This meant we could tune each scenario easily in isolation. Each scenario includes parameters referenced from the VFX, lighting and audio files to allow us to easily tune rain intensity, atmospherics and audio. In addition, there are also controls for the frequency and occurrence of lightning for the extreme rain setting.
Each of these presets was made into a Data Asset that could then be accessed by the Blueprint to blend between over a set amount of time, all of which can be tuned in terms of frequency, probability and transition length. We added the probability of when the transition between each stage would occur for us to add a certain amount of randomness to it. Along with this the lightning that occurs in the extreme level of rain also has a probability factor of when and where it occurs adding to the immersion of the overall effect.
Technical Art team - Expression Games
The team is proud to bring you the next variant for Mortain: Dusk! Set during the stunning warm, summer months of 1944 France, the dusk variant allows players to see the familiar map of Mortain in a completely different light. As we head towards night time the player will see that visibility is naturally reduced, and familiar tactics may no longer be applicable. This visually stunning theme will be rolled out to all game modes; Warfare, Offensive & Control Skirmish.
With this latest update, we've added a new feature to RCON! This new addition gives server owners the power to select which capture points are active during a match. Our goal is to ease the headache for server owners and competitive players who want to organize custom matches with specific capture points. Of course, there are a few limitations to keep in mind:
- To tweak the capture points, your server must be running the map you wish to make changes on. This will trigger a map restart.
- Custom map configurations will be deleted once the match has completed, or when the map is changed.
- You're unable to adjust the number of capture points. The quantity of capture points in Warfare/Offensive modes remains constant. You can't reduce it below the required number of capture point
We're excited to introduce a new filter function for the server browser alongside its console release. Players can now easily find servers based on specific criteria, including Map, Game Mode, Time of Day, and Weather. This enhancement streamlines the search process, allowing you to find matches that align with your preferences much faster than before. This quality-of-life feature will mean you spend less time scrolling through servers and more time enjoying the maps you love most.
As we continue to evaluate the UI/UX in Hell Let Loose, for Update 15.1, we've decided to revisit the Field Manual with a focus on enhancing the overall User Experience (UX). Our primary goals were to improve aesthetics, streamline navigation, and increase usability, ensuring that our updates aren't just about looks but about delivering a more engaging and user-friendly gaming experience. We wanted to put a large emphasis on improving player onboarding, making it easier and more enjoyable for new players to get started. By getting new players up to speed faster, we create a more cohesive and dynamic gaming experience for everyone. Stay tuned, as there is much more exciting content to come in future updates!
The second area we wanted to revisit on the front-end menu was the Barracks screen, which naturally cascaded to the deployment loadouts. We took the time to understand the complexity of the features at play and decided it wasn't right to uproot an already established mental model well-known to the community. Instead, we focused on enhancing a few key features that lacked an intuitive UI, creating a much more fluid and easy-to-use loadout and appearance system. By revisiting the compositional layout, we addressed some contrasting areas of focus and added a few UX enhancements, like experience bars for loadouts. Now, you'll have a clear view of how close you are to unlocking that next weapon you've been working towards.
We hope you enjoy the new UX updates and look forward to hearing your feedback. Let us know if there are any other areas you'd like us to address next. Your input is invaluable as we continue to improve the UI/UX in Hell Let Loose!
❗This Paid DLC is only available for use on Mortain. Operation Lüttich Units are not an option for any other maps. This is to ensure that maps have period-accurate themed DLC attached to them. The same will apply to themed DLC for Elsenborne Ridge and future maps in 2025.
Hardware Memory usage improvements across the entire title
Specifically targeting console hardware stability – keeping memory load under a certain threshold to mitigate crashing issues. (This is another step towards resolving the problem and not to be seen as a final solution. We’ll be keeping a close eye on feedback)
With the Practice Range already being available for the U.S. Forces, the next logical step was to bring this functionality so that players can experience the same mechanics with the German Forces. We have brought this into a variant of the existing Normandy map to keep the experience thematically authentic while providing a safe space for players to hone their skills using the existing German equipment.
Carl Rutter, Senior Level Designer - Expression Games
As part of our UI/UX improvements, we’ve been working towards making features such as the Field Manual a much more intuitive experience for players to access and browse. With a whole new layout, an expandable category interface and a search bar feature, the new and improved Field Manual design allows for a much more streamlined experience for players to learn about the inner workings of Hell Let Loose.
Jack Jenkins, Senior Game Designer - Expression Games
During the development of the previous Sainte-Marie-du-Mont town centre updates, internal discussions mirror the recent community requests for a similar upgrade to the Carentan town centre.
Using a similar process to that undertaken during the Sainte-Marie-du-Mont update, we utilised both internal playtest feedback, and common community sentiment across social media to help guide proposed changes.
The main objective of this update to Carentan was to increase the total playable space while refraining from making the town centre a maze-like experience. These new routes act mainly as side paths and shortcuts, allowing players to either avoid highly contested bottlenecks or give them another avenue to counter these chokepoints. Furthermore, these routes also offer useful areas to place both outposts, garrisons, and forward positions across Warfare/Offensive and the new Carentan Skirmish map.
The above GIF showcases the reduction of invisible walls throughout the area, in turn showing the extent of the new pathways throughout the town. These changes should not only improve navigation but also help drastically reduce instances of being stopped from entering an area because of an invisible wall.
The following images show before and after shots of the key routes that have been implemented throughout the town.
Kienan Southern, Level Designer - Expression Games
To help increase the number of urban maps available to play in Skirmish, the fan favourite Carentan will be available as of the release of Patch 15.1.
To make the most use of the extensive urban setting of the map, players will fight over the Town Centre making their way through the streets, alleys and newly opened gardens to take control of the objective. As always, please use the linked forms to share your thoughts and feedback with us.
Kienan Southern, Level Designer - Expression Games
With the want to make more popular urban maps available with Skirmish mode, and to tie in with the 80th anniversary of D-Day, we are proud to announce that Sainte-Mère-Église will be joining the Skirmish roster. Fighting over the town itself, players will have to navigate the variety of narrow streets, open courtyards and enterable buildings to dominate the town.
As you can see from the in-game tactical map, we know that churches are often a dominant structure, however, to mitigate against dominant spawn camping, we have decided not to include the church itself within the hard capture, retaining the church as a viable strategy for planning your teams’ offence/defence but not being the sole focus of the capture point. As ever we are keen to hear your thoughts on the map and the capture point, so feel free to use the feedback forms attached to let us know what you think.
Carl Rutter, Senior Level Designer - Expression Games
❗Known Issues
For today’s session, there is a list of unfinished items/bugs that we’re aware of, including:
- [Field Manual] UI and layout redesign is currently ongoing and may have some content/functionality issues
- [Barracks] UI and layout redesign is currently ongoing and may have some content/functionality issues
- [Loadout Screen] UI and layout redesign is currently ongoing and may have some content/functionality issues
