions, the flag display function of the personal information interface and squad interface has been temporarily removed
2. Interface Display
- Fixed the problem of some item icons being blurry on the PC platform.
3. Select Hero Interface
- Now, after matching and entering the game, you can directly purchase unowned heroes and skins on the select hero interface.
4. Rookie Hero
- Considering the current playability and difficulty of using heroes, the heroes that players can get directly at the beginning of the game have been adjusted to Ducksyde, Maychelle, Lucinda, and Yong.
5. Game Settings
- Adjusted the position of Quick ADS and Auto Fire settings. Now players need to set Quick ADS and Auto Fire on the CONTROLS settings page.
6. Game Subpackage
- Adjusted the package strategy of the mobile version. Now when players download a new game or go to the store to update the entire package, they will download a smaller package; other game resources will be downloaded on the loading interface after starting the game.
▌BUG Fixes
1. Fixed issues with abnormal consumption of certain consumables.
2. Fixed issues where revived characters were experiencing abnormal states.
3. Fixed abnormal behaviors of certain vehicles.
4. Fixed issues where the battle settlement phase failed to trigger even when all enemies were eliminated.
5. Fixed occasional freezes when playing hero videos.
6. Fixed an issue where players couldn't complete Weapon Mods collection missions in the Battle Pass.
7. Fixed the character orientation issue in Spectator view after death.
8. Fixed the issue where players could see the previous spectated player's position after switching to the next one in the Spectator mode.
9. Fixed the armor grade display issues in the Spectator mode due to reconnection.
10. Fixed an issue where, under specific circumstances, the interface couldn't properly switch to the Spectator mode after reconnection.
11. Optimized the visual effects of Fortune Dance Emote on mobile devices.
12. Fixed eye color inconsistencies of Momoi on certain device models.
13. Fixed text display misalignment issues.
14. Fixed multilingual translation errors in some texts.
▌Summary
That's all for this update! With the introduction of the new Jetslide mechanism and new hero Freddie, map and various battle optimizations, we hope that this V2.1.0.0 version update will be another step towards making a better game that is fun to play.
We understand many of you were dedicated to the Jetpack, and it was a very tough decision for us to have reduced its significance in the last update-- Jetpack is our baby. However, we believe in making a better game with more interesting hero design and weapon diversity, and the mechanics of Jetpack (that we designed in the first place) kind of put us in a rabbit hole.
Thanks to your feedback, Jetslide is now here and we spent a lot of effort trying to refine its experience. We feel that there's now a nicer balance between mobility and predictability. It is not perfect, and we need your input. Tell us what you think about the new design, how you're playing with it, and whether you're having fun with it (most important!)
Thank you to all of you who remain a fighter of Isle City. Thank you for believing in us despite all the backlash. Thank you for staying positive while we navigate through unknown waters. Thank you all <3
We look forward to Jetsliding around with you on March 7th!
Farlight 84
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