Associate
I hate the new UI and the fact you don't resupply when you spawn in anymore.
***Official Squad Thread***
- Thread starter Xcept1
- Start date
Vehicles, ammo crates, ammo packs can all be used to re-arm with a little thinking and planning.
Associate
Although, unless i am wrong the ammo packs do not supply grenadiers M203?
The amount of times i spawn at a fob without a ammo box to resupply, i end chasing the nearest vehicle!
Still loving it though...
Associate
After getting another good few hours in since the last update I can confirm that I now really enjoy the ammo changes. It's a bit of a pain when you're pushing an area without a FOB closeby but you do manage.
Recap
November 2018 - Next Phase
Hey soldiers!
We know this doesn't look like your usual Recap, but while we are finishing up the last parts of a hotfix update for Alpha 12, we thought we'd lay out what we have planned for the next stage of Squad development, similar to what we did earlier this year.
Alpha 12.1 Patch
So, first up is the performance, bug fixing and balance patch that we are working on right now, which should be with you all shortly. We have looked at all the community feedback and improved what isn't quite working as intended, fixing as many bugs as we could in three weeks (obviously) as well as starting on the optimisation work that we'll talk about in a minute.
Unreal Engine 4.21 Upgrade
After that, the team is planning to upgrade Squad to Unreal version 4.21. We have been on version 4.16 since August 2017 and a year of NOT upgrading has been very useful, allowing our programmers a lot more time to concentrate on features. However, the recent success of Fortnite (a large multiplayer 100 player game) has brought so many cool and useful features into UE4 that it is worth the time to upgrade now.
Just as a very brief overview, some of the 4.21 for engine features that are relevant to Squad: there have been big improvements to the landscape system, making it cheaper and faster, networking has been overhauled, a lot of bugs have been fixed, a proxy system for statics, better profiling tools, and a whole bunch more. Check out the Unreal site for more information.
Our current status is that we have a buggy version of the upgrade working in Editor now. The next steps for us are to fix these bugs, test, and release. There might be some extra content, bug fixes, and features included, but it will be mainly about getting the engine upgrade in place, so we can start using the tools.
This will be the next major Squad patch released after Alpha 12.1.
The rest of the following is what we are working on right now and going into next year with the aim of getting the game fully featured to leave Early Access.
Optimisation
After Alpha 12, we are switching more developers to working full-time on optimisation all the way to release from Early Access. Not all systems developed for Squad over the years turned out to deliver the expected performance; engineering mistakes have been made and need to be corrected. The same applies to UE4, as bug fixes and performance improvements done on the engine level need to be carried forward into Squad's codebase. We have expanded the team to approach these issues more thoroughly than ever.
The first step is finding and understanding performance issues. This includes writing analysis tools to detect the cause of performance issues.
The second step is addressing these problems, which always requires a custom tailored solution. Sometimes, even at this point, tools need to be written to transition existing game data into new systems. We have already made a start and hope to have some of the first results in the hotfix, but will be aiming to include optimisation improvements in every patch from now until the end of Early Access.
We hope to share some articles on the issues we are finding and fixing, but we intend to focus on the fixing first, then the talking later!
Optimisation is a big task with a lot of crossover into features and bug fixing. Just to be clear, specific aims we are targeting are:
- 100 player servers with good performance
- An indepth improvement of the ragdoll system
- Better frame rates for players both with low-end and high-end systems
Helicopters
Yep, it is time. Not much to say beyond the obvious here: they're coming to Squad!
Currently, programmers are working on the flight model and we have a temporary flyable vehicle in-game. All of the art and interaction-based features can be worked on in parallel.
The current flight model is far from final, but looks awesome! Expect more updates in Monthly Recaps as development continues.
Commander
We want to introduce a basic commander system before we leave Early Access, as it really completes the concept of a true coordinated teamwork-focused military game. With a player on each side driving team-wide strategy and aiding squad leaders with the tools at their disposal, the Commander will be an essential factor in victories.
We won't be aiming to include every awesome idea we have for the commander role, but it will lay the groundwork for expanding on after we leave Early Access. Features we are aiming to roll out on introduction are:
- Making use of the new Command UI to facilitate giving orders and keeping track of your team.
- Airstrikes, artillery barrages, offensive fire support capabilities.
- Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), non-pilotable high altitude observation for the Commander.
Damageable Turrets and Vehicle Wheels/Tracks
While the first iteration of components was introduced in Alpha 12 in a limited capacity, damageable turrets, tracks, and wheels will complete the vehicle fidelity we wanted, offering more ways to disable parts of vehicles without outright destroying them. Turrets are in and working with wheels and tracks in progress.
Steam Join on Friends/Party system
We are trying to find ways to make it easier for groups of friends to easily join the game in a single squad, on the same team. This is quite a complicated task as it involves working with not only with Steam, UE4 and Squad code, but getting them all to play nicely together.
This is something we have wanted to do for a while but always had higher priorities. However, for a social game based around friends and teamwork, being able to play easily with your friends is long overdue. No promises on this one as it is not the easiest feature to implement, but we have very talented people working on it.
Sign-off
There are some big milestones for Squad in the near future, but we've put together a team more than capable of taking it on. In fact, we're already getting excited for what comes after release... There is actually quite a lot of extra content being worked on that we haven't talked about and we'll update the progress of these (Including Fallujah! It's not ready for the spotlight just yet.) In the meantime, have a sneaky vehicle teaser below!
Associate
If we're getting aircraft are we going to see the introduction of FIM-92 Stingers or similar? The game is growing from strength to strength
All sounds fantastic, I have a few friends who tried this game over a year ago and have not been back for a long time. I don't play so much but check every update and really like what i am seeing now. I think this could see a lot of players coming back based on the plan outlined above. Especially the party system.
It's been a while...
JANUARY 2019 RECAP
Hey soldiers!
We’re back with a recap in a brand new year! Hopefully, you’re off burning those holiday feasts at the gym, but if your New Year’s resolution is running out of construction points, maybe we can distract you with some Squad news! Let’s hit the recap:
4.21 ENGINE UPDATE
Engine upgrades bring long-awaited improvements to the development of Squad. We’ve jumped a number of versions this time around, from 4.16 to 4.21 to be exact. A detailed list of the changes and updates in UE4.21 can be found here. Engine upgrades are always a tricky task, but the rewards far outweigh the cons and the team is making swift progress. Once we are upgraded, the entire development team can benefit from the new tools and bug fixes, which leads to improved quality of Squad overall.
In fact, the Alpha 13 test last week was the first version we played in the new 4.21 Unreal Engine version, a test designed to identify all the bugs associated with the migration. Keep an eye out for more testing!
AMMUNITION REARM IMPROVEMENT
Having seen the light of day in the Alpha 13 test last week, we can confirm this is a welcome improvement to the Ammunition resupply mechanic. The update will give you the ability to pick which item in your inventory you wish to rearm.
In the Alpha 12 implementation, if your ammunition requirements exceed that of the supply source, you’re unable to rearm, in addition to using ammo points greater than necessary. This should help free up “extra” ammo points for other players in need. You’ll have the ability to rearm exactly what you need when you need it. How well you use it is still up to you, of course.
TRACK AND WHEEL DAMAGE
As described in an earlier development update, we’re also putting into testing the last major upgrade to the vehicle component damage model: destroying the wheels and tracks. This allows the attacking side to better score a mobility kill by giving another potential target as the tracks and wheels are usually more exposed and less armored than the engine.
Ambush weapons like mines now have an additional, slightly different purpose by targeting the tracks/wheels, scoring mobility kills, allowing for some degree of counterplay on the part of the victims. We’ll be keeping an eye on how effectively the new components are used, so keep your feedback coming!
NEW ARMOR
We have in the works a ton (pun unintended (Editor: I don’t believe that for a minute.)) of new ground vehicles, including the higher tier Russian APC in the form of the BMP series of infantry fighting vehicles, the British Challenger 2 main battle tank and the Soviet-era T-62 main battle tank for Militia and Insurgent forces. The Challenger 2 and BMPs are still very heavy work in progress at the moment, but they’re definitely coming together!
An extensive redesign of the Challenger 1 main battle tank, the Challenger 2 should provide a considerable upgrade to firepower and protection for the British forces in Squad. Though it looks similar to its predecessor, less than 5% of the parts are interchangeable, and it is 100% meaner.
A Soviet workhorse that rolled onto the field in 1961, the T-62 became the standard tank in their arsenal. It’s staying power has left it a capable vehicle with thousands in use around the world today.
We will be introducing a number of vehicles from the venerable BMP series, in order to give Russia and the unconventional factions a boost in firepower. We will initially be rolling the BMP-1 as well as the BMP-2 across a number of factions and layers.
Later on the plan is to upgrade the Russian faction to use the BMP-2M variant instead of the dated original version that will continue to be used by the irregular forces. The BMPs should offer a little better protection than the BTR based vehicles. The BMP-1 has a rather interesting main armament in its 73mm recoilless gun. This is essentially an SPG-9 as its main armament.
In contrast, the BMP-2’s main armament is the 30mm 2A42 which has an even more ridiculous fire rate than the 2A72 found on the BTR-82A. If that wasn’t enough, both of them will have the option of equipping ATGMs if it is appropriate for the layer and faction.
US FORCES UAV
We’re also working on the aerial UAV feature that is accessible by the Commander. With the ability to zoom right into the action from above, this should give an unparalleled level of observation and scouting power to the top. We’re also working on functions like target tracking and marker interactions via the UAV camera, further streamlining the experience.
FALLUJAH
We’re aiming to make Fallujah the densest map we’ve created yet. The most difficult part in making such complex environment is balancing many different gameplay paths, areas, and scenarios.
To achieve that we’ve implemented a new system using gameplay markers, allowing us to focus on bigger picture and leave the detailing to a later stage of production. This way we can effectively iterate in designing each flag; speeding up and streamlining the creation process. Stay tuned for more as we move into testing. We’re going to need the grizzled veterans and newbies alike to test out a renewed favorite.
SKORPO
Progress is also being made on Skorpo, an upcoming new map based on a tranquil village on the western coast of Norway. Since the playtest last year in mid-December, work has been done to incorporate those findings into a more streamlined gameplay flow.
Changes incorporated after the playtest include adding more alternative routes, making roads more traversable, and reworking the flag layout, among other gameplay considerations. A big challenge with this map has also been optimizations and, luckily, the 4.21 upgrade brings new tools for larger environments. It should help to bring a smoother experience for the players.
SQUADCHAT FEATURING DRAV
And last, but not least, we had the opportunity to sit down with Squad’s lead producer, Dave “Drav” Mason. Drav shared his insights into Squad development, took your questions, and chatted with us for about two hours. A huge thank you to everyone who attended! (P.S. We’re aware of the audio issue — skip ahead to six minutes. We promise you didn’t miss any leeks.)
SIGN OFF
Hot damn did the team come up with some cool stuff for this Recap! Until next time, keep your friends close, and your air support closer.
JANUARY 2019 RECAP
Hey soldiers!
We’re back with a recap in a brand new year! Hopefully, you’re off burning those holiday feasts at the gym, but if your New Year’s resolution is running out of construction points, maybe we can distract you with some Squad news! Let’s hit the recap:
4.21 ENGINE UPDATE
Engine upgrades bring long-awaited improvements to the development of Squad. We’ve jumped a number of versions this time around, from 4.16 to 4.21 to be exact. A detailed list of the changes and updates in UE4.21 can be found here. Engine upgrades are always a tricky task, but the rewards far outweigh the cons and the team is making swift progress. Once we are upgraded, the entire development team can benefit from the new tools and bug fixes, which leads to improved quality of Squad overall.
In fact, the Alpha 13 test last week was the first version we played in the new 4.21 Unreal Engine version, a test designed to identify all the bugs associated with the migration. Keep an eye out for more testing!
AMMUNITION REARM IMPROVEMENT
Having seen the light of day in the Alpha 13 test last week, we can confirm this is a welcome improvement to the Ammunition resupply mechanic. The update will give you the ability to pick which item in your inventory you wish to rearm.
In the Alpha 12 implementation, if your ammunition requirements exceed that of the supply source, you’re unable to rearm, in addition to using ammo points greater than necessary. This should help free up “extra” ammo points for other players in need. You’ll have the ability to rearm exactly what you need when you need it. How well you use it is still up to you, of course.
TRACK AND WHEEL DAMAGE
As described in an earlier development update, we’re also putting into testing the last major upgrade to the vehicle component damage model: destroying the wheels and tracks. This allows the attacking side to better score a mobility kill by giving another potential target as the tracks and wheels are usually more exposed and less armored than the engine.
Ambush weapons like mines now have an additional, slightly different purpose by targeting the tracks/wheels, scoring mobility kills, allowing for some degree of counterplay on the part of the victims. We’ll be keeping an eye on how effectively the new components are used, so keep your feedback coming!
NEW ARMOR
We have in the works a ton (pun unintended (Editor: I don’t believe that for a minute.)) of new ground vehicles, including the higher tier Russian APC in the form of the BMP series of infantry fighting vehicles, the British Challenger 2 main battle tank and the Soviet-era T-62 main battle tank for Militia and Insurgent forces. The Challenger 2 and BMPs are still very heavy work in progress at the moment, but they’re definitely coming together!
An extensive redesign of the Challenger 1 main battle tank, the Challenger 2 should provide a considerable upgrade to firepower and protection for the British forces in Squad. Though it looks similar to its predecessor, less than 5% of the parts are interchangeable, and it is 100% meaner.
A Soviet workhorse that rolled onto the field in 1961, the T-62 became the standard tank in their arsenal. It’s staying power has left it a capable vehicle with thousands in use around the world today.
We will be introducing a number of vehicles from the venerable BMP series, in order to give Russia and the unconventional factions a boost in firepower. We will initially be rolling the BMP-1 as well as the BMP-2 across a number of factions and layers.
Later on the plan is to upgrade the Russian faction to use the BMP-2M variant instead of the dated original version that will continue to be used by the irregular forces. The BMPs should offer a little better protection than the BTR based vehicles. The BMP-1 has a rather interesting main armament in its 73mm recoilless gun. This is essentially an SPG-9 as its main armament.
In contrast, the BMP-2’s main armament is the 30mm 2A42 which has an even more ridiculous fire rate than the 2A72 found on the BTR-82A. If that wasn’t enough, both of them will have the option of equipping ATGMs if it is appropriate for the layer and faction.
US FORCES UAV
We’re also working on the aerial UAV feature that is accessible by the Commander. With the ability to zoom right into the action from above, this should give an unparalleled level of observation and scouting power to the top. We’re also working on functions like target tracking and marker interactions via the UAV camera, further streamlining the experience.
FALLUJAH
We’re aiming to make Fallujah the densest map we’ve created yet. The most difficult part in making such complex environment is balancing many different gameplay paths, areas, and scenarios.
To achieve that we’ve implemented a new system using gameplay markers, allowing us to focus on bigger picture and leave the detailing to a later stage of production. This way we can effectively iterate in designing each flag; speeding up and streamlining the creation process. Stay tuned for more as we move into testing. We’re going to need the grizzled veterans and newbies alike to test out a renewed favorite.
SKORPO
Progress is also being made on Skorpo, an upcoming new map based on a tranquil village on the western coast of Norway. Since the playtest last year in mid-December, work has been done to incorporate those findings into a more streamlined gameplay flow.
Changes incorporated after the playtest include adding more alternative routes, making roads more traversable, and reworking the flag layout, among other gameplay considerations. A big challenge with this map has also been optimizations and, luckily, the 4.21 upgrade brings new tools for larger environments. It should help to bring a smoother experience for the players.
SQUADCHAT FEATURING DRAV
And last, but not least, we had the opportunity to sit down with Squad’s lead producer, Dave “Drav” Mason. Drav shared his insights into Squad development, took your questions, and chatted with us for about two hours. A huge thank you to everyone who attended! (P.S. We’re aware of the audio issue — skip ahead to six minutes. We promise you didn’t miss any leeks.)
SIGN OFF
Hot damn did the team come up with some cool stuff for this Recap! Until next time, keep your friends close, and your air support closer.
Associate
Lol I thought game died?? Lol will need a hell of come back too bring this back for me and the clan
Associate
- Joined
- 19 Aug 2018
- Posts
- 74
yea i dont like the idea of uav's id have rather they spent more resources or manpower on getting choppers done but thats one of the few negative things ive had to say about this game.
Not sure where you're getting your intel from!
UAV's wont be up all the time and will probably have counters from infantry and possibly the other teams commander.
Not everyone works on the same thing all the time, just not how games are developed
FEBRUARY 2019 RECAP
Hey soldiers!
Just ’cause February is the shortest month doesn’t make it any less busy! We’ve been hard at work bringing the Unreal Engine 4.21 update to Squad, smashing all the bugs, and polishing up some brand new goodies for you. But wait, there’s more! Dig into the preview of Alpha 13 for some explosive action!
REDDIT AMA
Just in case you missed it, back on February 5th, we had Merlin join us on the r/JoinSquad subreddit to answer, well, anything! You can access the thread directly here, or search for your favorite topics by joining our community Discord server and looking into the #ama-answers channel. With some help from the rest of the team, we covered topics ranging from 2019 plans, granular rearm, right on down to shovel animations. Extracurricular reading? Check!
GENERAL UPDATES
DESTRUCTIBLE TRACKS AND WHEELS
Tracks and Wheels are now fully destroyable in the upcoming alpha version, enabling players to inflict more granular damage to vehicles. For wheels, depending on the vehicle, they can be taken down by small arms fire, while tracks require something with a bigger punch, typically .50 cal or greater. With each wheel that gets destroyed, more friction gets applied, reducing the vehicle’s maximum top speed. The destroyed wheel’s rim still functions but at reduced drive effectiveness. In addition, the vehicle will lean over as the supporting wheel is now gone. With tracks as each gets destroyed the drive input from that track no longer functions. That means that if both tracks get destroyed, the vehicle is completely immobile.
ANIMATION IMPROVEMENTS
General visual and immersion improvements have been done to our animation system, including:
COMBAT ENGINEERS AND SAPPERS
A new role that we’re introducing for Alpha 13 is the Combat Engineer. We’re moving the infantry deployables that were associated with some Riflemen roles earlier to this new role, as well as outfitting him with anti-tank mines and small demolition charges. The intent for this role is to perform quick demolitions on deployables and light vehicles, as well as to ambush enemy vehicles and set no-go zones with their anti-tank mines.
For the Militia and Insurgents, the role that the Scout previously played will now be given to the “Sapper.” So, in addition to the normal Combat Engineer loadout, Sappers will be able to lay IEDs.
DESTRUCTION GAME MODE
Destruction is a spin-off from the Insurgency game mode, involving the conventional factions. The attacking side has a certain amount of time and resources to attack two separate weapon cache objectives. As each pair of objectives gets destroyed, a new phase of the operation will begin, spawning two more objectives and additional time and tickets are given. These objective locations are localized to a fixed area, but its precise location is randomized with rough clues given to the attacking side. In order to destroy these objectives, the engineer’s demolition charges are required.
PROXY LOD SYSTEM
INTERACTIVE DEMO
With 4.21, a new LOD generation method is available, and we plan to make full use of it for most of our larger, more costly assets. Using this method, texture draw-calls per mesh can be decreased significantly, in some cases reaching a 40:1 ratio between the old mesh and the new proxy LOD mesh. This system has been put into place on Narva as a testbed, so be on the lookout for performance improvements there, and be sure to report any pesky LOD bugs you notice!
GRANULAR REARM SYSTEM
As described in an earlier recap and coming to Alpha 13, we’re dramatically improving the function of rearming your kit in the field by giving you the ability to pick which item in your inventory you wish to rearm. If your ammunition requirements exceed that of the supply source, you will be unable to rearm, in addition to using ammo points greater than necessary. This should help free up “extra” ammo points for other players when needed.
ROLE REQUEST FROM VEHICLES
Another quality of life improvement for ground infantry will be the ability for APCs & IFVs to allow all roles to be requested just like FOB Ammo Crates. The ammo contained within the vehicle will be consumed when that new role is requested. For Light Vehicles & Tanks, they will allow crewman roles to be obtained. This will now enable all vehicles to have access to field repairs via the Crewman kit’s repair tools.
UNREAL 4.21 ENGINE UPGRADE
As previously mentioned in our Monthly Recap for January, the Unreal 4 Engine upgrade has been completed and we’ve been getting used to the development related upgrades it brought to Squad. Having run a number of internal play-tests as well have proved very promising and we’re hoping to see the benefits (and also potential bugs that need to be addressed!) in full come wider scale community playtests as we did back in January. Note that we have not fully taken advantage of the optimization capabilities of this upgrade yet, so please adjust your expectations accordingly.
NEW VEHICLES
T-62 MAIN BATTLE TANK
One of the new vehicles that will be appearing on the scene is the T-62 Main Battle Tank, intended for the Militia and Insurgent forces. A Soviet vehicle dating back to the heat of the Cold War, a few surplus models have fallen into unconventional hands and can deal a devastating punch against heavily armored targets.
The T62 comes equipped with a turret-stabilized 115mm smoothbore cannon, firing the usual complement of armor penetrating sabot, high explosive anti-tank and fragmentation rounds. While this armament might not perform as well as its more modern counterparts, still do not underestimate its ability to deal death at range. The commander seat has access to a simple cupola mounted periscope with high magnification optics.
BRDM-2 SPANDREL
Another new vehicle variant is the BRDM-2 Spandrel, basically an anti-tank guided missile variant of the BRDM-2 scout car. It comes with five wire-guided ‘Konkurs’ missiles and can fire them in relatively quick succession, dealing a devastating amount of damage against heavy armor at range. Its mobility combined with its anti-tank firepower makes it a potent battlefield tool, though with its light armor it won’t fare well in head-on engagements against enemy tanks. This vehicle will be available to Russian and unconventional factions.
MATV TOW
One more vehicle that we have coming is the American counterpart to Spandrel in the form of the MATV TOW. Basically a TOW with wheels, it has 5 spare TOW missiles and the same level of mobility and armor of a conventional MATV. Definitely packs a punch, but light on protection.
NEW WEAPONS
VZ61. SKORPION
The Vz.61 “Škorpion” is a Czech manufactured .32 ACP machine pistol developed in 1959, produced and exported throughout the 60s and 70s. The Škorpion is a select-fire, straight blowback weapon that operates from a closed bolt for additional accuracy while still maintaining a very high rate of fire. Its extremely compact nature even with the extended wire stock makes this machine pistol a favorite as a personal defense weapon for vehicle crews. This weapon will be issued to Militia and Insurgent crewmen.
M15 ANTI-TANK MINE
The M-15 Anti-Tank blast mine is an American design originating in World War 2 and is activated via a mechanical pressure switch. When sufficient downward pressure is applied it will activate the fuze and trigger detonation. Containing about 10.3 kilograms of Composition B explosive, it is capable inflicting mobility kills on heavy armor or dealing critical damage to lighter vehicles. This will be available to the US Army and British combat engineers.
DEMOLITION CHARGES
An array of different timed explosive charges have been added to the game. These come in various different forms but their explosive yields are the same for gameplay purposes. These charges are used for demolition purposes ranging from destroying wrecks to clearing deployables. While they are on a 30-second timer, they can be defused with your entrenching tool before they explode.
SA80 BAYONET
Being introduced to all British Army kits, the standard issue bayonet has been designed for use with the L85A2 family of rifles. Its special mounting system over the barrel means the blade is offset from the center of the handle, making it an effective tool favored for deployment.
SIGN OFF
Whether you’re more the stabby type or the blasty type, that was definitely some good news! We’re hard at work getting Alpha 13 ready for public testing, so keep your eyes peeled for updates and testing opportunities — gotta smash all those engine update bugs. Thank you for being part of the Squad community!
Hey soldiers!
Just ’cause February is the shortest month doesn’t make it any less busy! We’ve been hard at work bringing the Unreal Engine 4.21 update to Squad, smashing all the bugs, and polishing up some brand new goodies for you. But wait, there’s more! Dig into the preview of Alpha 13 for some explosive action!
REDDIT AMA
Just in case you missed it, back on February 5th, we had Merlin join us on the r/JoinSquad subreddit to answer, well, anything! You can access the thread directly here, or search for your favorite topics by joining our community Discord server and looking into the #ama-answers channel. With some help from the rest of the team, we covered topics ranging from 2019 plans, granular rearm, right on down to shovel animations. Extracurricular reading? Check!
GENERAL UPDATES
DESTRUCTIBLE TRACKS AND WHEELS
Tracks and Wheels are now fully destroyable in the upcoming alpha version, enabling players to inflict more granular damage to vehicles. For wheels, depending on the vehicle, they can be taken down by small arms fire, while tracks require something with a bigger punch, typically .50 cal or greater. With each wheel that gets destroyed, more friction gets applied, reducing the vehicle’s maximum top speed. The destroyed wheel’s rim still functions but at reduced drive effectiveness. In addition, the vehicle will lean over as the supporting wheel is now gone. With tracks as each gets destroyed the drive input from that track no longer functions. That means that if both tracks get destroyed, the vehicle is completely immobile.
ANIMATION IMPROVEMENTS
General visual and immersion improvements have been done to our animation system, including:
- An including an overhaul to our ragdoll system
- Visual hand signals for Squad Leader and Fireteam orders
- Hand actions when SLs are talking over command VOIP
- Head-turning for vehicle passengers; moving mouths while talking over VOIP
- More immersive animations when operating open turret and emplaced weapons
- Idle animations for handheld weapons
- Secondary animation on vehicles such as antenna and mud-flaps
- A number of optimizations
COMBAT ENGINEERS AND SAPPERS
A new role that we’re introducing for Alpha 13 is the Combat Engineer. We’re moving the infantry deployables that were associated with some Riflemen roles earlier to this new role, as well as outfitting him with anti-tank mines and small demolition charges. The intent for this role is to perform quick demolitions on deployables and light vehicles, as well as to ambush enemy vehicles and set no-go zones with their anti-tank mines.
For the Militia and Insurgents, the role that the Scout previously played will now be given to the “Sapper.” So, in addition to the normal Combat Engineer loadout, Sappers will be able to lay IEDs.
DESTRUCTION GAME MODE
Destruction is a spin-off from the Insurgency game mode, involving the conventional factions. The attacking side has a certain amount of time and resources to attack two separate weapon cache objectives. As each pair of objectives gets destroyed, a new phase of the operation will begin, spawning two more objectives and additional time and tickets are given. These objective locations are localized to a fixed area, but its precise location is randomized with rough clues given to the attacking side. In order to destroy these objectives, the engineer’s demolition charges are required.
PROXY LOD SYSTEM
INTERACTIVE DEMO
With 4.21, a new LOD generation method is available, and we plan to make full use of it for most of our larger, more costly assets. Using this method, texture draw-calls per mesh can be decreased significantly, in some cases reaching a 40:1 ratio between the old mesh and the new proxy LOD mesh. This system has been put into place on Narva as a testbed, so be on the lookout for performance improvements there, and be sure to report any pesky LOD bugs you notice!
GRANULAR REARM SYSTEM
As described in an earlier recap and coming to Alpha 13, we’re dramatically improving the function of rearming your kit in the field by giving you the ability to pick which item in your inventory you wish to rearm. If your ammunition requirements exceed that of the supply source, you will be unable to rearm, in addition to using ammo points greater than necessary. This should help free up “extra” ammo points for other players when needed.
ROLE REQUEST FROM VEHICLES
Another quality of life improvement for ground infantry will be the ability for APCs & IFVs to allow all roles to be requested just like FOB Ammo Crates. The ammo contained within the vehicle will be consumed when that new role is requested. For Light Vehicles & Tanks, they will allow crewman roles to be obtained. This will now enable all vehicles to have access to field repairs via the Crewman kit’s repair tools.
UNREAL 4.21 ENGINE UPGRADE
As previously mentioned in our Monthly Recap for January, the Unreal 4 Engine upgrade has been completed and we’ve been getting used to the development related upgrades it brought to Squad. Having run a number of internal play-tests as well have proved very promising and we’re hoping to see the benefits (and also potential bugs that need to be addressed!) in full come wider scale community playtests as we did back in January. Note that we have not fully taken advantage of the optimization capabilities of this upgrade yet, so please adjust your expectations accordingly.
NEW VEHICLES
T-62 MAIN BATTLE TANK
One of the new vehicles that will be appearing on the scene is the T-62 Main Battle Tank, intended for the Militia and Insurgent forces. A Soviet vehicle dating back to the heat of the Cold War, a few surplus models have fallen into unconventional hands and can deal a devastating punch against heavily armored targets.
The T62 comes equipped with a turret-stabilized 115mm smoothbore cannon, firing the usual complement of armor penetrating sabot, high explosive anti-tank and fragmentation rounds. While this armament might not perform as well as its more modern counterparts, still do not underestimate its ability to deal death at range. The commander seat has access to a simple cupola mounted periscope with high magnification optics.
BRDM-2 SPANDREL
Another new vehicle variant is the BRDM-2 Spandrel, basically an anti-tank guided missile variant of the BRDM-2 scout car. It comes with five wire-guided ‘Konkurs’ missiles and can fire them in relatively quick succession, dealing a devastating amount of damage against heavy armor at range. Its mobility combined with its anti-tank firepower makes it a potent battlefield tool, though with its light armor it won’t fare well in head-on engagements against enemy tanks. This vehicle will be available to Russian and unconventional factions.
MATV TOW
One more vehicle that we have coming is the American counterpart to Spandrel in the form of the MATV TOW. Basically a TOW with wheels, it has 5 spare TOW missiles and the same level of mobility and armor of a conventional MATV. Definitely packs a punch, but light on protection.
NEW WEAPONS
VZ61. SKORPION
The Vz.61 “Škorpion” is a Czech manufactured .32 ACP machine pistol developed in 1959, produced and exported throughout the 60s and 70s. The Škorpion is a select-fire, straight blowback weapon that operates from a closed bolt for additional accuracy while still maintaining a very high rate of fire. Its extremely compact nature even with the extended wire stock makes this machine pistol a favorite as a personal defense weapon for vehicle crews. This weapon will be issued to Militia and Insurgent crewmen.
M15 ANTI-TANK MINE
The M-15 Anti-Tank blast mine is an American design originating in World War 2 and is activated via a mechanical pressure switch. When sufficient downward pressure is applied it will activate the fuze and trigger detonation. Containing about 10.3 kilograms of Composition B explosive, it is capable inflicting mobility kills on heavy armor or dealing critical damage to lighter vehicles. This will be available to the US Army and British combat engineers.
DEMOLITION CHARGES
An array of different timed explosive charges have been added to the game. These come in various different forms but their explosive yields are the same for gameplay purposes. These charges are used for demolition purposes ranging from destroying wrecks to clearing deployables. While they are on a 30-second timer, they can be defused with your entrenching tool before they explode.
SA80 BAYONET
Being introduced to all British Army kits, the standard issue bayonet has been designed for use with the L85A2 family of rifles. Its special mounting system over the barrel means the blade is offset from the center of the handle, making it an effective tool favored for deployment.
SIGN OFF
Whether you’re more the stabby type or the blasty type, that was definitely some good news! We’re hard at work getting Alpha 13 ready for public testing, so keep your eyes peeled for updates and testing opportunities — gotta smash all those engine update bugs. Thank you for being part of the Squad community!
Soldato
Looking good 
Soldato
Awsome update
Associate
Performance is great and liking the new ui.
Soldato
Do we have a discord channel for this game?