After three months of open map surgery, London's localities are running better than ever. Read on for gameplay updates, visual improvements, framerate optimizations, new weapon audio and a ton of new bug-fixes!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcJCRoHQQTk
Framerate Improvements
If you've suffered from poor framerates in matches, this will be the single biggest reason to jump back in.
We've drastically overhauled our map creation pipeline, using new tricks and tools to optimize the hell out of the nine maps.
Improving performance, especially for those with lower spec machines, has been a huge focus.
Tech Artists BurntKona and East-Eden led us behind the optimization curtain in this Dev Update -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOSUrBWz5E0
Gameplay Improvements
We've still managed to make some significant gameplay tweaks, though. There are too many to list, but here are a few highlights -
Trainyard
The first objective in Trainyard has always been a grind for Jackal attackers. We've made some key changes to give you a fighting chance, adding sightlines from the mounted MG and providing more cover.
Both delivery points on the last objective are now on the attacker-facing side of the container. No more running directly into the CDA spawn firing line!
Bridge
Getting the EV moving at the first objective has now been made a little easier for Jackal, by moving it slightly out of the market and shifting the walls to provide less cover for CDA and their deployables.
Collision
To make movement as smooth and fluid as possible, we've done a sweep on map objects and collision in the game.
Many that were getting in the way of gameplay have been moved or discarded, and we've smoothed out some awkward invisible walls.
Level Designers massE and AK explained some of the improvements in this Dev Update -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUQTc1De4z8
Visual Improvements
While attacking map optimization, the artists have also been improving the visual quality across the board.
Lighting
Previously, color filters were layered onscreen to differentiate the maps. They've now been removed in favour of a more realistic lighting solution. Colors pop more clearly, and Mercs are more readable at a distance.
Map Assets
We've fleshed out some of the more generic spaces in the maps, to make them more believable and to help with identifying them in combat. Look out for CDA-decked corridors and showers, public toilets, Indian restaurants, and more.
Environment Artists The White Lycan and ElectricSheep gave us a peek in this Dev Update -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ce54NhKpgHo
Community Videos
Over the last week, several content creators in the community were given access to the new maps to give us their thoughts. Check them all out in this playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYp7U6tKDcSfR4IyAXxSSPjRp593OO9dl
Audio Improvements
Three of our weapons were sharing their sounds with others in the game. The Ahnuhld-12, Selbstadt .40, and Crotzni have been given their own voices, and now they really sing!
Audio designer Galavant previewed the improvements in this Dev Update -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pji5Suq6s0U
End of Ranked Season 1
With this update, Ranked Season 1 is officially over. With the many changes to the maps, you'll have a chance to get used to them before we kick off Season 2 with a bang next year!
We'll be delivering the Trinket you've earned for your Ranked Season 1 placement in another update.
Match Balance
While work on our casual matchmaking continues, we've spent some time making small tweaks to the Quick Join functionality to improve match balance:
Quick Join now factors in region, average player Level and skill of players on servers more heavily
Updated pre-match team balance to factor in player Level more heavily
Updated Shuffle Votes to factor in player Level and Current Match performance more heavily
Frame Capping
With this update, we’re capping the framerate of the game to 180fps by default.
At very high client framerates, Unreal Engine 3 starts to run into issues with physics calculations that causes the server to start making frequent corrections to the player position, leading to 'rubber-banding'. The framerate cap will help prevent physics de-syncs like this from happening, and should result in smoother gameplay for high end machines.
This requires a change to your client .ini files, so there is now a popup warning that will appear if your ini files are read only and an important change has been made:
User Interface
Added featured community video to Exit Dialog
Added currently equipped Loadout Card and Trinket to the Merc Profile screen in the Barracks
Added player names to all relevant Objective notifications
Added a highlight to your own name in lobbies
Added ability to press "Esc" key to exit screens within the main menus
Added more menu options when clicking on player names, including "Add Friend"
Added ability to type in mouse sensitivity in the main options menu
Updated loading screens to reflect recent map changes
Extended Quickchat interface to accommodate longer lines of text
Unsent chat messages now carry over between the game and the lobby
Made it easier to change languages in the options menu
Effects
Added 'Particle Detail' video setting to allow lower detailed particles
Optimized several visual effects, including muzzle flashes and explosions
Molotovs thrown by teammates will now produce blue flames to more clearly identify friendly fire ;)
The EV’s headlights now turn off when it reaches its destination
Audio
Added new weapon audio for Ahnuhld-12, Selbstadt .40 and Crotzni
Updated Objective notification and Voting audio to be more distinctive
Added audio when selecting Mercs in matches
Added Merc dialog that occasionally plays when a C4 charge is defused
Added audio for primary objectives' notifications to be more prominent than secondaries'
Optimized memory usage for several ability and weapon sounds
Gameplay
Updated end of match flow - there is now a few seconds of gameplay time between the end of a match and the end-match cinematic
Holding down the fire key and then switching to an ability will now activate that ability
If a player uses 'Hold to Use', weapons will no longer swap if the 'Hold to Use' key is being held and a weapon button is pressed
Players will now always dismount at the rear of the EV if there is space
Dynamic map elements (sliding doors, trains, etc.) now destroy deployables
Optimized character models for Fletcher and Bushwhacker
Modified Texture caching to improve CPU performance
Experience System Updates
XP earning rates have been adjusted to be more even across the Mercs.
General
Reduced the number of kill assists required to earn an Assist Badge, from 15/25/50 to 10/20/30
Aimee
Increased spotting an Enemy to 60XP (from 40XP)
Arty
Calling in Artillery 5XP (from 10XP)
Bushwhacker
Deploying a Turret 60XP (from 50XP)
Turret starts shooting an enemy 30XP (from 20XP)
Phantom
Increased Disabling a deployable to 50XP (from 30XP)
Increased Refractive Armor usage to 5XP/s (from 4XP/s)
Phoenix
Reduced Healing Pulse to 5XP (from 10XP)
Reduced Self-Revive to 5XP (from 10XP)
Redeye
Increased spotting an Enemy to 60XP (from 40XP)
Sawbonez
Throwing a Health Pack 10XP (from 20XP)
Skyhammer
Calling in an Airstrike 50XP (from 25XP)
Sparks
Throwing a Health Pack 10XP (from 20XP)
Stoker
Throwing a Molotov 20XP (from 30XP)
Thunder
Concussing an enemy 20XP (from 10XP)
Vassili
Increased spotting an Enemy to 60XP (from 40XP)
Notable Bug Fixes
Mercs
Fixed bug where Redeye's IR Goggles would not highlight players who had recently spawned in
Fixed bug where Sticky Bombs would not always detonate on the first attempt
Fixed bug where Phoenix was unable to heal players on Mounted Guns
Fixed bug where Turrets did not check that all three legs of the tripod were on a surface when being deployed
Fixed bug where Heartbeat Sensor spotting volume was cylindrical rather than spherical
Fixed bug where Molotov fire distribution pattern & damage behaved inconsistently
Fixed bug where extinguishing Molotov fire with Smoke could produce looping audio
Fixed bug where extinguished Molotov fire could still glow after being put out
Fixed bug where attacking an enemy player’s legs with Defibrillators would deal incorrect damage
Fixed bug where projectile abilities like grenades could vanish when thrown while playing with a high ping
Fixed bug where the Healing Station effect would render incorrectly when placed on small objects
Fixed bug where Nader's body could remain in one piece after detonating the Martyrdom ability
Fixed bug where Mercs would sometimes shout that they had dropped a Pack when they had not
Fixed bug where some Merc texture resolutions were too high
Weapons
Fixed bug where semi-automatic fire-rates could get slower when running at certain framerates
Fixed bug where burst fire rifles could unintentionally fire a second time
Fixed bug where the Empire-9 ironsights were off-centre
Fixed bug where automatic weapons would not play the dry-fire sound when attempting to fire while empty
Objectives
Fixed bug where dealing damage to the MG Turret on the EV would not damage the EV itself
Fixed bug where collision on EV MG which would block bullets from certain angles
Fixed bug where planting the C4 would occasionally fail if on the edge of the objective area
Fixed bug where multiple C4 charges could be planted by a single action on the same objective
Fixed bug where the repair animation could play but the Objective would not be repaired
Fixed bug where Carryable Objectives could get trapped inside the delivery container if dropped on Trainyard
Fixed bug where the Carryable Objective could teleport to a random location if the carrier was squashed by the container on Trainyard
Fixed bug where kills with a Carryable Objective would not have an obituary icon
Fixed bug where players could fall through Secondary Objective Ramps when stood on them at the point when they were repaired
Fixed bug where Secondary Objective Ramps could be missing collision when built
Fixed bug where Secondary Objective notifications would not always show when the objective was destroyed by damage, rather than C4
Fixed bug where Secondary Objective names were not capitalised
Fixed bug where completing the final Objective of a map would not award the correct Objective Badge
Fixed bug where Objective names were not capitalized
General
Fixed bug where muting players did not mute their voice chat
Fixed bug where players could receive more than their max capacity ammo when using Ammo Caches in the maps
Fixed bug where players could not move horizontally in the air if jumping while touching a wall
Fixed bug where the Extra Supplies Augment would display the ability as cooling down when it was actually available
Fixed bug where the current Objective would not be listed onscreen after every respawn
Fixed bug where music outros would occasional start playing abruptly
Fixed bug where some ammo-related Badges would not always be awarded
Fixed bug where players would not receive Support XP while they were incapacitated
Fixed bug where players would receive "Provide Backup" XP from their own kills
Fixed bug where XP notifications could get lost when several came in at once; these now queue up
Fixed bug where environmental deaths (such as gas tunnels or crushed by containers) would not show in the obituary log
Fixed bug where players would sometimes be incorrectly AFK kicked while dead or incapacitated in Execution Mode
Fixed bug where in-game menu blur was not being applied correctly
Fixed bug where Loadout Cards could be displayed during the match end cinematic
Menus
Fixed bug where the Exit button would not function after leaving feedback
Fixed bug where menu music would still play when watching an embedded YouTube video
Fixed bug where the Quick Chat menu could get stuck on the screen at the end of a match
Fixed bug where leaver penalty warnings would be displayed even if the match had been abandoned
Fixed bug where player stats could be cut-off in the post-game review screen
Fixed bug where debug text could appear in the Lobby screen
Fixed bug where Merc voices would play when selected in the Store
Fixed bug where Missions were referred to as Contracts in the Match Report screen
Fixed bug where an inaccurate message would display when the game is unavailable due to maintenance
Fixed bug where Missions would sometimes not appear in the main menu drop down screen
Fixed bug where the main menu background could remain when moving to other screens
Stability
Fixed crash that could occur when switching between maps
Fixed crash that could occur when loading into an Execution match