Feb 2, 2019

GROUND BRANCH - Scopey

Build Update #010 is a small hotfix patch to correct some missing fixes (meant for our last update) and adjust/add a few other things.

NOTE: All dedicated servers must be updated to work with the newest build.

Highlights and full change log below:

BUILD HIGHLIGHTS

New effect for the AN/PVS-15 night vision goggles

After some UE4 wrestling, John has managed to update the night vision post-process effect with a smoother and more realistic look. The near blur no longer has a "boxy" look, and neither does it cause illuminated reticles to generate that odd geometric pattern when pointing them at nearby objects. It also has a smoother transition between the focused and out-of-focus areas.

New PP effect for NVG, seen here without the circular overlay mask

You may notice a visible "border" around the blur when parts of the weapon are at the foreground of focused objects. That is a limitation of the engine; we might look into better solutions in the future.

› Why the blur? Real-life night vision devices have fixed focal ranges, meaning they can't focus on both near and far objects at the same time. Because of this, operators normally adjust the focus to a medium to far range, leaving very close objects out of focus—which includes sights. That is part of the reason why the AN/PEQ-15 and other IR laser devices play such an important role in nighttime operations, as they produce a beam only visible through night vision and allow the weapon to be aimed without the use of sights, as they become either blurred out beyond utility or simply are difficult to line up with the NVG tubes, among other factors. We'll be looking into the viability of simulating more of these aspects as we go.

Known issues

Materials that use transparency (e.g. sunglasses and facial hair) will appear in focus even within the effect's range.
The intensity (perceived amount of blur) of the effect may vary between maps.

Zeroing

Default sight zero for SMG/PDWs has been changed from 100 m to 50 m.

In addition, you can now see the zero for your current primary weapon setup in the Loadout Summary (right-hand box in the Operator Customization screen):

› We will be adding the ability to set your preferred zero for specific weapons and sights in the future.

A.I. reaction tweak

Immediate aim error for the bots has been increased, hopefully making them even less likely to score insta-kills.

Miscellaneous fixes and changes

OKP-7 reticle adjusted to no longer flick in and out of sight.
Fixed map list not starting correctly and then cycling to same map over and over again.
Fixed usage of the UMP45's front sight post.
Further optimized under-development map City.
Also in City: added manhole ladder access between street and underground levels.

BONUS INTEL: What's going on with the sound design overhaul?

Audio-man Mikson is still working hard on GROUND BRANCH's sound, and trust me: we're looking forward to it as much as you are.

The weapon sound system is being developed alongside Kris and is close to completion. In parallel, Mik has been tweaking sound assets and getting them ready for the new system. He's halfway through the SFX for the current weapons. When both the sound system and SFXs are ready, implementation "shouldn't be a problem", in Mik's own words. Here's hoping, and go Mikson!

PATCH NOTES

Build version: 1025

Client

Steam Build ID: 3526830
Size: 866 MB

Dedicated server

Steam Build ID: 3526834
Size: 38 MB

FIXES * fixed admin map list creation UI not clearing list of maps before repopulating resulting in massive list of potential maps * fixed admin map list creation UI not displaying game mode in the list of entries * fixed map list not starting correctly and then cycling to same map over and over again. * fixed round not starting again if you manually go to spectator or RR when round is paused due to death while offline. * fixed misc skin display names not matching skin short names. * fixed UMP45 front sight post usage * fixed bad WorldContextObject in RBEventManagerCallEvent() causing crash * fixed loadout not being applied to corpse if you become a spectator when dead. AI * tweaked AI to use worse aim error instantly and interpolate to improved. CONTENT * City Map * more optimization work in outside area * added manhole ladder access from street level down to tunnel * changed some settings in DefaultScalability.ini to make sure the essential PP (post process) settings stay on all settings * mainly NV blur effect * OKP-7 reticle updated to make it flicker less * reworked NVG blur effect to be smoother and more realistic CODE * added sight zeros to summary area on character editor. * changed DefaultIronSIght desired zeros from 100 to 50 on all SMG's. * added time limit to GBGameState * added remaining time limit on server info board * added round length to GBRoundState * added round duration to TH ops board

Jan 25, 2019

BUILD UPDATE #009: Line of Sight

GROUND BRANCH - Scopey

It's been just over a month since our last update, and we're now nearly a month into 2019, at the end of lovely January. While most of you freeze your asses off and the rest of you—in the southern hemisphere—melt your asses off, this dev team—about 67% frozen asses and 33% melted asses—has been working hard on Build Update #009.

NOTE: All dedicated servers must be updated to work with the newest build.

This build's highlights include listen server improvements, some very welcome A.I. adjustments, new controls options and improved default bindings, and fixes galore. Let's take a closer look at the highlights and, as always, the full change log awaits at the end of the post. Whoop!

BUILD HIGHLIGHTS

Listen servers streamlined

Listen servers have been cleaned up and are a lot more functional with this update. Among the improvements, you can forget about port forwarding and invite your Steam friends directly into your game.

To invite Steam friends into your server, start a listen server (via Host Game in the Main Menu), hit Esc once loaded in and then click Friends in the top menu bar. From there, simply select the friends you'd like to invite and click the Invite button (bottom-right). Once accepted, your friends will be brought straight into your server.

› Listen servers do not appear in the Server Browser. This is intended.

A.I.: Aimbot Interrupted

It took us a while, but we've finally managed to tone down the A.I.'s reaction time and accuracy. The days of getting 360-no-scope'd and John Wick'd by seemingly unsuspecting enemies are over, as bots are "much more likely to miss initially and take a moment to correct even after they have turned", according to Kris. We've done quite a bit of testing and those situations where you feel you've been unfairly killed were definitely reduced massively.

Vegetation is your friend

Another thing that should make solo and co-op play a lot more satisfying is the fact that foliage will now effectively block the A.I.'s line of sight. It's a binary system at this point (they either see you or not) with some rough edges to be rounded out, but generally speaking, We can't see them—they can't see us™ is now activated. We'll be upgrading this system with visibility thresholds in the future.

Improved enemy patrol routes

Enemy bots in Power Station, Tanker, Depot and Small Town have received both placement and navmesh updates. Tangos should have more varied spawn points and patrol routes, as well as better overall navigation.

› Storage Facility has not yet been updated with this system.

New enemy skins

We have updated the Depot and Small Town tangos to use new skins and loadouts.

New enemy skins in Depot

New control options and default bindings

Hold Crouch

You can now opt to hold the Crouch key (default C) to remain crouched instead of pressing it to crouch and again to stand up. To select that option, go to Controls > Movement > Crouch Type and select Press (Momentary) from the drop-down menu.

Select your preferred reload type

Are you more of a speed reloader than a tactical reloader? You can now invert the control scheme for reloads and make a single press of the Reload key (default R) do a speed reload (where you drop the current magazine) and a double-tap do a tactical reload (where you put the current magazine back into the pouch). To do that, go to Gameplay > Firearm > Reload and select No Retention from the drop-down menu.

New default bindings

We have changed/added the following default bindings:

Drop Item (previously Z) is now bound to J to prevent accidental drops.
Commo Rose/Radio Menu (previously unbound) is now bound to G.
The Console can now also be accessed with Shift + 6 (^).

› You may need to reset your controls and/or delete the files located in %LOCALAPPDATA%\GroundBranch\Saved\Config\WindowsNoEditor for the new default bindings to apply.

The current default control scheme is as follows:

We'll be adding this key map to the game menus at some point too.

Cleaned up display names for items

We have updated the display names of most in-game equipment for consistency, accuracy and, in some cases, to stay on the safer side of legal matters. We'll keep updating them as needed.

NEW DEVELOPMENT MAP: City

John has been working on a new urban map called City, accessible in offline play under the "Development" category.

We're leveraging Epic's UE4 Marketplace to get more maps in (and playable) faster, though these assets still require a lot of custom work to become GROUND BRANCH maps. Initial focus for "City" will be PvP—as will be the focus of our next major Build Update.

Miscellaneous fixes

Aiming down sights no longer defaults to secondary (offset or piggyback) sight.
AK-74 MWI iron sights now work properly.
The AK Rail Adapter is no longer compatible with the AK-74 MWI.
Exorcized Christmas spirit from operators' facial hair.
Purged the insanity-inducing sound loop caused by ejected casings colliding with the environment. [silent fireworks]
Radio chat can no longer be heard by the other team while in the Ready Room.
Fixed abrupt turning breaking character model spine.
Player's dead body will no longer remain in the map when retrying a solo (offline) Terrorist Hunt.
Headset earpieces no longer clip through MICH helmet.

WHOOPS!

We slipped and a couple of fixes were not checked in before build packaging: Those are the OKP-7 reticle fix and the scope magnification adjustments. We'll likely release them in a hotfix patch soon. Sorry!

PATCH NOTES

Build version: 1025

Client

Steam Build ID: 3490483
Size: 2.1 GB

Dedicated server

Steam Build ID: 3490501
Size: 45 MB

* FIXED bad material settings on AK suppressor that made it too shiny * FIXED ability to use AK rail attachment on new AK-74 MWI * FIXED ComTac headsets for MICH helmet not fitting properly * FIXED AK-74 MWI default rear sight getting messed up when no other sights/optics attached * FIXED incorrect fire selector positions on AK-based weapons * FIXED white beard in certain lighting conditions * FIXED initial sight selecting picking secondary sight instead of main * FIXED incorrect mount setup for PMII 5–25x scope that required only 1 rail slot to mount * FIXED Small Town Team Elimination spawns being shown outside playable area * fixed small static mesh actors having simulate physics set to true on server * should stop players being shot up in the air randomly on Depot and other maps. * fixed bug with ToPlayArea/ToReadyRoom admin commands that spawned "puppet" characters (credit Error404) * fixed SpawnCountMin on GBAISpawnPoint's being set to -1 when SpawnCountMax was 0. * fixed more misc navmesh issues in Depot * fixed more misc navmesh issues on Power Station & Tanker Ship * fixed automatic squad ID assignment in GBAISpawnManager to not use squad id 0 (global squad) * fixed AI not looping back when reaching the end/start of patrol route that does not branch or loop to itself. * fixed log spam in GBAIPath * fixed AGBAISpawnManager::CreateOverDurationTimer() to obey order in which create over duration target spawn points are assigned to it. * FIXED collision issue on red stairs in Power Station * FIXED missing steps in Tanker Ship engine room that trapped A.I. in small area * fixed patrol path on PowerStation that would get AI bunched up * fixed more misc navmesh issues on PowerStation * fixed turning quickly causing animation blueprint to break the player's back * fixed log spam from overly enthusiastic dropped items * fixed log spam about loadout/appearance reuse * fixed particle collision causing spamming * fixed invalid reference in BP_ImpromtuLadder_BFS * fixed invalid reference in BP_TerroristHunt * fixed GBGameState() functions GetLightingScenario() & GetLightingScenarioTag() not being public * fixed possible invalid in BP_RandomProp * fixed dead body being left behind when click "Try Again" in offline play * FIXED missing collision on rock near top area on StorageFacility * fixed own body not having loadout applied on client * fixed delay on adding name tag to vest platform * fixed equipped firearm being removed when leaving shooting area in RR * fixed invalid AI appearances on TH-SmallTown * fixed navmesh modifier on S_MountainRock * fixed incorrect collision on American_Elm_Desktop_B_FoliageType * fixed invite command string not being cleared once used * fixed name used in for invite screen being blank if no nickname was set by local player * fixed bug in UWorld that caused NetMode to be standalone when compiled with editor. * fixed bad placement of red dot in BGLowVis_GunnerM4.kit * fixed voting commands/server name not showing up * fixed unexploded breaching charges not being removed on round reset. * fixed RR roster white boards not showing teams * fixed nullptr when banning someone that is offline * fixed LOD not being forced to Zero in item editor * fixed minor log spam from ZKVote class * fixed character and items from character editor being replicated to connected clients when listen server host edits their character * fixed radio being heard by other team when using radio in RR * note - can still hear other team talking on radio outside of RR if in close proximity * fixed angled sights being considered during when picking an initial sight to use. * fixed VOIP radio not setting last talk time to 0. * fixed local VOIP in RR when not on a team. * fixed admin name check in AGBGameMode * fixed warning about missing game state in WBP_TerroristHunt_Settings while in main menu * fixed ban message – now just gives expiry date rather than remaining time in seconds. ENGINE * wrapped warning about additive animation in AnimNode_SequencePlayer with a WITH_EDITOR define. * this is shown in error for GB anyway. This change simply stops the log spam about it. CONTENT * Updated holo sight reticles for clearer visuals * Added in military style laptop prop * Can be used for various game modes or as a static map prop * BP created that allows for open/close position and on/off * SmallTown A.I. setup * Cleaned up some navmesh issues on Small Town and rebuilt lighting * updated TH-Depot * fixed more misc nav mesh issues * fixed misc patrol path issues * tweaked AI spawn points priorities * Did pass on new A.I. paths and setting up spawns * Optimized plastic hit effect * First pass on new City map (Development) * SetupLevel streaming volumes so underground isn't rendered at same time as above * Cleaned up some LODs and collision on Meshes * Added "buffer" areas(stairwells with corners and hallways) between above ground and below ground to mask level streaming * Cleaned up a lot of StaticMesh collision and LODs * Created DV version of map * Cleaned up display names for weapons, sights and some attachments. * Changed collision preset on painted foliage * Set up proper PhysMaterials on foliage meshes AI * added new spline based AI patrol routes on Power Station and Tanker Ship * improved sorting function in BP_TerroristHunt_AISpawnManager * tweaked BT_GBAI_Following & BT_GBAI_Patroling update service time. * tweaked BTService_UpdateTargetPathPosition * added ShowDebug option "AIaim" * shows origin focal point and final focal point adjust for aim error * displays aim error info text at AI character. * added AimErrorAngleDifference curves to AI * based on yaw/pitch difference * overridden by larger values, ignores small values. * after timer based on yaw/pitch difference, leaps to zero. * will make AI much more likely to miss initially and take a moment to correct even after they have turned. * added service to BT_GBAI for determining follow position (BTService_FollowUpdate) instead of just bum rushing them. * updated AI * created BT_GBAI_Patrolling, related service and tasks. * created BT_GBAI_Following, related service and tasks. * updated BT_GBAI to run new sub-BT's. * Storage Facility has NOT yet gotten the AI placement reworked with the new system. CODE * began updating AI spawning * updated GBAISpawnPoint, based of GBInsertionPoint * supports from 1 to n AI per point * auto-generates spawn offsets allowing for easy squad generation * can still be used for individual AI placement * supports randomly spawned in min/max range. * can be set to active/not active, to enabled or disable their use for spawning AI. * useful if you want to disabled a spawn close to a chosen player insertion point. * updated GBAISpawnManager * only support from GBSpawnActorInterface to GBAISpawnPoint. * improved general flow * added GetSpawnPoints() with get active only parameter. * updated TankerShip & PowerStation * replaced existing AI Spawns with AI Spawn Points * replaced existing way points with new ones. * improved nav mesh pathing and pathing in general using nav mesh modifiers and nav link proxies. * PowerStation needs some additional fixed spawn points * moved spatial sound tag support from Blueprint to C++ for Mikson * see BP_Firearm_Master OnSpatialSoundTagChanged event. * added DefaultSpatialSoundTag to world settings * use this to set default tag to Inside/Outside as required. * BP_Firearm_Master: added acoustic space management, firearm type management and fire sound Wwise event (all are currently disabled until the first Wwise update is ready) * added first set of Wwise events * updated and moved inventory soundbank (previous one marked for delete) * added UnfocusedVolumeMultiplier to audio settings (credit lt_delay) * Lets you set the volume the game should be at when it loses focus, instead of simply muting everything. * added press/momentary crouch option (credit AGAM) * updated GBInsertionPoint based on GBAISpawnPoint * default handling of spawn offsets etc is all C++ instead of Blueprint based. * updated all affected maps. * created GBAIPath * spline based solution for laying down patrol routes etc * supports drag-and-drop branching to other paths or looping to itself. * supports basic weighting, with direction and randomised bias. * includes in-editor button to validate all path spline points in one go. * began laying out new patrol paths in Depot for testing. * added C++ functions to Get/Set UnfocussedVoulmeMultipliers * replaced bToggleCrouch=True with CrouchType=1 in DefaultPlayerSettings.ini * added IAISightTargetInterface to GBCharacter and implemented CanBeSeenFrom * needed to be able to quickly test WTF was going on with AI sight traces - this allows for that and more later. * moved drop default binding from Z to J * added default binding for radio menu to G * added Caret as default console key to better support German keyboard layout * updated GBBulletMovementComponent * leveraged unused EPhysicalSurface enumeration to hack in support for ignore bullet collision on certain materials until we update the PM_XXXX assets properly. This is to allow us to use complex collision for foliage, but have the bullet ignore collision with leaves. * created PM_IgnoreBullets for use with materials to make them ignore bullets. * rigged up GBAIController to read AI sense config sight settings from the AISettings.ini file, based on the lighting scenario (Day/Night) * updated GBAISpawnManager * added bLivingOnly parameter to GetAIControllers. * replaced internal AI controller weak pointer array with brute force method using the world controller list. * should fix incorrect terrorist count * removed OnAllAIControllersDestroyed delegate and related functions. * updated all affected C++ and Blueprints. * added OnCharacterDiedEvent() to GBGameMode * FIXME - why not just make the CharacterDied() event a native implementable??? * updated GBGameUserSettings * added ApplyNonResolutionSettings() override. * removed need to call ApplySettings(true) GBGameEngine->Init(). * updated GBGameEngine to remove call to GBGameUserSettings->ApplySettings(true) * updated copyright date from 2014–2018 to 2014–2019 * added UE_ALLOW_MAP_OVERRIDE_IN_SHIPPING publid definition to GroundBranch.Build.cs * should allow the command line from invites to work. e.g. steam.123123123123 * added frame rate limit section under Settings > Video * added check to BP_Trigger_CustomiseOperator to make sure player is still in trigger before overriding input * should fix instances of character editor screen appearing for no reason instead of shooting. * added check to BP_Trigger_ShootingRangeSafeDirection to make sure player is still in RR and outside trigger before overriding input * should fix instances of character not being able to shoot. * added ServerConnectString to GBPlayerState * updated WBP_FriendList to use ServerConnectString from GBPlayerState * added invite loading screen * setup basic Steam rich presence * disabled various stubs to reduce log spam (yay!) * added stubs to platform to test name tag online (boo!) * added support for inviting while in-game * removed need for separate version of loading screen for invites * updated ZooKeeper to ensure local host of listen server is in the admin list * updated GBGameSession to ensure local host of listen server is up to date * improved UGBCharLoadoutFunctionLibrary::DecodeJsonKit_r() error logging when a PrimaryAsset fails to decode * removed AI Settings stub from GBAIController * added AI state to GBGameState * updated WBP_TerroristHunt_Settings to make TerroristCount spinner match current terrorist count FIXME - is spinner working properly? * VOIP icons for other players now appear while in RR or Spectating * player unique ID's are shown in player list for admins to make it quicker to identify and track trolls/griefers * added admin check against name changes to prevent trolls/griefers pretending to be an admin * added additional rosters to RR to show all players near server info and team players inside ops room. * changed method used to make locker name tags update to one that is more brute force * added option to player settings to choose what a single tap of reload does (default retention, like it is now) * credit to Wächter for the idea * added radio icon to WBP_VOIPUser * updated ZKTeamKill * team killers list is now properly saved to the TeamKill.ini * shortened timers used to check team killer kicking and banning * fixed issue in which it would not ban a team killer that was offline * added timer to check the last time a team kill was made and reduce the team kill count by one (configurable, default time 30 minutes)

Dec 24, 2018

BUILD UPDATE #008: Holiday Hotfix

GROUND BRANCH - Scopey

Updated Dec 27 2018, 03:00 UTC

We told you to expect a new Build Update before Christmas, didn't we?

We totally did.

Well, here it is. Build Update #008 is meant as a smaller hotfix patch, but it doesn't fall too short of previous updates. It includes updated red dot/holo reticles, a long-awaited weapon platform, and a bunch of miscellaneous fixes and improvements.

NOTE: All dedicated servers must be updated to work with the newest build.

Onto the highlights, shall we?

BUILD HIGHLIGHTS

Updated red dot and holo reticles

We're testing new reticles for all non-magnified optics: Reflex Small, Reflex Large, CompM2, Red Dot Pro and Micro T-1 red dot sights, as well as the holographic Holo Sight and V3 Holo Sight.

New red dot (top) and holo (bottom) reticles. Seen here with Temporal AA on.

The new red dot reticles should display rounder, more authentic (smaller) aiming dots and have increased brightness to compensate for the decreased visibility that the more accurate scales bring. The holo reticles should be crisper and thinner, with much smaller dots.

As with everything else, these reticles are a work in progress and their appearance may vary drastically depending on background, lighting conditions, anti-aliasing method, resolution and other video settings. We'll be watching how well they work in different situations—with your feedback—and make adjustments as we go.

› Keep in mind that we'll be adding adjustable reticle brightness in the future, so you'll be able to pick the best brightness setting for each situation.

Known issues

These issues are not new to the updated reticles, but due to the more realistic scales, they may become more pronounced:

Temporal AA (an anti-aliasing method you can select in Settings > Video > Anti-Aliasing Method) is known to cause illuminated reticles to flicker/thin down with movement, albeit providing a better picture when stationary, particularly with holo sights.
FXAA, on the other hand, provides a more consistent (but less smooth) reticle image. The holo reticles, for instance, may have the dots become difficult to see under certain conditions and/or be too thin to render on screen at certain angles/resolutions. We're looking into how to provide a more consistent output with either method, and will be adjusting effects and textures for visibility as we go.

This is a persistent issue that might affect more optics now due to the new reticles:

Reticles might not show up with the G33 Magnifier "switched on". To work around the issue, make sure the problematic optics are at least 2 rail slots apart.

Hold Aim

You can now aim down the sights by holding Aim (default Right Mouse Button) instead of pressing once to aim and again to return to the previous posture. To switch Aim from a Toggle to a Hold action, go to Settings > Gameplay > Aim Style (on the right-hand column) and select "Hold" from the drop-down menu. Let us know how it feels for you!

NEW WEAPON: AK-74 MWI

The most requested piece of gear in GB's history so far is finally here: the modernized tactical AK, dubbed AK-74 MWI.

Screenshot by Jeza aka JezaGooner. Cheers, Jez!

With Midwest Industries furniture, it has plenty of rail space for your favorite attachments.

Known issues

As an AK, it shares a faulty reload animation with the existing AK platforms where the top of the magazine clips through it. We're still on the lookout for the right animator to get all of this stuff sorted out.
The Rail Adapter for the regular AK weapons is mistakenly enabled as a bugged attachment for the AK-74 MWI.

Beanie + ComTac combo

The more observant may have noticed that in the AK-74 MWI image above, our intrepid operator was wearing a beanie with the ComTac headset. To rock that totally operator look, do as you would with other headset-enabled headgear—simply enter headgear customization by clicking the + button next to the item in the menu, select the headset from the Attachments menu and drag-and-drop it on the item. Bam—you no longer have to choose between weather-appropriate and tactical.

Other gear fixes

SDASS Martial pump-action reload

The bug where the SDASS ignores the racking animation and fires in semi-auto has been fixed. It now works like the pump-action shotgun that it is.

Micro T-1, piggyback-style

As promised in the last update, the Micro T-1 can now "piggyback" on railed scopes like the ACOG 6x48 and PM-II. Note that only the regular T-1 (non-"Tall" version) can be mounted piggyback-style.

G33 Magnifier flipped-to-side angle

The G33 now sits at 90 degrees when switched to the side, as the real-life mount does.

KNOWN ISSUES

Aiming defaults to the secondary sight (piggyback, offset or co-witnessed) instead of the primary sight.

—

That concludes the highlights for this year's (likely) last update. Don't forget you can always discuss this and every update with the community on the comments below as well as Facebook, Twitter, Discord and our forums.

Whether you have been following us from the first time GB was mentioned online or whether you bought it sometime after it finally launched on Steam Early Access: Thank you so much for your continued support throughout this long road.

From the BlackFoot Studios team, partners and friends… Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and we hope to see you next year!

PATCH NOTES

Build version: 1025

Client

Steam ID: 3426428
Size: 108 MB

Dedicated server

Steam ID: 3426432
Size: 28 MB

FIXED * FIXED Holo Sight reticle being to low * FIXED slight zoom in when using optical sight * was old code designed to prevent optics clipping through camera and maximise view of said optic * side benefit - side mounted optics now works * FIXED firing while reloading overriding LocalMontageInfo in ability system * recoil and related fx now handled old school - replicated byte on the character * FIXED MP5 Navy and MP5SD6 iron sights * FIXED MP7A2 content redirects * FIXED SVD's slow firing rate * FIXED being able to cycle SDASS Martial one handed. * FIXED collision on S_MERGED_LogGroundLong_17 used in ShootingRange_Geo * FIXED issue with Micro T1 that had reticle on lens part of mesh an dnot its own plane * FIXED AK74MWI now properly collides with environment * FIXED magnifier being treated as a working sight when rotated to "off" position * FIXED AK74MWI bottom rail not accepting attachments CONTENT * Adjusted Reddot reticles to be smaller and brighter * Added ability to select headset while wearing Watchcap (Beanie) * removed training game mode from blocked game modes in WBP_HostGame * Can now more easily run training maps in MP mode * New weapon - AK74_MWI * Added in AK74 MWI ui icon * New glass material for optics * Adjusted G33 magnifier to only rotate 90degrees as it does in real life * Added tool tips and UI message about arm patches being currently disabled and not working in game * changed voice falloff distance from 5000 to 3000 units CODE * exposed bMomentaryAim to UI under Settings -> Gameplay :: Firearm Section * created WBP_SaveFailed fullscreen overlay * displays file in question * prompts for user to add binaries to the exception list of any anti-virus/anti-malware software they are running. * added to character and item editors for when a kit fails to save * added to WBP_FrontEndMenuManager to check write access when the game loads. * cleaned out old variables from firearm Blueprints * updated GBGameplayAbility_ReloadTubeMag and related Blueprints * changed checking for tube contents to using a simple pre-cached 'target' based on tube contents at the start of the reload * added check for bolt locked open or spent shell inside that will then release the bolt or chamber another shelll * improved the animations / animation montages where possible * stopped predictive client cancelling montages or ability early * updated GBGameplayAbility_ReloadExtMag * stopped predictive client cancelling ability early * improved SetNextSection() * created AGBRailAttachment::GetParentFirearm() * added PostSightSetup assignable delegate to GBSightComponent * updated GBFirearm * removed unused SightComponents array * added PostSightSetup delegate broadcast at end of SetupSightComponents() for every sight assigned to a sight group. * added check to SelectSightComponent() to prevent it selecting an offset optical sight as the default sight * updated ZeroSightComponents() so that it actually zeros each sight. * It was still set to old SightComponents array - did anyone actually notice? :P * added UseRound() blueprint implementable function to allow manually cycled firearms to handle ammunition feed count adjustments * removed blocking volumes from ShootingRange_Geo * updated AM_Reload_MP5 * adjusted bollt/cocking handling curves and notifiers to try to better match the animation * adjusted remove mag notifier to improve position of removed magazine * updated GBRoundManager * updated PreRoundFreezeStartedDefaults() to generate a list of players waiting to spawn * created SpawnWaitingPlayersTimer() to cycle through list of players waiting to spawn until each player is spawned * if it fails to spawn a character 20 times, will return to ready up. * should fix issue where player is left behind in RR or forced to spectator mode instead.

Dec 13, 2018

BUILD UPDATE #007: Muster

GROUND BRANCH - Scopey

A new GROUND BRANCH Build Update is available!

With a first pass on listen server capability, some A.I. tweaks and a new optic—among other additions and fixes—#007 should be a pretty exciting one.

NOTE: All dedicated servers must be updated to work with the newest build!

Before we move on, we'd like to remind those who use Facebook, Twitter or Instagram to follow us on our social media channels. The more our online presence grows, the more people will know about our game, the bigger our community will get, and the faster development will progress. So if you do social media, make sure to give us a follow, share our content when possible and help us reach more players!

Full patch notes await at the end of the post, but you know the drill: highlights first.

HIGHLIGHTS

Listen servers [EXPERIMENTAL]

A first pass of the long-requested listen server capability has been implemented. This means you can now host your own GB server from your PC without having to setup a dedicated server.

It's prone to issues at this point and not yet a streamlined process, but here's what you need to do if you'd like to host a listen server:

Make sure your router and Windows Firewall are configured to have the following ports open:
- 7777 UDP
- 27015 UDP
Select Host Game from the Main Menu.
Set up your server preferences:
- Type — Selects whether you're hosting over the Internet or a local area network (LAN). Note: LAN is currently not supported.
- Players — Sets the maximum number of players for your server. Note: Although the drop-down menu does not reflect it, the max capacity for PvP game modes is 16 players; this can be changed manually via the console command MaxPlayers=X (where X is the player capacity). For a comprehensive list of all server console commands, refer to this guide.
- Game Mode — Selects the game mode. Note: PvP game modes in particular may be missing rules or have confusing parameters. Our next major update aims to address these issues and make game modes more clear-cut, organized and varied. Stay with us!
- Time Limit — Defines how long (minutes) until the game ends and the map changes.
- Round Time — Defines how long (minutes) each round should last.
Click Host.

With your server created, your friends can now join it by bringing up the console (default Tilde [~] or Multiply

keys on your numpad), typing open <your IP> (find out your IP address here) and pressing Enter.

» As noted, this is only a first pass on this functionality; you will be able to join listen servers via the Server Browser in the future, of course!

Known issues
- If the server isn't available/properly setup once the client attempts to join, the game will crash after a few seconds.
- Once joined, Fire may not respond. The issue should resolve itself after a short time and/or by switching weapons a few times (we couldn't determine, so please inform us if you do).
- Various replication issues may occur.
Enemy A.I.

Further tweaks
As always, the A.I. is a constant and ongoing process. In this update, a few more key changes have been made, and Kris goes over them in this little video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piq97BWaVO8
To sum it up:
- Though still missing animations, bad guys now visibly transition via ladders and should generally navigate more fluidly.
- They are now more selective in their firing and cease fire when direct line of sight is lost—so no more full-auto mag dumps.
- Enemies can now see through chain link fences.
- When line of sight is broken, they will move to the player's last known location.
- They should attempt to find cover to reload.
While it's generally still at a rudimentary state, enemy A.I. should now act a bit smarter and utilize the environment better when dealing with threats. Let us know what you think of this implementation.

New editable A.I. values
As mentioned earlier in Kris' video, two values (RecoilCompensationSkill and AimErrorPeriod) have been tweaked and are now also editable via the AISettings.ini file (located at …\Steam\steamapps\common\Ground Branch\GroundBranch\Config). Feel free to experiment with these values and let us know how it went!

» For a guide on the other values in AISettings.ini, check out this link.

NEW OPTIC: Micro T-1
A new red dot sight has been added to the attachments selection: the Micro T-1.

Made popular by its reliability, small size and light weight, the T-1 is available in two versions: one regular and one with a tall spacer, both on a lever-release mount.

Micro T-1 (regular): For most uses, including canted (offset) mounts. (We forgot to add the ability to piggyback-mount the T-1 on railed scopes, but that will be in the next update. Whoops!)

Micro T-1 (tall): Normally used on ARs (M16, M4, Mk 18 etc.), the tall spacer mount is required for proper sight alignment with the G33 Magnifier.

Sight picture. (We'll be working on those red dot reticles for more accurate dimensions soon.)

G33 Magnifier alignment issues
The alignment issues with the G33 have been ironed out: it should now line up correctly with sights as appropriate.

» We haven't been able to look into the issue of disappearing reticles (with the G33 + holo sight combos), but as before, the workaround is to simply move the magnifier a notch or two away from the sight (or vice-versa).

—

We hope this update will improve your GROUND BRANCH experience and keep you operatin' out there. Expect another Build Update before Christmas, and don't forget to stay tuned for more news via our social media channels. See you next update and, as always, thanks for the support!

PATCH NOTES

Build version: 1025

Client
Steam ID: 3381094
Size: 546 MB

Dedicated server
Steam ID: 3381096
Size: 34.7 MB

FIXED * fixed firearm WBP_FirearmCustomisation not allowing sights if there is no sight-only rail present * fixed various navlinks used to allow movement through doors on SmallTown, Depot and StorageFacility * FIXED incorrect placement of suppressor on 416 and 416 Shorty * fixed GA_AK74_Reload looping * fixed AIThreatSelectionComponent setting AI's focal point to IncomingFireOrigin when it was 0,0,0 * fixed looping firing sound again again (I hope again again) * fixed BTTask_ShootFirearm / BTTask_StopFiring not stopping the AI from firing when aborted * FIXED Sights now line up properly with G33Magnifier * FIXED setup weapon recoil to previous values before Abilities system change * fixed being able to shoot in RR if you spawn into RR before the shooting range triggers (I hope) * fixed movement speed bug which would use engaged/ready position speeds even when you didn't have a firearm equipped * fixed handgun close ready collision moving the handgun behind the characters back * fixed replcated dropped static mesh based items appearing at 0,0,0 before first collision. AI * updated AI behaviour tree and related Blackboard to support climbing up/down ladders ** ENGINE CHANGES ** * reverted old fix/hack in AISense_Sight that would check for multiple channels against visibility instead of just the "DefaultSightCollisionChannel" * created EQS_FindLocationBehind to allow AI to move back a bit to clear an obstructed firearm. * created EQS_FindLocationParralell to allow AI to move sideways a bit to move to somewhere where a team mate isn't in the way * created BTTask_ClearFocus to allow BT to reset focus after threat is lost etc. * updated BT_GBAI * switched to using BTDecorator_IsVectorSet when checking if various vectors were valid or not to stop them moving to or aiming to 0,0,0 * can now reload with or without a threat. * will attempt to find cover before reloading * when losing sight of a threat, AI will stop firing * when losing sight of a threat, AI will now move to a random location near the where they last saw them. * disabled usage of suppression branch - was causing AI to spaz out. * added variables to GBAIController to control recoil compensation and aim error (see DefaultAISettings.ini) * recompiled BT_GBAI_Suppressed to stop log spam CONTENT * Adjusted collision on a few trees to better conform to mesh * Added in first pass of "spooked bird" BP * User contribution.... Thanks Fatmarrow!! * Adjusted G33 magnifier to flip on/off 2x faster * New Micro T1 optic * Both regular and tall version for use with G33 magnifier * Adjusted g33 magnifier mesh to better fit rail * Adjusted new recoil reset values * Made some small adjustments to the character shadow physics asset * Set all firearms to use their PhysAssets for simple shadow casting CODE * updated BP_SpatialSound and added it to P4 depot * was originally just for Mikson, but since I needed to work on it... * created Test_SpatialSoundBP * shows how to add the Wwise sound volumes to make them work with BP_SpatialSound * disable sight positoin check in GBRailAttachment * need to revist it later, but for now it should allow you to place sights on the MP7 * updated GBAIController * renamed GetPathPoints() to GetPathCorridorPoints() to better match the info it actually gets * created GetCurrentPathCorridorIndex() - useful to tell what navmesh poly you're on * created GetNextPathCorridorPoint() - useful to quickly visual the next navmesh poly you're going to * created GetNavLinkPoints() - useful to get the current navlink your using, if any, and its start and end points. * updated RBEventmanager to fix potential memcpy issue * updated BP_ImpromtuLadder_BFS to add AI navlink check before assigning ladder to AI * added ladder navlinks to all maps that have ladders * created GBGameplayAbility_ReloadExtMag::GetCurrentMontageSection() * updated GBCharacter * implemented IGameplayTagAssetInterface * added GetOwnedGameplayTags() * updated BP_FenceMaster to allow certain collision channels to be set to "Ignore" on sections * updated all affected _Geo maps. * added RecoilImpulseTime and RecoilRecoveryTime variables to GBFirearm * updated affected C++ * added basic friends list to ingame menu * first pass fixing listen server support * updated GBGameplayAbility_Fire to fix potential issue with FiringTag not being cleared. * added client checks to functions that give abilities. * AbilitySystemComponent now has it timers cleared, Deactivate() called and is finally destroyed on character death or on a client side character being spawned. * hopefully this is the fix for massive sudden frame spikes found last dev test :| * added bUseAttachParentBound option to GBCharAppearanceData. * added bUseSimpleShadowsForCharacters option to use capsule shadows and disable static mesh shadows on character related mesh components

Nov 18, 2018

BUILD UPDATE #006: Quaternions

GROUND BRANCH - Scopey

We’re done cleaning up the major bugs that popped up since our last patch, so Build Update #006 is here with some of the juicy fixes and content we announced in our last Intel Update.

NOTE: All servers must be updated to work with the newest build.

Before we go over the highlights, let us swiftly inform that GROUND BRANCH is 20% OFF on Green Man Gaming's Black Friday sale, so if you or a friend have been thinking about getting GB, well, that's a pretty damn sweet incentive right there. Head over to Green Man Gaming and grab your keys for 20% OFF!

With that out of the way, let's move on to the highlights and, as always, the full patch notes await at the end of the post.

HIGHLIGHTS

Lag compensation

As mentioned in Intel Update #003, Kris has implemented a lag compensation/hit registration system that massively improves online play—even at higher pings. Rounds hitting way off your point of aim or appearing to not affect targets should now be a thing of the past. Hooray!

A.I. tweaks

We've done more small tweaks to reaction settings, improved patrolling and general pathing throughout maps, and made cover point usage better. Enemies should now be generally more difficult, aggressive and mobile. There should also be less—if any—instances of them spinning in place and backwards-walking.

A note about future A.I. developments
In an effort to update the A.I. in a more timely manner, we will be developing the Terrorist Hunt portion separately from the squad-based parts. We want to provide a fun and robust mission-based A.I. with a solid squad control system, and that process has slowed down the development of the general-purpose A.I. functionality used in the Terrorist Hunt game mode. Since the A.I. is a plugin to GROUND BRANCH, it makes sense to develop those systems in parallel, so players can get a continually upgraded experience. The two systems will eventually converge with the mission-based squad system getting layered on top of the base general-purpose A.I. behaviors and environment processing used in Terrorist Hunt.

New content

G33 Magnifier

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSllFsn5kLU
The G33 Magnifier is a switch-to-side 3x magnifier used to provide contextual magnification for red dot and holographic sights. To equip it, simply grab it from the Sights section in weapon customization and mount it behind your preferred holo/red dot sight. Then, when in-game, flip it on by highlighting it in the Attachments Menu (default Middle Mouse Button) to add 3x magnification to your standard sight picture at the expense of field of view. Highlight it again via the Attachments Menu to flip it back to the side. The G33 doesn't have a hand animation yet, but that will be sure to come later.

Open-design reflex sights like the OKP-7, Reflex Large and Reflex Small require a riser (or two, in the case of the RMR) for the magnifier and sight to line up correctly.

Known issues

When paired with either of the holo sights, placing the G33 Magnifier as close as it fits will cause the reticle to either not appear or appear partially when looking through it—so try placing it a further "notch" apart for a correct visualization.
The G33 seems to only attach to the front half (roughly) of the MP7's top rail, despite appearing to fit much farther back.
When playing online, the pivoting mount animation may stutter.

LT608 Mount

A new mount has been added to the Risers section of the attachments menu. The LT608 is designed to mount over the ejection port of the Mk 14 EBR, allowing sights to be placed farther back and closer to the player camera, making scopes more useful.

MP7A1 and MP7A2

The MP7A1 is now available for that classic MP7 look. In addition to this earlier design of the famed PDW, we've added a dedicated suppressor—the Rotex-II—and 4 skins to choose from: black, green, tan and the SEAL digital camo AOR-1 (pictured above). They're also available for the MP7A2.

—

That's all for the highlights! Plenty of more subtle fixes, of course, so check out the full patch notes below if you're a curious cat.

Thank you for sticking with us, and we hope you enjoy this update as much as we do. See you in the field!

PATCH NOTES

Build version: 1024

Client

Steam ID: 3317525
Size: 325 MB

Dedicated server

Steam ID: 3317526
Size: 35 MB

FIXES * FIXED BGMilitant_GunnerGalil kit trying to use wrong mag * FIXED AGBFirearm::SlectSightComponent() failing if there were no active sights in a sight group * fixes crash caused by using magnifier/G33 with sights that do not share its sight line properly (too low/high) * FIXED AI trying to using firearm to dictate rotation when firearm is obstructed. * FIXED Binocular overlay not covering screen * FIXED leaning spectating crashing client * FIXED smoothing groups on pistol flashlight * FIXED missing collision outside Tanker Ship bridge area * FIXED floating collision outside Tanker Ship bridge area * FIXED misaligned geometry on Tanker Ship * FIXED handguns not using firing sounds due to new gameplay ability change * FIXED chest slung weapon sticking out front of character at 45 degree angle * FIXED M1911 slide not being back for first shot (it's single-action) * FIXED MP7 weapons not properly setup to use all skins available * FIXED MP7 UI name to reflect the different versions * FIXED missing fire mode for MP7A1 * FIXED Galil rail adapter not fully attached to reciever * FIXED grenade throw montage not being loaded in time for throw ability to play it * FIXED NVG overlay being shown before NVG actually used causing black screen to appear * FIXED zoom for firearms in item editor * FIXED for attached components on pose mastered skeletal mesh not updating (Pouches not updating during some movements) * FIXED always run setting being reset on pressing run/walk (doh!) * FIXED rear iron sight finding and using front sight posts that are BEHIND it * FIXED rear iron sight causing sight offset to be zero if front sight post is missing * FIXED crash after throwing grenade if grenade prev swith option was set to 'Empty Hands'. * FIXED BP_IRStrobe particle emitter becoming inactive * FIXED GBCharacter::GetGenericTeamId() failing on clients * FIXED BP_Magnifier replicating animation alpha to owning player * FIXED instances of GetPlayerName that referred to the PlayerNamer variable instead of the GetPlayerName() Blueprint callable function (Change in 4.20) * Should now see player names when players join/leave, on duty roster etc * FIXED GA_Firemode_Master spamming log * FIXED engine whinging about GBItem binding to Character's OnDestroyed delegate when already bound to it. * FIXED AGBCharAppearanceInfo::MatchesCharAppearance() failing when it shouldn't (oops!) * FIXED AGBCharLoadoutInfo::MatchesCharLoadout() failing when it shouldn't * UGH - this was a shitfight due to the JSon formatted loadouts changing their order even if the contents remained the same :| * FIXED GBCharacter CharAppearanceInfo reference replication. * should fix issues where a player changes their appearance in RR, but the changes are not pushed to any clients until they respawn. * FIXED GBCharacter CharLoadoutInfo reference replication. * should fix issues where a player changes their appearance in RR, but the changes are not fully pushed to other client until they respawn. * FIXED team kill check not being enabled in non-round based team games * FIXED OnBeingEquipped() and OnBeingUnequipped() not being called correctly causing incorrect offhand positions * FIXED being able to place breaching charge on door that has already been blown up (oops) * FIXED RR shooting range blocking vollumes * destroys all bullets that enter it * makes all grenades into duds that fizzle out then destroy themselves after 5 seconds. * removed overlapping volumes causing bullets to spawn massive amounts of impacts and kill frame rate * FIXED not being able to select primary firearm on inital spawn unless you select another item first. * FIXED unnessarcy freeze when leaving RR in non-round based game modes. * FIXED AI not facing toward movement goals * FIXED AI attempting to use barrel direction to determine yaw/pitch when it was off target * FIXED AI log spam * FIXED RR triggers ignoring grenades again * FIXED BGMilitant_Sniper.kit using kashtan instead of PSO for SVD * FIXED recoil causing firearm to rotate around character as the weapon fires (WTF?!) GENERAL * Updated MP7 * Cleaned up models * Added A1 and A2 versions * New textures * Added in MP7 specific supporessor * Colors: Black, Green and Tan * Changed NVG overlay effect to use same system as binocular so it works better in more resolutions * Changed default PPSharpenPercentage to 30% from 100% * Added in G33 Magnifier optic * Adjusted some default settings * Texture Streaming Pool sized for all graphics settings * Set first time startup scalability settings to High * Added KillZ value to Tanker Ship map so player dies if falling into water * Had to make this farther down than wanted to due to how the Ready Room works * Adjusted weapon chest drop position a bit to be more natural * Added in some subtle movement to chest dropped weapon when moving * Still a work in progress * Added in UI icons for G33 magnifier and Rotex suppressor * Cleaned up weapon rail proportions to be accurate, standardized and consistent * AK74 rail adapter, 1P78 scope, PSO_1M2 scope and Galil railmount * M4, M4 Block II, SVD, M1014, Mk18MOD1 and M16, MP5, MP5SD5, MP5SD6, MPX, MP7A1, MP7A2 and UMP * Added in LT608 rail riser * Used to extend rail system over M14 ejection port * Added new coffeemachine meshes to RR * Removed Anim_Dynamics node in main character BP used to give slung weapon a bit of motion * Was causing issues. Will revisit later AI * Added #ifdef guard to prevent some log spam for cover point reservations * Added #ifdef guard to BTTask_MoveToCover to prevent log spam * Added some logging of values for sense envelopes and default AI perception values so we can figure out what is causing server issues with perception. * Small tweak to AI pitch/yaw settings to be a bit more quick in reactions * Slightly improved AI patrolling * Generated coverpoints on Power Station map for better AI behavior * Re-Set navmesh to auto generate on load and be dynamic on all TH maps * Should help cleanup AI getting stuck in odd places behavior CODE * created GBGameplayAbility_Fire * handles client/server firing and syncing * replaces need for GBTriggerComponent * allows for more complex handling of firearm firing if required * fixes bug that came up trying to creat client and server side bullets. * created basic lag comp logic * array of saved poses/body positions on server * client side bullet impacts are sent to server. * server verification is currently DISABLED, so all client side hits are ok'd regardless of lag/sync issues * updated all firearm blueprints due to removable of GBTriggerComponent * updated firearm animation blueprints to read animation alphas from owner rather then the owner having to set them * makes for simpler (/faster?) firearm Blueprints * updated GBAIController to updated Start/StopShooting() * updated BTTask_ShootFirearm to work with firearm changes * added IsNetRelevant() to GBBulletProjectile to prevent 'double impacts' for predicated clients * updated firearm Blueprints * split bolt animation into two separate timelines to ensure IsEmpty() is checked regardless of framerate. * created UpdateBoltAnimationPlayRate() Blueprint function to set the BoltAnimationTimeline play rates based on the firearms fastest rate of fire. * added missing LockOnEmpty() Blueprint function we're required. * switched grenades over to using a gameplay ability for throwing * added gameplay ability version of grenade pin replace * made sure live grenades are dropped on character death if they were about to be thrown * created GA_Binoculars_Use * removed NumPad0 ToggleInGameMenu binding from DefaultInput.ini * updated GBFirearm * improved detection of sight components with similar sight lines * created sight groups to sight components with similar sight lines * updated sight component choice to lowest 'active' sight in a sight group * added function to update the current active sight in a sight group * updated BP_Magnifier * added CanBeUsedWhileAttached Blueprint function * updated associated animation Blueprint to show animation * moved scene capture 2d component to from root bone to animated bone * replaced usage of BasedJson strings with simple condensed versions (no longer required) * changed BP_Magnifier horizontal FOV to info based on real life version. * still not 100% correct * switched breaching charges and detonator over to gameplay ability * removed ItemUsageIgnored functionality from GBPlayerController * updated BP_Trigger_ShootingRangeSafeDirection * takes over player input as they enter the ready room or leave the trigger * lets go of input input as they leave the ready room or enter the trigger * will make you stop firing or replace the pin of your grenade as you leave the trigger.

Oct 30, 2018

INTEL UPDATE #003: Sync

GROUND BRANCH - Scopey

Intel Update #003 is here with a little SITREP to keep you busy while the next Build Update is in the oven. Here are some of the main highlights to look forward to—whether in the next update or in the ones to follow:

Work on lag compensation and hit registration systems

Kris has been working on fixing one of the biggest issues with online play: the perceived "inaccuracy" when playing with higher pings. In reality, it's a networking issue due to the lack of a proper system to compensate for lag and ensure hit registration. Here's Kris' explanation for his current approach:

Client-side hit registration works by creating a client-side bullet for the local player. If the client-side bullet hits another player, information about the impact is sent to the server for verification. For the server to be able to verify the impact, it keeps a short history of previous player positions and other relevant data.

Once the impact info makes it to the server, it is checked against this history based on the delay between server and client. If the info received is found to match up, damage from the impact is applied. If not, the impact is ignored. In the case of co-op vs. AI, we have chosen to skip this test and simply "believe" the client. In the case of PvP [adversarial], it will always verify.

So there you have it! You can expect a first implementation of this system in the next Build Update.

Sound design is on its way

One of our newest team members—Mikołaj Ławiński, a.k.a. Mikson—got in the talks about taking care of the sound design in GROUND BRANCH a few months ago, not long before Early Access launched. Now on board, he's doing exactly that. Mik is a young sound engineering student (and self-professed tacticool maniac) from Poland who, like many of us, fell in love with Rainbow Six—one of his first games—way back in the day and is now thrilled to be working on what some have called a spiritual successor to the influential tactical shooter.

He's reworking sound effects and will also be taking care of the soundtrack. One of our goals for the sound design is getting as close as possible to the excellent atmosphere and punch present in Insurgency: Sandstorm. Mik will do his best to provide a "powerful, satisfying and realistic feel of the weapons, an immersive soundscape and tension coming from silence that suddenly turns to momentary chaos." He also says:

The sound design rework will be pushed to the game in phases. Right now, my main priority is weapon sound effects. I'm focusing on making them aggressive, loud and punchy while keeping them as realistic as possible at the same time.

Sounds good to us, Mik. Welcome aboard!

We're still unsure whether any sound updates will be available in the next patch, but rest assured that the importance of sound design is not being underestimated in the development of GROUND BRANCH.

New content

Zee has been busy reworking a few models and adding sweet new assets to the armory. While there isn't much to show yet in terms of a modernized AK platform (currently in early production) and the T-1 red dot sight (next in line), here are a couple gems currently being implemented and tested:

G33 Magnifier: a tacticool favorite, it offers toggleable 3x magnification when placed behind a holographic or red dot sight.

In addition to the existing MP7A2, the MP7A1 (earlier variant with a standard folding vertical foregrip) will soon be available. Both versions can receive the dedicated Rotex-II suppressor and 4 skins—black and tan (both pictured), as well as green and AOR-1.

We'll also be adding a new mount for the Mk 14 EBR that goes over the ejection port and should provide better sight attachment and usability—particularly for scopes.

General fixes and updates

As usual, expect lots of other smaller/under-the-hood fixes and updates that will be listed and detailed when the time comes.

Stay tuned via our social media channels, and thank you so much for your continued support and patience!

Sep 14, 2018

BUILD UPDATE #003: FUBAR

GROUND BRANCH - Scopey

That's right: Build Update #003 is finally here.

As those of you who follow us on social media know, we've ran into a myriad of problems since migrating to Unreal Engine 4.20.2. This upgrade has caused more issues than usual, which in turn took a longer time than usual to resolve, leading us to go out of schedule. Engine updates get increasingly trickier as a project grows; there's more to break, and then more to fix.

Full disclosure: This is going to be one of those builds that sometimes happens in Early Access where some of the things that were broken before now work… and vice versa.

Pictured: How we feel about future engine updates (screenshot by WaderTheGamer)

To add insult to injury, A.I. master Phil had issues with our version control system, which rendered him unable to submit his updates. Well, we decided that the new build had been delayed long enough—some of the additions will simply have to wait a little longer.

Rest assured that we'll be getting everything in shape as quickly as possible and, in the meantime, we hope this build's fixes and extras outweigh its issues and omissions. Last but no least, sorry for the delay!

Note: All servers must be updated to work with the newest build.

HIGHLIGHTS

Engine update

We are now on Unreal Engine 4.20.2! This brings with it many optimizations and systems that will allow us to do a whole bunch of things more efficiently in GROUND BRANCH. Some may experience small performance increases from the upgrade alone, but the biggest gains will come once we fully tap into the new systems and features over the coming months.

New controls and bindings

One of the biggest changes in this build is the new Controls screen that makes key bindings and commands much easier to find and change. Whereas before some options (such as Toggle Crouch) were part of a "Scripts" drop-down menu, now they are exposed and clearly listed. Ambiguous bindings such as "Off Hand Action" are now more intuitively labeled (e.g. "Interact"). And, of course, the duplicate Toggle Aim / Off Hand Action binding has been taken care of.

One important change is in the Reload control scheme: you now press R once for a Tactical Reload (a.k.a. retention reload), and double-tap R for the more urgent Speed Reload. As mentioned in our previous Intel Update, holding R will be saved for a menu that will allow for mag checks and other related actions. While this Reload scheme is currently hard-coded, we plan to make it customizable in the future, so that this will only be the default.

Lastly, the radial menu for attachments is now exclusively for weapon attachments and defaulted to the Middle Mouse Button. Your NVGs—if equipped—are now accessible via the top menu, under "Equipment" ('4' key).

The new Controls screen layout has the bindings listed on the left and extra options on the right. You can check it out in the Settings menu.

Scope glitch is history

The issue with 3D scopes on NVIDIA 10xx series graphics cards has been fixed—you are now clear to rock that ACOG or high-powered optic without hassle.

New bad guy skins

We are starting to introduce some enemy skin variations, starting with Terrorist Hunt on Power Station. These will continue to get updated and added to other maps very soon.

A.I.

The values for A.I. setting that were being tested on a few of the official BFS servers are now the default for the game. The A.I. is continually being worked on and will go through many changes over the coming months, so don't worry if they appear too easy or too hard; we're in the process of testing out values, and there's plenty of new A.I. functionality yet to make it into GB.

Map and graphics updates

We have implemented a temporary solution for the A.I. seeing through foliage on Small Town, so no more getting shot from across the map while behind trees! This solution solves roughly 85% of the cases where A.I. would "see" you through trees and bushes, and we'll soon be working on a better solution that covers almost all situations. Other maps with dense foliage will also be updated after we've acquired some feedback from this build.
A rendering "upgrade" is being tested on all maps. You will notice a sharpening effect to the visuals that greatly enhances the look of the game while using temporal anti-aliasing (Settings > Video > Graphics > Anti-Aliasing Quality). Some may or may not like the look while using FXAA or no AA, so we'll gather feedback and make adjustments as necessary.
Some work has also been done on Storage Facility (Play Offline > Game Mode: Development). The map should be ready for Terrorist Hunt in the next Build Update!

Weapons and items

The G22 has received a new custom slide based on the Agency Arms Patrol Series.
The Galil SAR can now use a Picatinny rail mount for optics.
The visible laser has been further toned down and is now less visible depending on the lighting.

KNOWN ISSUES

Some players may not show gear they are wearing while in the Ready Room. Rest assured that the player does have the gear and can see it themselves. Everything will sync up once in the mission/match.
Pouches do not always animate with the character. They will appear to "float" until the player moves in any direction. This behavior is especially apparent when crouching or standing up in place.
Some players may see slow-downs during various hit effects again.
Player names don't show in the Elevate Player menu.
Player names may not appear on the Ready Room boards and/or player list.
The Binoculars overlay is misaligned.
Foliage LOD change distances need adjusting; lower LODs are showing too soon.
A.I. enemies may feel too passive now.
No ability to "re-pin" an armed grenade.
Small hitch in sidearm reload animations.
Terrain LOD transition creates a sort of "blobby" growing/shrinking effect as you move closer or farther away.
Some may experience an issue in the Ready Room testing range where the primary weapon is not immediately accessible. Simply select Secondary ('2' key), then switch to Primary ('1' key) to equip.

PATCH NOTES

Build version: 1024
Steam ID: 3119679

FIXED * FIXED Small offset of optics on MP5 rail causing shots to hit slightly to the right * FIXED slight offset of V3 reticle * FIXED G22 normal map in wrong material slot * FIXED naming of M16, M18 smoke grenade, M1911 and M4 to properly reflect models * FIXED M16A4 fire rate - now Semi and Burst only * FIXED scope corruption on nvidia 10xx cards * FIXED Mk48 PHYS_collision that was preventing shell casings from properly ejecting * FIXED some building collision on Power Station * fixed server version - should prevent people attempting to join RED servers all the time * fixed OSS HASH issue introduced in UE4.20 * fixed ToggleInGameMenu getting called twice rapidly (temp hack fix) * fixed loading screen not pissing off properly since updating to UE4.20 (I hope) * fixed character loadout failing to be applied if there are no items to add in the replicated kit string * fixed BP_PalletteStack warnings/issues * fixed BP_ChainlinkFence warnings/issues - replaced the damn thing with new BP_FenceMaster * fixed potential issues with BP_Warehouse_ExhaustFan and BP_CielingFan * fixed C7535 GBDamageType caused by VS2017 update * fixed UAnimSequenceBase variables in GBAnimFunctionLibrary * fixed handgun reload not references end montage section * FIXED incorrect naming for P250 magazine round count CONTENT * Updated G22 with Agency Arms slide (Now a 100% custom "Glock" due to copyright) * LOD work on G22 * Added rail attachment to Galil SAR * Added in open static doors to RR Ops rooms * Added in new recorder voice commands VO files and changed references in VOICE_Default * Added in new VO for RR coundtdown * Made collision on shell casings non-round to stop continuous collision sounds when they rolled * Small optimization... default project setting to not use low end lightmaps * Reduces shader permutations * Some lighting optimization work on Storage Facility * Added temp AI LOS blocking volumes to vegetaion in Small Town * This will help with AI seeing through trees and bushes though it is not always super accurate * Proper solution will be comign in the future * Adjusted spec value on wood door materials * Changed setting on Small Town doors to make them light better * Small adjustments to Smalltown lights * No longer using IES values * Turned off DFAO on High shadow scalability setting * Changed bad guys in Power Station to new models and loadout setups * Still work in progress * Storage Facility * Work on texturing leftover untextured geometry * Setup Level Streaming Volumes for interior section * Lighting optimizations * Reduced visibility of laser 60% * Better looking, but makes it harder to see in some lighting conditions * Testing level optimization on training maps setup * Implemented small sharpening effect to game rendering * Changed default behavior of weapon optic glass to accept environment lighting * Prevents it from being full bright in dark environments * Removed M15_WP grenade as it isn't implemented properly * Changed Galil SAR to correctly be 5.56 caliber as well as have a 35-round magazine * Renamed M18 white smoke to M83 internally * This was already done in game files AI * Added a couple of minimum values into loaded settings so we don't divide by zero in later calculations. * Tweaked AI settings for a more enjoyable solo play experience * These will continue to be adjusted as well as new features added(Big Work In Progress) * Updated cover generator to add cover points into a subfolder in the world outliner CODE * Upgraded engine to UE4 4.20.2 * created WBP_ServerBrowserMessageOverlay * currently only used to display big warning message when trying to attempt to join a server that is RED. * update path in various .bat files. * hard coded fix for nVidia 10XX cards into BP_OpticalSightComponent * updated GBCharacter * renamed SetRunning() & SetSprinting() to SetWantsToRun() and SetWantsToSprint() * renamed GetSprinting() to GetWantsToSprint() * stripped out input script system * this is the mostly unnoticed system that support all those things people mention :) e.g. toggle crouch, momentary aim * updated input actions and execs * removed TogglePos * removed button usages from exec commands * created Interact commnad to replace usage of OffHand to open doors, climb ladders etc * renamed MainHand to UseMainHand * renamed OffHand to UseOffHand * renamed UpAction to Jump * renamed DownAction to Crouch * renamed UseAttachedItem to FirearmAttachment * changed inventory slot 3 & 4 to non-instant i.e. they always display a menu * moved Night Vision usage to Inventory Slot 4. * added Toggle Crouch option to player settings. * overhauled control binding UI * hard coded binds to list of controls instead of reading them all from DefaultInput.ini Should be far less clutterred. * hard coded default bindings in UI * moved always run from WBP_Settings_Gameplay to WBP_Settings_Controls. * added Toggle Crouch to WBP_Settings_Controls. * removed suicide (K) from DefaultInput.ini * stupid left handed buggers kept hitting it by mistake and topping themselves :P * created fullscreen overlay WBP_BindKeyOverlay * replaces small in list message * removes modifier keys from list * makes it harder to bind to wrong key by giving a chance to review key choice & modifiers. * changed reloads * input moved from player controller/firearm/gameplay ability combo to gameplay ability (should predict / sync better) * created new C++ reload gameplay abilities for both external mag fed and tube fed (i.e. shotguns) firearms. * for mag fed - tap = reload with retention (tactical), double-tap = reload without retention (speed) * for tube fed - tap = reload one round, double-tap = reload to capacity. * created special gameplay ability with input similar to reloads for future use. * updated BP_ANPVS_15_NVG * changed internal logic to try and fix the damn thing once and for all * moved ability system input binding from character to player controller * character gets last dibs on input, so binding it there effectively made it useless if a default bind existing in player controller. * simplified BP_Door_Swinging * now uses next/prev to control incremental movments instead of holding offhand. * changed all interact prompts to the same style based of the latest ladder prompt. * changed firemode handling * input moved from player controller/firearm combo to gameplay ability * slightly fiddling, so not sure on sync/prediction yet - will improve via animation later. * updated GA_Sprint * input moved from player controller/firearm/gameplay ability combo to gameplay ability (should predict / sync better) * will pause/unpause itself * should no longer lower weapon if stationary. * updated BP_TankerCar & BP_BoxCar to use Interact key * missed it in previous submit * changed default key for FirearmAttachment from F to MiddleMouseButton (F is now Interact) * updated WBP_Settings_Controls * added Become Spectator / spectate bind to * added misc section with Return to Ready Room / ReadyRoom and Opt Out / suicide * added item.firearm.reload tag check to stop AI attempting to reload repeatably * removed legacy Categories from GBItem * updated all affected C++ & Blueprints * created GBDirectSight for use with non-rail sights that attach directly to firearm * added toggle / momentary lean option to PlayerSettings * added bPlayerSelectable to GBCharAppearanceData * set all bad guy appearance related assets to not be player selectable * set all player appearance related assets to be player selectable * changed ProjectVersion from 1023 to 1024