Hello everyone!

I'm excited to share with you the latest improvements brought to Master Arena. This major update focuses on performance optimization, gameplay enhancement, and compatibility issue resolution.

1. Improved Weapon System
The weapon system has been completely redesigned to offer a more immersive and realistic feel:

Rotation Lag: Weapons now naturally follow camera movements with a slight delay, creating a more realistic sense of weight and inertia.
Weapon Bob: Added dynamic weapon movements during player actions, faithfully reflecting movement (walking, running, jumping).
Bounce Reactions: Weapons now physically react to impacts and sudden movements, adding an extra layer of realism to gameplay.

These three systems work together to deliver a more satisfying and immersive shooting experience.

2. Major Network Optimizations
Online performance has been significantly improved:

Removal of artificial limitations: Guaranteed minimum bandwidth increased from 10 KB/s to 50 KB/s from the first connection.
40-60% reduction in bandwidth usage: Through intelligent restructuring of the replication system, data is now organized by update frequency and relevance.
Better stability: Players should notice a significant reduction in synchronization issues and a smoother multiplayer experience.

3. Enhanced Bot AI
Bots are now smarter and provide a better training experience:

Anti-blocking system: Bots no longer get stuck in environments.
Collision avoidance: Bots naturally navigate around each other.
Dynamic learning: Bots adapt their behavior during matches while maintaining their unique personality, offering a greater variety of challenges.

4. DXVK Support for Better Compatibility
I've added a DXVK launch option to resolve compatibility issues on certain modern configurations.
Why DXVK?
Master Arena uses DirectX 9, a proven but dated graphics API. On modern graphics cards (RTX 4000, RX 7000 and later) and Windows 10/11, legacy DirectX 9 support is no longer optimal in recent drivers. GPU manufacturers focus on modern APIs (DirectX 12, Vulkan), which can cause:

Performance drops in DirectX 9 games
Rendering or display issues
Crashes on certain configurations

DXVK (DirectX to Vulkan) translates DirectX 9 calls to Vulkan, a modern API perfectly supported by recent graphics cards. This solution, also used by Intel for their Arc GPUs, allows:

Restored optimal performance
Eliminated compatibility issues
Reduced CPU usage in CPU-limited scenarios

You can now choose between native DirectX 9 mode and DXVK mode at game startup according to your configuration.

5. Scaleform Stability Fixes
Several crashes related to the Scaleform (GFx) interface system have been identified and fixed, significantly improving overall game stability, especially during menu navigation and transitions.

6. Weapon Balancing
Balancing work has been done across the entire arsenal to ensure a more competitive and fair gaming experience. Adjustments include damage, fire rate, and accuracy for several weapons.

Your Feedback is Valuable!
Your experience and feedback are essential to continue improving Master Arena. As a solo developer, every piece of feedback counts and helps me prioritize future improvements. Don't hesitate to share your feedback, suggestions, and bug reports:

Steam Forum: Join discussions with the community
Official Discord: Chat directly with me and other players

Thank you for your continued support!
Jérémy - Master Arena Developer