May 24, 2012
PC Gamer US Podcast #317 – Bosses From Hell
PC Gamer






This week Josh, Evan, Tyler and T.J. talk about what it means for Diablo 3 to be the PC's fastest-selling game as we do some critiquing of its bosses and item drops balancing. We also touch on the TOR layoffs, leaked information that sheds light on Bungie's development of a massively multiplayer-style sci-fantasy, over-hyphenated action-shooter for the PC, and RO2's new patch. At 55:00, Evan shares a tale from Day Z.



PC Gamer US Podcast 317: Bosses From Hell



Have a question, comment, complaint or observation? Leave a voicemail: 1-877-404-1337 ext 724 or email the mp3 to pcgamerpodcast@gmail.com.



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Follow us on Twitter:

@elahti (Evan Lahti)

@jaugustine (Josh Augustine)

@tyler_wilde (Tyler Wilde)

Asatj (T.J. Hafer)

belsaas (Erik Belsaas, podcast producer)
May 24, 2012
Red Orchestra 2 free to play until Sunday, massive patch deployed
PC Gamer






The Steam fairies are ferrying an updated version of Red Orchestra 2 to PCs today. This is RO2's "GOTY Content Pack," a free patch that includes a new map and a heap of fixes. To commemorate the occasion, Tripwire has sent along a grim bit of video that you can watch above. Bunkers! Ditches! These are the places you'll die.
May 22, 2012
Red Orchestra 2 Game of the Year Edition Announced - Dev Diary Video!
Community Announcements - [TW]Yoshiro


Here at Tripwire Interactive we're incredibly excited that Red Orchestra 2 won PC Gamer's Multiplayer FPS of the Year. And we couldn't think of a better way to celebrate this than to give away a free content pack for the game to everyone that owns it. So we're very pleased to announce the Red Orchestra 2 Game of the Year Edition featuring an amazing new map, diverse new game modes and a host of new features. The GOTY Edition Free Content Pack will download automatically for everyone who already owns the game - and, so everyone else can try the full game, Red Orchestra 2 will be available completely free to play for everyone on Steam this weekend, starting Thursday 24 May 2012 at 10AM Pacific Time. The content pack will be released before the free weekend starts.

The content pack additions include:
  • "Action" mode - Featuring a crosshair, easier aiming and toned down recoil, reduced damage and open access to a wide range of weaponry Action mode is the perfect first step for players into the world of Red Orchestra.

  • "Classic" mode blends the gameplay innovations of the new game with the tactical and edgy gameplay of the original giving the fans of the first game exactly what they want.

  • Mamayev Kurgan - complete new map, featuring both close-quarters battles in trenches and bunkers, as well as longer ranged combat across the famous hill in Stalingrad

  • Refined and improved gameplay across the board, vehicle improvements, and way better performance and polish. We listened to the community and based on their feedback refined and tweaked almost every major feature in the game!


To remind everyone: there is a free weekend coming 24 May! You can grab the game from Steam (http://store.steampowered.com/app/35450/) starting at 10 AM Pacific Time this Thursday, so don't forget and tell your friends. The free weekend ends Sunday 27 May so don't miss your chance to try the game for free!
May 22, 2012
Red Orchestra 2 free content pack adding “Action” and “Classic” modes, new map, laundry list of improvements
PC Gamer






"One of the things we learned from the fans after the release was that many of them thought the game was too hardcore, not hardcore enough, or just not enough like the original game," Tripwire President John Gibson says in the video above. Most developers absorb an array of contradictory feedback after a game launches, and observing that strange soup of commingled praise and hatred while you decide how to react to it isn't something I envy about game development.



Red Orchestra 2's GOTY Edition Free Content Pack represents Tripwire's response to player feedback, and it seems like a truly comprehensive update to a game we already love. To kick off the roll-out of the update later this week, Red Orchestra 2 will also be free to play on Steam this weekend, beginning on Thursday.



What's in the update?



Mamayev Kurgan, a new multiplayer map lined with bunkers and trenches

"'Action' mode - Featuring a crosshair, easier aiming and toned down recoil, reduced damage and open access to a wide range of weaponry Action mode is the perfect first step for players into the world of Red Orchestra."

"'Classic' mode blends the gameplay innovations of the new game with the tactical and edgy gameplay of the original giving the fans of the first game exactly what they want."

Vehicle improvements, including a toning-down of AI tank accuracy

Machineguns are now "easier to use," according to Tripwire

Performance improvements, including revamp of dynamic shadows, changes to UI rendering, map optimizations, and more

Optional client-side hit detection

Refinement of spawn-on-squad leader, spawn protection, overtime, and Lockdown



Red Orchestra 2 will be free to play on Steam beginning at 10 AM PST on Thursday, May 24 until Sunday, May 27.
May 18, 2012
Red Orchestra 2 Opt In Beta
Community Announcements - [TW]Yoshiro
RO 2 owners will now find that they have the ability to opt into a Red Orchestra 2 beta (they can do this by right clicking on the game in Steam, choosing the properties option and then the beta tab to find the opt in drop down). This beta will replace the current live build of the game (not the separate Red Orchestra 2 Beta).

Follow this link to find a brief overview of what is in the beta.

This is not the final build, but is a near release candidate. We will be monitoring it over the weekend for any major issues that arise. Have fun, and a great weekend!
Mar 27, 2012
Changes to the next beta are coming, give us your input!
Community Announcements - [TW]Yoshiro
We have put up several polls in the Red Orchestra 2 Beta forums. We are looking for feedback on changes we are looking to make in the next Beta update. Please vote and let us know what you think!
Mar 23, 2012
Live Q and A with John and Alan During the Final Match of the Scorched Earth Finals
Community Announcements - [TW]Yoshiro
It has been a busy week here at Tripwire. Since adding "Classic" mode into the beta we've been working towards more bug fixes, refinements and tweaks based on feedback to the beta. We've also launched the Tripwire Interactive Wiki as a tool for fans of our titles to gather knowledge both about the games and how to mod them, as well as an updated TripwireInteractive.com

This weekend, in the follow up to last weekends first round of the Scorched Earth Tournament Finals, the last matches will be played. Just like last week you can watch it live here. Before, during and after the event John and Alan will be fielding community questions posted in our forums, so get your questions in soon!
Mar 18, 2012
Final Match in the Scorched Earth Tournament is now LIVE! - Interview with John Gibson
Community Announcements - [TW]Yoshiro
The final match in the Scorched Earth Tournament is just getting under way. Tune in to watch the LIVE broadcast and listen as the commentators discuss the game and its future (along with all things Tripwire) with our very own John Gibson.
Mar 16, 2012
The Red Orchestra 2 beta has been updated with Classic
Community Announcements - [TW]Yoshiro
The full change log (which is too long for an OGG post it seems) can be found here

Highlights of the new classic mode include:

General Changes:
  • Players can still gain experience and level up, but when playing in classic mode these levels do not grant any bonuses for class or weapon.
  • Role and weapon loadouts are modified to closely match Red Orchestra 1 loadouts. This means fewer MkBs, AVTs, and SMGs are available
  • Interface changes - added an RO1 style compass to the HUD. No peripheral action indicators.
  • Uses standard realism mode as a base, and adds additional functionality on top of that
  • Most Classic mode settings have been added to webadmin and can be toggled on/off for Custom mode
  • Removed spawn on squad leader
  • No lockdown
  • No Killcam

Weapons use historically accurate load outs and upgrades are disabled. The following weapon versions are used:
  • PPSH w/drum mag and select fire
  • Kar98 w/bayonet
  • Kar98 Sniper w/4X scope
  • Mosin Nagant Sniper w/3.5X scope
  • G41 Sniper w/4X Scope
  • SVT40 Sniper w/3.5X scope
  • MP40 with single 32 round mag
  • MkB42 with bayonet (no scope)
  • P38 Pistol
  • C96 w/10 round mag
  • MG34 w/50 round drum
  • MG34 Tripod
  • PTRS
  • Pzb 784 (r)
  • MN 9130 w/bayonet
  • G41 (W) w/bayonet
  • SVT40 w/bayo
  • AVT40 w/bayo
  • TT33
  • M1895 without silencer
  • DP28
  • Maxim 1910
  • All other weapons and equipment as normally given (binocs, satchels, smoke nades, etc)
Infantry Changes:
  • Stamina usage and regeneration are modified to closely match RO1 functionality
  • Player movement speed has been modified to match Red Orchestra 1 player movement speed. The sprinting speed is considerably slower to closely match the speed based on RO1 maps scale.
  • Sprinting is modified to closely match RO1 functionality. The player sprints at a constant speed until running out of stamina, then stops sprinting until regaining some stamina
  • The FOV zoom while using focus/controlled breathing is disabled
  • Movement speed penalty when shot in the legs or feet (same as new realism mode)
  • The player damage model is much more hardcore to match RO1 functionality. Players take damage instantly instead of bleeding some of the damage out over time. There is no bandaging or bleeding (although slow deaths from wounds are still possible).
  • Stamina has a much greater effect on weapon sway and recoil (same as new realism mode)
  • The FOV zoom while using focus/controlled breathing is disabled
Weapon Changes:
  • Iron sight breathing and sway are greatly increased
  • Weapons take longer to go into iron sights and match exactly the iron sight zoom in speed of RO1
  • You cannot interrupt sprint by going into iron sights
  • Weapons transitioning out of sprinting takes twice as long to more closely match RO1's sprinting transitions
  • The weapon is unable to fire until the transition from sprinting is mostly complete. This more closely matches RO1 functionality and should encourage less "run and gun" play.

Be sure to give us feedback in the beta forums!
Mar 16, 2012
$12,000 Scorched Earth Clan Tournament Finals!
Community Announcements - [TW]Yoshiro
Forgotten Honor together with Tripwire Interactive are happy to announce that our Red Orchestra 2 knockout tournament "Scorched Earth" has reached its international finals. The two finalists have battled through 5 phases over the last 3 months, including 64 clans from across the world, to make it to the Grand Final. And, with $12,000 in cash prizes at stake, as well as personal honor, the competition has been ferociously fought out to get to the final two - DoublePenetration for Europe and Team Chaos for the USA.

The finals will be played in two legs - one on a US server, the other on a European server. The first (US) one takes place this coming Sunday, 18th March, at 3pm Eastern/8pm Central European and can be viewed LIVE through Livestream (details can be found here: http://www.forgottenhonor.com/scorchedearth/live/livestream/ ), with commentary provided by Sam Reese of Crosshairs fame and John (Rammjaeger) Gibson, President of Tripwire Interactive.

For more details on the contest, including the dates and the lists of the participants, head for the Scorched Earth web page at: http://www.forgottenhonor.com/scorchedearth/


Servers provided by NFO Servers (http://www.nfoservers.com/) for the USA and Gaming Deluxe (http://www.gamingdeluxe.co.uk/) for Europe.

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