Another month is gone already, and with it we saw some pretty major announcements and releases.
We announced 1.10, had our 1.10 CTE, Update 1.9.2 was released, and we are under three weeks away from the full release of 1.10!
Here at NWI we are chugging along, reading through thousands of points of feedback from our Update 1.10 Community Test Environment. We appreciate everyone taking the time to fill out the survey (available here if you haven’t yet), post on Reddit, and/or filling out an in-game bug report.
The new mode, Survival, seems to be a hit, and it plays just perfectly with our new weapons. What’d you think? Let me know in the comments below - we are still taking feedback and iterating. I can say one thing we’ve been looking into is the quantity of suicide bombers in the mode.
What about the new sidearms? The pistol optics? The new map; Citadel? We want to know. I promise to read every comment. Even the mean ones.
The CTE is integral in our development cycle, so thanks again to everyone who partook. If you missed out, don’t worry, we will have another one before the release of 1.11.
The meat of this update is our HD Texture Pack. I’ve seen a lot of screenshots being taken with these higher resolution textures, and they are looking _clean_. Some noticed there was an issue with the texture pack upon release, but we have since pushed a hotfix and we are back to melting GPUs! If you have any great shots, send them my way.
The rest of the update (patch notes available here) was largely focused on small quality of life improvements (looking at you, server browser) and bug fixes.
While these minor updates aren’t super flashy, they go a long way in improving the day-to-day life of our game, and often contain initiatives driven by you as a community.
If there’s something specific you all want, keep posting, and I will see it. That’s not to say it’s guaranteed, but I guarantee I will at least pass on your ideas and we will discuss as a team.
Eighteen (!!) days until 1.10.
This will be our first major release since December and I am very excited. Like we said in the past we are giving ourselves more time between releases to allow us to focus on polish. While some people are frustrated that they aren’t getting content as often, I think most of us would agree that improving the quality of our releases is an area that needed some improvement.
If you’d like to see what’s coming in 1.10, you can watch our reveal stream here, follow along with our social pages (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter), or call me at home. I won’t give out my number, but if you have it, feel free to call me.
We will also be updating our Operation: Exodus website as things are revealed on social media, so if you prefer to avoid social platforms, just check back regularly to that site.
Our next stream will take place on 1.10 release day, May 18th, at 2:00pm MST on www.twitch.tv/NewWorld. I will be playing some games with the community, so stop by, hang out, and play some games with us.
The new Community Associate starts Monday, so you’ll likely see them in the Discord or on the subreddit in the coming weeks.
I really hope their online name can not be as easily changed to daddy as mine. Right before I started this job, I knew it was my last chance to change it from fatherHank… we all make mistakes.
We will be creating a community survey in the coming weeks that should be coming out near the end of May.
We are leading off this month with a super in-depth guide to the weapon upgrades available in Insurgency: Sandstorm (sacrilicious__ on YouTube).
Also, shoutout to Gat for the image we used for this post 📸
Next time we chat you’ll be rocking an MR 73, fighting past an ancient amphitheatre, and frantically grabbing random weapons from crates. Honestly, that sounds like a good month to me.
We've released a hotfix for update 1.9.2 that addresses the following issues:
Fixes:
Fixed an issue where textures from the base game were conflicting with textures from the HD Texture Pack, causing them to display at the lowest available resolution
Fixed a spawning issue at Objective D on Tell Push Security
Fixed an issue where muting players via the scoreboard was not working properly
Fixed an issue where the Message of the Day set up by community servers persisted in local play sessions
To see the current known issues list, please see the bottom of the full 1.9.2 changelist here.
In addition to the optional texture package, we’ve also added HD textures for the following props due to very high demand:
Fire extinguisher
Toilet
Fridge
After downloading the above DLC via the link, the HD Texture Pack will be automatically applied. To uninstall, go to 'Manage my DLC' for Sandstorm and unclick the box for the Texture Pack.
Visual Improvements
Restored the bespoke muzzle flashes from pre-1.6
Implemented a new system to hide certain headgear when the gas mask is equipped
Gameplay Improvements
Keybinds are now available for voice commands
Reduced flashlight blinding effects in 1P and 3P
Balanced the flashlight brightness between all weapons
Added particles to flashlight beams in 3P
The color of character materials have been adjusted to subtly increase the overall character visibility
Aiming down sights while using the QTS-11’s launcher will now use iron sights or attached optics
Players who are vote-kicked can no longer rejoin the same server via matchmaking
Server Browser
Added a server browser legend to explain icons for new players
Fixed an issue where favorited servers were not showing up under the favorites tab
Fixed an issue where columns were not sorted in ascending or descending order properly
Fixed an issue when selecting multiple filters would cause zero servers to show up
Fixed an issue where the text filter persisted through game restart
Modding Improvements
mod.io tokens now automatically renew after expiration
Reduced allocation of disk drive space for a mod's folder after unpacking
After unpacking a mod's folder, unnecessary files automatically removed
The loading screen will now show the server name upon joining a community server
Added a new feature for community servers to add a 'Message of the Day' to the loading screen, instructions on how to set this up can be found in the Server Admin Guide
UI Improvements
Added a new option in the settings menu to allow players to select different badges to display on the scoreboard (Note: this is only available if you have other badges to select)
Removed the Competitive loadout option from the customization menu
Limited the displayed length of usernames to 48 characters (sorry Shrek)
Map Fixes and Improvements
Bab[/list]
Fixed an exploitable area where players were able to traverse around buildings
Crossing[/list]
Fixed a number of exploitable areas
Farmhouse[/list]
Fixed an exploitable area where players were able to traverse around buildings
Fixed an issue where players were able to capture Objective A while hiding like yellow-bellies behind sandbags
Fixed an issue where players could get stuck after vaulting over barrels
Hideout[/list]
Fixed a number of exploitable areas
Hillside[/list]
Fixed an exploitable area allowing players to secretly reach Objective C
Outskirts[/list]
Fixed exploitable areas which gave players unintentional lines of sight
Fixed an exploit where players were able to climb to an unintentional area
Precinct[/list]
Fixed an issue where players could block Objective A by hiding behind crates
Powerplant[/list]
Fixed a number of exploitable areas
Refinery[/list]
Fixed an issue where players were able to spawn inside of a roof and become stuck
Tell[/list]
Fixed an issue where a major prop was not visible when viewed at a certain distance
Fixed an exploitable area near Objective B on Push Insurgents
Fixed an exploitable area where players were able to traverse around buildings
Fixed a floor decal that appeared stretched
Tideway[/list]
Fixed a number of exploitable areas
Resolved Issues
Fixed a crash that occurred upon returning to the Main Menu or launching the game
Fixed an issue where the smoke overlay could be hidden
Fixed an issue where the smoke effect was not visible to players at a certain distance who had settings lower than ‘Very High’
Fixed an issue where the smoke effect seemed to flicker at a distance
Fixed a flash-bang exploit where hitting escape twice would cancel the effect
Reduced instances of player’s hands would break when reloading or checking ammo
Fixed an issue where planting a C4 or IED and moving your camera would cause the player’s arms to disappear and cause the player to stop planting
Fixed an issue in replays where the scoreboard and the spectating menu did not update when players joined late into the match
Fixed an issue with the M16A2 equipped with the 3x A2 scope had a higher magnification level than the other 3x scopes
Fixed a bug that allowed AI to achieve taglines at the end of a round
Fixed a controller input issue where the Cycle Optic and Lean Right used the same key bind
Fixed a lighting issue when joining a match as a spectator
Fixed an issue where players were able to vault into and through objects
Fixed an issue where NVGs automatically equipped onto the player’s face after interacting with a supply crate
Fixed an issue where the friendly team marker was offset when using toggleable optics in the 1x configuration with the picture-in-picture setting enabled
Fixed an issue where the frame rate would drop when returning to the main menu
Fixed a looping animation issue that would occur when a player attempts to throw back a live grenade
Fixed an issue in the Loadout Menu where the extended magazine appeared to be floating when selecting the QBZ-97
Fixed an issue where the hand and thumb stretched while sprinting and switching to a primary weapon equipped with an Aiming Grip attachment at the same time
Reduced occurrences of players missing weapons in 3P and in spectator mode
Fixed an issue where the Urban Digital skin was not applying correctly to the Recoil Grip attachment on the AK-74
Fixed an issue where the bipod on the QTS-11 appeared enlarged when deployed in 3P
Fixed an issue with the QTS-11 where the ammunition is floating outside of the weapon in the Loadout Menu
Fixed an issue where the hand was positioned incorrectly when using the QTS-11 equipped with the Loading Grip attachment in 3P
Fixed an issue where the extended magazine dropped by Speed Reload while using the QTS-11 was too large
Fixed an issue where the handguard would disappear when a foregrip attachment was equipped on the G36K
Fixed an issue where part of the AUG A3 disappeared when the 7x Hunting Scope was equipped in the Loadout Menu
Fixed a visual issue between the 7x Sniper and Hunting Scope and the IR Laser Sight upgrade
Fixed an issue where the voice status display element was placed in the wrong layer which caused it to be blurry in the end of round screen
Fixed an issue in the Loadout Menu where the Resupply hints would appear when playing Hardcore Checkpoint
Known Issues
There is an issue where players may see the enemy team voice chat and proximity voice chat icons while they’re not in range of the player. We are investigating reports from players being able to hear voice communications in other unintended situations
There is a 3P animation issue where the left arm will clip through the body when the player begins sprinting while having the M870, TOZ-194, M99 or M82A1 CQ equipped
There may be an issue in the Customization Menu where selecting cosmetics it may update the character model to wear a different cosmetic than that is selected
Sunglasses may occasionally appear incorrectly at certain angles
Weapon skins do not properly apply to the Recoil Grip on the AK-74
The screen may get brighter when holding a weapon equipped with a night vision optic
There are multiple issues that are known regarding the gamepad:
Players are unable to interact with the Overview Screen during a match
The refresh button does not work in the Community Servers Menu
It is not possible to scroll credits on the credit screen
Cannot browse the match history / replay list
Player cannot vault with the vaulting button
Customizations cannot be unlocked
Pressing the menu button during a match will not open the menu
PC keyboard in-game hints will display unbound gamepad buttons
After pressing alt-tab during Tutorials then returning to game, focus will not return to the gamepad
There is an issue with the 6x-3x Red Ring scope appearing tan instead of black
Appearance cosmetic list scroll bars do not accept analog stick input
Please refer to our Trello board for a full list of known issues.
In anticipation of our upcoming Operation: Exodus update, our Play with the Devs event is happening NOW from 11:00 AM MST - 12:00 PM MST on the Community Test Environment.
Help test upcoming content for Operation: Exodus on the Community Test Environment:
New map: Citadel
Two new weapons (MR 73 and Desert Eagle)
New Weapon Upgrades: Pistol Optics
New Mode: Survival 👀
To play with us, go to your Steam Library and download “Insurgency: Sandstorm Community Test Environment". Boot up the CTE, and please set matchmaking regions to US East. Click Play, select Co-op, select Survival, and Find Match. All of the devs won’t necessarily be in one game, but you’ll see us floating around your matches!
During the CTE, we will be restricting the playlists to focus solely on the new content.
Please note that all devs will have a DEV tag next to their name in-game. Anyone posing as a dev without the DEV tag is not an NWI developer.
After playing, please fill out our CTE survey. The only other place the team will be funneling feedback is on our Steam CTE Sub-Forum. Please ensure to use the search function in the Sub Forum to see if your feedback/question has already been posted, and stick to ONE topic per thread.
For more information on the CTE, please visit our frequently asked questions article here.
In anticipation of our upcoming Operation: Exodus update, our Play with the Devs event is happening NOW from 11:00 AM MST - 12:00 PM MST on the Community Test Environment.
Help test upcoming content for Operation: Exodus on the Community Test Environment:
New map: Citadel
Two new weapons (MR 73 and Desert Eagle)
New Weapon Upgrades: Pistol Optics
New Mode: Survival 👀
To play with us, go to your Steam Library and download “Insurgency: Sandstorm Community Test Environment". Boot up the CTE, and please set matchmaking regions to US East. Click Play, select Co-op, select 'New Map: Citadel' and Find Match. All of the devs won’t necessarily be in one game, but you’ll see us floating around your matches!
During the CTE, we will be restricting the playlists to focus solely on the new content.
Please note that all devs will have a DEV tag next to their name in-game. Anyone posing as a dev without the DEV tag is not an NWI developer.
After playing, please fill out our CTE survey. The only other place the team will be funneling feedback is on our Steam CTE Sub-Forum. Please ensure to use the search function in the Sub Forum to see if your feedback/question has already been posted, and stick to ONE topic per thread.
For more information on the CTE, please visit our frequently asked questions article here.
In anticipation of our upcoming Operation: Exodus update, our Play with the Devs event is happening NOW from 11:00 AM MST - 12:00 PM MST on the Community Test Environment.
Help test upcoming content for Operation: Cold Blood on the Community Test Environment:
New map: Citadel
Two new weapons (MR 73 and Desert Eagle)
New Weapon Upgrades: Pistol Optics
New Mode: Survival 👀
To play with us, go to your Steam Library and download “Insurgency: Sandstorm Community Test Environment". Boot up the CTE, and please set matchmaking regions to US East. Click Play, select Versus, and Find Match. All of the devs won’t necessarily be in one game, but you’ll see us floating around your matches!
During the CTE, we will be restricting the playlists to focus solely on the new content.
Please note that all devs will have a DEV tag next to their name in-game. Anyone posing as a dev without the DEV tag is not an NWI developer.
After playing, please fill out our CTE survey. The only other place the team will be funneling feedback is on our Steam CTE Sub-Forum. Please ensure to use the search function in the Sub Forum to see if your feedback/question has already been posted, and stick to ONE topic per thread.
For more information on the CTE, please visit our frequently asked questions article here.
Today we are launching a playable preview version of our upcoming update - Operation: Exodus. This includes the new map ‘Citadel’, two new weapons (MR 73 and Desert Eagle), new weapon upgrades, and more! See below for more info.
This content is now available on the Community Test Environment. Go to your Steam Library and download “Insurgency: Sandstorm Community Test Environment” to play. Please remember this is a preview build, so some issues are expected (see 'Known Issues') and all content is considered work in progress. If you encounter any problems or have feedback for the development team please don’t hesitate to let us know in the CTE sub-section of the Steam forums. Also be sure to fill out our 1.10 CTE Feedback Survey. Our team will be monitoring feedback during the CTE and aim to push this update to players on the live version of Insurgency: Sandstorm on May 18th. The CTE will be available until Monday evening.
The full changelist for the release version of Update 1.10 will be available at the time of release of Operation: Exodus on May 18th.
Please note: If you launch the CTE and your mods start downloading, please close the CTE and use
-DisableModSubscriptions
as a launch parameter on Steam.
New Map: Citadel
Are you ready for an assault on the Citadel? Battle through a museum-turned-warzone, traversing muddy trenches, navigating sprawling tunnels, and battling across an ancient amphitheatre. Citadel is an expansive map and was built with our new game mode Survival in mind, requiring players to adapt to different combat styles as they travel across it. Close-quarters can swiftly shift into open terrain before descending into narrow tunnels. Citadel supports the following game modes:
Versus
Push Security
Push Insurgents
Firefight
Domination
Co-op
Checkpoint Security
Checkpoint Insurgents
Hardcore Checkpoint Security
Hardcore Checkpoint Insurgents
Outpost
Survival 👀
New Weapons: MR 73 and Desert Eagle
There are two new secondary weapons available: The MR 73 for Security (in Versus) at 4 supply points, and the Desert Eagle for Insurgents (in Versus) at 5 supply points. Both are available for each faction in Co-op. Each weapon supports optic, barrel, and other upgrades, including a speed-loader for the MR 73. These new firearms will have you ditching your primary for some hand-held stopping power.
New Feature: Pistol Optics
Pistol optics are here, adding both precision and accuracy to your secondary weapons. The 1x Mini Green Dot for the Insurgents and the 1x Mini Red Dot for Security.
New Game Mode: Survival
We’ve added a new co-op mode called Survival. Hunt for a safe extraction zone as you’re being overrun by wave after wave of relentless enemy forces. Cut off from your allies and supply lines, starting with only a sidearm, you’ll have to scavenge for weapons and ammo, using our new weapon crates to acquire randomized primary weapons and upgrades.
Survival mode is available on the maps below in both day and night scenarios. We hope to expand the mode to more maps in future updates:
Citadel
Outskirts
Hillside
Hideout
Summit
Farmhouse
Precinct
Powerplant
Outpost Mode
We’ve added Outpost Mode to more maps, and improved some of the existing layouts with better objective placement and enemy AI spawn areas.
New Outpost Maps
Citadel
Summit
Precinct
Refinery
Frontline Mode
We’ve made some adjustments to improve player experience in Frontline matches.
Decreased starting wave count from 20 to 15
Decreased round timer from 20 seconds to 15 seconds
Frontline Improvements Previously, when the final weapon cache objective was exposed to the enemy team, your team would lose all remaining waves. We found that this was too punishing and could potentially end a round very quickly. To combat this, a new wave drain mechanic was added to allow the losing team a chance to fight back. Once the weapon cache is vulnerable, the waves will begin to drain at a rate of 1 wave per 20 seconds.
New Mutators
Six new mutators are now available. The details on each new mutator can be found below:
Budget Antiquing: this mutator allows only old, cheap weapons, along with normal equipment and explosives.
No Drops: Weapons, explosives, and equipment are not dropped by dead players and enemy AI
Makarovs Only: Makarov pistols only
Poor: Players start with 2 supply points
Fully Loaded: All weapons, equipment, and explosives in the game available in the Loadout Menu
Gunslingers: players are equipped with the MR 73, normal equipment, and explosives
Firing Range
New weapons have been added to the Firing Range:
Honey Badger
AS Val
Sterling
Grease Gun
Welrod
M110 SASS
M1 Garand
QBZ-97
QTS-11
MR 73
Desert Eagle
Gameplay Improvements
The color of character materials have been adjusted to subtly increase the overall brightness of characters
NVGs no longer automatically equip onto the player’s face after interacting with a supply crate
User Experience
The ammo carrier icons have been updated in the loadout screen to clearly indicate how many additional magazines and explosives are added
The teammate indicator has been made more visible by increasing thickness and opacity
Scroll boxes have been improved in the Loadout Menu and Inventory Menu
Moved the placement of the Client Version element to the right hand side to avoid overlapping other elements
Enemy AI
With the introduction of the new Survival mode, our team had to adapt the spatial awareness of the Enemy AI. The built-out spatial awareness infrastructure is currently used only on Survival but will enable future adjustments to all game modes in the future.
Modding
The checkbox to toggle “Allow Derived Game Modes" has been removed. Instead the setting is set to enabled in all scenarios
Level Design
We’ve made many changes and adjustments to our existing maps, look out for more details in the official 1.10 patch notes.
Resolved Issues
Fixed an issue where players were able to vault into and through objects
Fixed an issue where planting a C4 or IED and moving your camera would cause the player’s arms to disappear and cause the player to stop planting
Fixed an issue where players were unable to interact or pick up dropped objects while holding an explosive or knife
Fixed an issue where the M1 Garand 2.5x M1C scope was set to a higher magnification
Fixed an issue where the weapon that is equipped with the 2x-1x Holographic would disappear while ADSing
Fixed an issue where the tanker trucks had larger collision volumes than what was visible to the player
Fixed an issue where the Menu button was not opening the Menu on the controller
Fixed an issue where the controller layout in the Settings Menu where the “Speed Reload (Double Tap)” button was showing as “Quick Reload (Double Tap)”
Fixed an issue where UI elements in the Loadout Menu would not always appear
Fixed an issue in the Settings Menu where the sensitivity values were not capped to the same decimal place
Fixed an issue where the character was not centred in the Loadout Menu
Fixed an issue where the SlowMovement mutator was not being carried over through map changes
Fixed an issue where the password widget appeared to be out of focus when attempting to connect to a password protected server
Fixed an issue where the binds in the leaning hint #108 were showing as UNBOUND
Fixed an issue where the Wet Feet achievement was not obtainable after completing Basic Training under Tutorials
Please note: There are a number of fixes coming with 1.9.2, and this is not the full list of bug fixes coming in 1.10
Known Issues
The new Citadel map has yet to be completely optimized therefore players may experience drops in frame rate
The title for Citadel Domination is incorrect in the Map Vote screen while playing Versus
Desert Eagle cannot be picked up from the display table in the Firing Range
The magazine that is dropped by Speed Reload is too large when using the Desert Eagle
The red and green dot sights on the Pistol Optics are slightly off-center
Players are able to be killed by airstrike through a wall on Citadel Objective D
There are instances where the weapon and optic will jitter during ADS
There is an issue when the SVD with the Aiming Grip and 7x Sniper Scope is equipped causing the player’s thumb to obstruct the sight picture
There is an issue where the silhouettes of players would show if they were surrounded by smoke effects from two different sources
There is an issue when using switching to a weapon with an Underbarrel attachment combined with a 2x-1x toggleable optic will cause the scope to appear to be toggled to 2x instead of 1x
There is an issue where the overtime element remains on the screen even after the round has ended
There is an issue when viewing a replay with a controller the playback control buttons are too small to read
Players are unable to open the Menu during a match
Players are unable to interact with the Overview Screen during a match
The refresh button does not work in the Community Servers Menu
The left arm is bending unnaturally when aiming down the sights on the AS VAL with the Aiming Grip upgrade and NVG Point Shooting mode
The Mosin-Nagant Stripper Clip weapon upgrade does not push in properly when reloading in third person
AI vehicles can get stuck in the Range level under Tutorials
Switching to or from the Smoke Launcher upgrade with no ammo plays the incorrect animation when using the M1 Garand
There is an issue with weapon and knife hitboxes which may block players that jump into the weapon being held by other players
Hello everyone, my name is Tim Perreault and I’m the Production Director at New World Interactive. It’s hard to believe we’re already four months into 2021. The year is rushing by, but we’re happy with how it’s going so far. This month we’ll touch base on our two upcoming releases that were both recently announced in our Development Streams.
Key Points for State of Production #19
Update on 1.9.2 Progress
Operation: Exodus Open CTE Playtest
Production Outlook
Update on 1.9.2 Progress
The team is still putting some final touches on content for this community driven update. We’re excited to release it at the end of the month. If you missed the reveal stream and wanted to get a bit more info on what’s included, you can check it out here.
Operation: Exodus Open CTE Playtest
We recently announced our next major update: Operation: Exodus launching on May 18, 2021. If you didn’t catch the stream, you can watch it here. You can also follow updates on content reveals on our website.
As one of the final steps before we release, we’re doing our Open CTE event from Thursday April 22 until Monday April 26. During this time, players will be able to get an early preview of content coming in our latest updating. To help encourage testing of a few specific things, we’ll also be running some scheduled Play With Devs events during the weekdays:
April 22, 11AM MST/1PM EST Queue into the New Map: Versus playlists to join our devs. April 23, 11AM MST/1PM EST Queue into the New Map: Co-op playlist to join our devs. April 26, 11AM MST/1PM EST Queue into the [REDACTED] playlist to join our devs.
If you play the CTE you’ll be able to pass feedback to us in two ways: by using the in-game feedback option or by filling out a survey. The feedback option is best used for reporting bugs while the survey focuses on collecting feedback on gameplay related changes in the release. Once the CTE event ends, our team will review the feedback from both sources and set out to make the final adjustments on the build before release. Keep your eyes open for a news post on Steam with more details on how to participate!
Production Outlook
I wanted to take a little time to talk about the overall state of Sandstorm. From a production perspective, we’re really excited about where we have strengthened our ability to hold dialogues with the community on a regular basis and act on the feedback. We’ve continued expanding our behind-the-scenes tools that help us better understand how the game is performing and how we can best continue to grow the community. Over the last year we’ve made some important hires to expand our capabilities internally which are going to be noticed in our upcoming releases. To summarize, our outlook for production is great, and with Saber’s help on consoles bringing us closer to a release, we have a lot more in store for Sandstorm and our community.
Next month, we’ll be diving into some behind-the-scenes details about Operation: Exodus and all the fun new content that it brings, so until then, keep your stick on the ice.