Hello Rookies!

This week, we want to talk about the main characters of BIG SHOTS (after you, of course): bugs.

The Grunt

When creating BigShots, we had a vision, Big Mechs and Big Guns, a fun game where the player can feel powerful. However, there is no way for the player to feel powerful if they aren't doing anything with those Big Guns. Enter the Grunt. The grunt was our first enemy, a perfect tool to make the player feel powerful.

Crawling

Most wave shooters opt for a simple enemy like a zombie from Call of Duty. We wanted to do something different, and when the idea of an extermination was flung around, we knew exactly what to do. And so, the Grunt came to life in the form of a bug, a nasty little bug that you, as the player, have to exterminate, and what better way to make the Grunt feel like a bug was to make them crawl?

Most of us don't like bugs; they are tiny and dirty and can crawl on everything from floors to walls to ceiling to your toothbrush or bed. Making the Grunt crawl gave them a nasty feeling, and killing these ugly bugs can make the player feel even better.

None of the publicly available pathfinding and navmesh solutions supported our idea, so we set out to make a custom navmesh solution. We used the A* as a base for our pathfinding, but the navmesh itself is another beast. First, we voxelize the entire game world using an octree, and then we analyze this octree to make it into an actual navmesh. Each (cubic) cell of the octree has six sides, so six possible areas where a grunt could walk on. We generate points on each side and connect them to the neighboring cells. This results in a proper navmesh that allows for the crawling behavior.



Here you can see the crawling navmesh outlined in green, allowing the bugs to walk on the ground, walls, and even ceilings.

Bug Behavior

Crawling is not the only thing that makes our enemies, and especially the grunt, special; we needed something that could increase the stakes and the danger to the player. So we gave this grunt some special behaviors, but before we could do this, we first needed to make a system that would allow these bugs to behave. For this, we wrote our own Behavior Tree, enabling us to control the bugs. This way, we can also lay out our behaviors properly and ensure the bugs execute the correct behavior at the proper time.

One of the first behaviors the Grunt got after crawling was Attacking; what other way to up the stakes than to let the Grunts fight back? Next came the dash, a quick, scary attack that propels the Grunt right at the player, almost like a spider flinging itself at your face. Out of all the behaviors, this was the most tricky to make; we needed this dash to be fast but also slow enough so the player could react. We struggled a while with making this dash suitably scalable, but after a bunch of trial and error, we settled on a quick dash with a short charge up, which allows the player to either brave up and shoot the Grunt right then and there or be a coward and run for their life. The final behavior we added to the Grunt was a taunt to really spice up the player's aggression and drive to exterminate these bugs.




Here, you can compare the old dash (top) and the new dash (bottom). The new dash has a clear charge-up compared to the old dash.

The Flyer

We all know that Grunts are nasty bugs that you would want to keep off your toothbrush, but they are not the only ones. After making the grunt, we noticed that a Big Mech tends to look down a lot when squashing bugs, and we needed a solution. Now, what bug is by far the most annoying? It is near impossible to kill, steals your blood, and keeps you up at night; that's right, the Mosquito. Everyone loves squashing these bugs. It is one of the most satisfying feelings in the world, so we brought them into Big Shots.

Flying

Since these mosquito-like enemies fly, we also needed a navmesh for these Flyers. After creating the crawling navmesh, we applied what we learned to a flying navmesh. The crawling navmesh is based on an octree, and we can use the same principle for a flying navmesh. We voxelize the world, and instead of looking at where colliders are (where the ground is), we look at where there is space. After connecting all empty spaces, we have a simple flying navmesh, allowing bugs to fly through the open air and narrow spaces.



Here, you can see the flying navmesh outlined in blue, allowing the mosquitos to fly between the ground, walls, and ceilings.

Zig Zaggers

To emulate the feeling of a genuinely annoying mosquito, we had to make the flyers move around con-stant-ly. We wanted the player to have trouble hitting these bugs so that when they do manage to squash a bug, it is the most satisfying feeling ever. The goal was to make the Flyer, and with their zigzagging behavior, the most hated enemy in the community. And we succeeded.

Zigzagging has undergone quite some changes; we noticed early that when a Flyer would zigzag, this would quickly interfere with its pathfinding on the navmesh, causing the Flyer's path to constantly have to relocate as an external force was moving them. To fix this, we fake the zigzagging of the Flyers by only moving their visuals; this creates the illusion that the Flyer is zigzagging without interfering with their pathfinding. However, things like these are never easy to do, just like how you can't hit a mosquito on the first try; this solution caused problems with interpolation and networking syncing between two players. Due to the constant zigzagging, the interpolation could barely follow the movements and would often skip frames, creating jitter and lag. To fix this, we simply zigzag the flyers locally, avoiding interpolation altogether.



Not only are they hard to hit, like a mosquito, but they can easily overwhelm the player by using their quick-firing stingers and fast movements if they are not dealt with promptly. So when you see one, be sure to kill them quickly, or you and your toothbrush will be sucked dry.

More Bugs!

We have two critters as a starting point, but we have managed to create four more bugs, ranging from cockroaches to beetles and even worms. Each one is nastier and scarier than the last. However, each of these bugs will be discussed in a future devlog, so be sure to be on the lookout for that! Enjoy a small teaser.

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Conclusion

This concludes our third BIG SHOTS Dev Blog. We hope you look forward to seeing the progress of BIG SHOTS, in the meanwhile, we will continue to work hard to make it even better!

-Mikail, signing out

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2666530/BIG_SHOTS/

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Gear up, team up, and exterminate!
The Big Shots Team

It's time for the very first update to Tayla's Big Adventure!

Here's a list of new features:


CGs:

- Added 7 animated ero scenes. Animations can be toggled on/off in the Preferences menu!

- Coloured the two ero scenes that were only sketches until now.

- Added the first two ero scenes from Rayne's side-story, wherein she meets a centaur in the Realm of Ideal Form.


User Interface:

- Revamped the UI (choice buttons, menus, etc).


Sound:

- Added a stinger noise that plays during Bad Endings.

---

WARNING: The update might break your save file. If you get an error, choose a different file or start a new game.

Hello Crafters!

The new Bosses have arrived to conclude the Mountain! This is the end of this area to start the next portion of the content with a brand new area, different monster mechanics and other challenges to face! 2 new characters will come throughout this new map and we hope you are excited to now their profession and mechanics.

We also have some news about future updates, which I have written a bit about on the Next Steps section after the Patch Notes. So if you want to know more, make sure to check it out at the end of this note.

Now let's begin with this update's information.

• New Stages added;
  
• Mountain Area Boss added;
  
• New Challenge Boss added;
  
• New Adventurer to face in battle.

• New Levels for some buildings;
  
• New decorations for some buildings as they level up, specially for the Fisherman's Hut that didn't have any before.

• Each character will have a Challenge Level indicator when selecting them. This will provide further depth to the player on what to expect from each character's gameplay and mechanics, and the challenge required to achieve their potential.

• More content localized to Simplified Chinese;
  
• New Mail added, as Newston continues his journey through the world of Crafty Survivors;
  
• New Food recipe;
  
• New Statue Design;
  
• New Elixir Skills.

Deity's Resemblance, Wood Material

• Reduced the Knockback effect of the Holy Pillars to avoid pushing enemies in undesired directions.

• Greatly increased the amount of gold from Living Peak Challenge Stage;
  
• Adjusted the layer of Enemy attack indicators, as some of them were competing with player buff areas.

• Reduced the overall Gold requirement for several building levels prior to the end of Mountain challenges;
  
• Town Square level change: Secrets Dealer has been delayed as we are redesigning what they will offer.

• Fixed some enemies so they wouldn't be stuck on their animations outside of the screen, to avoid players have to "hunt them down" to finish a Stage.

Now that the Mountain area is complete, we will begin development of the next area (which I won't spoil the name right now as you will soon see it in-game) and the 9th character of the game, this guy over here!


Starting with the next update, which will include the beginning of the new area and the 9th character, we will introduce a Beta Branch, so players will be able to do some play testing of the new content before it goes live to the Public Branch. We will give more information about the Beta Branch on our Discord closer to the release of the new update, so if you are looking to be a part of it, come join us: Join here. Each update will be available for around a week before it goes live and we will always make an announcement about it on our server. The Beta Branch new content will be English Only.

We are also planning a few more additions in the near future to spice things up (Stoverick approves this)! So keep an eye for it!

As usual, we want to kindly ask everyone to leave us a review here on Steam when possible, please. The reviews help a lot with the game! So if you have some spare time, please leave as a review when you have a moment. The reviews are slowly growing up! 500 reviews is the next big step for Crafty Survivors, so please, help us achieve this milestone!
Thank you for everyone who already left a review!

Well hello there! I'm back at it again with a NEW UPDATE! This time we have many new treats for you!

- Added the first Void Stone, the Tidestone, which allows the player to run super fast. Yes, it's fun. More magical items coming! Yay for magic!

- Modified battle system a bit more, and also added a new battle scene with multiple enemies.

- Added the Lore Index! Bunch of new text, with detailed information about characters, locations, and factions. (Some lore may be subject to change and shorter texts may be rewritten with more detail.) You need to find scrolls and books with lore and it will be added to the Index to be read at any time.

- Added more lootable items and most importantly, money! No longer need to sell all your ingredients or potions to be able to afford the always so useful armor pieces that were added in a past update.

- Updated to a new Unity version due to a weird editor bug. It's all fixed now but I had to re-bake all lighting in every scene. It took me at least 87 years.

- Fixed some silly bugs and people being able to walk through walls and fireplaces. Ouch?

- Added simple tutorials for skills, magic, and battle stuffs. Remember to assign those character points!
>:(

- Added a spinning loading graphic that shows up when the game is loading, so no more just black screen during scene changes.

A new minor version of the game was released. Here’s all the changes:

Improvements

• Show List of Player Avatars (including countries and military power)
  
• Added a "Turn Summary" at end of turn
  
• Added animation to announce the next turn
  
• Zoomed out map a bit more to improve full map visibility
  
• Removed "Research Finished" Notifications and Icons
  
• Display Dice in Unit Build Screen

To play Border Clash and participate in our Closed Beta, please join our Discord Community.

Free Demo coming soon!

Thank you for adding Border Clash to your WISHLIST!

Hello Ectypes!

This is our fifth “Space Log”, where we share what we are doing and some of the things we are currently working on for Void Crew.

Void Crew is in Early Access, which means we have looooads of things we still work on. It also means that sometimes we are experimenting on features as well as balancing, and with the help of feedback from you all in the Void Crew Community, to keep improving the game.
… with the goal of making it a great and fun co-op action experience.

So, let’s get on with it:


I’m Daniel, the Creative Director for Void Crew.

Since the launch, we’ve gotten a TON of great feedback, both in how we can improve the game but also what works. Adjustments have been made, and we see needs we didn’t see before.

To align the future with the vision, I do catch myself thinking back to the original inspiration: Being part of a crew aboard a spaceship, headed into the unknown with friends, trying to make the best out of the equipment at hand and sparse resources - all while facing menacing odds. But just the same, it’s all about players creating their own (chaotic) adventure [to share].

As I reflect on the journey of developing Void Crew, I'm struck by the myriad of iterations and the rich tapestry of learnings each one brought. It's a humbling thought, knowing that if we had the wisdom of hindsight, our decisions might have been different.

So let’s open up a bit and talk about where we are headed. I do think it’s important to remember where we came from, and therefore carve out a clearer future for Void Crew.

This article will reflect some of my thoughts on our roadmap, core design concepts and feedback we’ve gotten since our launch into Early Access in September last year.



Embracing Early Access was a pivotal moment for us, and perhaps one of our wisest decisions. Yet, the path was not without its trepidations. From a developer's perspective, the prospect was (and still is) daunting. We were acutely aware of the bugs that needed squashing and the polish that the game was yet to receive. The real challenge, however, lay in the vulnerability of opening up, a significant leap for someone who cherishes their introverted sanctuary.

The upside, however, was amazing - just seeing people playing and having a blast, creating fan art, asking lore questions, reporting bugs, requesting features and more… to see the community grow and forming groups to play is just indescribable.

Some very condensed takeaways from the community include freedom of setting up your ship (hint: Stay tuned for our upcoming update!), adjustment to the progression/game loop, and also looking into our co-op mechanics, which we’ll dive into in a second.

Void Crew is anchored in three fundamental pillars:

• Co-op Gameplay
  
• Tactile Mechanics
  
• Epic Space Battles

The heaviest pillar IMHO, and the heart of our vision lies in the co-op experience, where the synergy between players elevates the adventure to epic proportions - and more than anything, we want the game to tell your story!*

While adding more players does indeed introduce an element of fun, our journey through Early Access has highlighted the potential for deeper, more meaningful co-op play, hell, I’d even call it social play, that we have yet to fully explore.

Stories can occur by themselves in sandbox environments, but very sandbox-y games tend to put the responsibility of fun on the players themselves - I think a lot of those kinds of players would probably have equally as much fun in a literal sandbox! So being a small team, it’s clear that our strategy is to create sandbox elements, and then have mechanics and balancing revolve around creating situations and conflicts that force players to cooperate. And then making a bit of fun with it and celebrating what we call “Happy Accidents”.

An early model we used was that slow, progressive pressure would eventually break any cooperation and communication down and Ectypes would start to make costly mistakes. Being an Early Access game, this balance is hard to maintain as we are still shuffling things around, but it is something we are constantly aiming for.

Little fact: In the beginning we tried to use mechanics that “sabotaged” players cooperatively (think “Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes”), but we found that we didn’t need to … players would eventually mess up by themselves! (yes, partially thanks to the increased pressure model I mentioned earlier).

Moving forward, I do see us spending more time digging into the player mechanics, and how they could create fun situations that have some interplay with other systems. In the realm of examples, we recently did a prototype of “space swimming”, yes, it makes very little sense**, but grants just a tiny bit of control if you get blown out the airlock or lose gravity in your ship (due to an unsanctioned Void Jump).

* This does include the lone wolf’s solo runs as well!
** We could argue that suits have micro-air-exhausts, auto-released in case of panic movement…

Our tactile interface allows players to interact with the game world through intuitive controls, like pressing buttons, flipping levers, and deploying gadgets. The game revolves around this living entity that is your spaceship - even though it’s an advanced piece of technology, it still needs to be operated manually as each system is isolated. The Ectypes (the players), are the meaty vessels that spread the word of METEM and they do so with their very own hands - limiting as liberating, it protects the ship from the dangers of relying on electronics and automation for survival. A mechanical race like the HOLLOW would surely seize such opportunity if it was otherwise.

These mechanics set the stage for thrilling confrontations with foes, eager to turn your space vessel into cosmic dust. We present things that challenge players, creating the canvas in which players can be tested as a crew, and overcome these obstacles if they work together.

It’s easy to categorize this pillar as all about new enemies, new objectives and more wrecks to explore, but it’s also about how to make players feel like being part of the battle. For example, we had a tactical screen at some point, where players could get a kind of radar-top-down-perspective of things. I admit, it was a darling <3. The concept worked to some extent, but it didn’t play too well with the tactile mechanics pillar, and it meant the player was looking into a screen instead of seeing all the cool things happening around the ship. In the end, the darling was nuked and other less explicit systems were introduced to help players get a better overview and stay aware of their surroundings during combat and exploration, which served the pillar much better.


All in all, Void Crew is in Early Access, which means the game is not done yet!

We want to do more on several aspects, especially making an even stronger co-op experience, and more “drama”/ “happy accidents”. Plus of course better stability and ironing out bugs. It also means the roadmap is living and might be adjusted as we get more and more feedback.

We have some pretty neat ideas we can’t WAIT to share more detailed with you, but right now, at the moment of writing, we are wrapping up an exciting Update 3, which - spoiler alert - includes Elite enemies, more module and weapon marks, improved lootboxes, collectable Codex-lore entries, the experimental “Freedom” ship loadout and maybe even some Valentine’s special stuff!

Oh, and more stuff we want to try out that completely unbalances stuff we probably shouldn’t have … but, it’s a game in Early Access after all!

In other words, we are working hard on the further development of Void Crew, and with all the great feedback we have gotten and still getting (hint hint, keep sharing!), our goal is to make Void Crew the greatest Co-op Space Action Adventure out there!
If you have thoughts, then head over to our discord and share your ideas in the Feedback channel :)

Until the next rambling ...

// Daniel, Creative Director
Hutlihut Games

* End goal, of course, being THE GAME that you and your friends keep coming back to for more epic space adventures :)

• Fixed car pile up bug on edge of map. Now cars wont enter map if blocked.
  
• Fixed road placement bug when placing smaller road inside an existing larger road. Now invalid placement.
  
• Prevent delete selection box from expanding outside starting zone, or entering zones if started outside zone.
  
• Show zone boarders when deleting stuff
  
• Prevent camera change when placing blueprint when zoomed out too far

Season 2 Arrives in Modern Warfare III and Call of Duty: Warzone

Survive the decay: After Konni Group infiltrated a Mediterranean island, conducting nefarious experiments that have recently — and catastrophically — changed Fortune’s Keep forever, it’s up to you and your squad to survive the decay, battling and hunting down the undead infiltrating every part of Season 2’s colossal content offering! Help is at hand, as Sheriff Deputy Rick Grimes from AMC’s The Walking Dead and CIA Station Chief Kate Laswell headline the Season 2 Battle Pass.



Expect a truly immense content offering, including new Multiplayer maps, four new weapons, Aftermarket Parts (including your own underbarrel chainsaw!), Ranked Play for both Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® III and Call of Duty®: Warzone™, new Zombies Dark Aether Rift investigations, events, challenges, secrets, and a skeletal theme to BlackCell, led by the mysterious John Doe Operator.

Season 2 for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III and Call of Duty: Warzone goes live on Wednesday February 7 at 9 AM PT.



Consult the Call of Duty Blog for all official comms and announcements. Check Patch Notes prior to the release of Season 2, with separate notes for Modern Warfare® III (led by Sledgehammer Games and Treyarch) and Call of Duty: Warzone (led by Raven Software).

Consult the free and official guides to Call of Duty: Warzone and the new Season 2 Multiplayer Maps. The Tac-Atlas to Fortune’s Keep drops today!

Get ready: Here’s the confirmed content for Season 2, starting with Modern Warfare III Multiplayer.

MODERN WARFARE III MULTIPLAYER OVERVIEW



CONTENT SUMMARY:

• A massive Multiplayer map offering! Four new Core 6v6 maps arrive across Season 2, including three brand-new 6v6 maps and a fan-favorite remaster.

• Two map variants: Ready up for Hordepoint and the Vortex Mid-Season Playlist, explore two otherworldly themed map variants based on Skidrow and Terminal.
• New War map: Assault a downtown Urzikstan skyscraper from the skies. Welcome to Operation Tin Man.
• Five game modes and a Vortex Playlist: Bring home a win in Team Gun Game; quickscope your way to victory in Snipers Only; enjoy the return of Hordepoint and Bounty; and battle rival Juggernauts in the Juggermosh pit!
• Season 2 Ranked Play: Claim the Ranked Play rewards you unlocked in Season 1, then continue the grind with a full season and all-new rewards to earn.
• New Ninja Vest: Favoring those knives only? Equip the Ninja Vest for silent running, as well as a bonus knife and throwing star ammo.

Multiplayer Maps: Four New Core 6v6 Maps

Expect an impressive expansion in the Multiplayer Map pool as Sledgehammer Games delivers four new maps for Core Multiplayer, featuring a mixture of new and familiar combat areas.

Departures (Launch)

Brand-new, Core, 6v6, medium–large sized



Explore the Departures area of the Zakhaev International Airport, a clean and competitive 6v6 map with areas for all ranges of combat. The map is larger than Terminal, so expect the action to be both rapid and tactical, with Operators accessing a central main lobby comprising a west-side ground-level exterior entrance, main luggage check-in and thoroughfare, and an upper mezzanine walkway and security zone along the map’s eastern side. Set up impressive sightlines of varying heights and distances, maneuver across the numerous cover points, or face down foes in close-quarter combat within the Restaurant, Cosmetics Store, or Burger Town.

Stash House (Launch)

Brand-new, Core, 2v2, 6v6, small-sized



Looking for a compact map that redefines the word “chaotic”? Then follow the Federal authorities into a recently raided Bay Area stash house! Climb over (or dive behind) pallets of cash hidden in the garage. Pause only to admire the xeriscape front garden, before infiltrating a suburban ranch home filled with glass windows and more cash scattered about the various rooms. Explore an open-plan living room, den and kitchen, and an outside bar area, hot tub, an additional dwelling in the backyard, and a central Atrium chokepoint where combat is concentrated. Expect an extremely tight, Shipment-sized map that’s perfect for grinding XP, as well as fast and constant gunfights.

Vista (Launch)

Brand-new, Core, 6v6, medium-sized



Welcome to a Brazilian mountaintop resort with gift shops, restaurants, and trams. Aside from the impressive views, expect a more classic feel to this Shoot House-sized, three-lane map with tight interiors and long-range exteriors. Start at the Funicular (a large gondola) or at the Plaza on the opposite side of the map. Explore an exclusive promenade of shops, a raised Central Walkway and glass-walled restaurant, a sunken northern flank with lush jungle foliage, a Gallery, and an upper bar area. Curve around the southern flank with differing heights, decks, and a small Burger Town to drop foes from.

Das Haus (Mid-Season)

New (remastered), Core, 6v6, small-sized



Navigate an under-construction skyscraper in the vicinity of Highrise as the seminal, small-sized Call of Duty: Vanguard map returns with an all-new look. Whether you’re here to cause chaos or just for the XP, expect a much brighter, airier feel to this remastered iteration, as well as a lack of destructible cover for even quicker action. Craving constant combat? Expect it as you navigate the tight central hallway (watching for longshots) or scramble through openings along either of the outer flank routes. New compass names, easily distinguishable blue and orange spawn points, and a penthouse environment lifts “the house” to new heights.

Multiplayer Maps: Two Map Variants

Two additional variants are being added to the pool of otherworldly themed maps, joining Tetanus, Sporeyard, and Satan’s Quarry from Season 1. Enter the flames of an updated Vortex Mid-Season Playlist or drop Zombies as you battle through Hordepoint Mode as you explore the following supernatural locales:

Airborne (Mid-Season)

Map variant, limited-time, Core, 6v6, medium-sized



A virulent plague of unknown origin has swept through Terminal, coating almost every surface with disgusting, pustule-pulsing growths of alien origin! All flights are grounded as swarms of locusts fill the skies, the interior of the parked plane is thick with ooze dripping from the fuselage, and the periodic cockroach invasion at Burger Town indicates this place needs much more than a fumigation.

Skidgrow (Mid-Season)

Map variant, limited-time, Core, 6v6, medium-sized



Enter a vastly overgrown Skidrow as the plant life has taken over, with thick ivy covering the decrepit tenement block walls, tufts of grass have pushed through the concrete, mold and moss coat every corner, and green, vine-like tendrils strangle the rusted vehicle shells, returning this urban landscape back to nature.

Multiplayer Maps: New War Map

Operation Tin Man (Launch)

New, War Mode, 6v6, large-sized



War Mode receives a new, large-scale operation that takes place in downtown Urzikstan. Expect an airdrop as your team skydives down to the roof of a skyscraper, navigating the multi-level construction sight reminiscent of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3’s 2011 Overwatch map. One team defends and protects this structure while the other activates controls, planting explosives to clear a path downward.



The action then descends through the skyscraper interior, as the attacking team attempts to break into a secure laboratory within the structure while escorting a MAW (Modified Armored Wheelson). An exploration across these sprawling facilities must occur before the Wheelson can hack the data servers.

The operation culminates as the attacking team exits the skyscraper into an urban park. Expect intense and ferocious combat as all hell breaks loose, with one team focusing on establishing an exfil point at a PDS (Portable Decontamination Station) prior to an extraction helo arriving.

Five Game Modes, Vortex Playlist Arrive in Multiplayer

Game Mode: Team Gun Game (Launch)



Instead of the usual free-for-all action that Gun Game is famous for, Team Gun Game matches take place with base Team Deathmatch rules in effect, albeit with a few important differences: Every player starts with the same specific weapon, and you’re here to work with your squadmates, eliminating rival players as a team to progress through a set of eight predetermined weapons.

Score enough points and all teammates spawn with the next weapon simultaneously, with ten team kills per gun progression and five for the final weapon. Naturally, you may want alternative ways to stop the rival team from scoring, which is handy if you’re adept at knife melees and Finishing Moves: Each of those close-quarter takedowns deducts one point from the enemy team’s score, but only to the initial progression score of the weapon your foes are currently using. The first team to score 75 points wins.

Game Mode: Snipers Only (Launch)



Got a steady hand and a predilection for quickscoping? Then drop into this mosh pit, where long-range shots are anticipated, and closer takedowns come down to your dexterity, Loadout, and correct magnification for your sniper scope. Combat occurs across a variety of maps, while modes are mainly focused on Team Deathmatch and Domination. As expected, all weapons besides Sniper Rifles are restricted, including Lethal and Tactical equipment, as you focus on power positions, sightlines, and a steady aim.

Game Mode: Hordepoint (Limited-Time Mode, Launch)



Imagine the challenge of Hardpoint with an added enemy that doesn’t discriminate between SpecGru and KorTac — a shambling mass of zombies, with the occasional unwelcome Elite zombie arriving to add to the pandemonium! First encountered during Call of Duty®: WWII (2017), Hordepoint cranks up the chaos once a player enters a Hardpoint boundary, which causes a portal to open and regurgitate dozens of lurching corpses into the vicinity!



While your team deals with both enemy Operators and the undead, only one of you needs to be within the Hardpoint to keep it captured. This is easier said than done, though mowing down a Zombie gives you a small chance to acquire a Pack-a-Punch Weapon, as well as three Zombies power-ups, including Max Ammo and Instakill, the latter of which only affects the undead. Killstreaks are also available if your undead disposal skills are first in class; every five Zombie kills equals one Operator kill point for the purposes of acquiring Killstreaks.

Expect the Horde Hunt Event to launch alongside this limited-time mode.

Game Mode: Juggermosh (Limited-Time Mode, Mid-Season)



Sledgehammer introduces a special third person-perspective Multiplayer mode variant: Juggermosh. This is all Juggernaut combat, all the time, within matches of Kill Confirmed, Domination, and Hardpoint.

Aside from the wanton mayhem this mode brings, there are additional rules that add a tactical twist: Maneuver your hulking armor to the middle of the map and secure a powerful, OHK (one-hit kill) melee weapon, giving you tremendous close-range power at the expense of becoming the biggest threat on the battlefield. Drop an adversary and inspect the remains; you can grab armor from the fallen and bulk yourself up. Also check the health bar above your enemies’ heads, and ensure your headshots matter, as this damage is increased.

Apart from this cranial weak spot, your armor is impressive enough to prevent any kind of fall damage; in fact, dropping from a tall enough structure creates a “ground pound” and area-of-effect stun. Only air support Killstreaks are available, along with weapon reloads for your Juggernaut armaments, and specific Perks and stronger melee damage, even without the special weapon. This encourages a more “combo centric” combat strategy, where melee, grenades, and gun pairings are created, depending on the engagement.

Expect an Event to launch alongside this limited-time mode.

Game Mode: Bounty (Mid-Season)



Eliminate enemy players until the score limit is reached to win. Each player has unlimited lives, and matches play similarly to Team Deathmatch. The player with the most kills from each team will be marked as an HVT (high-value target). The HVT alternates between teams on a time interval and extra points are awarded when the HVT is slain.

Playlist Confirmed: Vortex: Decay’s Realm (Limited-Time, Mid-Season)



Explore the terrifying strangeness of the otherworldly map variants in this mid-season moshpit. Vortex: Decay’s Realm features Team Deathmatch, Domination, Kill Confirmed, and Hardpoint on rotation, with an increased map pool of eldritch locations: Drop into Tetanus, Satan’s Quarry, Sporeyard, and the new map variants Skidgrow and Airborne in this limited-time playlist.

Expect the Vortex: Decay’s Realm Event to launch alongside this limited-time mode.

Multiplayer Ranked Season 2 Intel (Launch)



Ranked Play in Multiplayer continues with a full season of content and all-new rewards to earn at the beginning of Season 2.

Seasonal Challenge Rewards: Here’s how those coveted win rewards are unlocked:

Win 5 Ranked Matches: “MWIII Season 2 Competitor” Sticker

Win 10 Ranked Matches: “Pro Issue MCW” Weapon Blueprint

Win 25 Ranked Matches: “Farmed Them” Charm

Win 50 Ranked Matches: “Hard Day’s Work” Weapon Decal

Win 75 Ranked Matches: “MWIII Season 2 Competitor” Loading Screen

Win 100 Ranked Matches: “MWIII Season 2 Ranked Veteran” Weapon Camo



Skill Division Rewards: Ranked Play grinders also have the chance to earn Skill Division rewards. These are unlocked at the end of the season, based on your best Skill Division obtained in Season 2.

Remember that you can still earn the Skill Division Operator Skins in Season 2 which are obtainable in any Season of Ranked Play. As well as Skins, there are other items to grind for as you aim for a season-high placement within the Gold Division or above, as well as special rewards for the Top 250 and No. 1 player in the world. These include new rewards including updated Season 2 emblems and all-new Division Camos.

Highest Division — Bronze: “MWIII Season 2 Bronze” Emblem

Highest Division — Silver: “MWIII Season 2 Silver” Emblem

Highest Division — Gold: “MWIII Season 2 Gold” Animated Emblem and Weapon Camo

Highest Division — Platinum: “MWIII Season 2 Platinum” Animated Emblem and Weapon Camo

Highest Division — Diamond: “MWIII Season 2 Diamond” Animated Emblem and Weapon Camo

Highest Division — Crimson: “MWIII Season 2 Crimson” Animated Emblem and Weapon Camo

Highest Division — Iridescent: “MWIII Season 2 Iridescent” Animated Calling Card, Animated Emblem and Weapon Camo

End Season 2 in Top 250: “MWIII Season 2 Top 250” Animated Calling Card, Emblem, and Weapon Camo

End Season 2 #1 Overall: “MWIII Season #1 Overall” Animated Calling Card and Emblem

Also, expect the Season 1 Ranked Play rewards that you earned during Season 1 Reloaded to be accessible at the start of Season 2.

If you need a refresher on Ranked Play for Modern Warfare III, consult the Multiplayer Ranked Play Guide here. Also check the Patch Notes for additional Ranked Play insights, updates and more.

New Perk: Ninja Vest (Launch)

{{MWIII-S2-ANNOUNCEMENT-019}}

Ninja Vest: Silent melee and throwing weapon specialist.

Equipment Slots (3): Tactical, Lethal, Field Upgrade.

Gear Slots (2): Boots, Gear.

Eliminate footstep sounds.

Immune to movement reduction effects.

Bonus Shuriken and Throwing Knife ammo.

Resupply Shuriken and Throwing Knives every 25 seconds.

Duplicate effects do not stack. If equipped with Covert Sneakers, gain the effect of Running Sneakers.

Next up: Zombies Overview

© 2024 Activision Publishing, Inc. ACTIVISION, CALL OF DUTY, CALL OF DUTY WARZONE, MODERN WARFARE, CALL OF DUTY VANGUARD, and CALL OF DUTY LEAGUE are trademarks of Activision Publishing, Inc. All other trademarks and trade names are the property of their respective owners.

For more information, please visit http://www.callofduty.com/ and http://www.youtube.com/callofduty, and follow @Activision and @CallofDuty on X, Instagram, and Facebook. For Call of Duty Updates, follow @CODUpdates on X.

The Walking Dead © 2024 AMC Film Holdings LLC. All rights reserved.

Hi Everyone!

We would like to invite all horror genre game enthusiasts and fans to experience Damned 2. As a dedicated supporter of the horror gaming community, we believe you will be particularly excited about this opportunity.

This is your chance to get a sneak peek into the world we have crafted, exploring the unique features and immersive gameplay that Damned 2 has to offer.

Your feedback is invaluable to us as we continue to refine and enhance the gaming experience. We believe that your presence will contribute to making this event a memorable one for all horror gaming enthusiasts. Please feel free to bring along friends who share the same passion for the genre.

Check the DEMO here.

MODERN WARFARE ZOMBIES OVERVIEW



CONTENT SUMMARY:

• The Dark Aether Story Act Continues: Operation Deadbolt Strike Teams are tasked to confront a new anomaly in the Exclusion Zone.
• Enter the Second Rift: Face down the largest infested Stronghold you’ve encountered as you enter a new and terrifying Rift.
• New Challenges and Schematics: Unlock Prestige levels to acquire Zombies challenges and gather three new Schematics to aid your progress.
• Warlord Keres: An elusive chemical warfare specialist, Keres has set up some impressive defenses at the Killhouse in the Orlov Military Base. Prepare effectively before attempting to take her out.

The Dark Aether Story Act Continues (Mid-Season)



In Season 2, Strike Teams from Operation Deadbolt continue to confront terrifying trans-dimensional anomalies. New secrets await in the Exclusion Zone and tensions are heightened this time, as Terminus Outcomes have followed your teams into the Rift. Thankfully, you have an expert guiding you — Sergei Ravenov. Battle alongside the rest of the squad, completing a series of dangerous tasks, and find your way out of the Dark Aether — before it’s too late.

Enter the Second Rift (Mid-Season)



A new Story Mission with new terrors lurking within the Dark Aether await you. You will utilize a variety of [[REDACTED]] during the investigation of a second Rift. Alarming aberrations abound in this new maze, as a mysterious entity makes her presence known to Ravenov and the team while they frantically search for an exit from the Rift. Earn coveted rewards, follow cryptic clues, and complete timed tasks, all while facing down the largest infested Stronghold yet seen!

New Challenges and Schematics (Mid-Season)



As with Season 1, your Prestige Player Level unlocks more challenges to complete, with additional Calling Cards to unlock. Furthermore, expect a new Warlord to face and the following new Classified Schematics:

Mags of Holding (Schematic)

Who has time to reload? Not you if you’ve activated the Mags of Holding, which allows your ammunition to feed directly from your weapon’s ammo stash, essentially eliminating the need to reload your weapon.

Blood Burner Key (Schematic)

There’s no need to scavenge for the Blood Burner Wonder Vehicle on the map if you’re carrying the Blood Burner Key; simply use it to summon the possessed two-wheeler without a lengthy search beforehand!

V-R11 Wonder Weapon (Schematic)

Those Strike Team Operators planning on forming their own temporary regiment of undead friends or transformed humans can now take the V-R11 Wonder Weapon into important outings, thanks to this Schematic.

Warlord: Keres (Mid-Season)



The Warlord Keres has set up her fortress in the Killhouse at Orlov Military Base. She is known as a deadly and elusive chemical warfare specialist, and her defenses should be approached with extreme caution. Expect the exterior to be well-fortified with soldiers, snipers, turrets, and traps, as well as poison gas grenades. It would be wise to bring gas masks.

Breaching the fortress is only the first challenge. Once inside, expect visibility issues, as Keres’ new gas compound hangs in the air throughout the facility, disrupting almost all sensors, including thermal weapon scopes. Perhaps there’s a way to counteract this? Expect Keres to utilize conventional armaments as well as a poisonous smokescreen, counting on her numerous bioweapons to choke you out. It’s going to take teamwork to box her in and eliminate her.

Next up: Warzone Overview

© 2024 Activision Publishing, Inc. ACTIVISION, CALL OF DUTY, CALL OF DUTY WARZONE, MODERN WARFARE, CALL OF DUTY VANGUARD, and CALL OF DUTY LEAGUE are trademarks of Activision Publishing, Inc. All other trademarks and trade names are the property of their respective owners.

For more information, please visit http://www.callofduty.com/ and http://www.youtube.com/callofduty, and follow @Activision and @CallofDuty on X, Instagram, and Facebook. For Call of Duty Updates, follow @CODUpdates on X.

The Walking Dead © 2024 AMC Film Holdings LLC. All rights reserved.