Today's patch for the V1033 Community Test beta branch has more updates to lighting, skins, audio and more.

❓ How to join the Community Test beta branch

• Right-click GROUND BRANCH in your Steam Library and select Properties…
  
• Click BETAS on the left-hand list menu
  
• Select 'communitytest - Community testing branch' from the drop-down menu

Steam will begin downloading the files for the new testing branch.

🐞 Where to report bugs

You can report bugs and issues using any of these methods:

• The in-game Bugs & Issues screen (press [Esc] once in-game and look along the top menu)
  
• The Steam forums: https://steamcommunity.com/app/16900/discussions/
  
• The #bug-reports channel on the official GROUND BRANCH™ Discord

Your reports help us locate and fix issues faster, so keep them coming!

• Tweaked Distance Field Ambient Occlusion (DFAO) settings globally
  
• Partial fix for crazy VFX stuff happening at map origin
  
• Disabled Subsurface Scattering (SSS) globally
  
• Fixed light portals in Run Down, City and Tanker
  
• Upped skylight on Run Down a bit
  
• Fixed Ready Room (RR) lights getting shot out
  
• Overhaul of skylight override volumes to balance day and night better (see Storage Facility tunnels and Run Down basement)
  
• Fixed bad laptop in Docks (Intel Retrieval game mode)
  
• Fixed grouped lights so that changing time of day won't switch on lights that have been switched off at a power box
  
• Fixed tedious bug where you see a blue transparent wall in low-light conditions
  
• Moonlight made a bit bluer
  
• [FIRST PASS] Added options to manually cycle bolt- and pump-action weapons (currently M24 sniper rifle and SDASS shotgun) in Settings › Controls
  
• Gun tail audio change and VOIP remixed
  
• Cleaned up mesh intersection issues with helmet chin straps and the Balaclava
  
• Deleted old/hidden meshes in Creek
  
• Tweaked some light cull distances in Compound
  
• Fixed Vudu 1–6x not properly switching reticles for all magnification levels
  
• Removed the target cameras/screens from The Farm's shooting range, and replaced old sandbag meshes with updated ones
  
• Tweaked grey skin for Combat Shirt and Combat Pants: now a lighter grey with black secondary colors
  
• Created grey skin for ACU Coat and Tactical Pants
  
• Fixed the Combat Shirt's cuff and arm velcro patches being assigned different colors
  
• Fixed subtle red-tinted areas in Combat and Tactical Pants
  
• Added reflection capture scaling option, currently applied to Power Station so less blue ghosting at night
  
• Created additional effect type for bullet casings
  
• Adjusted max bullet impact instances from 30 to 7
  
• Fixed laser flare material being visible while sprinting
  
• Deleted deprecated (unused) pouch blueprint

Is it me or are these patches rolling out faster and faster?

Another hotfix out on the Community Test beta branch as we keep getting closer to the official V1033 release!

❓ How to join the Community Test beta branch

• Right-click GROUND BRANCH in your Steam Library and select Properties…
  
• Click BETAS on the left-hand list menu
  
• Select 'communitytest - Community testing branch' from the drop-down menu

Steam will begin downloading the files for the new testing branch.

🐞 Where to report bugs

You can report bugs and issues using any of these methods:

• The in-game Bugs & Issues screen (press [Esc] once in-game and look along the top menu)
  
• The Steam forums: https://steamcommunity.com/app/16900/discussions/
  
• The #bug-reports channel on the official GROUND BRANCH™ Discord

Your reports help us locate and fix issues faster, so keep them coming!

• Added door handles to shoothouse doors (The Farm)
  
• Fixed up lighting in Paintball
  
• Further small tweaks to dawn/dusk light sensitivity and global skylight settings
  
• Added keybind for Spectator Mode night vision mode (still investigating why not working)
  
• RESET DEFAULT button in Settings › Video now resets both basic and advanced settings
  
• Bots should now respawn in new rounds in Deathmatch
  
• Updated Last Man Standing missions to mirror all current Deathmatch missions
  
• Fixed missed Distance Field Ambient Occlusion (DFAO) value in quality settings; this should fix unlit interior areas being overly bright

With the ongoing process of tuning and trying different combinations of settings to fix/improve various aspects of lighting, the shimmering foliage artifact (especially noticeable in grass) is present again in this build.

There's no need to report it—we'll continue to look for a fix that doesn't cause issues elsewhere.

---

Enjoy the weekend, everyone!

Another patch now live!

❓ How to join the Community Test beta branch

• Right-click GROUND BRANCH in your Steam Library and select Properties…
  
• Click BETAS on the left-hand list menu
  
• Select 'communitytest - Community testing branch' from the drop-down menu

Steam will begin downloading the files for the new testing branch.

🐞 Where to report bugs

You can report bugs and issues using any of these methods:

• The in-game Bugs & Issues screen (press [Esc] once in-game and look along the top menu)
  
• The Steam forums: https://steamcommunity.com/app/16900/discussions/
  
• The #bug-reports channel on the official GROUND BRANCH™ Discord

Your reports help us locate and fix issues faster, so keep them coming!

• Cleaned up some lighting issues in Ready Room due to enabling lit translucency in a previous update
  
• Changed light sensitivity at dawn/dusk (should get a bit brighter)
  
• Fix for slightly offset capture component on ACOG 4x
  
• Fixed some meshes culling around the bridge to early in Depot
  
• Fixed slight offset with the Carry Handle Rear Sight
  
• Rejigged PiP texture scaling to downgrade it somewhat and change available range to 0.4–1.0
  
• Fixed error relating to hit detection on living characters
  
• Fixed Breaching Charge reset removing in-hand charge
  
• Fixed smoke grenades blocking interaction trace
  
• Fixed destroyed doors completely borking physics when resetting
  
• Fixed The Farm (Training mode) having weird time of day and light settings when launched from Main Menu
  
• Wristwatch now responds immediately to level time changes
  
• Switched enemy skins on Docks to "Riot" and Power Station to "Rebel" (previously "Russian")
  
• Fixed up foliage collision in Depot and AI interaction with foliage
  
• Cleaned up some cover point issues in Depot's compound area
  
• Adjusted cull distances on a few lights in Depot
  
• Some settings changes to try to optimize texture streaming: upped RenderTargetMinPool for all post-process (PP) settings, turned off Contact Shadows for "Low" and "Medium" Shadow Quality settings, and upped StreamingPoolSize for all Texture Quality settings
  
• Increased dynamic shadow distance from 5k units to 10k in Storage Facility to fix lighting artifacts, and improved AI interaction with foliage
  
• Fixed being unable to crawl under wall at back of Antenna yard in Depot
  
• Fixed ghosting on broken glass material in Depot
  
• Fixed some interior props not accepting any lighting in Compound
  
• GPNVG-18 model tweaks to front lenses area
  
• Added FDE mount for FDE NVGs (automatically assigns depending on NVG device skin)
  
• Adjusted some light culling distance and light portal issues on 747
  
• Fixed Plate Carrier (MPC) and Fleece Hoodie intersection issues in Customize Operator screen
  
• Fixed some light switch issues in Tanker (outside lights not turning off properly)
  
• Added door handle meshes to The Farm doors
  
• Reset night time sensitivity on Compound to default (was overly bright at night)
  
• Fixed inventory.LimitSupplies() lua library call, so WeaponRestriction mutator should work fine now for all things (via Mutator menu)
  
• Tweaked moonlight to be a little darker and bluer

Just a little hotfix for this morning's V1033 testing branch patch.

❓ How to join the Community Test beta branch

• Right-click GROUND BRANCH in your Steam Library and select Properties…
  
• Click BETAS on the left-hand list menu
  
• Select 'communitytest - Community testing branch' from the drop-down menu

Steam will begin downloading the files for the new testing branch.

🐞 Where to report bugs

You can report bugs and issues using any of these methods:

• The in-game Bugs & Issues screen (press [Esc] once in-game and look along the top menu)
  
• The Steam forums: https://steamcommunity.com/app/16900/discussions/
  
• The #bug-reports channel on the official GROUND BRANCH™ Discord

Your reports help us locate and fix issues faster, so keep them coming!

• Fixed issue where closing door was not properly interactable
  
• Changed Ambient Occlusion (AO) settings to stop shimmering grass and trees
  
• Enabled Global Dynamic Field Ambient Occlusion (DFAO) again
  
• Standard (Element-based) callsigns now apply properly
  
• Fixed Binaural reverb bug

We have also removed the password from the Beta branch, so new testers can opt in by simply selecting it from the drop-down menu.

Today's V1033 Community Test patch has an attempted fix for doors not resetting, time/date issues and crashes, as well as ongoing work on effects and skins.

❓ How to join the Community Test beta branch

• Right-click GROUND BRANCH in your Steam Library and select Properties…
  
• Click BETAS on the left-hand list menu
  
• Select 'communitytest - Community testing branch' from the drop-down menu

Steam will begin downloading the files for the new testing branch.

🐞 Where to report bugs

You can report bugs and issues using any of these methods:

• The in-game Bugs & Issues screen (press [Esc] once in-game and look along the top menu)
  
• The Steam forums: https://steamcommunity.com/app/16900/discussions/
  
• The #bug-reports channel on the official GROUND BRANCH™ Discord

Your reports help us locate and fix issues faster, so keep them coming!

• Big update on doors: should now reset properly, though some glitches remain
  
• Replaced doors on Depot with new system ones
  
• Added missing door handles to previously replaced doors
  
• Fixed VFX particles glowing when viewed through optics and NVG
  
• AffectTranslucentLighting enabled on base light blueprints to provide better illumination of VFX particles (less glowing in the dark, especially)
  
• Added a soft noise texture to NVG effects
  
• Audio preset settings changed
  
• Updated industrial fans attenuation in The Farm, and weird reverb in Small Town
  
• Fixed fire selector switch sound for MK17 DMR
  
• Global Tonemapper Sharpness increased again
  
• Fixed tac light flare VFX stacking on top of itself, causing the texture to blow out
  
• Added lens flare VFX to AN/PEQ-15's visible and IR lasers
  
• More tentative crash fixes in AI light detector component
  
• Tentative fixes for continuing time/date desyncs
  
• Optimized PiP scopes by restricting frequency of render texture resizing
  
• Added new PiP Scope Resolution Scale setting to Settings › Video to allow better performance (when set below 1.0) or last-ditch fixes for persistent pixelation issues (when set above 1.0; performance will most likely be affected in this case!)
  
• Fixed players being kicked when voting a map change (disables match setting option for non admins)
  
• Updated grey skin for Combat Shirts and Combat Pants
  
• Added new AOR-2 camo swatch and updated AOR-2 assets
  
• Updated brightness of ACU Coat in AOR-1 to match other assets in that camo
  
• Fixed "sunken" patch slot at center/rear slot of Helmet (AF)
  
• Spectator Mode night vision now working, with new NV effect
  
• Disabled global Distance Field Ambient Occlusion (DFAO) to reduce foliage flickering
  
• Re-enabled collision for leaning, i.e. fixed leaning through walls
  
• Fixed a LOD issue for some architecture on Tanker culling out too soon
  
• Fixed 747 generator culling out too soon
  
• Improvements to light portal system on 747 and Run Down
  
• Ragdoll collision improved, with itself and with other objects
  
• Enemy AI now register hits for a short time after death
  
• Fixed broken variant names and default filename generation in mission editor

❓How do I join the open testing?

Please see this post for details and instructions.

• Created M81 pouch skins for the M81 MPC Plate Carrier
  
• Color pass on MARPAT Woodland assets, as well as Khaki and Black combat clothes
  
• Slight color tweak to Ranger Green JPC Plate Carrier velcro
  
• Fixed bright outline around Combat Shirt (Rolled) velcro patches
  
• Tweaked tan MPC Plate Carrier skin to look a little closer to other tan rigs and pouches
  
• Minor color tweak to Khaki Tactical Pants
  
• Updated Navy color palette (WIP); affects most Navy assets
  
• Added black MK17 suppressor skin
  
• Tweaked AK suppressors: limited PBS-4 to AKS-74U, made PBS-1 available again on remainder of AK-based rifles, and tweaked fit and rotation for all muzzles
  
• Fixed forearm mesh clipping through shirt sleeves
  
• Fixed model gap at neck/chest area when using unzipped combat shirts
  
• Turned on a few things in the scope PIP scene capture (e.g. DFAO) to better match rest of scene (i.e. outside of scope picture)
  
• Slight increase to render texture resolution and responsiveness to changing size to try reduce pixelation effect when crouching or aiming upwards
  
• Removed Wristwatch buzz when walking through Ready Room (RR) portal hints
  
• Fixes to date/time to replicate time and date better and restore lunar phases and so on
  
• Stopped crash when selecting invalid days in advanced time/weather settings
  
• Stopped invalid days being offered in advanced time/weather settings
  
• Weather settings dialog should no longer pop up underneath admin menus
  
• Disabled all weather setting interface (for now)
  
• Updated pouch sockets on JPC and MPC plate carriers: tweaked position for better look/fit
  
• Removed fourth front pouch slot (bottom row) on MPC
  
• Tweaked single AR mag pouch: increased scale by 5% to look better scaled on vests and changed magazine fit to fix clipping
  
• DTAS flag material tweaked to be more constant colour (bugged in optical scopes)
  
• Fixed reflex sight master material so that lowest brightness setting is low but not off
  
• Tweaked all red dot brightnesses for NVG use
  
• Fixed ghosting on Wristwatch
  
• A little more grain added to NVG FX
  
• Fixed invisible collision in Depot building
  
• Reduced Tonemapper sharpening level
  
• Fixed up InventoryManagement mutator (was not decoding some items properly)
  
• As a result of a filename fix, AK-74M builds and loadouts will break; please remake, and sorry for the inconvenience!
  
• Fixed default item builds and loadouts with AK-74M; likewise for MPC loadouts that used the removed pouch slot (see above)
  
• Arena and Arena 2 PvE game modes converted from "Russian" enemy skins to "Riot" for variety

Hotfix now up for V1033 Community Test to fix some issues that were introduced (while fixing other bugs) in yesterday's patch. We also fixed, tweaked and added a few other things.

❓How do I join the open testing?

Please see this post for details and instructions.

• Fixed some light channel issues on Small Town
  
• Adjusted LOD switch distance on Ural 4320 vehicle wheel meshes
  
• Fixed more audio bleed from levels into Ready Room (RR)
  
• Tentative fix for ringing feedback
  
• Fixed possible log spam
  
• Moved Power Station's RR outside the influence of level reflection captures (fixes blue light in RR)
  
• Customize Operator screen now disables weather/fog/skylight when created, and resets to previous setting when destroyed
  
• Lots of fixes to time and date stuff to get clients better synchronized with listen server hosts
  
• Added side patch slots to NVG Head Mount
  
• Increased color saturation on AN/PEQ-15's texture (was using a lower value from previous model)

Keep the feedback and reports coming!

New patch just dropped for the V1033 Community Test beta branch!

❓How do I join the open testing?

Please see this post for details and instructions.

Here's what changed:

• Light over customization bench in The Farm now stays always on
  
• Fixes to stop bots appearing in non free-for-all (FFA) game modes
  
• Collision fixes in The Farm
  
• Tidied up distance fields in Run Down
  
• Fixed bad normals (shading) on AKS-74U
  
• Tweaked magazine placement on 5.45mm AK variants
  
• Rotated lens cap on Kashtan scope out of view
  
• Fixed collision on containers in Docks
  
• Fixed glowing glass on vehicles in Docks
  
• Tweaked cull distance settings on Tanker
  
• Fixed lights turning off but not changing material on The Farm and Compound
  
• Fixed up light switches on 747 and added missing switch to far side construction area
  
• Fixed missing geometry in stairwell in Storage Facility
  
• Carry Handle Rear Sight now only attachable to top sight rails and risers
  
• Another Ready Room audio bleed fix
  
• Setting callsign to --- now hides callsign patches
  
• Default AI settings changed so that Veteran AI now shout a bit
  
• Blockers added to Docks (East Docks) Deathmatch mission to fix out-of-map exploits
  
• Fixed up floating and badly placed laptops in Intel Retrieval missions in Tanker, 747, Small Town, Rundown, Compound, Storage Facility
  
• Fixed bad NW (Rocks) spawn in Creek for Terrorist Hunt and Intel Retrieval game modes
  
• Ladders fixed up so everyone can use them and should stop the "F slide"
  
• Fixed callsigns not updating until player respawns
  
• Fixed cyan-colored button on olive drab Ghillie Pants
  
• Added icon for bare Ghillie Hood
  
• Renamed Ghillie Hood Bare and Ghillie Hood to Ghillie Hood and Ghillie Hood (Cover), respectively, to be consistent with pants
  
• Default bullet impact tweaked
  
• Added chest patch slot: allows patches on front of MPC and JPC plate carriers and the Ballistic Vest
  
  • Pouches can still be attached to upper slots when a patch is displayed, so keeping the patch unobstructed is up to you for now
    
  • NOTE: Chest patch may disappear if top (shirt) skin is changed, but will still show in-game once loadout is applied. It will display again in the Customize Operator screen if the Platform skin is re-applied.
• Updated audio attenuation for player movement and other minor mix changes
  
• Tentative fix for skylight going missing when listen server host returns to Ready Room
  
• Lua-related crash fixes
  
• Should be possible to rejoin Deathmatch after returning to Ready Room now
  
• Fixed up invalid bot patches

Happy Monday, everyone!

One more smaller Community Test patch before the weekend officially starts. We are slowly but surely knocking down the bugs and getting the last few items in for 1033.

Community test updates CL#7540-7570:

• AI barks and Arena audio fixed
  
• IR Strobe plastic material tweaked to be less bright in harsh lighting
  
• Fixed ranger green Fleece Hoodie using olive drab palette
  
• Fixed FOV warning typo
  
• Further tweaks to Flecktarn swatch and assets
  
• Fixed ladders in 747, Docks, Creek and Power Station
  
• Added bare version of Ghillie Hood
  
• Cleaned up ghillie items; added OCP skins
  
• Docks: cleaned up bad model geometry, container collision and AI pathfinding
  
• Overly bright vehicle windows fixed in Run Down and other maps
  
• Another pass of attempted crash fixes on the light detector
  
• Fixed ghosting on AN/PEQ-15's IR Illuminator
  
• Improved Chest Rig (MCR) mesh collision
  
• Fixed overly glossy Male 05 skin (scalp and back of neck)
  
• Fixed subway (City) light portals
  
• SCAR magazine now shows more than 2 rounds when mag checking
  
• Added "Bakelite" magazine for 5.45mm AKs
  
• Tac Light flare adjusted to prevent blown out textures
  
• Ready Room audio bleed fixed
  
• SVD reload sounds fixed
  
• Adjustments to which AKs can use which suppressors (WIP)

❓How do I join the open testing?

Please see this post for details and instructions.

• Improved lighting in Compound main house
  
• Another attempt at fixing weapon light ghosting in night TOD
  
• All OpenXR plugins disabled (should fix some startup issues)
  
• Added Stubby Grip C (Zenitco® RK-0)
  
• Fixed skinning issues with M16A4 and HK416D variants
  
• Added light switch to The Farm indoor shooting range
  
• Fixed up light portal issues in City and Tanker
  
• Big pass on red dot and holo reticle brightness, making the brights brighter and the darks darker, and fixing sights that couldn't have reticle brightness adjusted
  
• Optimization and replacing of old assets on Docks
  
• Added AOR-1 akin to Plate Carrier (MPC), both belts and all pouches

[/b]

Added Ranger Green skin for Combat Pants and Combat Shirts

Added Light Blue skin to Jeans

Pass on Flecktarn skins (appearance, scale and secondary colors)

Pass on M81 skins (appearance, scale and secondary colors)

Added M81 to Plate Carrier (MPC); pouches coming soon

Added several missing skins for various assets (most need tweaking still) and tweaked a handful of others

Tweaked tan skin for Battle Belt (CB) to be more consistent with others

Fixed AK rear sight on most AK-based weapons being off-center

Adjusted forward position of SVD side mount to fix it being permanently in the player's eye

Big pass on skinned decals (patches on shirts)

Fixed red flashing light in Depot appearing as a dark blob when off

Fixed AK-105 not having rail attachment

Added 30-round PMAG (5.56 NATO) in FDE color

[/list]