Hi Squaddies,Ah, the crisp air, the change of seasons, and one of the spookiest months of the year. The ghosts and ghouls will soon be out, and, let's face it, the only way to be prepared is to bring along a squadmate hauling a PKM to make sure when the zombies* come, they stay down.
Systems
Territory Control Game Mode Prototype
Starting with the introduction of a test map last year called Insurgent Territory Control or ITC, we have been wanting to do a game mode that has a more dynamic style of play that focuses on gaining ground and fighting for locations that matter. It has been our goal to try and develop game modes that provide more strategic play and allow the players the ability to create their objectives and drive their own experience. As a step towards that goal (FOBs are one piece of that puzzle) we have started our initial development of a frontline, territory control based game mode. Depending on how development and testing goes, this may evolve into multiple game modes, such as the initial terrain based one and a larger sector and resource based one. Hex lattice auto-generation tools are being created, UI is being designed, and initial gameplay design is being hashed out. To keep this semi-short, we are giving you a screenshot that should provide a broad overview of the current Work In Progress.
Staging Area
The initial implementation of staging areas for the beginning of round timer has been created. This will partially replace the current timer allowing players to spawn in before the match starts, so squads may gather together, go over plans, and stage vehicles.
Art
Bradley Fighting Vehicle
Our first truly dedicated Infantry Fighting Vehicle is ready to be shown off. Bridging the gap between Armored Personnel Carrier and Main Battle Tank, IFVs can transport a small group of infantry while also providing considerable fire support against both infantry and enemy armor. You may still need to remind your squaddies that it's not a BTR, though.
PKM
Following the reveal of the m240 in the last recap, we are now ready to reveal the next General Purpose Machine Gun - the legendary PKM. Developed in 1961 and improved in 1969 (Nice.) when it was adopted into service, you will likely see the PKM go out before the modernized PKP is ready for action, which means that there will likely be a small period where the Russian faction uses the PKM.
M1 Abrams
The first of several Main Battle Tanks to be shown off, the M1 will come in two base versions in the world of Squad - the M1A1 and the M1A2. Main Battle Tanks will be a highly valuable asset that will be able to deal with most battlefield threats head-on confidently.
Mapping
Belaya First Look
You can make your own, "Winter is coming..." joke as the rest of us ogle the first look at Belaya. Belaya is an Eastern European map set in late winter/early spring. One main goal for Belaya has been to try and capture gameplay elements from our existing maps in the hope of providing a varied gameplay experience. Production of the map is in full swing and will keep you updated as we progress at a rate faster than White Walkers. You'll have to keep a (Night's) watch on this one.
Fallujah: More to Come
We don't want to keep you out in the cold forever, though. The environment team has been cranking away on revisiting our production workflow and creating some exciting assets for this map, and boy are we excited. As we've mentioned, we're planning a detailed blog post about Fallujah which will give you a more in-depth behind the scenes of our thought process and how Squad's team works under the expert guidance of artist oxygencube.
If you find yourself a little scared of marching North, Maesters are standing by now. No word on the milk of the poppy update for medics, though. Thanks for joining us for another recap! As always, be sure to let us know what you think.
Offworld Out.
(* No zombies were, or will be harmed. C'mon, zombies are, like, so 2010.)