GROUND BRANCH News

BUILD UPDATE #044: Patch V1033.2
Patch V1033.2 is now available, and (barring any subsequent hotfixes if needed) we anticipate that this is the last update for 1033. We've squashed lots of bugs, made tweaks in a lot of areas, and put things generally in order until the next update. Apologies if we didn't get round to fixing everything, but we will have another pass in V1034.

We are now turning our attention full-time to version 1034, which will have some exciting new features. See the #roadmap for more details (subject to change, as always). We will be in touch about that in due course!

[h3]⛔ IMPORTANT: Clear your old config files[/h3]
If you are coming from V1032, have not played V1033 in a while, or are having issues with settings/graphics/audio, you need to delete all contents in the following locations (copy-paste these paths into your File Explorer address bar and hit Enter):

1. %LOCALAPPDATA%\GroundBranch\Saved\Config\WindowsNoEditor
2. Documents\GroundBranch

⚠️ Not doing so will cause various asset and input issues in your game, and may impact performance.

MAPS

• 747
  - Small optimization combining meshes in 747 interior
  - Updated audio volumes
  - Cleaned up a lot of Distance Field visual junk in 747 (plane interior)
  - Added skylight adjustment volumes to plane for more consistent interior lighting (night vs day)
  - Fixed issue with Power Station generator light not working with attached switch
  
• City
  - Fixed City subway light switch not working
  - Fixed double window pane
  
• Enabled 'Affect Translucent Lighting' in lights for better vfx illumination
  
• Docks
  - Fixed issue in Intel Retrieval where sometimes only 8 spawns would be available
  
• Storage Facility
  - Fixed missing collision exploit
  
• Tanker
  - Fixed issue in Intel Retrieval where only 8 spawns were available
  

GAMEPLAY/SYSTEMS

• Added fallback system for kit restrictions (shirt, pants and footwear now need a fallback skin defined)
  
• Rejigged inventory management system to fix some bugs and make inventory setting smoother internally
  
• Thrown grenades no longer block doors once they stop moving
  
• Replaced loading screen system with more robust and hopefully more bug-free system
  
• Internal changes relating to pouch handling to make more robust and to handle skins more consistently
  
• Removed a lot of debug logging
  

GRAPHICS

• Changed foliage.MinLOD to prevent trees from only showing the flat billboard up close, regardless of setting
  
• Fixed improper texture setting in base vehicle glass material
  
• Fixed front wheel that was inverted on Ural truck
  
• Rejigged the skylight override system (used in Storage Facility, Rundown and 747) for more consistent lighting results
  

INVENTORY / ANIMATION

• Removed erroneous dump pouches from various .kit files
  
• Fixed MK17 rate of fire (from 750 to 600)
  
• Fixed magnifier not being placable in front of an iron sight
  
• Updated logic regarding red dots and front sights posts (some red dots will work if they are similar in height to the front sight post)
  
• Fixed SVD bolt not animating properly
  
• Fixed bullets showing through magazines
  
• Default item builds (weapons, vests, etc) updated across the board
  
• Fixed M24 looping ejection FX
  
• Fixed M24 floating shells during reload / bolt rack
  
• Fixed shadow not showing up for NVG mount
  
• Fixed some bad json syntax in default loadouts
  

CONTROLS

• Created dedicated keybind/hotkey for the IR Illuminator (AN/PEQ-15): default key is 8, but we recommend setting it to a mouse button if available
  
• Ensured that all Keyboard/Mouse keybinds were also available under the Controller tab (Settings › Controls)
  
• Fixed hard coded bindings to controller modifiers
  
• Fixed bad controller modifier action names
  
• Fixed missing controller icons for left/right stick movements
  

UI

• Added UI to indicate to players when kit restrictions have invalidated parts of their loadout
  
• More info on kit restrictions displayed in character editor
  
• Minor UI cleanup/style pass (location/time/night conditions section in TOD dialog, restricted items dialog content)
  
• Added legend to inventory bar to inform players of how to close it (RMB), and minor style tweaks
  
• Updated controls screen:
  - Added IR Illuminator keybind
  - Minor text tweaks to a few keybinds for extra info/clarity (e.g. reticle brightness also controlling illuminator mode)
  - Added gamepad binds for actions that were only listed under KB/M
  - Increased size of keybind icons
  - Added minimum height to bind entries to prevent the lack of an icon from collapsing the height
  - Changed color and style of the "None" entry
  
• Repositioned spectator overlay options to be a little higher on the screen so it's harder to miss
  
• Added/updated mission selection thumbnails for most maps
  
• Attempting to change a local player element via the server player list should also work for admins in all cases
  
• New entry in credits for Rangda (Additional Media)
  
• Changed default MaxChatMessages from 12 to 10 and default ChatDisplayTime from 15 to 10
  

VFX

• Muzzle particle effects (smoke, casings, etc) switched to Niagara system and tweaked some more
  
• Updated non-9mm based firearms to either use 45ACP or 556 as their shell impact type
  
• Made sunlight and moonlight affect translucent lighting, for better smoke and other vfx lighting
  
• Disabled the emitters for the muzzle shockwave (which kicks up secondary dust)
  
• Stun effect reworked, hopefully also fixing audio issues
  

SOUND

• Some native UE4 sound calls moved to wwise
  
• Updated reverb for weapons
  
• Fixed missing scope zoom sound
  
• Tentative bug fixes relating to audio bank manager
  
• Miscellaneous minor audio tweaks
  
• Tweaked footsteps
  
• Fixed missing weapons bank for Farm
  

[hr][/hr]

[h2]Stay connected[/h2]
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Build Update #043 is another hotfix update for V1033.

More fixes are on the way, but we didn't want to hold these back while the rest is being worked on — so keep reading for today's patch notes, and expect further updates before we wrap up V1033 for good!

[h3]⛔ IMPORTANT: Clear your old config files[/h3]
If you are coming from V1032, have not played V1033 in a while, or are having issues with settings/graphics/audio, you need to delete all contents in the following locations (copy-paste these paths into your File Explorer address bar and hit Enter):

1. %LOCALAPPDATA%\GroundBranch\Saved\Config\WindowsNoEditor
2. Documents\GroundBranch

⚠️ Not doing so will cause various asset and input issues in your game, and may impact performance.

💡 The various skylight override changes should more reliably prevent enemy AI from visually detecting players in the dark.

[h2]Map fixes[/h2]

[h3]747[/h3]

• Fixed a few distance field rendering issues
  
• Added skylight override volume to plane and boosted skylight levels, so plane now darker inside but with softer shadows outside
  

[h3]City[/h3]

• Fixed bad material setting for some traffic barrels that made them black while in shadow
  
• Cleaned up some meshes culling out to early
  
• Fixed issues with some meshes that got shifted
  

[h3]Depot[/h3]

• Fixed hallway spatial volume bug
  
• Fixed a few meshes culling too early in compound area
  
• Fixed a bush type using its billboard as the base mesh on lowest foliage settings
  

[h3]Docks[/h3]

• Fixed not being able to enter a clearly open building due to using wrong concrete edging
  
• Removed nav links that were added erroneously to entrance ways of same building
  
• Tagged roller doors as no cover, as some were being considered as valid cover when they should not be
  
• Tweaked navmesh and updated cover
  
• Cleaned up perimeter collision
  

[h3]Small Town[/h3]

• Tweaked audio: updated audio volumes and added proper sound portals to windows
  

[h3]Storage Facility[/h3]

• Fixed Terrorist Hunt mission to fix some bad AI spawns and guard points
  
• Changed skylight overrides so tunnel now has zero skylight, so it's pitch black even with NVG both day and night
  
• Fixed a bush type using its billboard as the base mesh on lowest foliage settings
  

[h3]Tanker[/h3]

• Fixed missing geo in interior doorframe
  

[h2]Other fixes and changes[/h2]

• Fixed AN/PEQ-15 IR Illuminator setting the laser variable instead of illuminator variable
  
• Fixed crash caused by invalid date in EncodeTimeOfDayDateString() (now validates date before attempting to use and returns mock date if invalid)
  
• Tentative crash fix in gamemode Lua package
  
• Tentative crash fix relating to timers firing after world has changed
  
• Improved handling of vectors from Lua
  
• Tidying up various Lua libraries
  
• Fixed missing MK46 sounds
  
• Fixed missing bones in skinning for MK18 and HK416 CQB that was causing a crash
  
• Updated door blueprint to ensure acoustic portals are opened/closed when door is reset or destroyed
  
• Fixed small bug in Terrorist Hunt and Intel Retrieval game modes when bum rush timer is called with 0 AI or 0 players alive
  
• Completely overhauled skylight override BP to take into account need to call SetMinLightLevel() for all players and AI on server
  
• Removed dog barks from Main Menu
  

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[h2]Stay connected[/h2]
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Hey all,

Just another friendly reminder that GROUND BRANCH is 30% OFF on the Steam Spring Sale until March 23rd, which means you have less than 3 days to either grab your first copy, some extra gift keys, or simply let your friends that don't own GB yet know about the sale.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/16900/GROUND_BRANCH/

[h3]💛 Consider buying from the GROUNDBRANCH.com store![/h3]
Please consider grabbing your discount key straight from our website so we get the full cut of the sale! Head over to the GB Store and use code SPRING2023 at the checkout.

› Please note our store requires a PayPal account and is USD-only, so there's no regional pricing.

This is our last planned sale while Early Access lasts, so this is as cheap as the game will get for the foreseeable future. Remember your support keeps the development of GROUND BRANCH going!

Have a great week!

Build Update #042 is a little hotfix update to fix some immediate issues discovered and/or introduced in yesterday's V1033.1 patch, with a few other fixes thrown in the mix.

[h2]⏰ Reminder: GROUND BRANCH is 30% OFF on the Steam Spring Sale until March 23rd![/h2]

https://store.steampowered.com/app/16900/GROUND_BRANCH/

This is our last planned sale while Early Access lasts, so this is as cheap as the game will get for the foreseeable future. Don't miss the chance to snag some gift keys or convince some of your buddies to hop aboard the tacticool train. Your support keeps the development of GROUND BRANCH going!

[h3]💛 Consider buying from the GROUNDBRANCH.com store![/h3]
Please consider grabbing your discount copy straight from our website so we get the full cut of the sale! Head over to the GB Store and use code SPRING2023 at the checkout.

› Please note our store requires a PayPal account and is USD-only, so there's no regional pricing.

[h3]⛔ IMPORTANT: Clear your old config files[/h3]
If you are coming from V1032, have not played V1033 in a while, or are having issues with settings/graphics/audio, you need to delete all contents in the following locations (copy-paste these paths into your File Explorer address bar and hit Enter):

1. %LOCALAPPDATA%\GroundBranch\Saved\Config\WindowsNoEditor
2. Documents\GroundBranch

⚠️ Not doing so will cause various asset and input issues in your game, and may impact performance.

• Updated Depot:
  
  
  
  
  • Fixed not being able to climb out of between train cars right next to platform (in front of the munitions building)
    
  • Fixed building decal extending past roof line
    
  • Set directional light's Transition Fraction to default (0.1) to remove sharp shadow transition line
    
• Updated Docks:
  
  
  
  
  • Added missing stairs and door to one of the buildings
    
  • Fixed floating pallets
    
  • Added missing AI navlinks to one of the warehouses
    
  • Tweaked AI navmesh
    
  • Regenerated AI covers
    
• Fixed light switch in Storage Facility being dark/unlit
  
• Big cleanup of video settings: made sure settings apply correctly, fixed incorrect "restart required" prompt for settings that don't require restarting the game, re-enabled SSR when using DLSS, and more
  
• Improved the handling of light and laser activation when playing online, most noticeable when double-tapping to leave them constantly on (should no longer be finicky)
  
• Fixed issue with MK25 reload animation
  
• Adjusted vote map button (on the Match Info board in the Ready Room) to fit text better and break lines if too long
  
• Removed Ready Room prototype level from builds
  
• Various under-the-hood fixes and improvements
  

[hr][/hr]

[h2]Stay connected[/h2]
Discord / Steam Community Hub / Reddit / Twitter / Instagram / Facebook

It's never a bad day for a patch and a discount in our book, so we're putting those two things together to add just a bit of razzle-dazzle to your Thursday:

[h3]Patch V1033.1 is now available, and GROUND BRANCH is 30% OFF on the Steam Spring Sale until March 23rd![/h3]

https://store.steampowered.com/app/16900/GROUND_BRANCH/

💛 Consider grabbing your discount copy straight from us so we get the full cut of the sale! Head over to the GB Store and use code SPRING2023 at the checkout.

› Please note our store requires a PayPal account and is USD-only, so there's no regional pricing.

We have also put together a little V1033 launch trailer — sure, it's a little late, but it's pretty slick and done just in time to help promote the sale a bit:

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h3]⛔ IMPORTANT: CLEAR YOUR OLD FILES[/h3]
If you are coming from V1032 or have not downloaded a Community Test build in a while, you need to delete all contents in the following locations (copy-paste these paths into your File Explorer address bar and hit Enter):

1. %LOCALAPPDATA%\GroundBranch\Saved\Config\WindowsNoEditor
2. Documents\GroundBranch

⚠️ Not doing so will cause various asset and input issues in your game, and may impact performance.

[h2]Audio[/h2]

• Fixed missing M24 reload sound
  
• Fixed missing PMM slide sound effects
  
• Fixed, rearranged and renamed Audio settings:
  
  
  
  
  • "Channels" renamed to Channel Configuration
    
  • "HRTF" option renamed to Spatial (HRTF) and moved to the more appropriate Channel Configuration menu
    
  • "Dynamic Range" renamed to Audio Mix
    
  • Renamed options in the Audio Mix menu to reflect the settings (explained in the [?] tooltip)
    
• Added warning dialog when switching to Surround 5.1 or Surround 7.1
  
• Occlusion update and audio mixes updated
  

[h3]🔇 Broken sounds? Make sure you got your audio settings right[/h3]
Due to the audio overhaul in V1033, a number of players are having issues with missing sounds or bad directional audio.

To avoid this issue, please make sure you're using the correct Channel Configuration for your hardware in Settings › Audio. For most players, this should be either Stereo 2.1 or (if you're using headphones) Spatial (HRTF).

If you have Surround 5.1- or Surround 7.1-compatible hardware and drivers, please ensure that these are enabled in your system/software if you intend to use either setting in-game.

[h2]Gameplay and UX[/h2]

• Changed "Reticle Brightness Up/Down" actions (default Home and End keys) to only affect reticle brightness when aiming down sights (ADS), and only affect the AN/PEQ-15's IR Illuminator mode (wide flood vs. focused beam) when that is toggled on
  
• Fixed votes that pass instantly (when they shouldn't) and voting widgets that don't disappear when the vote is done
  
• Hostage Rescue: fixed hostage players being able to use radio if they started using it before being assigned the hostage role
  
• Set it so Breaching Charges don't damage restrained hostages (possibly temporary fix for exploit where hostages are held against doors to block them)
  
• Increased vaulting/climbing height from 125 cm to 140 cm (helps with some areas that previously allowed it, like the subway platforms in City)
  
• Changed default Bolt Action setting to "Manual" (Settings › Controls)
  
• Fixed up doors and ladders:
  
  
  
  
  • Fixed issue where AI would abort door or ladder usage without removing themselves as a user
    
  • Tweaked door and ladder code to remove issues with lists not being up to date or called out of order etc.
    
  • Fixed possible crash related to occupier or user being killed between initial validation and sort
    
  • Optimization to stop AI attempting to move onto navmesh when they are already on the navmesh
    
  • AI will abort using doors on spotting players
    
  • Fixed possible crash if user or their pawn somehow became invalid during the function call
    
• Fixed UGBKitFunctionLibrary::KitDump() thinking rejected valid .json objects and accepting invalid ones — possibly a crash fix
  
• Updated Character class: added validity checks, optimized and fixed log spam about client-side authoritive item
  
• Resurrect command:
  
  
  
  
  • Added res to DefaultZooKeeper.ini as valid command and default command for admins
    
  • Added logging and client messages that handle one or all players in one place (greatly reduces log spam)
    
  • Changed usage of GetActorEyesViewPoint() to GetPlayerViewPoint(), to get proper viewpoint even for spectators
    
  • Fixed death location not being used when determining nearest player
    
  • Ignores newly spawned characters when considering them for res near (thus ignoring characters probably spawned by resurrect)
    
  • Uses bottom of capsule when using character as res location as it is closer to the navmesh (should help reduce chances of thinking navmesh above is close then one at same level)
    
  • Attempts 5 different distances in 6 different directions
    
  • Does a quick collision check against ECC_WorldDynamic and ECC_WorldStatic to make sure they don't spawn behind a wall or similar
    
• Fixed "First To X" and "Play Until Win X" match types behaving like "Play X" types
  

[h2]Maps[/h2]

[h3]747[/h3]

• Cleaned up some ladder and cover issues
  
• Added ability to get into open catering truck
  

[h3]City[/h3]

• Updated City and City (Streets) Terrorist Hunt missions to move AI out of a van
  
• Updated soundscape, obstruction and occlusion settings
  
• Fixed light portal issue
  
• Fixed skylight staying on when you spawn in subway tunnels
  
• Cleaned up some reflection capture issues
  
• Fixed a few meshes culling out too early
  

[h3]Compound[/h3]

• Set directional lights Transition Fraction to default (0.1) to remove sharp transition line
  
• Reduced intensity of opacity mask dithering on grass billboards
  
• Enabled dynamic shadows on a few crop meshes
  

[h3]Depot[/h3]

• Fixed spawn protection zone in Hostage Rescue mission overlapping into garage ground floor
  
• Updated warehouse door to avoid colliding with geometry
  
• Slightly tweaked AI navmesh and extended it over beach area
  
• Added stack up locations to several doors to help AI navigate them better
  
• Improved the look of backdrop building windows at night
  
• Remade a backdrop building that was using unique textures; uses existing ones now
  
• Added billboard LODs to gorse bushes
  

[h3]Docks[/h3]

• Added blocking volumes around water areas
  
• Added water physical material to ocean
  
• Fixed a few collision problems
  

[h3]Run Down[/h3]

• Updated navmesh slightly and regenerated cover due to changes
  

[h3]Small Town[/h3]

• Removed navblocks from Terrorist Hunt mission (was causing weird AI pathing)
  
• Reworked audio (WIP)
  

[h3]Storage Facility[/h3]

• Fixed bad spawns in DTAS mission
  
• Navmesh cleaned up and extended over to spawn area
  
• Blocked areas such as the cliffs, out-of-bounds sections and on top of blocking volumes
  
• Added billboard LODs to gorse bushes
  
• Fixed bad spawn(s) in train car (Deathmatch and Last Man Standing missions)
  

[h3]Tanker[/h3]

• New door textures
  
• Fixed gaps in hull
  
• Fixed collision issues
  
• Material tweaks, including tweaking roughness on exterior and interior materials to reduce how shiny they are
  
• Decreased contrast of DFAO as areas on deck became really dark at sunset
  
• Tweaked placement of seagulls
  

[h3]Ready Room[/h3]

• Removed reflection captures to fix bad character lighting in shadows
  

[h2]Inventory[/h2]

• Created Black and FDE MK17 CQC/DMR magazine items
  
• Fixed Rail Adapter being offset on the SVD
• Fixed fire selector switch not being properly skinned on the Wz.88
• Removed "invisible" iron sights from M24

[h2]UI[/h2]

• Fixed being able to click on another server by accident after filling in password
  
• Fixed sorting servers by password or favorite
  
• Updated visuals for After-Action Reports (AAR) and Match Info board UI elements
  
• Added logic to hide "[YOUR TEAM]" tag on the AAR for PvE modes
  
• Changed color of "Invite Friends" button icon from yellow to GB green
  
• Customize Operator screen: minor update to hover/pressed appearance of various item slots and entries, highlighted "Profile" (player name) slot further, and slightly tweaked "Patches" slot paddings
  
• Minor style pass on Settings › Audio menu
  
• Cleaned up and improved various tooltip texts
  
• Consistency style/formatting pass on a few UI elements: vote pop-up, Match Info board and travel failure dialog
  
• Changed Spectator Mode's minimap blips to use palette colors
  
• Updated Vote dialog: limited max height and added text clipping property to prevent massive text strings/spam breaking the design
  
• Quick visual pass on Match Info board widgets to hopefully look a little better
  
• Quick visual pass on Mission Clock widget
  
• UI/UX cleanup on Settings › Video to account for changes
  
• Changed advanced video setting "Shadow Precision" to "Shadow Quality" to better represent what it does
  

[h2]Settings[/h2]

• Enabled r.SeparateTranslucency again as it wasn't saving any performance
  
• Removed Shadow Distance Scale from settings as it was also controlled in main shadow settings
  
• Small tweaks to TAA settings to be more appropriate options
  
• Made sure Distance Field Ambient Occlusion (DFAO) is enabled for "Low" Shadow Quality
  
• Further tweaks to scalability settings so Shadow Quality on "Low" looks a little nicer
  
• Renamed advanced video setting "Light Shaft Quality" to "Light Shafts" to better reflect its on/off choice
  
• Added logic to ensures Screen Space Reflections (SSR) are only used with TAA or DLAA
  
• Ensured Screen Space Global Illumination (SSGI) advanced video settings only work when SSGI is enabled
  
• Updated DLSS menu to only show supported modes instead of prompting whenever a bad mode is selected
  
• Ensure Anti-Aliasing (AA) is disabled while DLSS is enabled
  
• Cleaned up console variables in DefaultEngine.ini that were also controlled in DefaultScalability.ini
  
• Cleaned up/removed all scalability-related settings from advanced video settings (superfluous and/or ambiguous)
  

[h2]VFX[/h2]

• Tweaked bird flock radius: reduce its size and increased the attraction radius to keep the birds properly flocking
  
• Tweaked NVG effect to make pixel noise more uniform and not distributed in separate bars
  
• Ensured bullet impact VFX enabled for standalone and listen server ("Host Game") hosts
  

[h2]🐞 Known issues[/h2]

• The Resurrect command appears to work only via console; we recommend typing admin res all in console to quickly resurrect everyone where they died (alternatively, res near works in all places)
  
• Issues with kit in Hostage Rescue mode are still being worked on, and very occasional spawning errors still occur
  
• Weapon restrictions don't always work for related reasons
  

Let us know how this patch works — we got at least one more coming before the whole team has moved on to work on V1034. As always, thanks for your feedback and support, and we'll see you on the next update!

[hr][/hr]

[h2]Stay connected[/h2]
Discord / Steam Community Hub / Reddit / Twitter / Instagram / Facebook