You want maps? We've got maps! In this Fine Tuning update we're unveiling two brand new prototype maps for you to try out for a limited time. On top of that, Dome has been given a makeover and numerous bugs have been stomped. Read on for more...
Dome Revisited
We've put more spit and polish into Dome, with major improvements across the board for your objective pleasure.
Lighting
The environment has had a picnic pass - An early evening setting means that colors stand out and areas of light and shadow are more prominent.
Visual Design
To ease newcomers in, and to improve the navigational flow for everyone, several changes have been made -
- Updated coloration and visual composition to clarify certain routes
- Ground textures now better communicate primary routes and those which are more optional
- Graffiti tags now direct Jackal attackers towards the objectives through main routes
- The Pylons are now distinctly labelled A and B for both Jackal and CDA
Gameplay Changes
To direct the flow of the map and make it more balanced for Jackal attackers, these changes have also been made -
- The first objective has been reduced from two deliverables to one, reducing CDA bias and allowing the rest of the map to be played in the majority of matches
- Both Jackal and CDA spawns have been moved forward to reduce travel times
- To help prevent spawn camping, a third route has been added to allow Jackal more safety in moving out towards the first objective
- Sewers are friendlier - Arrow graffiti on the grates above indicate the direction they travel in, and a dead end has been shut off to avoid confusion
- Some redundant areas have been removed entirely, and less used ones have been made more accessible
Prototype Showcase
This weekend we're letting you at two brand new maps, Dockyard and Gallery, in prototype form.
From Friday 29th January until Tuesday 2nd February, they'll be available on select servers in the server browser. We'll be seeing how you play, listening to your feedback, and touching your heart (with a Stiletto, if you see us in-game).
Dockyard
The next Objective map is a direct continuation of Dome - the captured CDA airship has crashed and Jackal need to get there with an EV before destroying a portion of it.
Gallery
The third map to be created for Execution Mode surrounds a riverside landmark, providing plenty of combat variety.
We'll be revealing more on these maps as they hit the servers, so keep your eyes peeled!
Balance Changes
- Reworked how jumping impacts bullet spread, to balance the effectiveness of jumping in combat
- Added a small amount of bullet spread to jumping-ironsight and jumping-scoped accuracy
- Increased the additional jumping bullet spread to 2.5 degrees (from 2.0 degrees)
- Ironsighting during jumping no longer causes the weapon to maintain high spread when landing, or revert to maximum spread when exiting ironsights
Augments
- Ice-Cold - Fixed to correctly increase time to overheat by 40% to 7s (instead of the previous 12s!)
Sparks
- Added damage falloff to the REVIVR attacks
- Damage falloff begins at 18m and falls off to ~66% damage at 36m
Ahnuhld-12
- Reduced flechette falloff minimum damage to 1 (from 5)
- Increased flechette damage falloff end distance to 48m (from 19m)
- Damage falloff still begins at 3.84m
Hollunds 880
- Reduced pellet falloff minimum damage to 1 (from 5)
- Increased pellet damage falloff end distance to 32m (from 14.8m)
- Damage falloff still begins at 1.7m
Remburg 7
- Reduced pellet falloff minimum damage to 1 (from 5)
- Increased pellet damage falloff end distance to 28m (from 13m)
- Damage falloff still begins at 1.4m
Damage Falloff Explained
Damage falloff is controlled by three different variables, these are:
- Minimum Range - where damage falloff begins
- Maximum Range - where damage falloff ends
- Minimum Damage - the lowest damage that the weapon will falloff to
In between Minimum Range and Maximum Range, the damage will gradually falloff towards the minimum damage.
Other Changes
Gameplay
- Mines and other projectiles will no longer fall into geometry when thrown
- Removed Objective notifications for Defenders when Carryable is dropped or picked up mid-carry
- Removed dropped Carryable IFF unless defenders have line-of-sight
- Halved the requirements to complete the 'New Player' Missions
- Players can now fully load a map while a game is paused
- Playing in Ranked Matches now rewards a 50% bonus to Credits earned
- User Interface
- Chat history now carries over into the End Game Review and the next match Lobby
- Already owned items are now greyed-out in the Store
- Enemy team Merc selection is now no-longer visible in the Lobby
- Added visible server name, map and capacity when joining a session
- Updated the front-end video setting descriptions and tooltips
- Added several in-game only settings to the front-end options menus
- Clan Tags now display in game review chat
- Added the player name to Carryable Objective notifications
- Added CDA & Jackal icons to the private match screen
- Added Loadout Card counts to Merc tooltips
- Added "Quick-open Case" and "Quick-open all Cases" features (right-click on a Case in your inventory to use these)
- Added the ability for Cases to be quick-opened from the notification dropdown from within lobbies
Audio
- Continued improvements on the overall mix to prioritize important gameplay audio
- Mercs will now yell 'Medic-on-route!' when heading towards an incapacitated player with Defibs or REVIVR in-hand
- Added lines for Sparks' successful revives.
- Added audio for broken generators.
- Reduced volume of footstep audio when players are turning around on the spot
- Updated the Stilnotto Stiletto handling audio
- Improved audio for Arty & Kira's Targeting Lasers, making invalid locations and successful targets more obvious
- Added sounds for gates opening and closing in Trainyard and Canary Wharf
- Improved the audio for the train crash sequence in Trainyard
Notable Bug Fixes
For full bug fixes, visit our website!