Happy August Onward Players! This month we have lots of information to provide you about the development progress for Update 1.12. We will be revealing new features being added to the game and updates to some features we discussed last month. We will also be going over a topic that has been on everyone’s mind: Fire Fight! We are giving you some developer insights into its creation and a detailed description of the new core game mode and what players can expect from it. In the Community Center we will discuss some development changes to the previously announced Reporting System update roll out as well as upcoming league events you can join. Let’s jump right into the Devs’ Desks to start talking about the stuff you really want to hear about. [h1]From the Devs’ Desks:[/h1] Before we get into all the information related to Update 1.12, we want to make an official update to a previously announced feature from several months back. We have paused development on the Iraq map, Intercept, for the foreseeable future. We understand you were really looking forward to it, and we felt it best to be upfront and notify you about this change as soon as the final decision was made. Now, let’s start discussing the things we are working on. Update 1.12 continues to move forward and quickly. We are excited to announce that we have some game additions that have been highly requested by the community going into it. With the back-end changes that we made earlier in the year, it gave us the opportunity to finally develop these features and make them available to you. [h2]Gunstock Calibration [/h2] Even though gunstock calibration was already in the game, we made some major changes to how it operates. One of the first things that was requested the day it came out, was the ability to calibrate vertically. We not only made that update, but several others to how it operates overall. Let’s start at the beginning. Gunstock Calibration will no longer be done in the tent, but after you load into a map. This ensures that calibrations you set are exactly what you will be using during gameplay. After you load into the map, you will grab your tablet and you will see a “Calibrate Gunstock” button. (Make sure you have the “Physical Gunstock” setting applied in your settings menu before loading into the map.) [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/25603247/2d9ba3850ede07925a934912c81081c82b2c05e3.png[/img] [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/25603247/dc9aeb7510d67d2e3392ad55cca5a7fa9c7d850c.png[/img] [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/25603247/4f47351b0a0427e967574f7ab01ea4d5baef31a0.png[/img] Additional updates that have been made are that the front hand's rotation is no longer taken into account. Only the back hand's (pistol grip) rotation is used. We also included a Universal calibration setting. A weapon can be set as the universal calibration and will be applied to any weapon without its own calibration. We know this will be a big improvement to gunstocks and help improve your overall accuracy while using them. Now that we have these really nice gunstock calibration settings, it would be really nice to save them. Good thing, that’s another addition to this update! [h2]Cloud Saving (Quest & SteamVR)[/h2] You just made the perfect loadout. You were able to spend all your points and get that tactical edge you were hoping for. Loadouts will now be saved in the cloud in case you ever have to reinstall the application. Your Loadouts and any Gunstock Calibration settings will save to your account. Additionally, your progress through the tutorial, first time user experience, and most of your game settings will also be synced, so you will not need to do all of that again. But Wait, There’s More! Not only did we make cloud saving possible, also increased the number of loadout slots for each role to 24! . Additionally, you can edit the name of the loadouts so you have an easy way to know which loadout is for which situation. This should help you be able to really fine tune your set-ups and be able to swap them in and out when you want to change tactics quickly. There are some limitations to this feature. Due to cloud saving not being supported on the platform, this feature will not be available to players using Oculus PCVR. Also, because the cloud saves are linked to your account, cross-platform saving or importing/exporting is not available. If you play on Quest and SteamVR those will be different cloud save files, so calibrations and loadouts will need to be made per platform. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/25603247/51b11f06227db4350548aeb9692c15dc3c3e091c.png[/img] [h2]Global Killhouse & Range Leaderboards[/h2] Last Update we introduced the Revamped Shooting Range & Improved Killhouse. Since then we have seen you share some amazing runs and shots of accuracy. Once players started to improve their scores they started asking for a way to see how they match up against other players. This request led us to developing the Global Leaderboards. Players will now be able to see how they compare to the top Marksman and Killhouse runners throughout the game. The Global Leaderboards reset each Wednesday, so make sure to grab your opportunity to snag top spot or defend your title before the next reset. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/25603247/4a23736db8483a820d2abea7295fc08d716a186b.png[/img] [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/25603247/e688e0ceefe3e5c35a3f8badee2e4cff37508acc.png[/img] [h2]Fire Fight[/h2] You may have seen some of the sneak peeks and hints on our social media channels about Fire Fight. We have seen your questions and guesses about what the new game mode is and how it will work. Some people came VERY close to describing what the game mode will be. Let’s start the deep dive into what Fire Fight is and what you can expect from the game play. [b]Introduction[/b] Fire Fight was designed by Tribly, a Military Veteran and a veteran developer at Downpour. His vision was to introduce a new way to play that would require strong teamwork along with objectives that could change the gameplay at any given moment. Coordination and the ability to think on your feet will be very important for game sessions. During developers testing sessions no two game sessions ever felt the same. [b]Gameplay[/b] There are two objectives you must complete to claim victory for your team. Locate and secure the hard drive. Then, once the extraction team has landed, at least one person from your faction must evacuate with the hard drive. To cover more ground your team will be split into two fire teams and deployed to different parts of the map. Embrace the fire team dynamics of fire and maneuver, or link up to consolidate your forces; the choice is yours. Beware, splitting up of the team and randomized deployment applies for the other team as well. They could be anywhere. So move carefully, communicate, protect your Corpsman, and you’ll make it through. Each fire team will be assigned a corpsman to provide additional medical support to your team. Syringes are good to bring for bleeding and injured squadmates, but they won’t cut it for a mission this tough. The Corpsman is equipped with a new tool, the defibrillator, to heal critically wounded or incapacitated squadmates to bring them back into the fight. The Corpsman is just as well trained and equipped as others on the team but they are the only ones that can use the defibrillator so make sure you protect them. Your tablet has been updated with software to scan and locate the hard drive position and it will also indicate where the extraction point is. Scanning for the hard drive will start once the team is deployed. Make sure to work together and get into positions while it scans. When you hear the beep, indicating the scans complete, you need to be ready to push forward and find it. Once the hard drive is located you can track it in real time so you can change maneuvers with your team to intercept in case the enemy is able to capture it before you do. After your team has had its boots on the ground for a set amount of time, the extraction team will land and you will need to get the hard drive to the extraction point. Move quickly because there is a set time to complete this mission. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/25603247/6bd7c328898d2d0d31d32b9ea318586e3ee45aba.png[/img] [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/25603247/3bd14ba0578016f4ef59fb0425350741260cf17b.png[/img] [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/25603247/08758f047b7ed7ebc8d70612dc50b475baf90842.png[/img] This game mode introduces many new firsts for Onward. It is the first game mode where both teams are performing the same objective. It is also the first introduction of the ability to bring severely injured teammates that have returned to the tent back to the battlefield, and the first to introduce multiple fire teams to a faction. Finally, it’s the first game mode that can be played with up to 12 players! With all that information we know you are excited to try all this out! You won’t have to wait too much longer. [h1]Community Center:[/h1] [h2]Player Reporting & Banning Update[/h2] Last month we notified you about our plan to roll out the updated reporting and banning system. As the roll out was happening members throughout the community showed some concerns and provided us feedback about how players were being affected. We reviewed the feedback and concerns and made adjustments, reducing the amount of days the temp bans would last. The day we made the change we made an announcement on our Discord that included the following immediate changes. Players who received a notification of a two week ban have been reduced to 3 days. If the date your ban was issued was older than 3 days ago, your ban will be cleared. Players who received notifications of 1 month bans have been reduced by 2 weeks. Your times will be reset and show the new date of when the ban will lift when you next log into the game. Bans will continue to roll out with the updated time frames of warnings, 3 days, 2 weeks, permanent (depending on how many reports are on the account) We have completed rolling out this system so all notices to affected players have been issued. We are already in the process of looking into further adjustments and we are continuing to monitor the process and listen to feedback. [h2]VRML Season 14 Starts Soon[/h2] Take your passion for virtual reality and Onward to the next level! The VR Master League is calling all VR/Onward enthusiasts and gamers to embark on a world of virtual reality competitions and games. About VR Master League: The VR Master League is a dynamic community that brings together VR gamers from all around the globe. Whether you're a seasoned VR pro or just getting started, our league provides a platform for players of all skill levels to connect, compete, and elevate their VR experience. Thrilling Competitions: Showcase your skills in exhilarating weekly matches. Challenge yourself and others in head-to-head battles that test your skills, strategy, and teamwork. Community & Friendship: Forge lasting friendships with like-minded individuals who share your love for VR gaming. Our community is supportive, welcoming, and dedicated to growing the VR gaming ecosystem together. Joining the VR Master League is simple and rewarding. Head to our website, create your player profile and explore the ongoing leagues and events. Engage with our community, make friends, and jump into competitions that align with your interests and skill level. [url=https://discord.com/invite/jXEjffwx5P ]Discord[/url] [url=https://vrmasterleague.com/Onward]Website [/url] [url=https://www.youtube.com/@OnwardMasterLeague]YouTube[/url]