We have an update arriving at 7 pm PDT tonight (8/29/18), that at long last integrates a back-end change to Fractured Lands that allows us to make various new optimizations and performance updates to the game in the coming weeks. This change, while not particularly noticeable in the new update in terms of its effect on performance (further details in the notes below), opens the door for some performance changes we've been looking to address, particularly building/foliage/object loading, FPS drops in some areas, and general optimization for lower end machines.
We've also made various changes to the environment in conjunction with building out this update that we'll be refining over the next couple weeks. You'll surely still run into some floating objects or strange terrain, but we'll be hammering these out as well.
It's clear we're certainly not done updating the build for performance, but even though we consider that effort an ongoing project, we're closer than ever to have a much more stable experience for most players, especially with our approach to Season 2, new multiplayer modes, and other great features on the horizon! On to the notes:
Crash Fixes:
- Fixed a crash encountered where the server would crash occasionally when players took damage
- Fixed certain instances a crash was encountered while in an Alt + Tab state from the game
- Fixed a crash encountered with recent integration of unreal engine patch
- Fixed a crash encountered related to certain icons
- Fixed a crash encountered related to certain online inventory
Revisions and Adjustments:
- Adjusted the player queue to require 2 players to enter the pre-game lobby
- Adjusted the waiting for player timeline within the pre-game lobby from 4 minutes to 2
- Adjusted additional matchmaking system functions to better move players searching for a game to the most populated pre-game lobby
- Temporarily removed "Stats" end-of-game menu selection while revising calculation system
- Revised Storm:
- Starting round circle diameter reduced to match that of previous Round 5
- Increased survive time between storm rounds
- Reduced overall storm speed
- Revised POI layouts for Last Bastion and Stormwall Dam
- Revised all building layouts
- props, decals, and layouts adjusted to improve performance
- New Level of Detail (LOD) system pass:
- Increased building/object streaming distance
- Reduced building resource load
- Revised localization text for:
- French
- Italian
- German
- Spanish
- Russian
- Brazilian Portuguese
- Chinese (Mandarin)
- Adjusted player inactive status:
- If a player is inactive for 60 seconds they are removed from the match
- Reduced Kill XP reward for inactive players within the first 60 seconds of a game to 0
- Revised SFX for all consumables
- Revised ammo box pickup asset
- Revised inventory icons
- Revised VFX Dustrider vanity lights
- Revised Skybox Lighting System (continual progress TBD)
- Adjusted terrain levels throughout
- Adjusted terrain objects throughout
- Added an option to key bind weapon switching
- Consumables assigned to quick slot will now also be visible in storage
Additional Bug Fixes:
- Addressed issue where players were sometimes unable to exit the Credits in the menu screen
- Addressed issue where player level would sometimes appear to be 0 after reaching level 100
- Addressed issue where weapon attachments were displaying incorrectly in the inventory menu
- Addressed additional collision errors on the outer ring of Stormrider Stronghold
- Addressed various instances of floating objects
- Addressed various instances of collision errors with terrain objects
- Addressed various instances of players being stuck in collision errors
- Addressed various instances of vehicles being stuck in collision errors
- Removed 90% of tree stump objects
- Addressed various instances of props having incorrect collision SFX
- Addressed issue where sometimes the storm would not injure a player
- Addressed an issue near Stormrider Stronghold where invisible collision that would produce blood VFX
- Addressed various instances of “checkered” landscape
- Addressed issue where players appeared to float over terrain while walking
- Addressed issue where players were in the process of using rage boost or moonshine and would cancel when hitting sprint
- Addressed issue where the kill chain was being displayed incorrectly in the end-of-game recap stats
- Addressed issue where the player dies but the server did not recognize the death, this often resulted in a 'no-win' game
- Addressed issue where the server would not restart
- Addressed issue where players would be sent back to the main menu from the pre-game lobby
- Addressed issue where the incorrect obituary notification plays when a player died in a vehicle explosion
- Addressed issue where consumable SFX were not playing when spectating a player
- Addressed issue where a destroyed Dustrider would continue to drive
- Addressed issue where players would have to enter the Razorback twice in order to ride after it had been tipped on its side
- Addressed instances where the Razorback would fall through the world (confirmed this still can happen)
This represents the bulk of the changes in today's update, but we are already working on a variety of improvements based on this integration that we will hope to address very soon. Thanks for checking in with us nearly 30 days since launching, we have much more to do and lots of plans in the works that we're eager to share. Check back again soon and hope you enjoy your matches!
Patching the game, patching my pants: Fractured Lands
Robert