GROUND BRANCH News

Today's V1033 Community Test patch has an attempted fix for doors not resetting, time/date issues and crashes, as well as ongoing work on effects and skins.

[h3]❓ How to join the Community Test beta branch[/h3]

• Right-click GROUND BRANCH in your Steam Library and select Properties…
• Click BETAS on the left-hand list menu
  
• Select 'communitytest - Community testing branch' from the drop-down menu
  

Steam will begin downloading the files for the new testing branch.

[h3]🐞 Where to report bugs[/h3]
You can report bugs and issues using any of these methods:

• The in-game Bugs & Issues screen (press [Esc] once in-game and look along the top menu)
  
• The Steam forums: steamcommunity.com/app/16900/discussions/
• The #bug-reports channel on the official GROUND BRANCH™ Discord

Your reports help us locate and fix issues faster, so keep them coming!

[h2]Patch notes[/h2]

• Big update on doors: should now reset properly, though some glitches remain
  
• Replaced doors on Depot with new system ones
  
• Added missing door handles to previously replaced doors
  
• Fixed VFX particles glowing when viewed through optics and NVG
  
• AffectTranslucentLighting enabled on base light blueprints to provide better illumination of VFX particles (less glowing in the dark, especially)
  
• Added a soft noise texture to NVG effects
  
• Audio preset settings changed
  
• Updated industrial fans attenuation in The Farm, and weird reverb in Small Town
• Fixed fire selector switch sound for MK17 DMR
• Global Tonemapper Sharpness increased again
  
• Fixed tac light flare VFX stacking on top of itself, causing the texture to blow out
  
• Added lens flare VFX to AN/PEQ-15's visible and IR lasers
  
• More tentative crash fixes in AI light detector component
  
• Tentative fixes for continuing time/date desyncs
  
• Optimized PiP scopes by restricting frequency of render texture resizing
  
• Added new PiP Scope Resolution Scale setting to Settings › Video to allow better performance (when set below 1.0) or last-ditch fixes for persistent pixelation issues (when set above 1.0; performance will most likely be affected in this case!)
  
• Fixed players being kicked when voting a map change (disables match setting option for non admins)
  
• Updated grey skin for Combat Shirts and Combat Pants
• Added new AOR-2 camo swatch and updated AOR-2 assets
  
• Updated brightness of ACU Coat in AOR-1 to match other assets in that camo
  
• Fixed "sunken" patch slot at center/rear slot of Helmet (AF)
• Spectator Mode night vision now working, with new NV effect
  
• Disabled global Distance Field Ambient Occlusion (DFAO) to reduce foliage flickering
  
• Re-enabled collision for leaning, i.e. fixed leaning through walls
  
• Fixed a LOD issue for some architecture on Tanker culling out too soon
  
• Fixed 747 generator culling out too soon
  
• Improvements to light portal system on 747 and Run Down
• Ragdoll collision improved, with itself and with other objects
  
• Enemy AI now register hits for a short time after death
  
• Fixed broken variant names and default filename generation in mission editor
  

[h3]❓How do I join the open testing?[/h3]
Please see this post for details and instructions.

• Created M81 pouch skins for the M81 MPC Plate Carrier
• Color pass on MARPAT Woodland assets, as well as Khaki and Black combat clothes
  
• Slight color tweak to Ranger Green JPC Plate Carrier velcro
  
• Fixed bright outline around Combat Shirt (Rolled) velcro patches
  
• Tweaked tan MPC Plate Carrier skin to look a little closer to other tan rigs and pouches
  
• Minor color tweak to Khaki Tactical Pants
• Updated Navy color palette (WIP); affects most Navy assets
  
• Added black MK17 suppressor skin
  
• Tweaked AK suppressors: limited PBS-4 to AKS-74U, made PBS-1 available again on remainder of AK-based rifles, and tweaked fit and rotation for all muzzles
  
• Fixed forearm mesh clipping through shirt sleeves
  
• Fixed model gap at neck/chest area when using unzipped combat shirts
  
• Turned on a few things in the scope PIP scene capture (e.g. DFAO) to better match rest of scene (i.e. outside of scope picture)
  
• Slight increase to render texture resolution and responsiveness to changing size to try reduce pixelation effect when crouching or aiming upwards
  
• Removed Wristwatch buzz when walking through Ready Room (RR) portal hints
  
• Fixes to date/time to replicate time and date better and restore lunar phases and so on
  
• Stopped crash when selecting invalid days in advanced time/weather settings
  
• Stopped invalid days being offered in advanced time/weather settings
  
• Weather settings dialog should no longer pop up underneath admin menus
  
• Disabled all weather setting interface (for now)
  
• Updated pouch sockets on JPC and MPC plate carriers: tweaked position for better look/fit
  
• Removed fourth front pouch slot (bottom row) on MPC
  
• Tweaked single AR mag pouch: increased scale by 5% to look better scaled on vests and changed magazine fit to fix clipping
  
• DTAS flag material tweaked to be more constant colour (bugged in optical scopes)
  
• Fixed reflex sight master material so that lowest brightness setting is low but not off
  
• Tweaked all red dot brightnesses for NVG use
  
• Fixed ghosting on Wristwatch
  
• A little more grain added to NVG FX
  
• Fixed invisible collision in Depot building
  
• Reduced Tonemapper sharpening level
  
• Fixed up InventoryManagement mutator (was not decoding some items properly)
  
• As a result of a filename fix, AK-74M builds and loadouts will break; please remake, and sorry for the inconvenience!
  
• Fixed default item builds and loadouts with AK-74M; likewise for MPC loadouts that used the removed pouch slot (see above)
  
• Arena and Arena 2 PvE game modes converted from "Russian" enemy skins to "Riot" for variety
  

Hotfix now up for V1033 Community Test to fix some issues that were introduced (while fixing other bugs) in yesterday's patch. We also fixed, tweaked and added a few other things.

[h3]❓How do I join the open testing?[/h3]
Please see this post for details and instructions.

[h2]Patch notes[/h2]

• Fixed some light channel issues on Small Town
• Adjusted LOD switch distance on Ural 4320 vehicle wheel meshes
  
• Fixed more audio bleed from levels into Ready Room (RR)
  
• Tentative fix for ringing feedback
  
• Fixed possible log spam
  
• Moved Power Station's RR outside the influence of level reflection captures (fixes blue light in RR)
  
• Customize Operator screen now disables weather/fog/skylight when created, and resets to previous setting when destroyed
  
• Lots of fixes to time and date stuff to get clients better synchronized with listen server hosts
  
• Added side patch slots to NVG Head Mount
• Increased color saturation on AN/PEQ-15's texture (was using a lower value from previous model)
  

Keep the feedback and reports coming!

New patch just dropped for the V1033 Community Test beta branch!

[h3]❓How do I join the open testing?[/h3]
Please see this post for details and instructions.

Here's what changed:

• Light over customization bench in The Farm now stays always on
  
• Fixes to stop bots appearing in non free-for-all (FFA) game modes
  
• Collision fixes in The Farm
  
• Tidied up distance fields in Run Down
• Fixed bad normals (shading) on AKS-74U
• Tweaked magazine placement on 5.45mm AK variants
  
• Rotated lens cap on Kashtan scope out of view
  
• Fixed collision on containers in Docks
• Fixed glowing glass on vehicles in Docks
  
• Tweaked cull distance settings on Tanker
• Fixed lights turning off but not changing material on The Farm and Compound
• Fixed up light switches on 747 and added missing switch to far side construction area
  
• Fixed missing geometry in stairwell in Storage Facility
• Carry Handle Rear Sight now only attachable to top sight rails and risers
  
• Another Ready Room audio bleed fix
  
• Setting callsign to --- now hides callsign patches
  
• Default AI settings changed so that Veteran AI now shout a bit
  
• Blockers added to Docks (East Docks) Deathmatch mission to fix out-of-map exploits
  
• Fixed up floating and badly placed laptops in Intel Retrieval missions in Tanker, 747, Small Town, Rundown, Compound, Storage Facility
  
• Fixed bad NW (Rocks) spawn in Creek for Terrorist Hunt and Intel Retrieval game modes
  
• Ladders fixed up so everyone can use them and should stop the "F slide"
  
• Fixed callsigns not updating until player respawns
  
• Fixed cyan-colored button on olive drab Ghillie Pants
• Added icon for bare Ghillie Hood
• Renamed Ghillie Hood Bare and Ghillie Hood to Ghillie Hood and Ghillie Hood (Cover), respectively, to be consistent with pants
  
• Default bullet impact tweaked
  
• Added chest patch slot: allows patches on front of MPC and JPC plate carriers and the Ballistic Vest
  • Pouches can still be attached to upper slots when a patch is displayed, so keeping the patch unobstructed is up to you for now
    
  • NOTE: Chest patch may disappear if top (shirt) skin is changed, but will still show in-game once loadout is applied. It will display again in the Customize Operator screen if the Platform skin is re-applied.
• Updated audio attenuation for player movement and other minor mix changes
  
• Tentative fix for skylight going missing when listen server host returns to Ready Room
  
• Lua-related crash fixes
  
• Should be possible to rejoin Deathmatch after returning to Ready Room now
  
• Fixed up invalid bot patches
  

Happy Monday, everyone!

One more smaller Community Test patch before the weekend officially starts. We are slowly but surely knocking down the bugs and getting the last few items in for 1033.

Community test updates CL#7540-7570:

• AI barks and Arena audio fixed
  
• IR Strobe plastic material tweaked to be less bright in harsh lighting
  
• Fixed ranger green Fleece Hoodie using olive drab palette
  
• Fixed FOV warning typo
  
• Further tweaks to Flecktarn swatch and assets
  
• Fixed ladders in 747, Docks, Creek and Power Station
• Added bare version of Ghillie Hood
• Cleaned up ghillie items; added OCP skins
  
• Docks: cleaned up bad model geometry, container collision and AI pathfinding
  
• Overly bright vehicle windows fixed in Run Down and other maps
  
• Another pass of attempted crash fixes on the light detector
  
• Fixed ghosting on AN/PEQ-15's IR Illuminator
  
• Improved Chest Rig (MCR) mesh collision
  
• Fixed overly glossy Male 05 skin (scalp and back of neck)
  
• Fixed subway (City) light portals
  
• SCAR magazine now shows more than 2 rounds when mag checking
  
• Added "Bakelite" magazine for 5.45mm AKs
  
• Tac Light flare adjusted to prevent blown out textures
  
• Ready Room audio bleed fixed
  
• SVD reload sounds fixed
  
• Adjustments to which AKs can use which suppressors (WIP)