Mar 15, 2024

Chivalry 2 Unofficial Servers FAQ – Follow up

Chivalry 2 - Ari

Today, we wanted to address more frequently asked questions regarding the newly added Unofficial Servers with Nitrado to keep players in the loop as we work on improvements.

Torn Banner Studios and Nitrado are dedicated to making Unofficial Servers the best experience possible for the Chivalry 2 Player Base.

Why is my server having unstable performance?

Since the release of Unofficial Servers, we’ve been tracking the community response very closely. After observing many reports and matches, it’s clear that small matches are performing nicely. Yet, as the scale of participating players increases, the server’s performance decreases for all involved. We understand that this performance degradation has made genuine 64-player matches difficult, and the issues have disproportionately affected those spending the most to host a server. We hear you and are working hand in hand with Nitrado to resolve these problems as soon as possible.

Why don’t Unofficial Servers offer Gold or XP?

At launch, we chose not to have Unofficial Servers provide Gold or XP as the potential for server hosts and players to abuse the system was relatively high. We want Gold, especially XP, to signify your time and dedication to Chivalry 2. Our team is looking into how we can prevent this potential abuse and at the opportunity of bringing Gold and XP to Unofficial Servers in some capacity in the future.

Why are all servers capped at 1GB of RAM?

Per Nitrado, The visual presentation of RAM usage is dynamic and covers the upper range of the graph. The RAM limit is not capped at 1GB. The game server gets as much RAM as needed. The hard limit is beyond the scope of what a Chivalry 2 server will ever require to guarantee the quality of the game experience for all customers.

How was the pricing for Unofficial Servers determined?

Initial prices for Unofficial Servers were set with the guidance of Nitrado and the resources needed to support up to 64 players on a single server. We’ll be working with Nitrado to see if the opportunity to offer future sales is possible.

Were Unofficial Servers stress-tested before launch?

Yes, Unofficial Servers were stress-tested before launch. Although we did all we could internally, it wasn’t feasible for us to match the scale that has been able to be achieved once the feature went live to the public player base. A larger scale has revealed specific bugs and problems we are working to improve.

What protections are available around DDOS attacks?

Our first FAQ states that Nitrado servers all come with basic DDOS protections. We’ve already implemented an extra layer on top of the basic DDOS Protections and are continuing to explore additional server protections. These are expected after Update 2.10 since they will take longer to implement on the development side.

Will Torn Banner work with other server providers for Unofficial Servers?

Both Torn Banner Studios and Nitrado are dedicated to improving the Unofficial Server experience with the help of players and their feedback. At this time, we don’t plan to host Unofficial Chivalry 2 servers through partners other than Nitrado.

Why can’t we rent a US Central server?

Currently, US Central is not a region that Nitrado natively supports. At the moment, Nitrado has yet to share any plans to add US Central servers, but we have passed on the community feedback that US Central servers would be appreciated. We have been and continue to communicate with them regarding this request.

Why can’t we skip maps in Unofficial Servers?

Our primary command to skip maps has some instability tied to it that we are currently looking into. Therefore, we are exploring alternate commands to make available to server admins that could fill a similar role while we work on improving the stability of the primary command. We’ll let the community know through our Official Social channels if additional commands become available.

Can we get the opportunity to purchase a higher tick-rate server?

Complete confidence in a tick rate change option would require game-wide testing on all modes, maps, and all possible player counts. With community concerns already around server stability, we consider this outside of scope at this time.

Why are TO objectives set at 10 minutes for each phase by default?

We didn’t have an opportunity to complete the review of all stage times across all maps before the release of unofficial servers, as most of the time dedicated to this feature was devoted to adding it as an option. When time permits, we’ll look to set up default times in the Nitrado web interface. In the meantime, this information is available via our FAQ.

Known Bugs around Unofficial Servers we are investigating:

Servers showing capped at 1GB Ram
Inability to kick/ban some users
Man At Arms spawning without primary weapons in LTS

We’d also like to assure players that we continue working on resolutions for many of the known bugs we announced after the release of Update 2.10. We’ll be sure to let players know right away once we have a Hotfix on its way!

Mar 15, 2024

Update 16.0 alpha

Zompiercer - DDDimanN

Hey, drivers! I am pleased to announce the release of the 16th update of the game. This update is truly iconic and takes the game to the next level of development and here's why. The final redesign of all the old cartoon models of the game has been completed, from weapons to building elements.

The mechanics of character interaction with weapons were completely rewritten, thanks to which it was possible to cure the old multiple animation bugs and the animations themselves became smooth and realistic.

M1911

Sawed-off double-barreled shotgun

AKM

Hunting rifle

The weapon no longer displays a graphic sight and for accurate shooting you need to aim through the front sight of the weapon. In this aiming mode, the weapon wobbles and the recoil becomes significant. But given that many did not like the realistic behavior of the weapon, it was decided to add this part to the difficulty settings and set the default to 25% of the standard. If you are a fan of realistic weapon behavior, change the settings to 100% before starting the game.

Before version 16, stamina was not very important and players often did not increase the level of stamina in favor of strength. Since update 16, stamina also affects interaction with weapons. With a significant decrease in endurance, the weapon begins to shake more strongly and the recoil also increases.

A large number of firearm improvements have been introduced into the game. To place upgrades, hover over the desired weapon and press the Q key, which will open an upgrade slot in the upper right corner of your inventory.

Some of the equipment can be improved, so a flashlight can be installed in any helmet, and backpacks and armor can be equipped with pouches.

A system of improved bows has been introduced. Improved bows will increase arrow damage. Considering that Strength also increases arrow damage, bows are a meaningful weapon on par with firearms without creating the noise that in this update can attract the attention of zombies at long distances.

The range of melee weapons has become significantly further and zombie attacks have become shorter. Zombie detection for melee weapons has also been changed; the strike falls not exactly in the center of the screen, but along the arc of the strike.

It is also possible to fight with fists and this works well for simple zombies. If this resonates with the players, I plan to develop the theme of fist fights by adding various brass knuckles.

The ability to produce cartridges for all types of weapons was introduced; for this, new resources were introduced into the game. Batteries can now be found in car hoods, which can be processed into lead ingots for later making bullets. In the future, batteries will be needed for the manufacture of batteries for various equipment. In kitchens you can find brass utensils that can be melted down into cartridges.

Axes have appeared in the game, in addition to the fact that with this formidable weapon the player will finally be able to extract wood for subsequent sawing into boards. Unfortunately, for now you can only cut down fallen trees, which are mostly carefully felled near the railway tracks, but can also be found deep in the forest.

Some players may have a fair question, because you promised to start working on new locations. In essence, this update is part of a larger work on new locations, as at the time of the completion of Update 15, I had run out of all character content and had nothing to reward players when exploring new locations, which largely took away the point of visiting new locations. Now, with the release of Update 16, I have an extensive base of content and a base to create even more if necessary in the process of creating new locations and developing the plot.

CHANGE LOG

Changes

Added a class of sniper rifles and revolvers with unique cartridges.
Changing weapons now occurs smoothly and takes longer than before.
Most reload animations take longer.
Kamarov was replaced by Walter, the standard magazine was changed from 8 to 7.
The standard Glock magazine has been reduced from 17 to 13.
Remington 870 clip changed from 8 to 6.
Damage from bullets has been increased by 100%, but the chance of finding ammunition for firearms has been reduced.
Increased the audibility of gunshots for zombies by 150%
The ability to create all five types of cartridges in the weapons workbench has been implemented.
The attack range of melee weapons has been increased and the range of zombie melee attacks has been reduced.
Changed the damage for a scrap arrow from 20 to 15 and for a crossbow arrow from 30 to 25.
Cancel a bow shot using the R key.
The ability to fight with fists has been implemented.
The zombie fireman throws out an old fire axe, which the player can pick up.
New resources have appeared for collection. Car batteries that can be found in car hoods and brass utensils in kitchen units.
Brass ingots are smelted from brass utensils and used to create cartridge cases.
Lead ingots are smelted from car batteries and used to create bullets.
There is a chance to find plastic in the kitchen sink.
There is a chance to find mechanical and electrical parts in a kitchen dishwasher.
The amount of stamina consumed has been increased for all tools and weapons.
The police have been removed from the location with the plane.
Increased durability for all armor and shoes by 300%
The damage of the flamethrower turret has been reduced and the fuel consumption has been increased.
Decreasing stamina increases recoil and weapon sway when aiming.
The character takes damage when falling from a great height.
Reduced the standard damage of a normal attack from 30 to 20 and a strong attack from 50 to 40 for boss Grace zombies.
Reduced the health of Grace's zombie boss from 2000 to 1500.
The robot can freely enter the battle area with the Grace boss.

Improvements

Ability to chop downed trees in the forest and saw them into planks in the new workbench.
Strikes with melee weapons no longer go only to the center but are struck in an arc of impact.
Two types of throwing a grenade or dynamite, left mouse button for long throw, right mouse button for short throw.
Automatic weapons now have a single-fire mode.
All old cartoon models and textures have been replaced.
You can now find plastic and fabric in trash bags.
Electronic boards and electronic parts can be found in all televisions.
You can now also find electronic parts in the system unit.
TAA smoothing mode has been introduced.
You can now find brass utensils in kitchen sets.
Car batteries can be found in car hoods.
The volume of daytime and nighttime ambient sounds has been reduced by 50%.
The information panel for items in the inventory has been significantly expanded.
Workbenches display the number of objects produced, the number of objects that are produced in more than one copy.
More information in the lower left corner.
All bullet impact effects, effects of zombies hitting surfaces, and melee weapon impacts have been improved.
The area around the Big House behind the fishing village has been improved.
The area around the Zombiebusters base has been improved.
Hints have been added to the information panel in the lower left corner when interacting with items in and outside the inventory.
Step-by-step system for throwing a grenade; after swinging, you can choose a long or short throw.
The physics of the sleeping bag has been changed, it should no longer fall into the ground.

Corrected mistakes

Since the character control function was completely rewritten, errors with the weapon jerking in the hands when quickly switching between weapons are no longer relevant.
Fixed a bug where the head and limbs of zombies disappeared at a certain angle.
Melee weapon hits are no longer missed if a zombie is too close.
Fixed sudden head return animations for zombies after taking damage.

Plans for future updates

New locations and NPCs.

Mar 15, 2024

Ara: History Untold Dev Q&A Episode 1

Ara: History Untold - Ara: History Untold

Greetings, fellow strategists!

The moment you've all been waiting for has finally arrived – Ara's first-ever Dev Q&A is here! Gather 'round as GamerZakh and Design Director Michelle Menard answer your burning questions about localization, gameplay mechanics, and more!

Ever wondered about Ara's expansive map size? Michelle explains how the map can dynamically adjust based on the number of nations, ensuring each player has ample space to thrive while fostering proximity for strategic interactions like trade and combat.

And hold onto your hats – we're talking launch platforms! Oxide Games is laser-focused on delivering a top-notch PC-first experience, with Ara slated for Windows, Steam, and PC Gamepass later this year. Plans for Xbox consoles will be revealed post-launch!

Curious about Ara's simultaneous turns? Michelle shares some of the inspiration that came from classic board games like Diplomacy and explains how the turn structure works in-game. Allowing Nations to plot their moves simultaneously removes some of the advantages commonly seen in turn-based strategy, and ensures each player focuses on out-witting their opponents turn after turn.

Last but certainly not least, let's talk languages! We're thrilled to announce that Ara: History Untold will support a whopping 25 languages at launch, including German, Japanese, Korean, Turkish, Italian, and many more!

Got more questions about Ara? Drop 'em in the comments below, and we'll do our best to answer them in our next episode!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2021880/Ara_History_Untold/