Dec 18, 2020

Squad - Krispy

Hello squaddies,

As OWI HQ begins readying itself for the Winter break and all the festivities that surround it; spending time with loved ones near and far, eating lavish meals for many of us remotely, and quite possibly, racking up the playtime counter on your favorite Steam games (or that pesky backlog), we wanted to take the time to appreciate all the players of Squad, Beyond The Wire and Post Scriptum, for your active participation allowed Offworld Industries to have one of its most vital years despite the current state of the world.

It’s safe to say that 2020 has been a rollercoaster year for everyone, providing many challenges to overcome and understand, not only for a new way of living but also with lots of new work challenges. Even with these changes, Squad was able to achieve an engine upgrade that helped provide improved functionality for many of the game’s systems. The Road to Fallujah was completed and shipped, bringing to Squad one of the most intense and densely populated maps so far alongside the Middle Eastern Alliance faction. On the horizon, for 2021, we have the Map Layer Overhaul update in V 2.0, which comes with a slew of changes aimed at improving your experience while playing Squad, and even more for 2021.

Oh, did we also mention that Squad launched out of Early Access? Yeah, that happened. Good times.

Speaking of V 2.0, we’ve got an updated Public Testing build of the V 2.0 Update that has been pushed to Steam with some more fixes and changes for you to peruse, and you may even spot the Yuletide additions we’ve been able to add on the latest Goose Bay map. Festive fun for all! For a detailed list of the new additions, plus information on how to report bugs you find, please click here

You’ll likely still see some of us around in the familiar places, helping where we can, though the majority of the team will be getting some needed R&R.

We just want to thank you for helping take Squad to new heights throughout 2020, we’ve got even bigger plans for 2021, and we’d be honored to have you join us for the ride. Please enjoy the holidays as best as you can, strive to do a good thing every day for someone else, and stay safe.

Offworld Out!

Dec 9, 2020

Status Update: V 2.0 Update

Squad - Krispy

Hello squaddies,

As you may be aware, last week, we began public playtesting of our v2.0 update to help us assess the issues that would arise if we were to have released v2.0 in its current state.

We have been making steady progress on fixing bugs and addressing issues, but the progress has been slower than anticipated. This has occurred for several reasons and we want to take the time to explain why we haven’t been able to provide as many updated builds to the Public Testing branch on Steam as we initially intended.

Regrettably, due to the issues, we have encountered, and the risk involved with putting out a release with potential major problems right before the holidays, we have made the decision to push out the v2.0 official release to January 2021.

We will be extending the UAT playtesting period to be active during the remainder of December and will be continuously pushing fixes, tweaks, and updates to the UAT public playtesting for the remainder of the time before the holidays.

Earlier in the year, we had an update delayed, which was due to an issue with our build process and the hardware we use. While we were able to get the build servers up and running again, it was in a less than ideal state, which we have been consistently working to improve with hardware upgrades. This upgrade is still ongoing, and the complete hardware refresh is expected to be completed in early 2021. This should have the benefit of providing the team with quicker builds, more significant detailed reporting of issues so they can be tracked and resolved faster

Unfortunately, that also means we have internally been experiencing some frustrating issues, for example, an inconsistent shadercore crash due to our build pipeline. During several of our builds, this crash has plagued our builds, to the point where that time spent for that build is wasted as it can’t even begin testing, and another needs to be attempted.

None of this means that the team has wound down work on v2.0. We will still strive to provide UAT Public Testing builds (more info here) before the Holiday Break and looking to provide some festive fun.

Another delay is never desired, and we apologize that we won’t be able to provide an update to Squad before the end of the year, but it’s better to get it as right as possible rather than releasing content before the holiday office shutdown (flashbacks to the A7 update)

Keep an eye for further updates to our Squad - Public Testing application on Steam as we continue to work on the issues that are being reported.

Sorry.

Dec 8, 2020

Server Spotlight: Issue #002

Squad - Krispy

Hello Squaddies,

My name is Jenny, and I am the Server Licensing Manager at OWI. Welcome to our second edition of the server spotlight. This feature will highlight some of the community servers that we think you may want to check out, share information about them, and show what they are up to or where they excel.

Whether they are old or new, it's always good to highlight the fantastic stuff our established server owners are doing every day.

Corrupted Infantry

We started as a group of friends who wanted to bring a better squad experience through communication and teamwork. We are a casual new player community who love to play squad and have fun together. Whether you are a brand new player or have hit the 1000+ hour club, everyone is welcome as long as you want to have fun or get involved with our scrims and events.

We host two servers:
-[CI] Corrupted Infantry [EU/ENG]
-[CI] Corrupted Infantry | Events Server

Events- We host weekly events such as scripted events, new game modes, mod playthroughs such as new factions or maps, and one life events! We make our mods on the SDK, meaning that anything is possible!

Links:
Discord - https://discord.gg/cX7zqYQ
Website - https://corrupted-infantry.com/

Jenny’s Notes: I recently visited their server and found it to be warm and welcoming. The admins are supportive and friendly to their community and engage players to enjoy different types of events they create using the game. I would highly recommend checking out their server and what they have to offer.

Next up, we have:

[|56|] Canadian Gaming

[|56|] Canadian Gaming first started back in 2003 during the golden age of Medal Of Honor: Allied Assault when West was but a wee 12-year-old lad. The community was steady for years, eventually moving into the original Call Of Duty. Unfortunately, a dark day arrived with the launch of World Of Warcraft. And due to the wave of addiction, that game caused the first iteration of the 56th folded due to lack of activity. Fast forward to 2017, and after joining a few squad clans and having them not feel right, a few of us decided to strike out on our own, which led to the rebirth of the first and foremost Canadian specific squad community.
Our group has grown from 5 guys deciding to pay up for our own box to a community of over 2000 members and consistently ranking both of our servers in squad’s top 10. The communities’ generosity led to our ability to host servers over multiple games, donate thousands to various charity events, host giveaways, and real-life meet-ups, including Banff, Alberta, and Philadelphia, where 56 foots a big chunk of the bill. All players are welcome, from brand new players to 2500 hour vets. Between both servers, you are sure to find something matching your playstyle. We look forward to having you guys stop by and hope you enjoy your time with us.

https://discord.com/invite/xurkfxs
56thcanadian.com

Jennys Notes: When I visited their server, I received a huge warm welcome. They help players focus the players on the game. They create lots of lovely events for players to try out and the admins are active and supportive to players that join their server. I would highly recommend checking out their server and what they have to offer.

And the final recommendation I would like to make:

Squadified

Our community started this summer as a joint project of several clans.
We discussed the way we would like things to go, the kind of administration we would like to see covered, and all the other shenanigans we would need for a server to run appropriately and community-friendly. These initially loose discussions led to the point where we are right now - and we believe we created a sound base for our community to grow further, prosper, and jointly shape upcoming approaches.

Since we came about from different clans, we all have a different Squad vision, a great game.
Thinking about what every one of us has in common about that is mainly the large scale communication the game requires, meaning it is necessary to forge out different tactics to overwhelm our foes and allow us to have a lot of fun in general.

Trying to think about what makes us extraordinary, the best explanation would be how our clans and players thrive within the given constellation. We have amazing people in our community who contribute valuable input they gained through their professions in real-life. We also enjoy amazing rounds that are compelling for everyone that plays. From CMD to Rifleman, everyone does his thing to reach the final goal.

https://discord.gg/wPbKhAPeR

Jenny’s notes: I received a very warm welcome when I joined the server, and the admins were keen to get some feedback after my visit. The teams worked well together, and the admins encouraged players to communicate and helped new players on the server with us. I highly recommend checking this server out and have some games with this community.

Happy Hunting

Jenny
Licensing Manager

OWI Hosting Discord: https://discord.gg/uyu7KsN

Dec 3, 2020

The Wrench - Holidays Edition

Squad - Krispy

Hello again squaddies,

Krispy here with another selection of treats for you all from the modding community before the end of the year. We received a fantastic amount of entries over the last month so be sure to head to the workshop pages or Discords of those you are most interested in and provide your feedback to the great teams behind these creations.

Before we begin, we also have open playtesting of V 2.0 currently occurring on our Squad - Public Testing app. If you want to get hands-on with some of the latest changes coming to V 2.0 before it’s released, check out the information on how to obtain the build and report issues.

With that said, let’s get on with The Wrench!

Gradac by Hawken

Gradac is set in eastern Europe, aiming to have a mix of Urban, Rural, and Forest combat, keeping games fresh. I've reworked the foliage system and have generally been polishing the Eastern part of the map. I'm now moving onto the western region, which is more open, aiming for vehicle combat.

French Foreign Legion Mod by Tactical Collective Modding

We’ve got an update from the Tactical Collective Modding team regarding their French Foreign Legion Mod. Be sure to check their website and Discord for further information and updates.

Always good to see these updates; keep up the great work.

Middle East Escalation by Bigyes

A gameplay and faction mod.

This mod adds new factions, weapons, optics, and custom character models for each faction. Currently working on a significant update to the mod, which is currently on the workshop, will address the bugs that have come up during playtesting and add new content. Thanks to some awesome server owners we should hopefully have servers available for playtesting. Playtest events and updates will be posted on the MEE discord.

Serbian Armed Forces by bulbi

The Serbian Armed Forces mod brings to Squad the Serbian army, a somewhat Yugoslavian equipped militia, and one new map located in Serbia. We will provide the Serbian army with the most modern arms and vehicles produced or modified in Serbia’s capacity.

Featured in this presentation is the fap 2228 truck that will be the primary trans/logi vehicle. We have the MB M69 82mm mortar and the most modern addition to the SAF, the M19 modular rifle, which is designed for 6.5 and 7.62x39.

Check out their Discord here.
Imgur link

Agios Efstratios, Greece (Stratis Island Recreation) by Cheif22

This map is a recreation of the island of Agios Efstratios, Greece scale just about the same size as the Stratis Island known from the ARMA series. Most of the island is based on the kind of landscape setup as Stratis but aims to be more friendly for Squad.

Island is about 6-9 KM2 of landmass and will have most game modes focused on combined arms (infantry, land vehicle, and helicopter support. Since this Island has many different area's it can be reused and create some more mini areas for different types of game modes. Also, the battle royal mod game mode could also be implemented for this as well.

Version 1 of this map can be subscribed to on the Steam workshop.

See you on the field!

Yuzovka by klusps

Steam Workshop

Yuzovka is a fictional 4km sub-urban town located in eastern Ukraine that features dense residential areas surrounded by farmland and a military airbase south of the village. The map takes inspiration from the Russo-Ukraine conflict and areas of Donetsk.

Combined Forces mod and Grozny map by Fire Arrow Interactive

After six months of work, we've shown two new mods, Combined Forces and a PR classic city battle map - Grozny. In the Combined Forces, you can play now (in test):

-With radar fire control, the M6 Linebacker AA vehicle, Tunguska AA vehicles use radar to track and lock the target so that your anti-aircraft missiles and machine guns are more comfortable to capture your prey

-AH64D Attack helicopter, with a radar system, can scan a certain range of threats. At the same time, it carries 38 Hydra rockets, eight hellfire missiles, and 60 flares. We have also remarkably restored the real instrument, and we can check the amount of ammunition through the instrument. We’ve also added the new system - auto-hover, which can help the gunner to operate their role more efficiently.

-FIM-92 anti-aircraft missiles and anti-aircraft infantry can track air targets in their range and let them away, protecting their teammates from enemy helicopters.

-The transport helicopter airdrop system can make transport helicopters drop ammunition boxes from the base to the FOB, and soldiers can supply ammunition from them.

-Main battle tank thermal system and real explosive reaction armor can be more survivable in the face of armed helicopters. At the same time, the commander and gunner are more likely to detect the infantry lurking nearby. In the future, we will also add coaxial machine guns to main battle tanks, which can launch protection tanks without switching weapons.

-For the joint guidance system, the telescopes of team leaders and special shooters have been upgraded to laser-guided telescopes. When ground infantry lock-in enemy vehicles, ah64d Gunners only need to shoot Hellfire missiles, and the guidance work is completed by ground infantry.

-In the future, we will add mi28 for the Russian army and ah64a for the US Army. This is an attack helicopter with an air defense function. We will also increase air defense fortification so that we can protect the surrounding environment even if there is no air defense infantry.

In Grozny’s classic city battle map, we try our best to restore the original building and use the ground made of high quality. In the latest version of this map, the Russian army and Chechnya fight fiercely in Grozny’s rainy city. Simultaneously, we also add some small functions, such as the destruction of prefabricated scenes, the vehicle can move in the water, and the trees can be knocked down by the vehicle. In this map, there are battles in forests and plains. In the center of the map, there is a river surrounded by Grozny. Initially, this map has been completed, but due to the crash of UE4, our terrain file has become unreadable, which can only let us recreate the ground and terrain.

If you’d like to provide feedback, be sure to join our Discord here

Fantastic offerings and updates from the modding community, as always. There should be something that has likely caught your eye from this post, or perhaps you are an aspiring modder and future designer? If so, you can head over to the Modding Community Discord here or even pick up the Modding SDK on the Epic Games Store.

Be sure to let the creators of these mods know your feedback in their provided channels, and if you’re interested in the V 2.0 playtests, keep up to date with information here.

Happy Holidays!

Nov 30, 2020

Incoming V 2.0 Playtesting!

Squad - Krispy

Hello squaddies,

As the team has been working on V 2.0 and the Map Layer Overhaul, we knew that this would be an extensive reworking of how Squad works with the benefit of laying the groundwork for future development and modding capabilities, however, as this is such an extensive change we have had to push the release of V 2.0 into early December to address the issues we have already encountered during this sprint. Our aim is to have V 2.0 in time for the holidays, especially to seal off the year, but we want to also ensure that updates and content we do release to our squaddies are sufficiently stable.

The good news: We’re going to be opening up public playtesting of V 2.0, which means you’ll be able to get in on the ground floor, helping us put the new update through its paces and get a peek at the new additions that will be arriving alongside V 2.0. These include new British and Insurgent vehicles, an overhauled helicopter flight model, overhauled graphics settings, new Insurgent small arms, and new British and Russian HAT kits, and “Much Much More (™)”. So...not so bad news, right?

As some explanation behind this, we’ve already been conducting playtests of V 2.0 in controlled playtests. With the help of our Community Playtesters, we have been able to identify critical issues that have arisen as part of the Map Layer Overhaul systems coming in this update. The team has been diligently working on several fixes thanks to these playtests, but we will require further testing, especially in a partially live environment, so we can capture as many of those pesky bugs as we can.

If you would like to help us test all the goodies that will be coming with V 2.0, make sure you have the Squad - Public Testing application installed within your Steam library (NOTE: Please make sure you have adequate storage space and bandwidth speed as downloading the Public Testing application is typically similar in size to that of the main game).

We’ll be sharing more details about the update on the Public Testing branch and further information about the known issues/bugs shortly. Please keep an eye on our social channels for up to date information about when the test servers are open.