We've just pushed a new Community Test update to update a few things and hopefully iron out the last few showstoppers before the official V1034 release. Before we go over the changes, you might be happy to read that… [h2=sale]GROUND BRANCH is on the Steam Spring Sale[/h2] Until March 21st @ 10am PST, you can grab a copy (and indeed as many copies as you want) of GROUND BRANCH with a sweet [b]30% discount[/b]. You know the drill: spread the word and maybe even get a few extra keys to get yourself and your gaming buds in on the action just in time for the new update and the inevitable uptick in player numbers. https://store.steampowered.com/app/16900/GROUND_BRANCH/ Valve takes a 30% cut from sales on their store, so if you have a PayPal account and would love us to get the full cut from your purchase, head over to [url=https://bit.ly/gb-store]our official store[/url] and use code [u]Spring2024[/u] at the checkout to apply the same 30% discount! You'll get a key to redeem at the Steam Store and be ready to play in no time. [quote]💵 Please note that our store operates in [b]USD only[/b], so this might not be a great deal if you're paying in a different currency as we use regional pricing on Steam.[/quote] [hr][/hr] With that out of the way, patch notes start right after the beta instructions below: [quote][h3=instructions]❓ How to join the [b]Community Test[/b] beta branch[/h3] [list] [*]Right-click GROUND BRANCH in your Steam Library and select [b]Properties…[/b] [*]Click 'BETAS' on the left-hand list menu [*]Select '[b]communitytest - Community testing branch[/b]' from the drop-down menu [i]([u]no password required[/u])[/i] [/list]Steam will begin downloading the files for the testing branch. Patching may take a while.[/quote][quote][h3]🐞 [b]Where to report bugs[/b][/h3] You can report bugs and issues using any of these methods: [list] [*] The in-game [b]Bugs & Issues[/b] screen (press Esc once in-game and look along the top menu) [*] The Steam forums: [url=https://steamcommunity.com/app/16900/discussions/]steamcommunity.com/app/16900/discussions/[/url] [*] The [b]#bug-reports[/b] channel on the official [url=https://discord.com/channels/152529936719151104/475872902206455809]GROUND BRANCH™ Discord[/url] [/list]Your reports help us locate and fix issues faster, so keep them coming![/quote] [h1=issues]Known issues[/h1] 🚧 These issues are known to still be present: [list] [*] Hostage Rescue has a few new quirks with the hostage sack, hostage leading functionality and flex cuffs, which we are currently working to fix for the final release [*] Enemy AI may be unresponsive/idle/stuck in various contexts — if you see it, please make note of whether it was online (dedicated server? Listen server?) or offline, which game mode was being played, as well as map and location etc. [*] Weapon movement, poses and animations in general are still being put back together after the prone overhaul — please bear with us [*] The prone stance does not conform to terrain angle [*] AI bots are not fully functional in Deathmatch [/list] [hr][/hr] [h1=notes]Patch notes[/h1] [h2]Maps[/h2] [list] [*] Fixed audio issues in City, Arena and Arena, Paintball and The Farm [/list] [h3]747[/h3] [list] [*] Reworked the spiral staircases for better AI flow [*] Various lighting and bug fixes [*] Generator should now stop sound when shot out [/list] [h3]Depot[/h3] [list] [*] Cleaned up a few missions with navigation/collision validator [*] Fixed some navmesh issues [/list] [h3]Docks[/h3] [list] [*] Smoothed out collision on a few staircases [/list] [h3]City[/h3] [list] [*] Various lighting and bug fixes [*] News helicopter respond to being shot again [*] Fixed collision issues for crouching with some of the scaffolding [/list] [h3]Compound[/h3] [list] [*] Fixed bulletproof curtains [/list] [h3]The Farm[/h3] [list] [*] Painted out leaves coming through shooting range floor [/list] [h3]Paintball[/h3] [list] [*] Cleaned up collision on mesh causing some issues [*] Fixed up wrong minimap [/list] [h3]Rig[/h3] [list] [*] Did a pass on all missions with collision/navmesh validator [*] Fixed out-of-level exploit in Deck 3 missions (Deathmatch, Team Elimination) [*] Changed material on vending machine so it looked better in dark areas [/list] [h3]Run Down[/h3] [list] [*] Various collision, LOD and lighting bugs fixed [/list] [h3]Small Town[/h3] [list] [*] Fixed stretched UVs on a rock [*] Expanded nav bounds and cleaned up navmesh [*] Fixed up various missions, hopefully clearing AI traffic jam on C building upper floor [*] Cleaned up collision on cinderblock piles [*] Fixed virtual texture rock blending [*] Rebuilt navmesh [/list] [h3]Tanker[/h3] [list] [*] Various collision, LOD and lighting bugs fixed [/list] [h3]Creek[/h3] [list] [*] Removed problematic ladder outside of green barn [/list] [h2]AI[/h2] [list] [*] Reduced AI agent height for nav mesh generation to 185 cm (opens up more places to navmesh) [*] Reworked dead body callouts: now a dead body will only ever trigger one call out in total [*] Subsequent discoveries by other AI will not trigger additional callouts (they will still go investigate and go into combat ready mode, e.g. draw their weapon) [*] Fixed up bugs with AI failing to reload [*] Team handling fixed up in new Kythera AI systems [*] Rejigged AI character/controller setup [*] Changes to how AI processes multiple audio signals to avoid prioritizing far away gunshots over close-up footsteps [*] Fixed [i]DebugFreeze[/i] not working for AI [/list] [h2]Animation[/h2] [list] [*] Fixed hover foot (one leg lifted off ground) [*] Added generic item lean animations [*] Added prone grenade unequip animation [*] Rejig of animation instance systems (to make it easier to layer animations) [*] New equipment locomotion [*] Adding a generic Item move set and with aims [*] Fixed M110 fire selector animations [*] Updated PMM-related (pistol) animations to be additive and bring them in line with the rest of the handgun animations [*] Updated PMM compressed to match the base handgun [*] Added sprint check to SDASS and M24 to prevent working the action if fired while sprinting [*] Updated rig to prevent aiming-through-hand issue [*] Hooked up lean poses (updated a number of animations designed to be used in this layer to be based on generic item base pose instead of rifle base pose) [*] Updated rig to prevent sights being offset when prone (especially an issue with handgun) [*] Switched base reload prone animations for AR-15 and handguns to use non-prone versions [*] Breaching Charge attachment fixed (was at 90 degrees to door) [*] Fix to allow montage originating from server to be forced to owning client (should make detonator and breaching charge animations play properly in multiplayer) [*] A [i]lot[/i] of big under-the-hood changes to correctly support animations for all items in all stances [/list] [h2]Gameplay and systems[/h2] [list] [*] Big pass on collision to simplify and debug [*] Updated various vehicles to ensure sections that are shown or hidden use block-all or no-collision collision profiles instead of just enabling/disabling collision [*] Stopped names appearing for enemies in Deathmatch [*] A lot of under-the-hood game mode script fixes [*] Added further restrictions to interacting while prone (should now be impossible for all actors) [*] Bug fixes to laptop blueprint [*] Added anti-spam checks to leaning, running and sprinting to remove some speed hacks [*] Sprint blending times and effects changed [*] Fixed server roster player list lag [*] Fixed up DTAS, Hostage Rescue, Team Elimination and Uplink game modes to improve handling of AI kills and killers [*] Internal tweaks and fixes relating to arm changes and gender identification of assets [*] Disabled warning about missing eyebrows if none were defined so that they can be used with AI without causing log spam [*] Character updated to change handling of head types/genders [*] Cleared all meshes using character physics asset that do not need to — which is most of them [*] Changed bomb explosion (Defuse) to fade to black after explosion [*] Improved logging for failed kit loads [*] Updated handling of failed kits to allow replacing child items and skins [*] Disabled Ray Tracing in config to fix crash on exiting in DX12 mode [*] Updated Tablet to use alternate new method to fill screen (instead of FOV and POV change, it will shift the tablet up to fill the screen — doesn't care if prone, crouched, standing or leaning) (WIP — hands may be visible, especially in prone etc.) [*] Fixed volunteer function in Hostage Rescue [*] Fixed flag placement issues in DTAS [*] Tentative fixes for Hostage Rescue issues: should stop leading hostage when leader goes prone, and now clears [i]BeingLeadAsHostage[/i] gameplay tag when cuffs are unequipped (should stop movement getting blocked in various ways) or when leading is otherwise stopped [*] New restriction added so you can't use objects if underwater (may be a redundant check) [*] Added new [i]ServerExecute[/i] command, usable by superadmins only (to run console commands remotely on the server) [*] Fixed picking up item in left hand attempting to keep it equipped in left hand instead of putting it away [/list] [h2]Character and inventory[/h2] [list] [*] Added entries for backup skin substitutions [*] Cleaned up a few hairstyles that were still showing the scalp with Ball Cap and Beanie [*] Updated dump pouch and radio assets to properly set their skin [*] Changed skins for main menu guys [*] SA58 OSW now supports suppressor [*] Back-end changes to improve handling of restricted skins and kit validation [*] Added LODs and adjusted existing LODs for player heads, beards, hair and a few weapons and weapon attachments [*] Converted eyelashes to static meshes for efficiency [*] Big change under the hood to change internal kit handling to be always monolithic: keeps kit data consistent no matter what is parsing it, and removes issues caused by presets or item builds being deleted [*] Added dialogs for handling kit validation issues and converting all user kits [*] Removed unneeded failed kit validation widgets [*] Cleared physics assets from all hairstyles [*] General inventory tweaks/fixes [*] Fixed goggles being too bright compared to other character assets [*] Added new arm meshes in place of masking system [*] Cleared simple collision from MP5 stocks that were in wrong orientation [*] Removed physics from all balaclava versions of heads [*] Cleaned up new head/balaclava meshes [*] Fixed arm mesh poking through with male rolled sleeves and gloves [*] Cleaned up some weighting on the male heads that make them poke through some shirts [*] Changed arms to remove reliance on mesh updating to choose skin [*] Cleaned up more issues with heads intersecting various shirts [/list] [h2]Audio[/h2] [list] [*] City Bank audio fix (slight reverb adjustment) [*] Rundown tail fix [*] Small reverb change, small bug fixes [*] Fixed portals and occlusion issues [*] Fixed missing ADS sound effects [*] Fixed drop audio not playing for weapons [*] Fixed missing Galil ARM third-person sounds [*] Added missing voice lines in female character Comms Menu (G key) [/list] [h2]VFX[/h2] [list] [*] Big pass on checking emitters are parented to existing emitter assets. [*] Distance culling set to 50 m for distant impacts [*] Created 10 new blood spatter decals [*] VFX emitter cleanup [/list] [h2]UI[/h2] [list] [*] Tweaks to Customize Operator screen colors [*] A few text changes to Customize Operator screen messages [*] Visual update to "Game Paused" overlay [*] Dialog boxes now have a fade-in and fade-out animation [*] Updated loading screen hints: cleaned up appearance, edited existing hints for clarity and formatting, and added a new hint [*] Updated visuals for color picker pop-up in Settings > HUD (is now limited to color wheel, e.g. hue selection) [*] Fixed color picker buttons being slightly rectangular rather than perfect squares [*] Minor copy edit and rearranging of Settings > HUD [*] Fixed inconsistent padding between columns in Setting > Gameplay [*] Updated wording and formatting for F4/F6 dialog prompts [*] Updated mag check HUD: repositioned red cross and changed icon color (to red) for "no ammo" [*] Minor update to hover effects in Keybinds column (Settings > Controls) [*] Increased width of all setting selections: drop-downs, sliders, spinboxes etc. to allow for longer text strings, finer control in sliders, and close the gap between selections and their descriptions [*] Added a few more settings tooltips [*] Slightly more descriptive text in Sight Priority options [*] Updated credits [*] Made highlight for various tabs/buttons more evident [*] Updated icon/swatch for Brown and Olive Drab skin selections [*] Updated DLSS tooltips to hopefully display correctly for RTX 40-series when in DX12 mode and minor changes to copy as well [*] Updated DLSS setting text and tooltips [*] Various minor style, copy and formatting tweaks [/list] [hr][/hr] [h3][i]As always, thank you for testing and providing feedback![/i][/h3] See you next time! 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