Hey everyone,

Today we’re incredibly excited to share with you the news you’ve all been waiting for…

Hell Let Loose will launch on Steam Early Access June 6th 2019!

To celebrate this announcement we’ve released a new trailer as the US and German forces prepare to clash in fierce combat.

https://youtu.be/SORGy9QRMJI



New recruits looking to fight on the frontline can now secure their place in three upcoming betas ahead of Early Access launch, as well as kitting themselves out with two exclusive pre-order helmets by pre-ordering now!

Backer Note: All levels of Hell Let Loose Crowdfunder Backer will receive the pre-order helmets.

New recruits can enlist for battle via two different pre-order options:


Purchase the Soldier Pack for Hell Let Loose and receive:

• 1 x Steam game code with access to the full game as well as up to three betas before Early Access launch.
  
• 2 x Additional beta keys to share with friends. Each key will grand access for up to three betas ahead of Early Access launch on June 6th. These codes will cease to function on completion of the third beta.
  
• 1 x German M42 Helmet Cover with Sniper Veil (in-game cosmetic)
  
• 1 x US 505th 82nd Airborne variant (in-game cosmetic)

This is for the players and clans looking to head to the frontline with a full unit to fight alongside! The Unit Pack for Hell Let Loose contains:

• 6 x Steam games codes with access to the full game as well as up to three betas before Early Access launch.
  
• 6 x German M42 Helmet Cover with Sniper Veil (in-game cosmetic)
  
• 6 x US 505th 82nd Airborne variant (in-game cosmetic)
  
• 10% discount!

If you pre-order, you’ll be able to take part in our upcoming beta on Friday April 5th at 11am BST / 6am ET / 3am PT, as well as the two that follow.

Prepare to fight across a brand new map: Sainte-Marie-du-Mont, as players recreate a critical engagement between the 101st Airborne Division and the German Wehrmacht on D-Day!

The beta will also feature the sprawling, dense woodland of our Hürtgen Forest map, where players will engage in the fierce battles between American and German forces that occurred in the winter of 1944.

This is a great opportunity to play Hell Let Loose ahead of Early Access launch, meet the crowdfunder community, join a Division (Clan) and give us your thoughts on the game before it launches!



As we mentioned at the start of this post, we’re incredibly excited to share today’s news with you. We’ve been working and playing alongside our crowdfund community for over a year now, tweaking the game and further crafting it into an experience we hope our players will love.

The best bit though? We haven’t even started Early Access yet! All of the work we’ve done so far has taken place in closed alpha & beta settings, but today that begins to change. As the pre-order goes live we’re opening up the doors for even more players to get stuck into the game and be a driving force in our welcoming community.

To our crowdfunder community, thank you for your support and passion in getting us to this point, and to those new players joining the community ahead of Early Access launch by pre-ordering, WELCOME TO THE FRONT!

This is just the beginning.

Black Matter & Team17

Hey everyone,

Welcome to Developer Briefing #17. This week we’re glancing forward as we look at some of the upcoming content coming to Hell Let Loose!

Please keep in mind that the following is just a portion of what we’re working on, with the rest currently being held in a crate marked ‘Classified’ at headquarters.

We’re not attaching dates for when the different pieces of content will arrive just yet, but as we head towards Early Access launch you can expect further clarity and information as we lock in the content from our side.


As the team become happier with the state of play with the Panther and Sherman tanks that are already in the game, we can take the crucial steps to implement the next set of vehicles into Hell Let Loose.

Currently, it looks like trucks will be the next addition, giving players extra mobility options for both themselves, and supplies. Support, Anti-tank, Engineer and Officer roles rejoice!

Beyond that you can expect to see the addition of further armoured options, both on the heavier and lighter sides of our current offering…


Vaulting waist-high walls is coming! That’s right, you’ll soon be able to haul yourself out of trenches, over fences and even over conveniently short walls.

This should address those awkward situations when you’re pretty sure you should be able to make the jump, whilst also giving you a more authentic, tactical approach to engaging with battlefield terrain.


Continued refining of all animations, including TPP and FPP to give players a more engaging, responsive experience. This ranges from running animations to how soldier models respond to certain actions, such as bullet hit flinching and new context-sensitive death animations.


We’ve been working extensively across the entire soundscape of the game according to the feedback given to us in the last playtest. Every single weapon sound has been revamped as we move closer to a quality we’re happy with. The distance fall-off on all weapons has been drastically increased to give better directionality and to make the battlefield more alive.

As we continue to work on audio, we’ll be paying special attention to the handling of external and interior vehicle noises, environmental interaction audio with gunshots, as well refining existing sounds.

This kind of content will be done in stages as the team works on implementation and player feedback.


Currently Hell Let Loose offers one game mode - Warfare - an intense tug-of-war down a single sector capture line. While we’re confident in the experience it offers players, we know there’s further work to do in better integrating the way resources, strategic freedom and Commander abilities work within this system. We’ve been pouring over the feedback channel in Discord, reading all the brilliant forum posts and have been having ongoing internal discussions as we brainstorm ways to add further complexity to this gamemode.

Having said that, we’re not stopping there. The team are also working on two other game modes that will give players and the wider community more variation and options in the style of gameplay they experience in Hell Let Loose.

The two modes currently being worked on are under the working titles of “Invasion” and “Campaign”. Whilst maintaining the core gameplay of Hell Let Loose, these modes will offer different experiences to what’s available right now - with a particular focus on returning the greater strategic decision-making abilities to the players while maintaining the important player-density. Much of the challenge behind Hell Let Loose metagame design is balancing the resources, map layout, player density and strategic freedom players have.

We’re keeping tight-lipped while we work on the more detailed aspects of these modes, but we hope the names we’ve provided will give you something to work with!


The Commander isn’t finished just yet! He’s still got some more Orders to come his way. From abilities that have a physical (and painful) presence on the battlefield, to more supporting Orders, the Commander still has some additional functionality to give players the ability to carve out their own playstyle, rather than adhering to one template.


You know of Hurtgen Forest and Sainte-Marie-du-Mont, but did you know the team are already actively working on the next two maps?

We’re pleased to share with you that both Foy and Utah Beach are currently in active development and will be the next battlefields that you’ll be clashing on in the future.
Now this Developer Briefing has been pretty wordy compared to our usual set-up, so lets get some eye candy in here!

Below is an in-game image taken from Foy, a snow covered map that will give players whole new challenges to face, or turn to their advantage, in the heat of battle. Set in the Belgian village of the same name and made famous by Band of Brothers, Foy combines a dense destroyed urban environment with rolling fields and pine forest - giving one of the most diverse player experiences so far. Foy is largely finalised and is about to enter an optimisation pass. Don’t worry - we’ve got a whole folder of reference photos for winter uniforms.


You’ve got to admit, Foy will certainly be a ‘cool’ map!


We’ve been working hard to make sure the technical aspects of the HUD and UI are functioning correctly as we move towards Early Access. As a result of that, the look of them could really do with some love. We’re going to be working across all UX, UI and 2D graphic elements within the game to give the game the same front-end visual polish that you find in the maps themselves.


When you’re on the frontline, your soldier should be able to help reflect the individuality of the player controlling them. We also appreciate that not everyone looks the same!

To address this, we’re currently working on the implantation of a cosmetic system for Hell Let Loose. This will start with the ability to pick a helmet for your soldier, before being expanded to include head and uniform options for each role.

All customisations will be authentic, with nothing untoward or fantasy for that time period being included. Our design intentions here are twofold:

• To enable players to roleplay as an historical unit
  
• To allow players to show their experience in their appearance

We WILL NOT be using loot boxes in this system.



That wraps up this week’s Developer Briefing! We hope you liked what you read. Of course, feel free to let us know what you think in the comments below!

Just remember, this is a portion of what we’re working on and we’ll be sharing more with you all both on the lead up to and beyond Early Access launch.

P.S. The Flamethrower is coming along nicely…


Hell Let Loose is available to Wishlist now:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/686810/Hell_Let_Loose/

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Welcome to Role Guide #9!

This week we’re looking at a role that excels at sector control and area denial – the Engineer.

If you missed the previous guide where we looked at the Anti-Tank, you can catch up here.



As an Engineer, your primary goal is to hold key areas for your team.

Key tactical locations such as strongpoints, chokepoints, trench systems and urban areas are where you’ll shine. Armed with both anti-personnel and anti-tank mines, as well as a wide range of deployables such as barbed wire, sandbags and tank traps – A good Engineer can single-handedly contribute to holding back an enemy force far greater than their own.




Area Control & Territory Denial

The Engineer is equipped to lay devious traps for the enemy. Anti-personnel mines and anti-tank mines will quickly dispatch any infantry or vehicles that don’t spot them.

Unlike deployables, mines don’t require supplies to be used. Instead, you start with a fixed amount, much like grenades.

When taking enemy territory, or contesting an area, it’s always worth making use of your mines. As an Engineer you’ll need to plan ahead. Ask yourself “Where will the infantry attack from?”, “Where would they run for cover?” and leave traps accordingly. The same can be said for tanks, which will normally be found on roads or chokepoints.

Engineers also have access to deployables such as:

• Barbed Wire
  
• Tank Traps
  
• Sandbags

Barbed Wire and Tank Traps are fantastic tools at slowing an enemy advance, having to be manually dismantled by the enemy or navigated around. Sandbags not only provide cover but will give your Machine Gunner a handy place to pop their bipod for sustained suppressive fire.

In order to use deployables, an Engineer must be in proximity of a supply box, provided either by a Support role, or a Commander’s supply drop.

Vehicle Repair

Your trusty wrench isn’t just for deploying fortifications, it also serves a second, very useful purpose – it can repair damaged tanks and other vehicles.

A damaged tank can quickly be identified by looking for smoke and sparks from a certain part, or parts, of the tank. This will normally be from the turret, tracks and/or the engine. A second way to spot a damaged tank is to listen out for the wails and shouts of a disgruntled tank crew, saddened that their pride and joy has more than a few dents in it.

To repair the tank, simply approach it at any angle with your wrench equipped and follow the on-screen prompts. Take note, repairing a tank is a long process, leaving both the Engineer and tank vulnerable during this period.

• M1 Carbine
  
• M2 Anti-Personnel Mine
  
• M1A1 Anti-Tank Mine
  
• Wrench (building and repairs)
  
• Bandages

• Karabiner 98k
  
• S-Mine Anti-Personnel Mine
  
• Tellermine 43 Anti-Tank Mine
  
• Wrench (building and repairs)
  
• Bandages

Tanks for the cover – When repairing a tank or other vehicle, always put yourself in a position away from enemy fire. The tank can happily take small arms fire, your solider cannot.

Mine-d your step – AP mines can be used both inside and out. If you’re garrisoning a building, pop one at the building’s entrance to stop overly zealous soldiers from quickly storming your location.

Engineering victory – Prior preparation and foresight for the battle ahead is vital for this role to be most effective. Deploying mines and fortifications takes time, your chances to place defences will be severely limited and outright dangerous during a battle.

Friendliest fire – Both AP & AT mines can’t be set off by your own team, whether they’re on foot or in a vehicle, so don’t worry about accidentally team-killing an ally. However, friendly bullets and explosives can set off your mines.


Hell Let Loose is available to Wishlist now:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/686810/Hell_Let_Loose/

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Hey everyone,

Welcome to Developer Briefing #16! This week we’re happy to share the news that the next Hell Let Loose closed beta is arriving in April. Details below:


Start date: April 5th
End date: April 8th

• Existing players: Crowdfund backers who had access to the previous betas.
  
• New players: Recruit tier backers will now be given access to closed betas (watch those inboxes!).
  
• ?????: News on participation for those outside of the crowdfund community coming soon.

For the first time in a closed beta, players will have access to two maps to fight on, Hurtgen Forest and Sainte-Marie-du-Mont.

That’s right, Sainte-Marie-du-Mont is back after its first outing in last years Alpha. Revamped, improved and ready for action, players will be fighting through fields, trenches, hedgerows and the town itself as they battle sector by sector to secure strongpoints in both rural and urban environments.

To prepare you for the impending battle, we’ve gathered some reconnaissance shots from the front:


Every building in Sainte-Marie-du-Mont can be entered, garrisoned and fought for.


The buildings aren’t just empty husks, they are lived in, damaged or even abandoned mid-breakfast. Each house interior tells a story.


Expect fierce fighting in chokepoints such as roads and alleyways.


Small farm buildings can be the perfect place for a Machine Gunner, or even a sneaky spawn point!


Gardens with short walls can be the perfect place for an ambush, if you’re brave enough.


The sweeping fields provide a stark contrast to the close quarter battles of the town.


This house may appear abandoned,but watch out for traps and soldiers laying low!

• VOiP enabled on death and in redeployment screens
  
• Text chat enabled on redeployment and round end screens
  
• New map screen maps
  
• Default gamma and mouse sensitivities fixed
  
• Nameplate visibility settings for users
  
• Ongoing UI improvements
  
• Ongoing sound improvements across the board
  
• Ongoing optimisation
  
• Fix for tank bouncing and desync.
  
• Fix for tank collision when making contact with an object.
  
• Fix for gunners sight becoming unaligned in tanks
  
• Improvements to TPP animation
  
• New character models
  
• New FPP and TPP animations
  
• Bombing run optimisation & fixes
  
• Bug fixes
  
• And more!

We hope this advanced look at the next closed beta has got you excited for your return, or first visit to Sainte-Marie-du-Mont and Hurtgen Forest.

The team have been working hard since the last beta and we’re all looking forward to joining you on the frontline and hearing your feedback.

Next week we’ll be providing some more information regarding the closed beta and more!

Watch this space…


Hell Let Loose is available to Wishlist now:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/686810/Hell_Let_Loose/

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Welcome to Role Guide #8!

This week we’re looking at a role that strikes fear into enemy armour - the Anti-Tank.

If you missed the previous guide where we looked at the Support, you can catch up here.



As an Anti-Tank, your primary goal is the elimination of enemy armour.

Whether you’re attacking the enemy tanks with your personal anti-tank weaponry in an infantry assault, setting up an anti-tank gun for zone control and stopping power, or supporting your own tanks to give them an edge in battle, you’re the infantry role that keeps tankers up at night.




Destroying Tanks

Surprising nobody, the Anti-Tank’s top priority is… Destroying enemy tanks! As the only infantry role that can proactively combat a tank on the frontline, you are a vital presence when fighting in an area which features enemy armour.

Equipped with either the Bazooka or Panzerschreck, your focus should be hitting the tank in its weaker locations – namely the rear, sides and tracks. Aiming at the front of a tank will be far less effective due to the thick armour that’s present there, however in times of desperate need this approach is better than nothing.

Keep in mind that the range of your personal anti-tank weaponry is limited to short-medium. If you attempt to rocket a tank at longer ranges, you’re highly likely to miss and draw unwanted attention to yourself and your unit. Note: This will not make you a popular person with your unit.



Area Control & Deterrence

Anti-tank guns are the jewel in the Anti-Tank crown. This powerful deployable is able to provide fire support across a wide field of view, bringing the pain to enemy tank crews and infantry alike.

Positioning either your M1AT or Pak40 on high-ground, or at the end of a chokepoint creates an incredibly daunting scenario for your opposition. With both high range and firepower, these weapons of war can make short work of a tank and decimate infantry.

However, in order to deploy anti-tank guns on the battlefield, you’ll need a box of supplies. These can be provided by both the Support and Commander roles. No supplies, no anti-tank gun. To deploy an anti-tank gun, simply select your wrench and choose where to build it within the placement radius of a supply box.

Anti-tank guns have a two-man crew, one aiming and shooting whilst the second reloads. The gun can be operated with a one-man crew, albeit at a reduced rate of fire as the crewman is required to switch seats after each shot to reload.

Once deployed, any allied soldier can man the anti-tank gun, freeing you up to pursue enemy armour on foot if the situation demands it.

• M1 Garand
  
• Bazooka
  
• Mk2 Grenade
  
• Wrench (M1AT)
  
• Bandage

• Karabiner 98k
  
• Panzerschreck
  
• M43 Stielhandgranate
  
• Wrench (Pak40)
  
• Bandage

Surprise attack – Going loud at the first sign of a tank isn’t necessarily the best strategy. Sometimes allowing the tank to get closer gives you a greater opportunity to hit its weak spots and stop it returning fire. When next to a tank, you can also outrun the pace at which its turret turns, just watch out for angry crewmen jumping out to fight you in person.

Know the danger zones – Even if the turret isn’t facing in-front of the tank, avoid running past the driver’s viewport. The driver has access to a hull mounted machinegun and will make short work of any infantry that strays into their view.

Not one and done – When using the Bazooka or Panzerschreck, keep in mind that it will normally take multiple shots to take down a tank. Get ready to move or face a counter-attack from the tank and its supporting units. To maximise your chances of quickly taking down a tank, including a potential one-shot, aim for the rear where armour is weakest.

Piece by piece – There will be occasions where taking the time to destroy a tank on foot isn’t safe or a viable option. In this case it can be a wiser move to attempt to damage the tank before moving on and letting your allied armour, artillery or reinforcements take it out. For example, damaging the tank’s turret will reduce its turn speed, whilst damage to the tank’s tracks will severely hamper its mobility – perfect for a swift escape.

Swarm – What’s scarier to a tank than one Anti-Tank role? Two, three or even four! In intense combat situations, teaming up with Anti-Tank soldiers from other units can devastate enemy tanks, whether that’s via an ambush or sustained combat. An unsupported tank will quickly fall to rapid rocket fire from multiple sources.


Hell Let Loose is available to Wishlist now:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/686810/Hell_Let_Loose/

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Hey everyone,

Welcome to Developer Briefing #15. This week we’re giving you the first look at our updated map overviews that we’re in the process of implementing into the game!

If you missed the previous Developer Briefing, where the Game Director for Hell Let Loose, Max, stopped by to share some feedback on our recent closed test weekend, you can read all about it here.



Recently, the team have found themselves in a position to spend some time improving the presentation and authentic feel of the map overview that our players use as they fight on the frontline.

When approaching this update, we were keen to achieve the following goals:

• Create a visually rich map.
  
• Deeper tactical application during battle.
  
• Easy to read.
  
• Simple visual language that highlights key locations.
  
• Terrain features identifiable through using the map.
  
• It looks like a map that would be used from that era.

This then gives our players a tactical, authentic map that can be used for advanced planning on both attacking and defensive strategies by providing a true lay of the land.




Aesthetic but lacking tactical use.




Mapping the path to victory!

As you can see, the example above now includes much more detail, including trenches, tank traps, bridges, roads, forestation and map contours (height).

We’ve not including the in-game sector, strongpoint and HQ overlays in the above image so that you can get a real good look at what you’ll be playing with.



As we work towards getting this into player hands, we’ll be working on things such as icon legibility and tactical application. If you have any thoughts on how you’ll be using the new map overview design, let us know in the comments below!

Hell Let Loose is available to Wishlist now:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/686810/Hell_Let_Loose/

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Welcome to Role Guide #7!

This week we’re looking at a role that enables your team's dream strategies to become a reality – the Support.

If you missed the previous guide where we looked at the Assault, you can catch up here.



As a Support, you are the fuel that feeds your team’s strategy. Working closely with your Officer, Engineer and Anti-tank roles, you will provide them with the means to deploy game changing spawn points, heavy weaponry and fortifications.


Placing Supplies



The pinnacle duty of the Support, placing supplies. As the only role that actively carries supplies in their loadout, your use of this valuable resource will be instrumental in executing your team’s strategy.

Once a supply crate is placed, certain deployables can be built in a set radius around it.

As mentioned in the introduction, your supplies can be used in a wide variety of ways with different roles:

• Officer – Garrison (Teamwide spawn)
  
• Anti-tank – Anti-tank Gun
  
• Engineer – Fortifications (Sandbags, barbed wire etc)

Support players spawn with one supply crate in their inventory and once it’s placed, it can’t be moved. When committing to using your supplies make sure they’re in the best possible location for their purpose.


Support the attack


A Support soldier prepares for battle in the shade.

Once you’ve deposited your supplies, you should focus on joining the Rifleman, Assault and Automatic Rifleman roles at the front, taking on the enemy and pushing the objective.

Equipped with either an M1 Garand or the Karabiner 98k, as well as grenades, the Support can stand toe to toe with the Rifleman and put a dent in the enemy team’s plans.

• M1 Garand
  
• Mk2 Grenade
  
• Bandages
  
• Supplies

• Karabiner 98k
  
• M43 Stielhandgranate
  
• Bandages
  
• Supplies

Supply and demand – Don’t just throw your supplies down at the first opportunity. Communicate with the roles that make use for them to ensure your supplies are placed in the most tactically viable location.

Eyes on the prize – Supplies can be destroyed by the opposing team! If you leave yours unguarded and the enemy find it, your supplies won’t be around for long. On the flip side, feel free to remove any enemy supply crates you encounter by moving up to them and following the on-screen button prompt.

Supports united – If your Commander decides to create a fortified location, or base, on the frontline, multiple Support roles will have to work together to ensure enough supplies are deployed to create the Commander’s plan. Talk to your Officer and use proximity chat to co-ordinate with your fellow Support players for maximum efficiency.

Support the attack – Your role may be called Support, but you’re equipped with a loadout that lets you hold your own on the frontline. Once your supplies are down, don’t shy away from combat. Show those other roles what Support players can do!


Hell Let Loose is available to Wishlist now:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/686810/Hell_Let_Loose/

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Hey all,

Welcome to Developer Briefing #14!

This week, Hell Let Loose's Game Director, Max, has stopped by to share what we've learned from our recent closed test weekend as well as what you can expect from that moving forward.

We'd love to hear what you think, so feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below and over on the forum.



Hi everyone,

A very large thank you to those who jumped into our impromptu weekend playtest.

Our key goal for this test was to understand the exact player density needed per sector in order to achieve a battle that had the intensity of World War Two frontline combat. We wanted to test on Hurtgen again, as it would allow us to directly compare to our previous playtest, in which we had tracked player density and also the way battles evolved.

We know that it's quite frustrating to play the same map again, and we thank you for taking the time to help us test. While these tests are less exciting than normal, they’re critical in helping us to refine the whole experience before we start to actively market the title. We'd like to reassure you that playtests in the future will be announced in advance and broadcast more widely to make sure you have plenty of warning. We're very excited to begin mixing in Sainte-Marie-Du-Mont and to get feedback on new quality of life changes, bug fixes, sound improvements and animation improvements.

We've tracked all feedback in both the feedback channel on Discord, on our forums and in conversation with the team. After each playtest we essentially compile all recorded issues or opinions, break them into categories (audio, animation etc.) and then work to triage the issues out into order of importance. At the moment, we're focusing very much on making sure the core gameplay is stable, optimised and (most importantly) fun for our Early Access launch later this year. Our launch is going to formally mark the beginning of our journey, in which we'll be balancing bug fixes and quality of life upgrades with added features and content. We have a good idea of what we want our 1.0 version to look like, and we’re planning out the most effective way of getting there.

Our highest priority right now is making sure that we have a solid foundation to work on. By ensuring that the key pillars are in place, we can then begin to focus on adding new maps, weapons, vehicles and other goodies to the game.


It can be gruelling to sift through all the qualities of the game that people disliked most, but it’s the best way for us to improve what we’re doing. Below I’ve broken down some broad observations from the community that align with what we experienced. We feel it’s important that you feel heard and know whether or not we’ve listened to the feedback given.


The entire dev team played throughout the weekend in order to get a good feel of how the new meta affected the gameplay experience. Our reflections were similar to the community - we were having more frequent tangible and intense combat situations. The combat also felt more direct and much more precipitous (with several moments where our victory was snatched away). We found that vehicles mixed in nicely and could either use their infantry line for close defence, or they could push into the open (and potentially be rewarded with a rocket in the back!) and act as a spearhead. We also found that artillery was able to be used effectively on points, but not so overpowered that it became impossible (though we’ll keep an eye on this). We found that while some sectors would become incredibly intense, working with the Commander to drop supplies and flank - or to call in a bombing run - allowed us to approach each situation with freedom to escape the butchery.

That said, while the general sentiment is that the player density is great and there is a much more consolidated front, the soul of the sector gameplay we initially described is diluted. We can see that we've compromised the level of strategic freedom that we described in the Kickstarter. If you’re a community member who feels frustrated by this, I’m keen to let you know that our key task now is to introduce additional features that add and emphasise greater strategy and RTS elements of the game. For the Warfare gamemode, this means looking at implementing secondary objectives and reworking how resources are acquired in order to give each team the ability to effect their resource flow in a more meaningful way (eg. building a Fuel Dump to generate fuel). It also means looking at our upcoming Offensive gamemode and making sure there is a decision-making process in every attack.

Essentially, we now have great data that gives us a threshold for player density per 100m for what we'd consider a great World War Two battle. Our key task now is to introduce additional features that add and emphasise greater strategy and RTS elements.


In addition to the metagame, we identified a wide variety of issues to fix (and many that already are as of this week), such as being unable to use VOIP or chat during the pre-deployment phase, or when in the deployment map waiting to respawn.

From tank physics to gamma levels, we’re working through fixing the bugs.


Players consistently reported that while the sound directionality was better, it fell off in volume far too fast and the actual quality of the weapon sounds themselves could do with more work.
As such, we’ve been reworking the distance ranges and aspects of the fall off (which bounce quite widely around and lower the ability to discover the source of the sound). You can now hear firearms much further away - increasing the total feeling of battle and making it much easier to pinpoint the origin of fire.

We’ve also begun work on improving the quality of the sounds themselves. We’re keen to make sure it’s a satisfying experience and that each sound fits properly into the soundscape.


Many players reported feeling like some actions and animations were unnecessarily clunky. There are many smaller tweaks we’re implementing in order to make the entire experience more fluid and less like you’re fighting the controls.

In all, we’re working hardest to make sure the first-person player experience is as solid and satisfying as can be. We’re also working hard to finish and fix any large visual bugs you may see in third person (snaking being a good example!). During Early Access, we’re keen to do a large improvement on many aspects of the systems we’re using - feet adjusting for the terrain beneath them, additional actions (like lean, vault, dive) and slightly tilting the player into their angle of movement so that their body leans satisfyingly as they corner. We’re also looking at friction-per-surface for vehicles and infantry.


It became quickly clear that tanks were having an incredibly hard time crossing the map. To fix this, we’ve opened up a gap in the centre to make it less of a snakes-and-ladders experience in crossing from one side to the other. We also noticed that Jacob’s Barn tended to be the area players enjoyed defending the most. There were some locations in the map that felt unfinished and needing additional cover. We also felt that some more compounds would strengthen the diversity of experiences you’d have while fighting across the map. We’re going to be doing a small terrain and cover pass on the map in order to fix these issues and make the map that bit more enjoyable to fight over.


We’ve got bigger and bigger playtests lined up for the near future that will give an opportunity for those outside of the backer community to participate, as well as bringing in our patient Recruit tier backers. As you can imagine, the more data we have from a higher volume of players will enable us to make sure our infrastructure is well established for our Early Access launch. We’ll be mass-messaging these to ensure you have the time and notice to take part. We’re very excited to continue polishing the core experience for Early Access. We’re very thankful for the fantastic community feedback and for your patience as we tweak and alter aspects of the game.

In addition to the testing, we’ve been busy planning out our Early Access development schedule. For us, the Early Access release is still only the beginning of the development of Hell Let Loose. We’ve got lots of features to add across all aspects of the game, and we’re excited to release the roadmap so that you can come with us on the journey.


Hell Let Loose is available to Wishlist now:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/686810/Hell_Let_Loose/

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Welcome to Role Guide #6!

This week we’re taking a look at a role that is commonly seen as the aggressor of a unit, fearlessly charging the enemy frontline and shining in close-quarter combat – the Assault.

If you missed the previous Role Guide where we looked at the Medic, you can catch up here.



As an Assault you’ll be leading the charge on the frontline. Strongpoints, trenches, buildings and hedgerows, all are fair game for you.

Using your primary weapon and grenades, you are a highly mobile combatant, able to relentlessly push enemy positions and lay down fire with fully automatic weaponry that have a quick reload. Where other classes would struggle when outnumbered in close combat, an Assault sees it as a fair fight.




Tip of the spear

At the front of the unit is where you belong, head first into battle, disrupting enemy lines as you sprint from location to location, bursts of weapon fire in tow.

With suppressive fire from your allies, you can quickly gain ground and put your loadout to good use. A soldier that manages to breach enemy lines can cause havoc as the enemy struggles to focus their fire in one direction.

This role is wrought with danger, but with great risk comes great reward.



Stalwart Defender

Assault players are known for their aggressive playstyle and storming capability, after all, it’s in their name! But, did you know they also excel at defending build up urban locations and trenches?

Other Semi-automatic and heavier full auto weapons lack the handling and mobility to be a match for the Assault’s guns in the confined spaces of urban combat, whether that’s room to room or street to street.

Having an Assault on guard duty in these build up areas can pay dividends, even holding back multiple enemies in a chokepoint on their own.

• M1A1 Thompson
  
• Mk2 Grenade
  
• Bandages

• Gewehr 43
  
• M43 Stielhandgranate
  
• Bandages

Room service – When storming a building/trench, make use of your grenades! Whether you’re looking to clear a room or force a group of enemies into your firing line, using a grenade will be much safer than charging into said area outnumbered.

Lock ‘n reload – Both the American and German weapons have a respectable rate of fire and will quickly dispense the available ammo in their magazine. Make sure to reload after engagements to keep your battle readiness. Charging into your next fight to discover that you need to reload is a sure-fire way to be sent to the respawn screen.

Look back – As the vanguard of your unit, the chances are you’ll be in front of your allies. When combat begins, you’ll be even further ahead, diving into enemy lines. Just remember not to stray too far from your unit. Being isolated is not only a detriment to yourself, but your unit.

It’s all in the hip – At close range both the Thompson and Gewehr 43 are competent hip fire weapons. If you encounter enemies in an uneven environment, or are caught off-guard, don’t be afraid to just shoot! The previous seconds you save from not aiming down sight can be the difference between winning and losing.


Hell Let Loose is available to Wishlist now:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/686810/Hell_Let_Loose/

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Hey everyone,

Welcome to Developer Briefing #13. This week we’re sharing with you an update we’ve made to the Hell Let Loose metagame following community feedback in January’s closed beta.

If you missed the previous Developer Briefing, where we revealed our new in-game tips feature, you can find out more about it here.



After January’s closed beta, the team have been busy going through all the feedback that our participants have shared with us. This was a crucial test to allow us to make various tweaks, updates and bug fixes to the game.

We also took the opportunity to listen to what our players were saying around the core metagame and whether it was providing a consistently satisfying and dynamic experience. It was pleasing to hear that the overall feel of the game was going down well with our beta players, however we spent a lot of time both playing and listening to community feedback and noticed some critical things that we felt should be addressed, more on that below.




Map markers can only be placed by the Officer/Commander roles.

The updated metagame for Hell Let Loose is as follows:

• Only one sector in a column is now in active play at any one time, down from three.
  
  
• Every time the map is played, the sectors that are in play are randomised, creating different scenarios in different matches.
  
  
• When a sector is captured, the next available sector to attack/defend will be selected depending on if it is adjacent, or diagonal to the current one. This eliminates the need to walk to the opposite end of the frontline.
  
  
• A victory occurs when you capture the enemy HQ sector. A loss occurs when you lose yours.
  
  
• When a HQ sector is in play, the defending team cannot spawn in that sector. Instead, they must spawn in the adjacent HQ sectors, or make use of an OP/Garrison.
  
  
• The team that captures an active sector will gain ownership of that entire column (three sectors).
  
  
• The map coloration has been updated to clearly show the progression of the battle along the entire length of the map.

The feedback that led to this change, as well as the logic behind the solutions can be found below:

Issue One: Player density was too low for the majority of the match. This lead to a boring experience and rarely feeling like you were experiencing the full intensity of the battle.

Solution One: The vast majority of players will focus on one sector, creating higher density gameplay. While one sector sounds like it would create an unacceptable bottleneck, we’ve found that the 400m wide sector nicely consolidates Infantry, Armor and Recon units, as well as rewards units that manage to widely flank the opposing sector in order to cut off the enemy.

Issue Two: Players who defended empty sectors seldom saw action and combat - therefore being punished for doing the “right thing”. In addition, games were often won in a similar way to Alpha - with small groups of players walking around the sides and cutting off the main battle.

Solution Two: Players can now choose to proactively flank and penetrate the enemy lines in new, dynamic ways - instead of being forced to defend an empty location. Similarly, your team will no longer lose enormous groups of sectors due to small groups walking past.

Issue Three: Seeding servers was unappealing as confrontation was rare in low population servers.

Solution Three: Even low population servers will have a focal point of where the action is, assisting in seeding new servers. We will be watching this and looking at further refining the way in which low population servers are seeded.

Issue Four: Battles never felt large or competitive, as you were never sure if you were fighting the full breadth of the enemy force or just one unit.

Solution Four: Players will always be engaging in the biggest conflict in the server, whilst keeping the options to flank or retreat from combat. Defeating an enemy in a sector is much more rewarding now, as it means the entire enemy team has been forced back.

Issue Five: Artillery, tanks and other large-scale abilities aren’t as effective as they could be due to the breadth of the battlefield.

Solution Five: Artillery and other assets now have a determined location to attack/defend.

Issue Six: Newer players unsure of where they should be heading or respawning.

Solution Six: Simplification of the way we communicate attack or defend locations will direct inexperienced players to where they should be.



When making the metagame changes that we’ve described above, we were keen to implement quality changes based on community feedback without sacrificing anything in the process.

We feel we’ve achieved that, increasing the intensity, frequency and scale of battles, without sacrificing map size, objective play or the wide range of strategic options available to our players. In our team testing, we’ve actually found that the majority of player tactics are now more effective and viable with a consolidated objective. Additionally, due to the randomising nature of the objective order, you’ll be fighting a very different battle every time you play each map.

We have several more metagame functions to polish, refine and add to and this testing time will be critical for us in making sure the game is satisfying every time you play.

That wraps up this week’s Developer Briefing. We hope you’re pleased by this player feedback led update and would love to hear what you think about it, so pop your initial thoughts in the comments below!

Be ready for the frontline by wishlisting Hell Let Loose:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/686810/Hell_Let_Loose/

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