Feb 17, 2022

Developer Briefing #165 - Weekly Update, Smart Materials

Hell Let Loose - Corex

Patch 17 Launch Soon To Be Announced

This week we are continuing to work away on Patch 17, unfortunately a few issues cropped up close to the sign-off period which we are now addressing. We’re expecting to wrap up these issues ASAP before continuing the sign-off period, after which we look forward to officially rolling Patch 17 out. We appreciate all your patience and help with the testing for the patch during the PTE sessions we held.

Sneak Peek Of The Week - Updated Smart Materials

The art team has been hard at work on multiple fronts for Hell Let Loose. Alongside the continuous content creation for updates moving forward they are constantly looking at ways to improve both the performance and looks of existing assets in Hell Let Loose. These assets make the backbone of what a player sees and interacts with in game and are a high priority for achieving the overall realistic feel of the WW2 theaters in Hell Let Loose.

As an example we can see below a work in progress for the German FG-42 weapon being updated with new smart materials, giving a more detailed look without the impact on performance. The method of applying smart materials to assets like below can be put across to various ingame assets such as vehicles, player uniforms as well as weapons. As time moves forward we plan to continuously replace older assets with these new smart materials, an example of this being the German Panther Tank which will be seeing it’s return in Update 12.

GameServer Provider List For Hell Let Loose

A reminder for those of you who are interested in running your own clan or community HLL server. We have a list of some great GSPs (Game Server Providers) that offer HLL gameserver hosting. So if you you are a part of a community, clan or want to just create your own check them out over at:

Gportal
https://www.g-portal.com/au/gameserver/rent-a-hell-let-loose-server
GTX Gaming
https://www.gtxgaming.co.uk/hell-let-loose-server-hosting/
Low MS
https://low.ms/game-servers/hell-let-loose-server-hosting
Nitrado
https://server.nitrado.net/eng/offers/Hell-Let-Loose
Streamline Servers
https://streamline-servers.com/gameservers/hell-let-loose.php

Don't forget that if you are a new or existing server owner you can apply to join our dedicated HLL server owner discord where all relevant items are discussed.

Community Content

We continue to see some great content from the Hell Let Loose community members showcased in the official HLL discord. Separate from the dedicated team of ‘War Correspondents’ the HLL general community comprises every person who is involved with HLL. (That means you also!)

This week we have a few nice action shots depicting some tense ingame moments for players.

NRD - FatSacks - Jumbo, up close and personal

NRD - FatSacks - Battlegroup formation

MoscaTNT - ‘Tales From The Front’ Comic Cover

War Correspondent, Content Creator And Community HLL Videos
Time for some more community highlights from the below creators. We highly recommend giving them a watch.

If you see a Video you like make sure to post in the Discord #hll-videos channel.

Memes Let Loose - Bazingarrey
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeLF08Eb7wo

HELL LET LOOSE OFFICER GUIDE! HOW TO BECOME A BETTER SQUAD LEADER "TOP 5 TIPS" - SirBear
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKHVfFIeRiI

UNSTOPPABLE - Eat Lead and DIE - Hell Let Loose - GamePlay-Movie 2K HD - BurningWiki
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hY6F9enu0DE

Don’t forget that if you haven’t checked out the other Hell Let Loose socials you should do so. Like our discord you will find them great places for information and community interaction.

Join the Discord here https://discord.gg/hellletloose

Our other social platforms can be found here:

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/HellLetLoose/
Twitter https://twitter.com/hell_let_loose
Youtube https://www.youtube.com/c/HellLetLoose
Reddit https://www.reddit.com/r/HellLetLoose/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hellletlooseofficial/
Steam http://steamcommunity.com/groups/HellLetLoose

Well, that locks and loads today's Dev Brief. See you all on the frontline!

Feb 11, 2022

Developer Briefing #164 - Patch 17 PTE Rundown - HLL Seasonal Competition

Hell Let Loose - -Gothic-

Hey everyone,

Thanks to all who participated in last week’s PTE we held for Patch 17. We are thankful for all the feedback and have been applying this to our internal testing to ensure we have the update primed and smooth as possible for release.

A quick reminder of some of what’s included for Patch 17:
Adjusted US M4A1 Sherman Tank handling
Speculative fix for MDC (mass player disconnect bug)
Speculative fix for players sometimes spawning in with the level 1 loadout of the role regardless of their selected loadout
Various QOL items
Removed weapon sway when using binoculars
Smoother Tactical Map zooming
And a host of other gameplay improvements and fixes
Full Patch 17 PTE Changelog is here {LINK REMOVED}

Because Patch 17 contained a number of speculative fixes for a few long-standing bugs we were pleased to see many of you jumping in and helping us test these fixes in a high-capacity environment. Since the PTE we’ve continued to work behind the curtains on further fixes to issues such as the Loadout Bug and are getting closer to the release of Patch 17 which we hope to have some news on this front for you all in the next Dev Brief.

Sneak Peak Of The Week

It has been a little while since we had a sneak peek of the week. Today we are able to reveal an addition to the weaponry arsenal of HLL. We will let the picture do the talking, you all can speculate when and where this bad boy will be deployed. Please note that certain aspects are incomplete and still a WIP such as texturing.

HLL Seasonal Tournament Fires Up For Spring!

The HLL Seasonal Tournament is returning for its fourth edition. The HLL Seasonal is one of the largest worldwide community driven competitions. Pitting 24 teams in 60 games over the course of 11 weeks, HLL Seasonal Spring 2022 edition will once again be the peak of competitive HLL. All the top teams in the world will fight for the Spring crown in a brand new format, made of multiple Swiss stages and ending in a single-elimination play-off stage. All the games will be casted - check out hllseasonal.com or the discord at discord.gg/hllseasonal for more information on where to catch the games live.

The discord is also the best place for any additional content regarding the HLL Seasonal : make your predictions on the games, follow the map eliminations, and come support your team.
HLL Seasonal will have a team of casters that will stream the games on their own channels (usually Twitch). You will be able to find some of them in #replayschannel of the HLL Seasonal Discord, all stream links for each individual match will also be linked in that match's respective channel, which will open up a bit closer to the matches themselves.

The HLL season should be a great event featuring some amazing competitive gameplay, we hope that you get a chance to check it out.

Community Content

We continue to see some great content from the Hell Let Loose community members showcased in the official HLL discord. Separate from the dedicated team of ‘War Correspondents’ the HLL general community comprises every person who is involved with HLL. (That means you also!)

This week we have a few nice super wide colour action shots depicting some tense ingame moments for players.

Atomicsickness [Europakorps] - The Chaos of WW2

Atomicsickness [Europakorps] - Behind The Lines

Atomicsickness [Europakorps] - Pinned Down

Atomicsickness [Europakorps] - Holding the Line

War Correspondent, Content Creator and Community HLL Videos
Time for some more community highlights from the below creators

We highly recommend giving them a watch.
If you see a Video you like make sure to post in the Discord #hll-videos channel.

Is this game TOO Realistic? - Tbag [Epic Gaming]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZEFrgKhKtI

What 1000 Hours in Hell Let Loose Looks Like - Terrydactyl Gaming
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P63xtj9UgOs

This Game Still Amazes Me - HELL LET LOOSE - Warfrags FPS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGShtJ8hJEM

Don’t forget that if you haven’t checked out the other Hell Let Loose socials you should do so. Like our discord you will find them great places for information and community interaction.

Join the Discord here https://discord.gg/hellletloose

Our other social platforms can be found here:

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/HellLetLoose/
Twitter https://twitter.com/hell_let_loose
Youtube https://www.youtube.com/c/HellLetLoose
Reddit https://www.reddit.com/r/HellLetLoose/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hellletlooseofficial/
Steam http://steamcommunity.com/groups/HellLetLoose

Well, it's time to wrap up today's Dev Brief. See you all on the frontline!

Jan 27, 2022

Developer Briefing #162 - Patch 17 - A Peek Under the Hood

Hell Let Loose - -Gothic-

Patch 17 Progress Update

With all hands on deck the team are steaming towards the completion of Patch 17. Once completed, the team will then be shifting focus on to the next leg of HLLs journey - Update 12. We look forward to sharing more on that front in the coming weeks as we wrap up Patch 17.

Some of the newer members to the HLL community may want an insight into what P17 is and what it means moving forward. So we will do our best to describe it here.

After releasing a major game update the team takes time to continue internal testing and QA on it. We also read a lot of community feedback to look for areas of potential improvement. Some of the areas of improvement that we focus on are: Fixing Bugs, Optimisation, Gameplay Improvements, UI improvements, NetCode, Animations, Sound FX and Lighting just to name a few. After the release of update 11 we have been undertaking these tasks and are now in the final stages of testing a viable client for Patch 17. We are looking forward to showcasing what items have been improved upon and what bugs and optimisation we have been able to fix and apply.

Some of the things in particular we have been working on for Patch 17 include:

Mass Disconnect (MDC) during map change
For those who are unaware, the MDC issue is where on some occasions during a map change a percentage of players are disconnected from the server they were playing on, while the remaining players are forced to reselect their team.

This specific issue has been on our radar for quite some time, during which we’ve dedicated many hours into debugging it’s cause. With Patch 17 we’re excited to say that we’ll be testing a speculative fix for the issue in a high-capacity environment during the next PTE.

Loadout Bug
We’ve also enabled some additional logging targeted at identifying the cause of the infamous Loadout Bug. This bug in particular has been an extreme gripe for the team due to the difficulties in identifying reliable steps in reproducing the issue. With the help of this additional logging we hope to get a clearer picture as to what's occurring on a deeper level when a player experiences this issue.

In order for us to narrow down the amount of data the team will be required to manually process, we’ll be providing a new form to submit in the upcoming PTE for any players that happen to experience the Loadout Bug during gameplay.

Grenade Bug
Speaking of gripes, the team are currently underway with investigating the well-known Grenade Bug which occurs when a player attempts to throw a grenade during moments of unstable network connections with the server. We hope to make good headway in securing a definitive fix for the issue but would like to underline that the current state of this issue is a work-in-progress.

QOL Improvements
Along with a lengthy list of bug fixes, Patch 17 will also include a number of QOL improvements to the game including improvements to how the Tactical Map handles zooming and the removal of weapon sway from all binoculars to allow for markers to be placed accurately without the sway movement altering its final placement.

We hope you liked this update of some of the current P17 goodies that we are working on. Rest assured this is just a sample and more items will be apparent once P17 is released and the patch notes are published.

Community Content

We continue to see some great content from the Hell Let Loose community members showcased in the official HLL discord. Separate from the dedicated team of ‘War Correspondents’ the HLL general community comprises every person who is involved with HLL. (That means you aswell!)

Armour Roaming the Countryside - EduNotFound

AT In The Cornfields - Fritz

Keeping An Eye Out For The Enemy - Fritz

Artillery in the fields - by Chrysallia Van Cheems

NrD F A T S A C K S - Guns at the Ready

War Correspondent, Content Creator and Community HLL Videos
Time for some more community highlights from the below creators. We highly recommend giving them a watch.
If you see a Video you like make sure to post in the Discord #hll-videos channel.

Hell Let Loose - Battle of the SMGs! - Monoespacial
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YihF3nMPVBk

Hell Let Loose - Infantry movements have NEVER paid off as much as in this Game - Alpine Sniper
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6r3rp67o9k

Communication Tips - Hell Let Loose - Gebatron Gaming
https://youtu.be/FOADfNd-vpM

Hell Let Loose Has A BIG 2022 Ahead - TheTacticalBrit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfSg2u98vvI

Don’t forget that if you haven’t checked out the other Hell Let Loose socials you should do so. Like our discord you will find them great places for information and community interaction.

Join the Discord here https://discord.gg/hellletloose

Our other social platforms can be found here:

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/HellLetLoose/
Twitter https://twitter.com/hell_let_loose
Youtube https://www.youtube.com/c/HellLetLoose
Reddit https://www.reddit.com/r/HellLetLoose/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hellletlooseofficial/
Steam http://steamcommunity.com/groups/HellLetLoose

Well, it's time to wrap up today's Dev Brief. We are aiming to do some testing for P17 in a PTE with you all next week. Stay tuned and see you all on the frontline!

Jan 14, 2022

Developer Briefing #160 - A Big Start To The Year!

Hell Let Loose - -Gothic-

Hi everyone,

As you’ll have seen, Hell Let Loose has become a permanent part of the Team17 family.

This is a huge moment for Hell Let Loose. Here at Black Matter we’ve worked extremely closely over the years with our colleagues at Team17 - to the degree where we work as one single team - regardless of company.

We at Black Matter feel that this is an amazing opportunity to give Hell Let Loose the ultimate boost when it comes to the future - with a much larger, dedicated team striving to continue to push the quality and quantity of content in the game. It’s important to understand that while Team17 have always given us full creative and development control over Hell Let Loose, they have been working with us on a day-to-day basis for the entire time since release. They know the game as well as we do, and have worked with us to take the game from the three-map title of our Early Access launch to the game Hell Let Loose is today. Because of this, we feel extremely comfortable and confident in their ability to not only support the title - but to take it far beyond where it is now.

That said, we know that there are justified concerns around understanding the change, and how it might affect the title. We’ve witnessed the horror stories of core gameplay being compromised, or aggressive game-affecting microtransactions being introduced and more. As such, we’ve laid out a QnA below in the hopes to clarify things.

How does this change the development of Hell Let Loose?

Ultimately, merging the teams will mean that there will be greater fluidity in the way Hell Let Loose is developed on all platforms. A single, centralised team can organise priorities and deliver huge, coordinated impact with the ability to plan both for the short, middle and long term. Initially the largest development goal is some significant housekeeping - to bring the console version of the game to parity with the PC version of the game. Black Matter will still be working on Hell Let Loose full time into the future, as we work on content, bugs and optimisation. We will also be working with Team17 to expand their team.

Does this alter any of the content promises made for the future?

No, all content described is being worked on. With the merging and expansion of the teams, it would not be unusual to actually see an increase in development speed and quality. This includes both future updates and patches, as well as expansions and a sequel. This also includes Kickstarter tier rewards.

Will there be plans for game-altering microtransactions?

No, Hell Let Loose has established the following patterns for additional content: paid cosmetic DLC and paid Expansions. These forms of paid content enable the team to continue supporting the development of the game. As laid out previously, paid Expansions will be introduced in a way that still allows players that own the base game to play them, as we feel that splitting the community across different map packs is detrimental to the game.

Does Team17’s vision for the product differ from Black Matter’s?

No. Everyone on the development team - from both T17 and Black Matter - have come on the journey in both finding the unique DNA that makes HLL what it is. As a team, we know that to compromise on any of those things would be very harmful to the title. It is both Black Matter and Team17’s belief that our difference from other mainstream FPS games is our strength - not a weakness that needs to be corrected.

Finally, on behalf of Black Matter and Team17 we want to thank the community for the incredible support we’ve received since the very beginning. We’re extremely excited to continue the journey of Hell Let Loose as we continue to polish and optimise, as well as create more content - including forces, maps, weapons, game features, vehicles and so much more.

Community Content

We continue to see some great content from the Hell Let Loose community members showcased in the official HLL discord. Being separate from the dedicated team of ‘War Correspondents’ the HLL general community comprises every person who is involved with HLL (That means you as well!).

Let's take a look at some of the fantastic screenshots from a community member [233C] Chrysallia Van Cheems, thanks for some amazing action shots!

‘Overwatch’ - [233C] Chrysallia Van Cheems

‘Taking The Beach’’ - [233C] Chrysallia Van Cheems

‘Holding The Line’ - [233C] Chrysallia Van Cheems

‘Taking A Knee’ - [233C] Chrysallia Van Cheems

War Correspondent, Content Creator and Community HLL Videos
Time for some more community highlights from the below creators.
We highly recommend giving these a watch. If you see a Video you like make sure to post in the Discord #hll-videos channel.

The 2022 Complete Guide to Hell Let Loose
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HQ6JXgIROw - TerrydactylGaming

Hell Let Loose - How to play Forest Maps
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3f6Wvf0EOI - Monoespacial

How Halftracks Work - Hell Let Loose - Update 11
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFGK0LLDzdg - Gabatron Gaming

Don’t forget that if you haven’t checked out the other Hell Let Loose socials you should do so. Like our discord you will find them great places for information and community interaction.

Join the Discord here https://discord.gg/hellletloose

Our other social platforms can be found here:

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/HellLetLoose/
Twitter https://twitter.com/hell_let_loose
Youtube https://www.youtube.com/c/HellLetLoose
Reddit https://www.reddit.com/r/HellLetLoose/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hellletlooseofficial/
Steam http://steamcommunity.com/groups/HellLetLoose

Well, it's time to wrap up today's Dev Brief. We hope you all had a great holiday season and we will see you all on the frontline!

Dec 16, 2021

Developer Briefing #158 - U11 Unlockable Uniforms

Hell Let Loose - Corex

Hey Everyone,

Welcome to another weekly Dev Brief from the frontlines of HLL. This week again sees the team quite busy working on both known issues for Outflank and moving forward to the next update.

Looking back at 2021

2021 has been a very busy and fulfilling year for the team. We have seen the implementation of the Eastern front with Stalingrad and Kursk, the evolution of HLL onto the console platform for Xbox and Playstation fans and finally culminating in the release of Update 11 ‘Outlfank’ to round out a hectic year on the production side of HLL.

We are very thankful to see the community growing with us as our development continues forward for Hell Let Loose. The community strength has been a major driving force for us progressing with our staff spurred on to reach new goals for current and future development.

Items of note for 2021

3 Major Updates
4 Patches/Hotfixes
3944 Issues resolved
50 Developer Briefings Published

U11 Known Issues Highlight

After careful review of the ongoing performance for U11 Outflank, the team has become aware of and is currently investigating a STEAM related issue that may cause HLL to hang. We are working on a fix and appreciate your patience as it may take time to resolve. We will keep you updated when we know more, or when we have found a solution.

Unlockable Soviet Uniforms

As we briefly mentioned in last weeks Dev Brief, with update 11 ‘Outflank’ there has also been 8 new editions to Soviet uniform unlocks in-game. Here we take a look at what these uniforms look like. These in-game unlockable uniforms include the following:

Unlockable soviet ingame uniforms

Ameba Camo Summer Uniform
Ameba Camo Autumn Uniform
M40 Winter Coat and M43 Winter Coat
Vatnik M40 and Vatnik M43
RA M40 Cape Plash-Palatka and RA M43 Cape Plash-Palatka

Ameba Camo Summer Uniform

Ameba Camo Autumn Uniform

M40 Winter Coat and M43 Winter Coat (M40 shown)

Vatnik M40 and Vatnik M43 (M43 Shown)

RA M40 Cape Plash-Palatka and RA M43 Cape Plash-Palatka (M43 Shown)

As mentioned in last weeks brief the Winter DLC is still available in addition to the above free unlockable in game Uniforms. You can obtain the free winter DLC by clicking below

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1205050/Hell_Let_Loose__Winter_Warfare_Helmet_Pack/?curator_clanid=34012997

Community Content

We continue to see some great content from the Hell Let Loose community members showcased in the official HLL discord. Separate from the dedicated team of ‘War Correspondents’ the HLL general community comprises every person who is involved with HLL (That means you aswell!).

War Correspondent, Content Creator and Community HLL Videos
Time for some more community highlights from the below creators

We highly recommend giving them a watch.
If you see a Video you like make sure to post in the Discord #hll-videos channel.

Hell Let Loose - First Game In The Panzer IV (Update 11) - The Fresh Baked Goods
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpoIJT7-ub8

Hell Let Loose - Moments from the Frontline on DAY 1 of Update 11 - Alpine Sniper
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltXba2Apj4o

When DOOM Meets Hell Let Loose - Terrydactyl Gaming
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vx0VPAqOHMM

Don’t forget that if you haven’t checked out the other Hell Let Loose socials you should do so. Like our discord you will find them great places for information and community interaction.

Join the Discord here https://discord.gg/hellletloose

Our other social platforms can be found here:

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/HellLetLoose/
Twitter https://twitter.com/hell_let_loose
Youtube https://www.youtube.com/c/HellLetLoose
Reddit https://www.reddit.com/r/HellLetLoose/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hellletlooseofficial/
Steam http://steamcommunity.com/groups/HellLetLoose

Well, it's time to wrap up today's Dev Brief (number 50 for the year already!). See you all on the frontline!

Dec 10, 2021

Developer Briefing #157 - Outflank Update is LIVE!!!

Hell Let Loose - -Gothic-

Hey Everyone,

At last Update 11 ‘Outflank’ is upon us. Over the past few days we have enjoyed seeing many players jumping in and experiencing new assets such as the Panzer IV, Half Tracks, Trench Gun and FG-42.

You can check out the full changelog with all the information here: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/686810/view/3139568705206001184
Known Issues

Overall we are happy with the release of the update and are excited to continue development as we look towards what future updates have in store.

Though before we are able to fully begin work on U12, a number of issues have arisen that we would like to investigate and look to address. The following issues may be present to some players in Update 11, we will be tackling these as quickly as possible as well as anything else we find.

FG42 and FG42 Scoped sights are zeroed incorrectly
AT-Guns are able to destroy Heavy tanks with 2 shots to the hull
Satchels placed on vehicle tracks or barrels may deal less than the required damage to destroy the vehicle
Revive stats for not being recorded by steam for achievements or Personal Stats
Some players are experiencing an increase in Client crashes
Textures on the German Halftrack viewport appear distorted
The Panzer IV can struggle to traverse uneven terrain due to it’s hull collision
Players are occasionally spawned in with the incorrect Loadout

Steam Store DLC and Unlockable Cosmetics

For those who may not have seen, alongside the Update 11 release we have also implemented some new DLC uniforms for all factions:

False Front - German Zeltbahn Uniform

Red Steel - Soviet RA SN-42 Steel Bib over Ameba Summer Uniform

Hot Drop - US 82nd Airborne Pathfinder Uniform

Tropic Fever - US M1942 Jungle Frogskin Uniform

We are also happy to announce that the free Winter Warfare DLC is once again available for players to obtain for a limited time. If you are yet to obtain your pair click {LINK REMOVED} to learn more.

In addition to the above uniforms, a further 8 new Soviet uniforms have been added to the game, all unlockable via in-game progression. These unlockable uniforms include the following:

Ameba Camo Summer Uniform
Ameba Camo Autumn Uniform
M40 Winter Coat
M43 Winter Coat
Vatnik M40
Vatnik M43
RA M40 Cape Plash-Palatka
RA M43 Cape Plash-Palatka

Community Content

We continue to see some great content from the Hell Let Loose community members showcased in the official HLL discord. Separate from the dedicated team of ‘War Correspondents’ the HLL general community comprises every person who is involved with HLL (That means you as well!).

Let's take a look at some of the fantastic screenshots and artwork that the community has contributed to the HLL official discord.

Farewell OG Panther - NRD Fatstacks

War Correspondent, Content Creator and Community HLL Videos
Time for some more community highlights from the below creators.

We highly recommend giving them a watch.
If you see a Video you like make sure to post in the Discord #hll-videos channel.

Hell Let Loose - MORE Realistic than BF2042 and Vanguard COMBINED - Alpine Sniper
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzyH1ivq6sI

Hell Let Loose - Update 11 SFX Comparison - Gabatron Gaming
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLSDFtC71Q0

Hell Let Loose - Update 11 is Awesome! - Monoespacial
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rP7o2SWa13w

Don’t forget that if you haven’t checked out the other Hell Let Loose socials you should do so. Join our discord and you will find some great places for information and community interaction.

Join the Discord here https://discord.gg/hellletloose

Our other social platforms can be found here:

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/HellLetLoose/
Twitter https://twitter.com/hell_let_loose
Youtube https://www.youtube.com/c/HellLetLoose
Reddit https://www.reddit.com/r/HellLetLoose/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hellletlooseofficial/
Steam http://steamcommunity.com/groups/HellLetLoose

Well, it's time to wrap up today's Dev Brief. See you all in new uniforms on the frontline!

Dec 7, 2021

Update 11 ‘Outflank’ Now Live

Hell Let Loose - Corex

Hi everyone.

We are proud to finish an extremely busy year for the team with an exciting update to warm up your holiday season!

This update sees the introduction of numerous new additions such as Half-tracks, the Panzer IV, the US Trench gun, the FG42 and a large number of bug fixes and tweaks - all of which you can see in the latest changelog below.

As always, please understand that with over 800 changes some minor fixes or tweaks may not be listed due to their proportional significance or exemption when merging similar changes. We aim to be as thorough as possible when it comes to listing key changes while also maintaining an informative and legible list to the community

Over the coming days we will be paying extra attention across all of our channels regarding the stability of the update, if you happen to come across any issues please reach out to us via our respective Discord channels or the Team17 Support page.

Join the Discord here https://discord.gg/hellletloose

Update 11 Changelog

Meta

Synced resource generation (nodes will no longer generate resources +1 minute from when they were placed but instead generate in sync with ambient resource generation)
Removed the Final Stand Commander Ability (we are temporarily removing the ability as we look at alternative functions that are more balanced)
The Encouraged Commander Ability now only generates additional resources provided by nodes
Added Spawn Medium Tank to US Commander Abilities
Added Spawn Light Tank to Commander Abilities
Increased Heavy Tank fuel costs from 400 to 600
Increased Jumbo75 fuel cost from 300 to 500

Vehicles

Added Halftracks (all factions)
Added Panzer IV (German Medium Tank)
Temporarily Removed Panther (we’ve decided to replace the Panther with the new Pz IV as we look to rework its role and update it’s textures using our improved smart materials)
Bombing run explosions now deal radial damage to Light Armoured parts of vehicles (Recon vehicles, Tank tracks, etc.)
Added Fire PFX to give a visual aid of when a Tank’s engine is destroyed
Improved detection of radial damage against vehicles. (trees and other objects are less likely to block incoming damage if the vehicle isn’t entirely obscured)
Reduced the damage of Recon vehicles from 400 to 200
Increased cooldown of the Sherman 76 to be in line with other Heavy Tanks

Weapons

Added Winchester 1897 Trench Gun (US Engineer lvl 3, US Assault lvl 3)
Added FG-42 - 20 Mag (GER Automatic Rifleman lvl 6)
Added FG-42 - 10 Mag Scoped (GER Sniper lvl 3)
Increased penetration power of AT-Guns allowing them to penetrate Heavy armour if angled correctly
Bazookas and Panzerschrecks can now deal radial damage to Trucks

Loadouts

Swapped the Level 3 loadout with the Level 6 loadout for the GER and US Anti-Tank role

Gameplay/Features

Added additional filtering options and improvements to Streamer Mode
Placing a deployable while at build limit will now replace the oldest existing deployable of the same kind
Added the ability to test your microphone in the audio settings
Improved Bullet Penetration reliability on a variety of assets across the game

Added the following Achievements:

Silent, but Deadly!
Cutting Edge Tools
Ace of Spades
Ka-Tonk!
Defender of the Motherland
To the Village of my Babushka
It's not the size that matters
Command and Conquer!
Overachiever!
Jack of all Trades!

Maps

Added the following maps:

PHL Offensive GER (purpleheartlane_offensive_ger)
FOY Offensive US (foy_offensive_us)
Hill400 Offensive GER (hill400_offensive_ger)
Carentan Offensive GER (carentan_offensive_ger)

HUD/UI

Added nameplate occlusion (off by default)
Updated PHL Tactical Map to better distinguish rivers from roads
Added a Friends and History tab to the Enlist Screen
Added a Last Played On date for servers on the Enlist Screen
Added keybinds to the UI when inside a vehicle
Redesigned the invalid spawn location notification
Critical Player Indicators for Medics will now pulse, and will pulse faster as the player has lower health or reaches death
Enemy role and unit information is now hidden on the scoreboard
AT-Gun map icons now rotate based on their direction
Updated a number of Commander Ability descriptions to provide more information
Added a ping animation to the Player Icon on the Tactical Map to assist in identifying your current location
Organized the gameplay settings menu into sub-categories for easier navigation

Sounds

Implemented Audio Occlusion to all in-game SFX
Improved the distinction of single shot SFX when firing certain weapons
Added SFX for when a vehicle’s component is destroyed (eg. tracks, hull, engine, turret)
Tweaked bullet flyby ‘crack’ SFX

Updated SFX for the following weapons:

M1 Garand
Browning M1919
M1903 Springfield
MP40
STG
MG42

Animation

Added character poses to the Barracks and in-game Loadout screens

Server Administration

Added vote kick immunity to Server Admins (Owner, Senior, Junior)
Added idle kick immunity to Server Admins (Owner, Senior, Junior, Spectator)
Highlighting any vehicle with the Admin Camera now displays the name of the vehicle
Added current player count to Admin Camera search menu
[Fixed] Missing player icon when aiming at a enemy occupied vehicle

Bug Fixes

[Fixed] Sniper rifle sometimes fails to auto chamber a round.
[Fixed] Explosion SFX would often not play when dying inside a vehicle
[Fixed] Ragdoll is teleported when the player dies in the Russian artillery gun
[Fixed] The Engineers are not awarded XP points if their level 0 ghost structures are upgraded to level 1 by another players
[Fixed] Snipers scopes reticles won't move while crouching or moving the camera in ADS
[Fixed] The Start/Stop Engine UI will overlap the Exit Vehicle UI if both inputs are pressed simultaneously
[Fixed] The 'Dropping Supplies' UI will overlap with the 'Switching Seats' UI if both inputs are pressed simultaneously
[Fixed] Incorrect placement for the satchel when attempting to use it on the front curves of the RUS Heavy Tank
[Fixed] Player corpses block constructible blueprints from being built/upgraded
[Fixed] Debug text "Army name" appears for a split second on the Unit Select screen
[Fixed] The 11 min cooldown for the player that initiates a vote to kick is not retained after leaving the server
[Fixed] "Cancel Deployment" overlaps with the deploy timer in some non-English languages
[Fixed] The Aspect Ratio Constraint Mode settings overlap with the UI arrows when playing in some non-English languages
[Fixed] Debug text {STATE} is briefly visible when transitioning between seats in the Anti-Tank gun
[Fixed] Losses count towards the Offensive Master and Warfare Master achievements
[Fixed] Opening the map as a Commander will trigger the "Commander Abilities" HINT to replay multiple times
[Fixed] Both Recon vehicle’s speedometers read as 0KM/H when reversing.
[Fixed] Killing teammates with headshots will count towards the 'Ding!' achievement
[Fixed] AA Quality has option 'Low' instead of 'Off'
[Fixed] Russian Tank Commander Mechanic loadout thumbnail image does not display correctly
[Fixed] When using Satchels and Anti-Tank mines, players do not get XP, "Destroyed Vehicles" player stats, or unlock achievements for vehicle kills while dead
[Fixed] After changing video settings and pressing the "Back" button the settings still apply
[Fixed] The Game Mode hint appears immediately upon joining a server
[Fixed] Actions performed with Enter are performed when holding Alt.
[Fixed] When driving tanks through wheat fields the wheat storks can be seen to clip into the tank interior
[Fixed] When a hint is on screen, the player cannot interact with the map/Commander abilities
[Fixed] Calling in the Supply Drop ability inside the Warm-Up blocking volume causes the supplies to slide across the environment
[Fixed] Equipping the PPSH-41 w/ Drum causes the player's left wrist to become misshapen
[Fixed] Updated a number of outdated Field Manual entries
[Fixed] Updated a number of outdated Hints
[Fixed] The names of the Precision Aim keybindings are not differentiated between Gunner & Artillery
[Fixed] Players can join a team which should be locked as it is at capacity
[Fixed] Using Alt+Enter often triggers a confirmation prompt
[Fixed] No mouse cursor is visible when the resolution confirmation message appears after pressing 'ALT + ENTER' while in-game
[Fixed] Selecting 'NO' after pressing 'ALT + ENTER' on the IIS/Front End does not reset the screen resolution
[Fixed] Voice chat remains active after a specific key combo
[Fixed] The application does not launch in Fullscreen when launched through Big Picture
[Fixed] Hints which appear when the player is in a Tank can overlap with the Tank UI in many resolutions.
[Fixed] Hints appearing can overlap with the player's Inventory UI
[Fixed] When loading into a server the force select screen shows 34 players per team before correcting and jumping position on screen
[Fixed] Attempting to navigate the Game Menu with a controller while in the Change Role menu, causes focus to switch between both menus
[Fixed] The game window's title bar is off-screen when setting the application to windowed mode.
[Fixed] Placing ghost structures will count towards the 'A Piece of Perfection' achievement
[Fixed] Debug text will be displayed in the Field Manual if a mentioned keybinding is unbound
[Fixed] Unbinding certain keybindings from a different page of the 'Keybindings' menu will cause inconsistent text to be displayed
[Fixed] Player's name is flickering on the vehicle HUD
[Fixed] Visual issue with tank reticles on ultrawide monitors
[Fixed] Leadership VOIP channel may fail for Infantry Officer role immediately after joining a server
[Fixed] A player leaving the Enlist screen while a different Enlist screen tab is being loaded will see the results for that tab when returning to the Enlist screen
[Fixed] If a player opens the map and aims down sights at the exact same time, when they close the map they will ADS without pressing the key.
[Fixed] Reloading and opening/closing the map, while holding/releasing left mouse button, will make guns shoot without any player input
[Fixed] Gun will continuously fire after placing an object then opening/closing the map
[Fixed] Flickering VFX when aiming with the visual sphere aid in the Recon vehicle at different objects
[Fixed] Holding [LMB], while tapping [W] or [SHIFT] button, triggers the weapon to fire
[Fixed] Fuel and Manpower resource node hints will disappear after 1 second when selected
[Fixed] Jumping multiple times in a row causes player camera to jerk during jump animation
[Fixed] PTRS can destroy OPs and Garrisons
[Fixed] GER Heavy Tank is observed to slightly slide when parked horizontally on an angled surface
[Fixed] The game displays in a small window while alt-tabbed after changing from Low Resolution & Windowed to High Resolution & Fullscreen
[Fixed] There is no tooltip for the Airhead in the Map Key
[Fixed] A banned player does not receive a reason in the Notice Prompt after being kicked by vote
[Fixed] German level 3 barricade sandbags have no bullet collision
[Fixed] Misaligned Terrain in the Front End background
[Fixed] Flickering textures are present on the window frame of the US & German Recon vehicles when driving
[Fixed] [Field Manual] SMDM map is outdated
[Fixed] Discrepancy between cooldown of the tanks: Tiger and 76
[Fixed] When locked to a target in the Admin Camera, some keybinds on the Admin Camera UI are displayed incorrectly.
[Fixed] Smoke grenade detonates again on respawn
[Fixed] There is a non-functional Back button in the Personal Stats page of the Scoreboard
[Fixed] There is an ineffectual scroll bar in the Gameplay Options menu
[Fixed] Inconsistency issue present when throwing grenades through hedges
[Fixed] Flickering textures are present on the window frame of the US & German Recon vehicles when driving
[Fixed] If a player in the last 3 seconds of deploying is team switched using the RCON tool they spawn on that location as a member of the other team
[Fixed] The Change Role screen UI can briefly flicker and resize if the unit leader clicks on the screen background
[Fixed] The Change Role screen UI can briefly flicker and resize starting with the second time the player enters the menu and clicks on the screen background
[Fixed] Using RMB on the Front End background causes the UI SFX to be played
[Fixed] 'Garrison' and 'Munitions Node' have the incorrect map key tooltips
[Fixed] Remove the word 'hardcore' from the profanity filter
[Fixed] The text chat window is closed if the player has a spawn location selected and it becomes unavailable
[Fixed] Issue present with map tooltips when displayed outside of the map boundaries
[Fixed] Switching loadouts in the Barracks and Change Role menu with a controller does not show the correct equipment
[Fixed] Joining a server cannot be cancelled when using a controller
[Fixed] Changing the FX Quality setting can cause the first bullet shot to remain visible in FPP
[Fixed] When a player creates a unit or exits the Change Role menu they will have no "Leave Unit" button
[Fixed] Unable to dismantle the Airhead if it's deployed inside barbed wire
[Fixed] [Field Manual] The Elevate Up/Down keys in the Anti Tank Gun page are inverted
[Fixed] [Field Manual] The Increase/Decrease Elevation keys in the Artillery page are inverted
[Fixed] Enlist Screen - Controller has no function until mouse is clicked on this menu
[Fixed] Barracks "Appearance" and "Loadout" buttons are not properly highlighted
[Fixed] The Sprint and Steady Aim keybinds can conflict when being changed back to their default bindings
[Fixed] The VOIP Connection Status buttons show the wrong function
[Fixed] Buttons from deployment menu disappear after inviting a player in the squad
[Fixed] The text chat window is closed during the phases of the Victory/Defeat screen
[Fixed] Players can still use VOIP chat after they are banned/kicked from the server
[Fixed] While being banned by administrator, when trying to rejoin the server, the notice received is in German language
[Fixed] Favourite role icon is not immediately visible and only appears when other roles are selected
[Fixed] Gear in Tanks changes from Reverse to Gear 1 after the tracks are destroyed
[Fixed] DFAO is creating visual issues in maps.
[Fixed] Grenades will clip into the Turret body section of all Tanks

Stalingrad

[Fixed] Multiple assets floating/misaligned
[Fixed] Multiple assets with incorrect LoD transition distances
[Fixed] Multiple assets with incorrect player collision
[Fixed] Multiple assets with incorrect or misaligned bullet collision
[Fixed] Some terrain can be seen to change shape when the player enters ADS

Kursk

[Fixed] Multiple assets floating/misaligned
[Fixed] Multiple assets with incorrect player collision
[Fixed] Multiple assets with incorrect or misaligned bullet collision
[Fixed] Multiple assets with incorrect bullet PFX/SFX

St Marie Du Mont

[Fixed] Multiple assets floating/misaligned
[Fixed] Multiple assets with incorrect or misaligned bullet collision
[Fixed] Multiple assets with incorrect player collision
[Fixed] Multiple assets with incorrect bullet PFX/SFX
[Fixed] Belgian Gates found throughout the map vanish when hit with any firearm
[Fixed] House in Rue De La Gare has a LoD transition issue
[Fixed] Stone house has a Z-Fighting issue between textures

Hurtgen Forest

[Fixed] Multiple assets floating/misaligned
[Fixed] Multiple assets with incorrect player collision
[Fixed] Camera moves abruptly in FPP while moving on a stack of shells
[Fixed] There is an LoD transition issue with a building row asset near a bridge
[Fixed] Some sets of 3 Dragon Teeth assets can be destroyed by shooting them with any firearm
[Fixed] A preplaced Belgian Gate can be destroyed with firearms
[Fixed] Bullets fail to go through some holes in the bunker ruins

Hill 400

[Fixed] Multiple assets floating/misaligned
[Fixed] Multiple assets with incorrect LoD transition distances
[Fixed] Multiple assets with incorrect or misaligned bullet collision
[Fixed] Multiple assets with incorrect bullet PFX/SFX
[Fixed] Tessellation issue present on the muddy terrain throughout the map when the player is using ADS
[Fixed] Player appears to be floating when viewed from third person view, when a player is prone inside a specific trench
[Fixed] Navigating far enough in the water with a vehicle/character, the user can reach a "kill volume" which instantly kills and destroys the vehicle/user

Foy

[Fixed] Multiple assets floating/misaligned
[Fixed] Multiple assets with incorrect or misaligned bullet collision
[Fixed] Terrain is too steep in a specific location and blocks player movement
[Fixed] Players are able to see off the edge/underneath the map
[Fixed] Barbed wire asset with missing functionality
[Fixed] A Z-fighting issue is present on the roof inside the Corbu Factory building
[Fixed] One of the windows located in the building at the Cobru Farm cannot be accessed from the outside

Omaha Beach

[Fixed] Multiple assets floating/misaligned
[Fixed] Multiple assets with incorrect LoD transition distances
[Fixed] Multiple assets with incorrect or misaligned bullet collision
[Fixed] Multiple assets with incorrect vehicle collision
[Fixed] Invisible stairs and floor present on a warehouse
[Fixed] Loud burning SFX can be heard inside and outside the church
[Fixed] When deploying on the Higgins Boat, the boat is seen to visibly shudder whilst moving.
[Fixed] Player is unable to deploy machine guns on certain bunkers windows

Utah Beach

[Fixed] Multiple assets floating/misaligned
[Fixed] Multiple assets with incorrect or misaligned bullet collision

Carentan

[Fixed] Multiple assets floating/misaligned
[Fixed] Multiple assets with incorrect LoD transition distances
[Fixed] Multiple assets with incorrect or misaligned bullet collision
[Fixed] Player can see below the map when going prone on a specific dirt mound
[Fixed] Players cannot jump/vault over a fence asset in a specific area in Sector C8

SME

[Fixed] Multiple assets floating/misaligned
[Fixed] Multiple assets with incorrect vehicle collision
[Fixed] Multiple assets with incorrect LoD transition distances
[Fixed] Corrupted texture on a wooden door
[Fixed] No splash SFX when walking through water in specific locations

Purple Heart Lane

[Fixed] Multiple assets floating/misaligned
[Fixed] Multiple assets with incorrect player collision
[Fixed] Multiple assets with incorrect LoD transition distances

Known Key Issues

Character model's legs and uniform can clip through the Russian half-track
Satchels placed on on vehicle tracks or barrels may deal less than the required damage to destroy the vehicle
Revives are not being counted in Scoreboard or for Achievement progression