Onward News

Hello Onward Players!

Fire Fight is a hit! When Update 1.12 released, Fire Fight quickly became and continues to be a top played game mode. We are thrilled to see that you are enjoying this new addition. Some bugs did come with Update 1.12 due to some unpredictable behavior that happened due to the Unity update that was done. We are trying to get hotfixes out more quickly to get you back to playing and minimize the impact to your gameplay.

This month we have an update for additional fixes coming, some of the next features that are coming to Onward in the Devs’ Desk and an update on our custom maps in the Community Center.


We are continuing to work on some lingering bugs and should have Patch 1.12.2 coming out tomorrow (9/20). This will include several fixes for bugs in Fire Fight, multiple Uplink spawns, heartbeat audio staying on, and more. The full list of fixes will be published when the patch is released. Patch 1.12.2 will also include a speculative fix for Pimax and Windows Mixed Reality users not launching correctly. The reason this is a speculative fix is due to the limited amount of testing we can do on various devices and setups in our QA cycle. Additionally, this also means that with all the different variables that come with PC gaming, we need to spend more time looking into other PCVR bugs that came as a result of the Unity update.

Next, we wanted to shed some light on some of the features coming to the game.
For the next update (1.13) we are not going to leave you in the dark about our goals to improve some aspects of the gameplay. Our vision for this is to help encourage you to be better equipped for anytime a battle may take place. If you haven’t picked up on the subtle hints yet, we are going to be making updates to how you play at night!

[h2]Night Mode Improvements[/h2]
[h3]New and Updated Night Vision Goggles[/h3]
We will be adding updates to Night Vision Goggles for you to choose when making a loadout. There will now be two different versions of NVGs. The current NVGs will be automatically included for free in your loadout by default on night maps. There are also now Ground Panoramic NVGs that can be picked from the loadout options menu for 3 points, greatly increasing your field of vision. Both NVGs will include new customizable filters to choose from: Amber Phosphor, White Phosphor, Green Phosphor, and Digital (Multi-Color). The single color phosphates will be 0 cost for your loadout, unless you want to use the Digital filter. The Digital filter option will require you to spend 3 points to include in your loadout. These new color options and different goggle types should be a huge change to how you view night gameplay.


[h3]IR Strobes[/h3]
IR strobes are blinking infrared lights used in real world combat for friend or foe identification. They are being included on the character models on night maps. This will make identifying and locating your teammates easier in the dark environments, and makes night maps actually play different, not just look different. This should also help reduce team killing from not being able to clearly see the players uniform color. You will be able to see this addition located on your teammates helmet when night vision is enabled. Enemy strobes will not be visible for gameplay purposes and to reflect the manner in which these tools are used in real life, so this will not paint a bullseye on your head. Infrared strobes are a server option and can be disabled, but are on by default.

[h3]New Gear[/h3]
New IR attachments will also be coming to help improve your tactical options when building your night loadouts. IR attachments include items such as infrared lasers and infrared flashlights. In addition, normal laser sights are now colored red and green (by faction), and have high and low powered modes. Low powered laser sights show the dot, but not a beam. As far as throwables go, we’ve added chem lights (with liquid physics) you can snap and shake to activate and mark locations or signal your teammates.

[h2]Main Menu Scene Update[/h2]
We have seen your comments and delight over the new Main Menu scene, the improvement in graphics quality and the difference it makes on immersion. We are thrilled to announce that this scene will be available as a full playable map. The map is named “FOB Bassett” and will be released for Free Roam and Social game modes. These modes are quicker to implement and we don't want to rush out unbalanced versions of Uplink or other modes on this map. We are looking into extending it to other game modes, let us know in our Discord which mode you think would play well on this map!

[h2]Long-term projects being worked on[/h2]
Not everything we work on makes it into the next update. Some features take longer than others to develop and some rely on other updates to release first.

You have heard us say for a while that we're working on our AI for PvE modes, well it's just about time for us to deliver on that promise. Our engineering team is working hard on a large refactor of our AI system which includes... We can't wait to share more, so stay tuned as we get further along in this feature's development.


We have introduced a new community program for custom map makers. Around once a quarter DPI will be hosting a Custom Map Showcase. We will be posting a theme for the custom map makers to build a new map made for the showcase. There will be one map submitted per person, and one winner will be chosen for the showcase. The winner will receive a community prize pack and the coveted Purple Pen that they can use in game.

Our first showcase theme is “Spooky / Fall Season”. We have already received a couple submissions that look to be really enjoyable to play on. The first showcase will wrap up around mid October. Just in time to get you some great new maps to fit the season.

Any level of map maker is welcome to submit an entry. Submissions are reviewed for a variety of criteria, anyone has the chance to win. If you are interested in starting to make custom maps join the official Onward discord and head to the Custom Map channels.



The future's looking bright!

Hello everyone!

We have just released a hotfix to address some issues that came up since we released update 1.12 earlier this week. Most notably, we have added lateral translation to gunstock calibration, and fixed a number of issues related to Fire Fight, gunstock calibration, and map voting. The hotfix is available for download now.

Changelog

• Added lateral translation to gunstock calibration.
  
• Set up a customizable far clip plane for custom content authors.
  
• Fixed gunstock calibration not taking the movement of your front hand into account.
  
• Fixed gun "jumping" when you grabbed it when using gunstock calibration.
  
• Fixed scopes and drones occasionally getting stuck with a fisheye effect.
  
• Fixed an issue where players in Fire Fight could get revived but be stuck in the tent.
  
• Fixed player not getting an objective point when retrieving the intel in Fire Fight.
  
• Fixed watch not beeping 30 seconds before the round ends in Fire Fight.
  
• Fixed a spawn point where the intel could spawn outside of the map on Turbine in Fire Fight.
  
• Fixed weapon loadout menus getting stuck with the wrong weapon highlighted.
  
• Fixed map vote refreshing needlessly when players join or leave, or the host changes.
  

Known issues

• Freehanding your weapon with the physical gunstock option enabled may result in unstable gun rotation at extreme angles.
  

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Hello Onward Community,

As mentioned earlier this month, you didn’t have to wait long for this update to become available to you. We felt your excitement and couldn't wait to get you access to the new game mode, Fire Fire. The team pushed hard to get all the features wrapped up and also did some important additional bug fixing.

Let’s go over the new additions, major features, and quality of life improvements included in this update. For the detailed list of all changes, including bug fixes, make sure to read through the Change Log located at the end of the patch notes.



[h2]Unity Update[/h2]
We updated the version of our game engine, Unity. This update gives us more opportunities going forward to improve the quality of the game. An example of this is we are now able to use Vulkan, which improves performance considerably over the rendering API we were using. It also gives us access to a working version of the SRP batcher, which will help us with optimizing draw calls. The short version of all of that means that in this version performance will be better, and we have a lot of performance headroom that we will be using in the future to improve things like graphical fidelity.

[h2]New Main Menu Environment[/h2]
With the major focus of the development team being on the Unity update, we also wanted to find a way to showcase the graphics improvements that are now possible for the game. The new Main Menu environment should give you a fresh new level of immersion when you log into the game. The level of details and graphic quality is something Quest users have never seen before. This is our first environment that is exactly the same on both PC and Quest. Make sure to do a full 360 view of the area when you log in to get the full experience of the new location. We are not going to be providing photos here because we think it will be more impactful for you to see it in the headset.

[h2]New Gloves Models[/h2]
Everyone has at least once needed to remind themselves what faction they were on when on the battlefield. The easiest way to do that was to quickly look at your gloves. The gloves have always been a signature piece of identifying equipment that is important to the gameplay. It’s one of the reasons we chose them as an additional piece to demonstrate the quality upgrade we are striving to roll out. It might take some getting used to, since some people have been relying on those glove visuals for over 7 years. However, we think they will be a welcomed visual upgrade during gameplay.


[h2]New Game Mode - Fire Fight [/h2]
[h3]Teams[/h3]
This new game mode introduces a completely different dynamic playstyle for PVP. Your team is split into two fire teams (player distribution can vary 4 & 2, 5 & 1, 3 & 3). Each fire team will be deployed to different parts of the map. One player on each fire team will be assigned as the Corpsman. The Corpsman is the only team member who can help bring back critically injured players back to the battlefield using the new equipment item, defibrillators.

[h3]Corpsman[/h3]
Note from the Devs: We understand in real military ranks, Corpsmen don’t carry defibrillators, defibrillators cannot actually bring dead people back to life. This was a design choice we know may feel like a gamified option, same as the syringes. We did this in order to provide a better quality experience when playing. While testing this mode we tried a few different, more realistic healing mechanics and found that with the scale and pacing of Onward, slow healing mechanics were just not fun. It’s the same reason we have a syringe to stop bleeding and pick up downed players. It’s fast and fun.

[h3]Objectives[/h3]
There are two objectives that must be completed to claim victory. This mode requires strong teamwork and communication as the strategy can change at any given moment. The first is to locate and secure the hard drive. The second is to escape with the hard drive.

The tablet has been updated 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. You hear the beep, indicating the scans complete, showing an icon of where the hard drive is located. Once the hard drive is located you can track it in real time.

[h3]Tablet[/h3]
Note from the Devs: We have made some adjustments to the tablet specifically for this game mode, including additional functionality and some icon changes. Because this game mode requires you to change your tactics at any given moment, it was important to us that we equip you with tools to help your team be able to make informative decisions.

With the added ability for Corpsman to bring players back from the tent, we needed to find a way for players to identify if their teammate is down or back in the tent.
Downed players have a new icon that is a player laying down and reaching up.
Players that have returned to the tent are not shown on the map but they now have a red skull.
This is for Fire Fight only. The new downed icon is used in all game modes to make room for the medic icon. So we're changing some symbols that have been used for almost 6 years.

After about 5 minutes a helicopter will come to pick up the player with the hard drive. Only the player with the drive needs to board the helicopter to win.

If you are downed or bleeding, syringes will work just like in other game modes. If you end up back in the tent, the corpsman can still bring you back. In the tent you can spectate and see which Corpsman is closest to where you went down and use the tent radio to let your team know what happened and where you are.

[h3]Gameplay[/h3]
Note from the Devs: We’ve had a ton of fun playing this mode. Whether we’re playing with a full 12 player lobby or with just 2 players on each team the number of options in terms of strategies really opens up the game. Using smoke grenades to cover teammates as the Corpsman moves into revive people. Faking out players by running off with the hard drive while our team goes the other way, and just fighting in parts of the maps where we ourselves have never had a fire fight before just added to the fun. One particular developer liked to stake out where the evacuation site was to pick off anyone trying to escape. No one game ever felt the same. We’re really looking forward to getting this mode out to you and seeing what strategies you can come up with and hearing your feedback on the mode!

[h3]Access[/h3]
You can create a server for Fire Fight from the multiplayer menu or search for Fire Fight lobbies using the Fire Fight game mode filter option in the lobby browser.

[h2]Redesigned Gunstock Calibration[/h2]
The Gunstock Calibration feature has been completely redesigned. The Gunstock Calibration process is now made in the same environments as the battles. This change alone drastically improves the accuracy of the settings when used during gameplay. We also made additional updates to the feature. You can now calibrate your weapon positionally up and down, in and out, and rotate around your gripping hand. This will help ensure your weapon is aligned exactly where you need it.

We also added the option to set a Universal Calibration. If a calibration has been set for a particular weapon, the “Set As Universal” button will be selectable. After, if clicked the Universal Calibration will be utilized for all un-calibrated weapons.

Once a calibration is saved, when the user equips that weapon with both hands, the weapon should automatically move to that calibrated position & rotation.

Video Instructions for how to use the redesigned Gunstock Calibration can be found HERE
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h2]Loadout Expansion & Cloud Saving (Quest & SteamVR*)[/h2]
Loadouts have been updated to now allow up to 24 different loadouts to be saved per role, per faction. You will also be able to edit the name of the loadouts. Simply click on the pencil in the upper left corner of the loadout and use the keyboard to make a custom name. With all those loadouts made, it was important to also be able to save them.

Your Loadouts, Gunstock Calibrations, and game settings will now automatically save and reapply in the case of something like an application uninstall/reinstall. The data is saved to your account via Cloud Saving. This means if you share your headset and game library, each account will have their own Loudouts and settings automatically applied when the accounts are switched. Whenever settings are changed and saved during gameplay, the Cloud Save will be updated. Please note, Quest App and SteamVR are different platforms and different accounts. Any Loadouts and Settings made on Quest are not transferable to a SteamVR account.

*This option is not available on Oculus PCVR software due to Cloud Saving not being offered on the platform.


[h2]Global Killhouse & Range Leaderboards[/h2]
You can now see how your scores stack up against other players, not just in the lobby, but throughout the whole game. The current week's Global Scores for Killhouse runs and Marksman targets will now be displayed on both scoreboards throughout Shooting Range lobbies. Scores will reset every Wednesday at 12AM PT.


[h2]Connecting to Friends[/h2]
Some changes to the Quest OS system when Update 1.11 launched caused some of the features people used to connect to their friends to no longer function correctly. In order to get these features working correctly again we needed to rework some of the code and have it go through the full development process.

While we were reviewing some of the Quest OS changes and working on getting these functions working again, we made some changes to how some of the direct OS inviting works.
One of the major changes that happened on the OS side was people on your friendslist are now able to directly join your game sessions without requiring a direct invite. We reviewed the implications this might have for players who use private lobbies and overall game functions.

We made the decision, in an effort to protect the intention of private lobbies, to disable the ability for people to be able to join private lobbies via the join on friends option from the OS friendslist. In order to do this, we had to additionally disable the ability to send direct invites to OS friends while in a private lobby. The best way to connect to your friends when in a private lobby is to send them the lobby code and password.

For Public Lobbies, direct invites and the newly added join on friends from the OS friendslist feature is available.

The “Show Friends Only” filter should work the same as before for friends who are on the same platform.

[h2]Player Reporting Updates[/h2]
Now that the full implementation of the updated reporting system has been rolled out and we have had some time to review the reports and feedback. Upon review, we have made some adjustments to the system. The system was already designed to protect players from spam reporters and others making reports with malicious intent, however, we have heard your concerns and have additionally added a max number of reports that can be made per 24 hour period by a person. This setting will work in conjunction with the already included settings to keep false reports, spamming, and retaliation reports to a minimum.

As with the other details about the design of this feature, we will not disclose what the max is set to, in order to protect players from others that would try to manipulate the system. Users will not be notified that they have reached their max, they will simply stop counting against other players. We suggest people use their allotted number of reports per day to report players that are breaking the community guidelines. Players found continuing to try and abuse or manipulate the system against other players will have actions taken against them, such as temp bans or as far as permanent banning from the game.

This is not the only adjustments we are looking into for the system, simply what we were able to implement during the ongoing development of this update. We are continuing to look into other additional methods and options to continue to advance this system.

If you are concerned about a report not counting or simply want to make sure evidence is provided for a player's behavior, you are encouraged to continue to use the method of emailing the evidence that shows the player’s in-game name and the behavior that breaks the community guidelines. Our customer Service team will be happy to help you and process the reports.
This image shows the effect of the reporting system on the player base over time as it rolled out.


[h2]System[/h2]

• Performed an engine update
  
• Added the ability to save loadouts to the cloud, rename them and delete them, and increased the amount of unique loadouts a player can make
  
• Loadout save slots expanded to 24 slots per role, per faction
  
• Restricted a player's ability to join friends in private games to prevent people from joining private lobbies they were not invited to
  
• Updates made to Reporting System to set max number of reports per day per player
  
• Added a small delay to the radio cut-off to prevent a sudden cut in the middle of someone's sente…
  
• Improved the height scaling of player characters to prevent player characters from Appearing to stand on their Tip Toes
  
• Fixed footstep volume not changing based on the player's speed
  
• Fixed an issue with the dominant hand setting not being followed when using the spectator goggles
  
• Fixed dominant eye setting not affecting which eye is selected for taking photos and videos, and for casting on PCVR
  
• Fixed some server settings reverting to default when they had been changed and the host sets the lobby as private, then back to public
  

[h2]UI/UX [/h2]

• Global Scores added to Killhouse and Shooting Target scoreboards
  
• Redesigned the way Gunstock calibration is done
  
• Added new loading screen art for Shooting Range and Tanker
  
• Added support for higher quality visuals for the watch on PCVR
  
• Added the setting to have the game now automatically recenter a player upon entering the main menu and tent. It is ON by Default and can be disabled.
  
• Fixed the description of the Locomotion setting being inconsistent between the main menu and tent settings menus
  
• Fixed map votes appearing too quickly in private lobbies
  
• Fixed an edge case where the class selection buttons lost functionality if the player was spam-clicking the UI
  
• Fixed servers hosted by friends not showing up in the server browser when the Friends Only filter was enabled
  
• Fixed the red visual indicator on the controllers when going through the tutorial using Rift S controllers only appearing on the left eye
  
• Fixed an inconsistency in the description of the "thumbstick only" control mode for weapons
  
• Fixed inconsistencies in the description of several weapons' caliber type and updated weapon information displayed in the tent
  
• Fixed an issue where the UI would become offset in the tent when a player would resize the desktop game window on PCVR
  
• Fixed the red skull icon on players you down but not kill as a round ends
  
• Fixed the red skull icon on players that are killed as the last player in Uplink not appearing consistently
  
• Fixed an inconsistency in the description of the Free Roam game mode
  
• Fixed an inconsistency in the description of the Assault game mode
  
• Fixed tooltips not appearing correctly for the Gun Stock, Radio Position and Holster Side settings
  

[h2]Gameplay[/h2]

• New player downed icon in all game modes
  
• Added an option to vote to stay on the current map during a map vote
  
• Added the ability to click the spectate goggle to use them
  
• Fixed players not being able to initiate a map vote after canceling the countdown in the tent
  
• Fixed players spawning out of bounds the first time they put on spectator goggles in the tent
  
• Fixed the audio beep and haptic feedback not playing when a player refreshed their loadout on Shooting Range and Free Roam
  

[h3]Co-Op[/h3]

• Added a display that shows the number of bots remaining in Hunt for players in the tent
  
• Fixed bots not responding when being shot with a silenced weapon from long ranges
  
• Fixed the 30-second audio signal in Evac
  

[h2]Core Modes[/h2]

• New Game Mode Fire Fight added
  
• Added new tablet icon for Corpsman when in Fire Fight game mode
  
• Fixed the description of Escort which stated that respawns are enabled in this game mode
  
• Fixed team boundaries not being enforced in Assault after completing the first round
  
• Removed the word "suicided" from competitive Uplink lobbies
  
• Fixed users observing a black screen when attempting to spawn in as the match timer ends in Assault
  
• Fixed an issue in Escort where the match would not start if the host was both the VIP and had previously spawned in during another game mode
  
• Fixed players being able to change the game mode after a round of Assault in a private lobby
  
• Added & Updated various Assault Mode Objectives to Select Maps
  

[h2]Maps[/h2]

• Fixed player's camera being rotated 45 degrees when putting on the spectator goggles on several maps
  
• Fixed scenery appearing too bright on night maps
  
• Fixed players being able to pass through various assets and reach out-of-bounds areas by recentering their playspace
  
• Fixed the flashlight effect bleeding through solid objects on several maps
  
• Fixed shell casings being inconsistent about interacting with certain types of colliders between Quest and PC
  

[h3]Bazaar [/h3]

• Fixed an issue on Bazaar where users were able to access unintended areas
  

[h3]Cargo[/h3]

• Fixed various assets appearing completely black in the tent
  

[h3]Downfall[/h3]

• Fixed players being able to exploit bugged colliders on Downfall allowing them to reach an unintended rooftop position
  
• Fixed an exploitable collider on Downfall
  

[h3]Egress[/h3]

• Fixed flickering on the watch compass coordinates when the watch is on the right hand on Egress
  

[h3]Quarantine[/h3]

• Fixed irregular shading on the Veresk and MP7A2 on Quarantine
  

[h3]Tanker[/h3]

• Fixed players being able to pass through glass windows on Tanker
  
• Fixed various assets appearing completely black in the tent
  

[h3]Turbine[/h3]

• Fixed players colliding with water objects in Turbine, causing areas to become inaccessible
  

[h2]Workshop & Custom Maps[/h2]

• Fixed loading screen art flickering when loading into custom maps
  
• Fixed an issue where players received a generic error when loading into a server running an older version of a custom map than the player had installed
  

[h2]Weapons and Utilities[/h2]

• Fixed players becoming invisible when revived by a syringe in specific circumstances
  
• Improved the drone's compass visuals
  
• Fixed player icons being reduced in size on the tablet when a player was downed and revived
  
• Fixed the fire selector on the 552 Commando not indicating the proper fire mode
  
• Fixed several issues with the timed explosion of the RPG-7 munitions
  
• Fixed an issue where if a player's height setting was incorrect, weapons would appear offset to other players compared to the height they were being held at
  
• Fixed the iron sights not being highlighted when a player unequips a previously selected optic
  
• Fixed the description of the M249 stating that belt-fed weapons have to be loaded manually at the start of a round
  
• Fixed the air drone propellers spinning after the drone had been destroyed
  
• Fixed the air drone audio sound effect lingering in the launch area
  
• Fixed the M203 grenade launcher not being subject to the same limitations as other grenades in spawn jail
  

[h2]Known Issues:[/h2]

• Rarely, some users are unable to pick a team after transitioning to a new custom map
  
• Rarely, private servers with an unknown server region appear and behave like public servers to non-host users
  
• Quest users can experience numerous issues when placing their headset to sleep before a map transition and waking it during or after the first round in the new map
  
• On Snowpeak (Night) Collision blocks movement when users attempt to ascend the stairs of watchtowers on PCVR
  

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.


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.)



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.



[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.



[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.

Introduction
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.

Gameplay
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.



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.


[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.

Discord Website YouTube

Greetings Onward Players!

We have received a lot of positive feedback about the slower paced movement speed when playing. We know that it will take a lot of getting used to and we are confident that this will bring some improved tactical strategies to your gameplay. We also understand that it has not been well received by everyone, especially for game modes like Assault, and we are reviewing this feedback.

Hotfix 1.11.1 helped resolve a large portion of the issues people were reporting when 1.11 released. However, we know it didn’t fix all of them. One of the features that unfortunately was not able to be fixed was the gunstock calibration. We understand a lot of you use this feature and we are on track to have this fixed in the next update. We will be providing updated details about that feature in the Dev’s Desk.

Also included in the Devs’ Desk are replies to some of the top feedback we received about Update 1.11 and details about our major focus(s) for the next update. The next update, 1.12 is already in the works and we know you are excited to hear about it, especially since you have been anticipating what might be coming after the Quest 1 drop. We won’t be able to talk about everything this month, but we hope what we do provide will give you an idea of what is in the works.

Important Reminder: We will no longer support Quest 1 devices as of July 31st, 2023.
For more details about this please see our FAQ page.

[h2]From the Devs’ Desks:[/h2]
What we have planned for Update 1.12 is going to be for the long haul of the game. It will not be a full graphics overhaul for the game that some people might have been hoping for with the support drop of Quest 1. What it will be is the starting point to make a major needed and required update that will lead us towards the direction of being able to update graphics and features.

What exactly does that mean? For Update 1.12 a major undertaking for us will be updating Unity by several major versions. But before we get to that we wanted to give you an update about some feedback and reports that have been sent to us about Update 1.11.

[h3]Maps[/h3]
Thank you to everyone who took the time and sent us videos of different locations where maps are not behaving as they should. There are different reasons this can be happening in the environments, one of which includes the feature we included to fix exploits in the last update. We are looking into each of these reports and addressing them. Please feel free to continue to report any locations you find with images or video in our Discord. We are additionally making sure to closely review our maps and fix as many of these types of issues as soon as possible.

[h3]Connecting to Friends[/h3]
Connecting to friends easily is a very important feature. After the launch of Update 1.11 we started receiving reports of the “Find Friends Only” lobby filter as well as the direct invites not working. We quickly looked into this and a fix has been set for Update 1.12. In the meantime, please continue to use the Server ID system to get your friends easily connected to your lobbies.

[h3]Gunstock Calibration [/h3]
There is a lingering question about the Gunstock Calibration feature and when it will be fixed since it wasn’t included in Hotfix 1.11.1. We are going to be completely re-doing the Gunstock Calibration feature. We know that it may come as a shock to the people who use it, so let us provide you with some background information.

One of the reasons it didn’t correctly work at launch with update 1.11 was due to its connection with the character rig (or rather, lack thereof). It used a different type of character rig in the tent to hold the gun and after Update 1.11 it didn’t quite match the character model you played in-game, where you are going to use the gunstock.

Currently we are redesigning the feature to move the gunstock calibration process from the tent into the game. In the tent the setting will tell you to spawn and use your tablet. Your tablet will have a button to enter gunstock calibration mode, at which point you can no longer move and your controller sticks will move the gun. This enables you to be able to calibrate in the same character model that you play in-game. This will make the gunstock calibration work as expected in every circumstance with none of the oddities you may have experienced before.

This update also gives us the opportunity to include Y axis calibrations. That’s right, the highly desired functionally is to have the ability to calibrate horizontally and vertically.

[h3]Unity Update[/h3]
Onward currently runs on an older version of Unity game engine. Our team has been working hard on upgrading to a newer major version of Unity. When you think about software versions, this is a pretty big jump that will give us a lot more than we can go over here, but let’s quickly go over what it is going to do for our ability to improve things like the graphical quality of the game.

One of the things updating Unity gives us is the ability to turn on Vulkan, a more efficient alternative to the renderer we’re using now. The other important thing it gives us is access to a tool that “arranges” things more efficiently for the GPU to render. To put this simply, these two improvements will increase our rendering power significantly, giving us the headroom to make the game look better while maintaining performance. This Unity update gives us a lot more than these two things, and we’re excited for you to see what this allows us to do to make the game better over the next few updates.

Now, given this work and us dropping Quest 1 support, we know you guys want to see some graphical improvements. You will see a few small graphical improvements in 1.12, but you’ll see the more drastic improvements over the next few updates into next year. These things take time, and we are working on them as quickly as we can.

Let’s talk about the graphic improvements you will see in 1.12:

• NEW Main Menu environment (This gives you a taste of where we’re going with our environments)
  
• NEW higher quality glove models, a different pair for each faction
  
• Something really cool for our new 12 player game mode

Did we just say new game mode?
We sure did!

[h3]New Game Mode[/h3]
Update 1.12 will be introducing a whole new game mode we’re calling “Fire Fight”. Keep an eye out for more information about it coming soon.

We are still in the early-ish phases of defining a lot of Update 1.12 features and updates going into it. We will make sure to provide you more next month.

[h2]Community Center:[/h2]
When playing Onward we want you to have the opportunity to connect with other players and have a great gameplay experience. We are continuing to work on our commitment to you about addressing player toxicity. We have been closely reviewing and monitoring the effects of the in-game reporting system and it has led to us making additional improvements related to the feature.

[h3]Player Reporting & Banning Update[/h3]
We are introducing warnings and temporary bans to players earlier on in the reporting process to help those players understand their behavior is not desired and they are at risk of being permanently banned. If players continue to receive reports after warning or temp bans it will lead to a permanent ban from multiplayer.

In the next couple weeks, we will be rolling out this expansion to a percentage of players over time. Based on some players' current reports, as this rolls out, players may start to see warnings, temp bans, or permanent bans applied to their account when they next log in. Warnings and Ban timers will start when the player next logs in.

Please make sure to refresh your familiarity with the community guidelines here.

[h3]VR Charity group Summer Tournament Update[/h3]
Congratulations to the champions, team CTRL ALT DEFEAT in the VR Charity group Summer Tournament! While competing, The VR Charity group raised over $2,600 for the Make a Wish Foundation, making us the largest fundraiser for their Summer of Wishes program this summer! Thank you to all the participants and supporters for helping make these events happen.

To find out more info about taking part in the VR Charity effort, connect with them in their Discord.


High-Speed Ahead