Mar 10, 2020

Rocket League® - Dirkened

THE HEADLINES

Blueprints can now be traded in
Some default settings under Camera, Controls, and Interface have changed
Added Dynamic Range controls to the Audio menu
Spike Rush added as a Mutator preset

NEW CONTENT

General

Ignition Series Blueprints will be available as drops after select Online Matches starting on March 11, 2020 at 10 a.m. PDT / 5 p.m. UTC

CHANGES AND UPDATES

Blueprint Trade-Ins

You can trade in five Blueprints for one random Blueprint of the next-highest rarity
- All five Trade-in Blueprints must be from the same series
  - The Blueprint you receive from the trade-in will be from the same series
- All five Trade-in Blueprints must have the same rarity
To trade in Blueprints
- Go to the Blueprints tab in your inventory
- Click the left stick (or right-click with mouse) on one of the Blueprints you want to trade in
- A new window will appear displaying all Blueprints that match both series and rarity
- Select the remaining four you want to trade in
Black Market rarity items are included in the Blueprint trade-in system
- Five Rare Blueprints = One Very Rare Blueprint
- Five Very Rare Blueprints = One Import Blueprint
- Five Import Blueprints = One Exotic Blueprint
- Five Exotic Blueprints = One Black Market Blueprint
The Blueprint you receive has a chance to be Certified, Painted, or drop as a Special Edition
Learn more about building Blueprints here

Default Settings

Some default settings under Camera, Controls, and Interface have changed
- These changes will only occur if a player has never changed a default setting to a custom preference
Camera
- Default Camera Preset
  - Distance increased to 270 (was 260)
  - Stiffness increased to 0.5 (was 0.3)
- “Legacy” Camera Preset added
  - Legacy uses the original default settings
- Camera Shake intensity reduced for most actions
Controls
- Default Controller Deadzone value reduced to 0.2 (was 0.3)
- Default Dodge Deadzone value increased to 0.8 (was 0.5)
- Button Bindings list re-ordered to show most important controls at the top
- Controller Vibration
  - Reduced the intensity of vibration on the “Default” setting
  - On “Default” and below, Boost now only vibrates the controller when activated
  - Players can still use “Medium” or “Heavy” to replicate the old vibration settings
Interface
- Nameplate Mode
  - Default setting now makes nameplates Always Visible.
  - Previous default now called “Nearby Only”
- Team Colored Boost Meter is now enabled by default

Audio (Dynamic Range)

Dynamic Range settings are now available in the Audio menu
Settings
- Default: Best for most players, these settings carry over from before today’s update
- Low (Night): Best when playing at low volume, in a loud environment, or on low-quality speakers
- High (Theater): Best when playing at high volume on high-quality sound systems

[PC] DirectX 11

DirectX 11 is now enabled by default for all players on PC
You can see our refreshed minimum and recommended PC specifications here
To opt out of DirectX 11, and revert to DirectX 9:
- Open Steam
- Right-click Rocket League, select Properties
- Choose Select Launch Options under the General tab
- Paste in -dx9, select OK
- Start Rocket League
To change back to DirectX 11, remove -dx9 from the Select Launch Options window, and select OK

General

Inventory management: Any selected filters will remain active until you exit your inventory or trade window
Spike Rush added as a Mutator preset
Added a “Blueprints” button in the Garage menu
- This button is a shortcut to Garage > Manage Inventory > Blueprints
- The number of Blueprints in your inventory will be displayed on the button
Added support for Discord Rich Presence
[Nintendo Switch] Transparent Goalposts added under Options > Video

BUG FIXES

General

Fixed a bug causing the Rank/Division down notification to display after a win
Esper’s front-left wheel no longer clips through the wheel support
Fixed particle dispersal on Flash Freeze Decal
Archive button no longer appears at the bottom of the Blueprints tab
Yaki wheels have been adjusted to face the correct direction
Player Rank after using Quick Play no longer displays the incorrect Rank
Fixed a bug keeping multiple Supersonic Fury and Chaos Run achievements/trophies from unlocking when using items purchased from the Item Shop
Fixed appearance of the Soft Edge Decal on Chikara, Chikara G1, and Chikara GTX
Inventory filter no longer resets after previewing a revealed Blueprint

Mar 6, 2020

March Update Releases March 10

Rocket League® - Dirkened

Rocket League is getting ready to spring forward in March with the March Update. The update will be live on all platforms on March 10 at 10 a.m. PDT (5 p.m. UTC). Here's everything you can expect on release day:

Blueprint Trade-In

Once the update is live, you'll be able to trade in Blueprints to get a Blueprint of a higher rarity, just like you can with free items. Trade five Blueprints from the same series and same rarity to get one of higher rarity in return!

Fix for Inventory Filters

Speaking of Blueprints, inventory management is also getting a fix. Any filters you set when viewing your inventory will stay active until you exit your inventory. You'll even be able to change item tabs while keeping your filters. This also means you'll be able to trade in items of a specific rarity, and those filters will remain active after the trade. We hope this makes the trading process a bit easier.

Changes to Default Settings

We've made some slight adjustments to default settings for players picking up Rocket League for the first time. The new settings should make it easier for new players to see the field and control their car. These changes will not affect anyone's modified control scheme or camera settings, but if players are using current default settings, they will change to the new default settings after the update. Here's what's changing:

Camera

Default Camera Preset
- Distance increased from 260 to 270
- Stiffness increased from 0.3 to 0.5
Camera Shake intensity reduced for most actions
"Legacy" Camera Preset added for players who prefer the original default settings

Controls

Controller Deadzone value reduced from 0.3 to 0.2
Dodge Deadzone value increased from 0.5 to 0.8
Reduced the intensity of controller vibration at the default setting
Boost now only vibrates the controller when Boost is activated, and not while it remains active.
- The "Medium" and "High" Vibration settings use the old Vibration

Interface

Nameplates are now “Always Visible” by default.
Team Colored Boost Meter is now enabled by default.

Dynamic Range Controls For Game Audio

We added HDR Audio to Rocket League in August's Season 12 Update, but soon you'll have even more control over the sound of the game. The March Update will add Dynamic Range Presets. In the "Audio" tab within the options menu, you'll find a new dropdown menu that contains Dynamic Range Presets. Here's how those presets will affect the game's audio:

Medium (Default)

Medium will provide the most balanced audio mix for headphone users, and is a similar profile to the game's current mix.

Low (Night)

Low is designed for listening at very low levels. Loud sounds become quieter and quiet sounds become louder, and we also remove some sounds that are less important. We do not recommend using this setting on high-fidelity systems or when playing Rocket League at high volume.

High (Theater)

This is the best mix for those who play Rocket League at high volume or with high-quality sound systems. Loud sounds will be more vibrant and explosive, and quiet sounds like crowd noise and ambience will be less overpowering, helping to add a more dynamic experience.

Final Update for Mac and Linux

The March Update will be the final update for Mac and Linux versions of Rocket League. If you have played the game on MacOS or Linux, you can request a refund through Steam. All refund requests must be received by June 10, 2020. Visit our support article for more information on functionality and refunds.

The March Update is also bringing a new Series of items to Blueprints and the Item Shop. Stay tuned next week for the full reveal. There's more coming to Rocket League in the coming weeks, so stay tuned as we get new content locked and loaded for later this spring! Until then, good luck and have fun!

Mar 5, 2020

Important Rocket League Esports Update

Rocket League® - Dirkened

At Psyonix, we take the safety of our competitive players, fans, and personnel very seriously. Due to worldwide health concerns surrounding the developing situation around the Coronavirus (COVID-19), we are cancelling the Rocket League Season 9 World Championship live event as scheduled from April 24-26 in Dallas, Texas. We understand that this is frustrating, but health and safety will always be our top priority.

For fans that bought tickets to attend the event at the Curtis Culwell Center through the ETIX website, a refund will be granted automatically to your card in full, including all fees. There will also be an automatic refund for any fans who pre-purchased parking passes. If you haven’t received a refund by Wednesday, March 11, you can contact ETIX support at support@etix.com. If you bought a ticket from a third-party retailer, please contact them directly with refund requests. Regarding the previously announced attendee in-game Wheel, in April, we will email codes (one per ticket) to those that bought tickets via ETIX.

The remainder of Rocket League Championship Series (RLCS) Season 9 League Play will be played as scheduled to the Regional Championships and Promotion Tournament. We’re evaluating all options to replace World Championship play. Once we have more information to share, we'll update everyone.

There will also be changes to our weekly broadcasts for RLCS and the Rival Series. As the health and wellbeing of our broadcast talent is also of utmost importance, we'll be moving the broadcast completely online for the remainder of the season beginning this week. You'll still be able to watch RLCS and Rival Series matches Friday, Saturday, and Sunday as usual, but the broadcast talent will not be in-studio. Additionally, we are actively working with our partners in Oceania and South America in order to ensure the health and safety of players and personnel there as well and we’ll share updates accordingly.

As mentioned before, the safety and health of our professional players, personnel, and fans will continue to be our first consideration as we navigate our future plans. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we explore the best options moving forward. We are still looking forward to producing the highest level of competitive Rocket League for fans around the world, and hope you join us as we move Season 9 online.

Feb 26, 2020

Competitive Season 13 Rewards & Season 14 Kickoff!

Rocket League® - Dirkened

It's hard to believe that the first Competitive Season of 2020 is winding down, but it’s ending on March 25! Then, Season 14 begins that very same day. So, without further ado, here are the rewards for Competitive Season 13.

The end of Season 13 is bringing brand new Wheels for every rank, including Grand Champion. Be sure to complete your 10 placement matches in any Competitive Playlist and fulfill the appropriate Season Reward Level to earn your Rewards.

Similar to previous Competitive Seasons, Grand Champion Rank will receive the "Season 13 - Grand Champion" Title, in addition to all of the Season 13 Wheels. Those who earned the Rank of Grand Champion in Extra Modes will receive the Extra Mode-specific Grand Champion titles. See the full breakdown below:

COMPETITIVE SEASON 13 REWARDS

Bronze I or higher – Season 13 Bronze Wheels
Silver I or higher – Season 13 Silver Wheels + lower Wheels
Gold I or higher – Season 13 Gold Wheels + lower Wheels
Platinum I or higher – Season 13 Platinum Wheels + lower Wheels
Diamond I or higher – Season 13 Diamond Wheels + lower Wheels
Champion I or higher – Season 13 Champion Wheels + lower Wheels

COMPETITIVE SEASON 13 GRAND CHAMPION REWARDS

Competitive Grand Champion – ‘Season 13 – Grand Champion’ In-Game Title + Grand Champion Wheels + all Season 13 Wheels
Rumble Grand Champion – ‘Season 13 – RNG Champ’ In-Game Title + Grand Champion Wheels + all Season 13 Wheels
Dropshot Grand Champion – ‘Season 13 – Floor Destroyer’ In-Game Title + Grand Champion Wheels + all Season 13 Wheels
Hoops Grand Champion – ‘Season 13 – Dunk Master’ In-Game Title + Grand Champion Wheels + all Season 13 Wheels
Snow Day Grand Champion – ‘Season 13 – Blizzard Wizard’ In-Game Title + Grand Champion Wheels + all Season 13 Wheels

(Note: Grand Champion In-Game Titles for Extra Modes are earned by achieving Grand Champion Rank in each individual Extra Mode)

Season 13 will end roughly two hours before Season 14 begins on March 25. Rocket Pass 5 will come to a close the same day, so make sure to complete those last-minute Challenges before then! There's still time to hit your dream rank this season, so jump into your Competitive Playlist of choice and get those wins! Good luck out there!

Jan 30, 2020

Community Spotlight: Jon Sandman

Rocket League® - Dirkened

If someone follows Rocket League content creators on YouTube or Twitch, there's a 99% chance Jon Sandman is one of those creators. He's been building his audience since before Rocket League existed, which recently crossed the 1 million subscribers mark on YouTube alone. And that's just one platform! He's approaching 300,000 followers on Twitch, where he streams regularly, and has amassed more than 170,000 followers on Twitter where he keeps up with the audience.

How did a guy who was living the life of a struggling actor on the west coast rise to become one of the top creators in the community?

Hard work.

But there's more than Jon's unmatched work ethic at play here. Jon hopped on the Discord call for his interview with the same charisma he has in his videos. The 31 year old is the same energetic and friendly guy you see on his channel. Blueprint Fights, Ranked Match grinds at the Grand Champ level, you name it, he’s doing it. His personality has always been the appeal, and he certainly understands that.

"I push out so much energy in my streams, which is why they're only four hours," Jon explains. "I have a wild intro called ‘Roll Call,’ where I rap everyone's name. I'm at 100 MPH all the time. It's not me being fake. It's truly just me. You see that when you meet me. It's definitely exhausting, but I love it. It's just who I am. It's who I've been since I was a kid."

That kid fell in love with video games at a young age, thanks to his dad. Jon recalls beating Super Mario Bros. sitting on his father's lap when he was around 3 years old. As he grew, so did his gaming tastes, which graduated to CounterStrike, League of Legends, and Call of Duty. When he wasn't gaming, Jon was performing.

He got the acting bug in high school, which was a good fit for a kid growing up in Los Angeles. Jon started performing with his school's choir, while acting in dramatic plays. Those opportunities took him around the world to places like Switzerland and Scotland. When he wasn't performing in his school groups, he was getting acting work.

"I was a drama nerd. I loved doing plays and performing. I was able to do these shows and then act on the side. I was part of the Screen Actors Guild, got in a bunch of B movies and McDonald's commercials. I loved acting and music. That was my life."

Jon was on track to be a musician in high school and even into college. He was part of a band called The Young Rapscallions that was on the rise. The band had steady work, but he had to juggle that AND his courses at community college.

"I really thought the band was going to be my thing, but I was going to college for my parents," Jon says. "They were always really supportive, and I always had a place to stay there. I lived in their guest house until I was about 24. They said, 'if you're under our roof, you're going to school.' I respected that. I didn't have to pay rent but I had to go to school. To me, graduating was for my parents."

He followed through with his end of the deal, graduating with a film business degree. At this point, Jon was in his early 20's, living in his parent's guest house while working on locking down acting gigs and waiting tables. "I was just doing the very L.A. thing," Jon laughs. Through his steady work, video games were a constant. He had his circle of friends who got together with LAN parties to play League of Legends and more. Then, his friend introduced him to ARMA 3, a military-style shooter. Through ARMA 3, Jon discovered role-playing servers where people would behave exactly like their in-game characters did. Essentially, it was “acting meets gaming.”

"It hooked me right away, and I fell in love with it," Jon explained. "I built up this server called ‘Seal Team Sloth.’ I became an admin, and was one of the head people running it. I wasn't getting paid or anything, but I was just into the community."

Jon started streaming his ARMA antics on Twitch for a modest audience—anywhere between five and ten viewers, who mostly came from his role-playing community. He was waiting tables at Chili's by day, and streaming by night, while his then-girlfriend, Theresa, slept on the couch behind him; whisper/yelling into his headset so he could entertain the viewers without waking her up. This was his usual routine, but then one night, Jon's stream started to bring in actual money.

"I remember it clearly," Jon recalled. "I had work the next day and I told the viewers I had to get to sleep for my morning shift. I remember someone named Eggnies—who's still a moderator today—asked me how much I usually made in a shift. It was anywhere from $30 to $50. A couple minutes go by and $50 gets donated. I was stunned. Are you kidding me? That's just amazing! That's my whole shift! And Eggnies says 'Get your shift covered. Now you can stay up later with us.'"

From there, more donations started to pour in to cover what he would make from his shifts at Chili's, and it wasn't just from the one person. His viewers would throw him $50, and even the occasional $100 donation. It was all enough for him to make it through any given month. Shortly after that, he became a Twitch Partner. Months go by and Jon's audience saw a slow, but steady growth. However, a chance encounter with a Minecraft streamer changed the course of his channel completely, and that course led directly to Rocket League.

“[A streamer, MrWoofless] hit me up and wanted to start a series together featuring Rocket League," Jon explains. I didn't play at the time, so I told him I wasn't good, but neither was he! So, we started from the bottom. We were so bad: camera shake was on, default controls, field of view was all the way zoomed in. Nobody cared. People watched it, because nobody was good yet. But that's how it all started to take off. He would post from his perspective, and I would post from mine. He fully took me under his wing."

MrWoofless was a popular content creator who has multiple YouTube channels that currently have more than 2 million subscribers. He ran into Jon in ARMA 3 and Jon's roleplaying amused MrWoofless enough that he threw Jon a follow on Twitch. Fast forward a year after that follow, and MrWoofless reached out to Jon personally. Much to Jon's surprise, MrWoofless had been following Jon's content.

Jon's videos started to explode. He went from posting videos and streaming a couple of times a week to producing content every single day. That's when Jon's life went through a full transformation: from juggling his humble stream and YouTube videos for a small audience, while waiting tables and taking three-hour naps on any given day, to a strictly regimented schedule. Today, he maintains daily content creation, family time, and even boxing training three days a week. He married Theresa and they have a 2-year-old son and 7-month-old daughter.

He credits Theresa as being the rock in his life; the person that keeps everything on-track and gives him the time to cultivate his content. "She's a superhero. She's the queen. She's unreal. I would not be able to do any of my work without her!" Jon exclaims. But, as the channel continues to grow, he explains that it's difficult for him to turn off his content-creation brain even when he's with the family. He's still working on perfecting that balance.

"I'm not the guy who's always on his phone when he's with his family. I'm very good at taking that away, but I really can't fully unplug," Jon explains. "I just can't. I think it's just a content-creator mindset where you're just constantly thinking about what would be a funny or entertaining video. That never turns off. You have to find that balance. We have found it now, but that balance can be thrown off a bit as the family grows. My daughter is teething now so I'm working less. Family comes first, but I always joke about that. My community is my family too!"

That community keeps growing. Even as Jon continues to grow his brand, he also keeps the humility of a small channel and still makes the time to read every single comment on his videos, which averages roughly 500 comments each. He says it’s what keeps him grounded.

"Some of my comments are really touching," Jon explains. One person said, 'I just wanted to let you know that I've been watching you for a couple years, and when I watch one of your videos, I just become happier.' Something as simple as that makes me take a step back as a content creator and take a pause. That guy, whatever is going on in his life, one of my videos gave him a smile that he's not getting in his life. Then you start noticing more of those; more than five, more than 20, possibly more than 100. That's insane! It makes me pretty emotional. And that's where I sort of check myself. I might be doing this for the drive and the daily videos. I’m having a good time doing it but this could be something more for someone else. And that's what I love about content creation."

Connection, positivity, energy, entertainment. Those are the pillars of JonSandman's channel that continue to support a community of over a million and counting. The grown up theater kid has found his stage.

Keep up with Jon on his YouTube and Twitch channels where he posts daily content.