Afterconflict News

As many of you may know, half of our development team is from Ukraine, and as you could imagine the Russian invasion of Ukraine, their home, has impacted development somewhat as priorities shifted from what to work on to mere survival in a matter of minutes as Kalibr missiles rained down on them in the initial blitz as the rest of us could only look on in horror as our friends were at ground zero.



Even now, over 4 months on, as Russian offences stall or outright collapse, as their forces have to rely more and more on outdated equipment such as T-62s and BMP-1s, and as their Kalibr cruise missiles have largely been replaced with Kh-22s or worse, air raids still occur on a daily basis, often multiple times a day.

As shown recently in Kremenchuk and Serhiivka, clearly non-military targets, with over 40 dead and rising in total with many more injured including children, both done with Kh-22s (which have ironically become scarier than the Kalibrs on account of their pure unpredictability derived from them being Soviet relics with terrible accuracy), civilians are still being targeted, and while Ukrainian air defence systems still do a great job in thwarting most Russian air attacks, our friends still need to prepare for the worst when the sirens sound.

So, unsurprisingly, development has slowed down a bit, but still work continues in-between air raids, and during that time all sorts of interesting stuff has been worked on!

[h3]Without further ado, here's a round-up of what we've been working on over the last 6 months![/h3]

After we posted Development Update 15 we actually had a sly last-minute addition to cap off 2021 in the form of a video showcasing the ability to directly load a weapon's chamber (within reason), specifically on the KS-23, along with the requirement to manually rechamber your weapon when necessary:

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
In the case of the KS-23, directly loading the chamber when it runs dry as opposed to loading from the bottom then racking the slide is a faster way to get it running again, and making sure to keep tabs on your weapon's state of readiness in combat will prevent you trying to fire a shot only to be met with a worrying *CLICK*.

In Afterconflict, as in real life, weapon familiarity will give you a distinct edge over your opponents.

On the topic of speed, especially in close-quarters, we have another new weapon handling addition in the form of point-shooting:

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]


Known as "Aimed Quick Fire" in US military nomenclature, point shooting is useful when a split second is the difference between life and death in close-quarters, using night vision goggles, or while firing with a respirator that proves intrusive in acquiring a decent cheek weld!

In terms of things that you probably don't want to encounter in close quarters, lest it serve as an ersatz flashbang, we're now allowing players to use the AKS74U without its iconic flash hider (6P26), resulting in it belching out even more flames than usual when fired:

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
Who knows, in future we may even allow you to attach the AKS74U's flash hider to the standard AK74, a common feature of the Transnistrian Army's AK74s... for some reason.

For those of us that like to admire our virtual arsenal just as much as we do, we've now expanded on our in-game weapon inspection mechanic:

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
Now instead of simply playing a quick animation, holding the weapon inspection bind will allow you to admire your weapon from both sides at your own leisure!

...just be sure not do be caught off-guard while doing it by an enemy that doesn't even have the sense of chivalry to at least let you finish first.

On the contrary, something you should absolutely not look at if you can help it is the Sun, doubly so through a magnified scope:

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
As you can see, those that look at the Sun through a scope in both Afterconflict and real life are gonna have a bad time, so for peace of mind for both yourself and your ophthalmologist, we suggest against it.

Though, in combat, it pays to fight with the Sun at your back, your enemies using scopes fall victim to the Sun's light blinding them, giving you the advantage.

Besides those operating in the Land of the Midnight Sun, at night the Sun usually isn't around to blind anyone, however those using night vision may still find themselves with issues relating to visibility with objects up close due to a lack of focus:

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]








As you can see, and as mentioned earlier, in addition to focusing issues, using night vision goggles often doesn't gel well with using weapon iron sights, especially with rifles that require a good cheek weld to use them properly, so consider this drawback carefully when considering whether to use night vision goggles over a night vision scope and/or the humble flashlight.

And now, as seen in in its untextured high-poly form in our last development update, everybody's favourite Forbidden Fire Alarm/highly explosive Soviet anti-personnel mine, the PMN-2, now fully textured in all of its green glory (also in tan!):




As mentioned before, in Afterconflict laying mines will, depending on the mine in question, be as tedious of a process as in real life (systems such as FASCAM exist for a reason), so if you are going to lay a trap for the enemy, be sure to carefully think it through before committing to it.





Speaking of untextured high-poly models, before we get to the part we're sure the Americans among us have all been waiting for since our last development update, we've got some more Soviet weaponry to show off!

Developed as a variant and complement to the AKM and a spiritual successor to the RPD, and later used as the basis for the Yugoslavian M70B1 and M72B1 rifles, the RPK served with distinction as the USSR's primary 7.62x39 light machine gun for many years, with a very robust design by nature of it sharing many parts with the AKM (sometimes being nicknamed perhaps derisively as the "AK But Long").



Of its interchangeable parts, the RPK's magazine is its most notable on account of it originally primarily using a 75-round drum as standard, however over time due to the drum's bulkiness, lack of reliability, and the large amount of time required to load it in the first place, most were put into storage in favour of 40-round magazines being made standard.

Both will be available as customisation options in Afterconflict not only for the RPK, but AKs too!



Unsurprisingly, due to the standard RPK's bulkiness, VDV units were issued a folding-stock variant of the RPK named the RPKS, which as opposed to the AKMS's under-folding stock, used a side-folding design.



When an optics mount was needed (primarily for night vision scopes), the RPKSN was used which retains the RPKS's side-folding stock, with accommodations made for a dovetail rail.



After the introduction of the AK74, naturally the RPK74 followed, which served as the LMG counterpart to the AK74 just as the RPK did to the AKM before it, and this high-poly rendition features its later-style "plum" furniture!



As opposed to the AK74 which was an entirely new design when compared to the AKM, the RPK74 was effectively a rechambered version of the base RPK, modified to fire 5.45x39 ammunition; while a drum magazine was prototyped, only 45-round magazines (a 5 round increase from the RPK's 40 round magazine on account of the 5.45x39's reduction in size and weight over 7.62x39) became standard-issue.



Once again, unsurprisingly just as the RPKS served as the folding-stock variant of the RPK, the RPKS74 is the folding-stock variant of the RPK74.



Also, just as the RPKSN was a variant of the RPKS including a dovetail optics mount, the RPKS74N is the variant of the RPKS74 possessing an optics rail, albeit with a more unified design than the RPKSN/RPKSL's various rail types.



Be sure to keep an eye out for our next development update, where we'll have all of these RPKs fully textured!

In addition to these high-poly RPKs, we also have a WIP high-poly model of our improved Soviet Obr. 1988 "Afghanka" uniform, another example of us bringing various older assets of ours up to a higher quality!



As a final interjection before we get to our M16s, though we're sure it certainly isn't an unwelcome one, and certainly not a piece of Soviet weaponry, we have a brand new Polish rifle, commonly known as the "Tantal", and somewhat less commonly as its full name: 5,45 mm karabinek wz. 1988!



Unlike countries such as the DDR which was authorised to produce the AK74 under licence as the MPi-AK-74N, Poland didn't have this luxury and had to design its own 5.45x39 rifle themselves, albeit taking design "inspirations" from other countries, with its base design being that of the AK74, its wire folding stock being a clone of the DDR's wire folding stock design first introduced on the MPi-KMS-72, etc.



Now, for what you've all been waiting for since the last development update (especially our American fans), and we're sure are in no need of introduction, an assortment of our new, fully textured M16 models!

M16A1 (Model 603):







XM177E2 (Model 629):





M16A1 Carbine (Model 653):





M16A2 (Model 645):





M16A2 Carbine (Model 727):





We'll be adding to this list over time (don't think we've forgotten about the USAF's M16, the M231, etc.), but for now, we're sure these will suffice.

For a more in-depth rundown on each of these models, check our previous development update, and if you spot any errors on any of these models that are in need of correction, do not hesitate in letting us know and we'll get to fixing it!

[h3]Recently, a LOT of work has been going on under the hood in terms of improving and expanding the feature set of our in-game editor (which we already use to build our maps) such as prefabs, a spline-based road creator, a decal system, and more![/h3]



Our intention is for anyone to be able to open Afterconflict, go into the editor, and make something cool, so be sure to keep an eye out for future updates where we'll go further in-depth regarding what our editor is capable of!

And so, to cap off this development update we thought we'd show off our new Steam Store page screenshots that those of you that've kept a close eye on it may've already seen, but we're sure you won't mind taking another look:











While any timetable for the near future cannot be that certain given the circumstances, we are still working hard on Afterconflict and intend on releasing our planned Singleplayer Firing Range Demo when possible, make sure you follow us on Steam and add Afterconflict to your Steam Wishlist to be notified whenever we release a new update!



On our Discord server we discuss everything from the game and Cold War history to posting photos of hedgehogs!

We hope you enjoyed reading this development update, if you wish to keep up to date with all Afterconflict updates, be sure to follow our Twitter feed too.

[h2]As Ever:[/h2]

As 2021 comes to a close (feels like déjà vu) we'd like to round up the advancements we've made since our last development update, such as our improved weapon handling, foliage being able to be set ablaze, and high-poly renders of our family of M16 rifles for the United States and other NATO forces, along with a general summary of some of the progress we've made in the year!

So, little time to spare, we'll jump straight into our first showing, our improved PSO-1 (ПСО-1) model!



While our previous PSO-1 model was serviceable in terms of functionality, we shall not rest until we provide you the players with the most authentic models we can muster, and considering one of our developers had recently come into possession of an authentic original Soviet PSO-1, we only saw it as right to model it after it!



In addition to the model looking nicer in general, we've also added a lot more functionality to the PSO-1 in the form of a few new features.



After hearing your pleas of "WHERE НАГЛАЗНИК", we made it a priority to give the PSO-1 its correct eyecup which as in real life gives the shooter a bit more scope stability (reducing scope shadow) at the cost of a lack of peripheral vision.



Like many other elements of weapons in Afterconflict, the PSO-1's eyecup can be removed based on the player's personal preferences and play-style, so be sure to experiment and figure out which you're more comfortable with using when you play!



For the PSO-1's second feature addition, some context in the form of another new addition is needed.

As you saw in Development Update 15, the Soviet T-72B (Т-72Б) tank has arrived in Afterconflict, and with it we intend to properly reflect its real-life capabilities in-game, and one of those capabilities is that of its "Luna" (Луна) Infrared (IR) Spotlight which shines a bright beam of IR light virtually invisible to the naked eye but visible with devices such as night vision.

Here you can see the said spotlight as viewed at night through the NSPU (НСПУ) night scope (as originally seen in Development Update 13):

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
Now that you're up to speed, our second feature addition of the PSO-1 is the oft-forgotten IR light detector present on earlier models of the scope; when activated, the filter highlights IR light, even during the daytime, as seen here:

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
However, due to its general ineffectiveness, especially with NATO forces largely focusing on passive night vision devices over active ones (I.E: Requires an IR light source to illuminate targets) even on vehicles, the PSO-1's IR detector was removed on later production models, but that certainly hasn't stopped us from including it!

On the subject of vehicles (though not on the subject of infrared on account of it actually using a photocontrast homing system instead), we also previewed the Soviet 9K31 Strela-1 (9К31 Стрела́-1) (known by NATO as the SA-9 "Gaskin") attempting to shoot down an American A-10, albeit unsuccessfully:

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
Though unsuccessful in this attempt, the 9K31 and other similar SAM systems will be invaluable in the defence against enemy air assets while playing Afterconflict.

But while the skies are certainly to be feared, there's still plenty down on the ground to be feared, including the elements themselves.

An often understated part of combat ever since it was first discovered and weaponized is fire, from the Romans using incendiary arrows to burn enemy ships to the Soviets using incendiary ammunition to burn the fuel tanks of lightly armoured vehicles, we thought it right to depict fire as the destructive, unpredictable force it is in reality.

So, to that end we've started small with the ability for grass to be burnt, largely from sources such as tracers burning on the ground, incendiary ammunition, back blasts, explosions, etc. under the right conditions, however for this example the flammability of the grass was turned up for demonstrative purposes (along with a current lack of sound):

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
Eventually, we intend to give the player the ability to set all foliage ablaze, making tactical arson a viable strategy when in pursuit of a scorched-earth policy against the enemy team, because the enemy can't use vegetation as concealment if you've already burnt it down!

In terms of the player's own abilities, we've now given the player more control over weapon handling in various different ways!
Firstly, we've separated changing your weapon's magazine and chambering a new round, giving more control to a player performing an action such as changing ammo types (or trying to look cool), or a very worrying [click] for the unfortunate sod that forgot to chamber a round before getting into a close quarters battle:

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
Along with this, you can now also hold back your weapons bolt by simply holding your rechambering button, giving a more tactile response to reloading your weapon:

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
Aside from simply looking cool, this system also works the same for checking your weapon's chamber, allowing you to better track if your weapon is loaded without having to simply rely on HUD elements:

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
In the near future we intend to further iterate and innovate with this system, so stay tuned for that too!

Something you should always keep track of however is what ammo type you're using, as using the wrong sort of ammo with the wrong sort of gun (E.G: M855 in an M16A1/M193 in an M16A2) can have dire consequences, one of the best examples is that which you can see here:

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
As you can see, trying to fire 7.62x39 US (УС) ammo without the PBS (ПБС) suppressor it's designed for does not generate the required level of pressure needed to cycle the bolt, effectively turning your selective-fire assault rifle into a bolt-action rifle with a bullet that is effective at a few hundred meters at absolute most, even less in practical terms.

To complement this, we've also overhauled our Soviet ammunition models to add some more well-deserved detail!

In order:

5.45x39: PS (ПС), T (Т), US (УС)

7.62x39: PS (ПС), T-45 (Т-45), US (УС), Z (З), BZ (БЗ)

7.62x54R: LPS (ЛПС), T-46 (Т-46), PS Snajperskie (ПС Снайперские), PZ (ПЗ), B-32 (Б-32)

But don't think for a second that our overhauls have stopped there, we've been improving and updating things across the board, including our beloved AKs (or more specifically, AKMs)!





As you can see, we've been making improvements to our AKM model and are currently in the high-poly modelling stage, and we'll be excited to show you the complete, detailed model in the new year with all of the small details you've come to expect of us!





But just before we jump over the Iron Curtain to see some new NATO high-polys (or perhaps while jumping over on account of the topic), we'd like to show your our new high-poly of the Soviet PMN-2 (ПМН-2) anti-personnel mine, the first of its kind in Afterconflict!





In Afterconflict, planting mines won't be quite as simple as many other shooters, with various factors you'll have to take into account such as the time taken to deploy it, the time it takes for the mine to arm after being deployed, and whether all of this is even worth the time if the enemy is liable to simply walk around or even over it, so if you decide to plant a mine, make it count.





Now for something a lot of you have been waiting for while we've been listing off a large list of our AK variants: our large list of M16 variants!

Over time, AR-15 style rifles have become ubiquitous, seen in all sorts of different configurations with all sorts of different attachments, but it's not so often that the more retro AR-15 style rifles get the attention they deserve, and we seek to rectify that!

Starting off strong, we have the M16A1 (Model 603), improved from the XM16E1's (Also Model 603, confusingly) many shortcomings, the M16A1 served with distinction with the United States Army as their standard service rifle for near 20 years before it was replaced by the M16A2 during the mid-1980s, however it would continue to serve in a limited capacity all the way into the 2000s.



While the US Army demanded that the M16 design include a forward assist, the United States Air Force had no interest in this feature, so while the Army and other branches used the M16A1, the USAF elected to use the M16 (Model 604), and while many M16A1s would be rebuilt into M16A2s, later USAF M16s being rebuilds of previous USAF-issue rifles such as the M16 was effectively the standard.

The USAF were not the only NATO force to use the M16 either, as the British Armed Forces acquired a number of M16 rifles of different varieties (mostly "slickside" ones such as the Model 604) for limited issue in a variety of locations such as Northern Ireland, Germany, the Falklands, Belize, Borneo, and Hong Kong, especially to special units such as the Special Air Service (SAS) and Special Boat Service (SBS).



While the M16 was designed from the ground-up to be light and portable, there was still a demand for a smaller carbine variant of the rifle to be used by those working within confined spaces such as vehicle and aircraft crew, along with special forces units.

So after some teething issues with the Model 605, GX-5857 (Model 607), and the earlier iterations of the XM177 series with the XM177 (Model 610) and XM177E1 (Model 609), the XM177E2 (Model 629) was developed: sporting a 11.5" barrel length and distinctive flash hider/moderator, while it did still retain some of the issues of the earlier models, it nonetheless served with distinction with United States special forces units such as the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam, Studies and Observations Group (MACV-SOG)

The slickside USAF counterpart to the XM177E2 would be the GAU-5A/A (Model 630).



While the XM177E2 was created during a time of great experimentation, the M16A1 Carbine (Model 653) created the initial blueprint for what would later become the M4 Carbine (Model 920), with its 14.5" inch barrel length and default use of a standard M16A1 flash hider over the XM177 series' unusual flash hider/moderator; the M16A1 Carbine would never become standard issue, but that wouldn't stop it from becoming a common staple amongst various forces of the US Armed Forces, especially special forces units such as the United States Army Rangers and United States Navy Sea, Air, and Land (SEAL) Teams.

Similar to the M16, and to a degree the XM177E2, the M16A1 Carbine also found its way into the hands of British special forces units.



As mentioned earlier, during the 1980s an updated version of the M16 designed to fire the new NATO standard SS109 round (having been developed as the M16A1E1) was made standard across the entire US military, albeit with an at times controversial array of updates spearheaded by the United States Marine Corps (USMC): such as a vastly more adjustable set of rear sights (preferred by the US Marines due to its greater capacity to be used for target shooting) and non-resetting 3-round burst (which will be depicted accurately in Afterconflict).

When newly named M16A2 (Model 645) was introduced, the USAF finally standardised with the other branches of the US military and made the M16A2 their standard service rifle, albeit the fact that, as alluded to earlier, many USAF "M16A2"s were Frankenguns, created with the parts of earlier models of USAF M16s (which we intend on allowing you to do in Afterconflict)!



And the last M16 high-poly we have for you here today (though by no means the last we intend on including in Afterconflict We already know how much you want to see the M231) is one that most of you are likely to recognise in one form or another, the M16A2 Carbine (Model 727); just as the M16A1 Carbine was the 14.5" barrel answer to the M16A1, the M16A2 Carbine was the 14.5" barrel answer to the M16A2, with all of its changes (for better or for worse), along with a few more specific improvements from the M16A1 Carbine such as replacing the older style collapsing aluminium stock with the plastic "fiberlite" one.

While the M16A1 Carbine set the blueprint for the M4 Carbine, the M16A2 Carbine would be largely indistinguishable from the early XM4 Carbine (aside from its unique barrel profile), with the final, early-production M4 Carbine only largely being different in the addition of a MIL-STD-1913 rail to its upper receiver.

While the M16A2 Carbine had less time to settle in and disseminate amongst US forces than the prior M16A1 Carbine, it still found use among specialist units such as USMC Scout Sniper teams.



While we've given our AKs a lot of attention over the last year or so, worry not, we'll be giving the same level of attention to our NATO weaponry too in the new year, and if you spot anything we could improve upon, whether NATO or Pact-centric, do not hesitate to contact us about it!



As with last year, while things have been tough for all of us, we have managed to make great strides in our development of Afterconflict in 2021, from the addition of functioning compasses and advanced scope functionality, to our first highly detailed tank and the ability to set the world ablaze And who could forget the North Korean Type 88-1?, we've got many things on the way in 2022 that we're sure you'll be just as excited about as we are!





On our Discord server we discuss everything from the game and Cold War history to posting photos of hedgehogs!

We hope you enjoyed reading this development update, if you wish to keep up to date with all Afterconflict updates, be sure to follow our Twitter feed too.

[h2]As Ever:[/h2]

[h3]It's that time again, time for a new Development Update![/h3]
As with the bridge between Development Update 12 and Development Update 13, we've got a large amount of new content to go through, so instead of laboriously going through each addition in this short summary, how about we just go right ahead and show you some of the highlights?

First off, we're not going to play coy, we know what a lot of you are here for: Our New T-72B tank!



This is the first of what we hope to be many highly-detailed tank models in Afterconflict, ready to storm over the battlefield and batter enemy lines to bits.



The T-72B is fitted with "Контакт-1" (Kontakt-1) Explosive Reactive Armour (ERA) bricks that vastly improves its resistance against most conventional attacks NATO forces may mount against it!



If they actually hit the ERA bricks, that is.



Over time we plan to add an assortment of tank models for our different factions that we think tank aficionados should be happy with; if you have any pointers or suggestions you'd like to bring to our attention, do not hesitate to make a note of it here, on Twitter, or on our Discord server!



On an infantry level, we've made various improvements to our ballistic simulations, the first of which we'd like to show being bullet fragmentation, which may occur if a bullet strikes a hard surface and subsequently shatters, potentially meaning an injury for anyone unfortunate enough to be close enough to get struck by the fragments.

Bullet Fragmentation Example from an MPi-KM Firing 7.62x39:
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
We've also improved tracers in various ways, from carefully studying the properties of various kinds of tracers and how they work (Colour, Colour Shift, Duration, Etc.), to now simulating tracer bounce, which sometimes occurs when a tracer round doesn't penetrate, ricochet, or shatter upon hitting a surface, which often results in it "bouncing" and continuing to burn on the ground (which can become a fire hazard if you're not careful, always practice proper range safety!).

Improved Tracers Being Fired from the BMP-2, AKM, and G3A3 Respectively:
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
Tracer Bounce Demonstration:
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
But don't think that bullets are the only projectiles susceptible to bouncing and ricochets; projectiles that have a profile that may make them susceptible to ricochets such as the warheads of Soviet RPGs (which, at low angles, may have their body hit a surface before the fuse), are now able to ricochet in Afterconflict!

RPG-22 Ricochet Demonstration:
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
On a slightly less lethal front that's more receptive to gun range safety, we also have the Soviet "Б-8" (B-8) binoculars for all most of your battlefield observational needs, a hardened design in service since 1930s; why fix what isn't broken?





On the environmental front, we've been implementing various additions that'll make Afterconflict feel as true to life as possible; this time we have 2 main additions:

Improved wind effects, which not only affects foliage, but projectiles too, meaning you'll need to account for wind speed and direction when taking longer shots in high winds:
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
...especially when taking precise shots with scopes and slower projectiles such as sub-sonics:
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
Fog, which can be a blessing to the more infiltration-focused player just as much as it can be the bane of a trigger-happy marksman's existence:



For our fans of East German gear, we have a new preview for you too; as some of you may know, in the late 1980s the DDR developed a new uniform, ranking system, and webbing set commonly abbreviated as "UTV" to be introduced in the year 1990, and a large amount of the new pieces of gear were produced between 1986 and 1989 and could often be seen worn by East German officers inspecting NATO forces during that time.

As Afterconflict's timeline takes place in the late 1980s/early 1990s, the Nationale Volksarmee forces in Afterconflict will have UTV gear as an equipment option to be selected while playing as them- so here's a preview of just that!



We've taken note of how much positive feedback we've been getting regarding our addition of vehicles, so just as we started with it, we'd like to cap this development update off by focusing on just that!

Starting off, we have a follow-up to our showcase of the Mi-24P in Development Update 13, specifically showing off a WIP version of a simple S-8 rocket barrage- simple, but effective.
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
Continuing with the theme of destruction, we also have a WIP preview of the 9K111 Fagot, known as the AT-4 Spigot to NATO forces, a fierce Soviet ATGM introduced during the 1970s.
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
On a less destructive but nevertheless tactically important note we have the first highly-detailed vehicle model we've introduced to Afterconflict, the US's M939 series of trucks, specifically: the M923A1!






And, to finish, here's a short and simple demonstration of a burning BMP-2!
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]



On our Discord server we discuss everything from the game and Cold War history to posting photos of hedgehogs!

We hope you enjoyed reading this development update, if you wish to keep up to date with all Afterconflict updates, be sure to follow our Twitter feed too.

[h2]As Ever:[/h2]

Since our last development update back in April, we've been working on all sorts of new additions you'll no doubt be pleased with, such showcasing the new, textured version of our Type 88-1 from our last update, showing off different gameplay additions such as leaning and advanced scope mechanics, our improved night time visuals and equipment to go with that, vehicles and the means to destroy them, you may even spot some snippets of a map we previously showed off in Development Update 9...

We've got a lot to go through- so let us not dally, and get on with it!

As already mentioned, since Development Update 12 we worked further on our rendition of the North Korean Type 88-1 and released a showcase video on April 15th, the Day of the Sun, officially making it the first ever fully-modelled, fully-textured, fully-featured rendition of the rifle in existence; presented for your enjoyment!

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
In terms of other improvements, we've also been improving some models on the NATO side of things, such as our model of the G3A3; though we'd not had any particularly negative feedback regarding our G3A3 model (that we know of), there were various things that we thought imperative we fix, from improvements to the iron sights, to adding the "Freischwinger" bracket.









Speaking of improved iron sights, we've altered the way that iron sights appear to better simulate how they appear to the human eye, here's an example with the already mentioned G3A3's rotating diopter drum sights.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
Outside of iron sights, we've also been overhauling our optical sights, they've been overhauled to such a degree in fact that we made an entire video explaining it that also serves as a tutorial for those interested in using optics to their fullest in Afterconflict, check it out!

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
Although it's not showcased in this video, we did a separate showcase showing the adjustment of the reticle of optics such as the PU-1, allowing an intelligent scope user to make the most of even the more basic devices they may find themselves using.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
There's also the matter of resting one's weapon on more awkward surfaces, which though important even for firing generally, is even more important for those using scopes, so for that we have also introduced dynamic "smooth" leaning, which while generally keeping you better protected against enemy fire, gives you more stability to return fire, both horizontally and vertically.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
In terms of specific models of scopes, we've added a few; relating to the G3A3 we first have the first model of the standard "Zielfernrohr" for the G3, a scope that can be fitted as standard to virtually any G3 rifle to effectively convert it into a marksman rifle, of which were abundant in the Bundeswehr.







However, our next newly added showcase requires a tad bit more context in its addition.

Recently, we've been focusing on improving the appearance of the dark nights of Afterconflict, and with this we've added various new gameplay options to claw your way to victory in the dark, from the stars in the night sky being astronomically correct, to various (authentically flawed) night vision devices, which brings us on to-



The NSPU is the first night vision device we added to Afterconflict, a relatively solid, relatively rugged, relatively reliable scope that lets the average infantryman accurately observe and fire at an enemy at night- or in the day, if you so choose to do so!





[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
In addition to this, we also have a few examples of night vision goggles to show off. Although by the 1990s many militaries of the world had only just started to issue night vision goggles specifically designed for ground troops as opposed to those designed for vehicle crews on a larger scale, it did not stop various forces (especially special forces) from using goggles designed for said vehicle crews like the Soviet PNV-57Es for far more infantry-oriented tasks, and we have a preview of the PNV-57Es in use here:

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Despite the pilfering unfortunate faliings-off-the-backs-of-trucks of various sets of PNV-57Es, Soviet vehicle crews are certainly not lacking in terms of the resources needed to crush anything that stands in their way, with machines such as the 2S1, BMP-1P, BMP-2, T-80U, and the BM-21, NATO forces must still keep their anti-tank defences ready if Warsaw Pact firing demonstrations are anything to go by.

2S1

BMP-1P

BMP-2

T-80U

BM-21

But do not think that only Pact vehicles are to be feared for their ability to go toe-to-toe with NATO armour, as with disposable rocket launchers such as the RPG-22 (heavily based on the US's M72 LAW), even infantry are to be feared, those who show complacency are likely to find their end at the hands of an emboldened conscript clutching a freshly fired missile launcher.



Though it is to be feared on the ground, NATO air crews are relatively safe from disposable RPGs as they dominate the skies and rain down hellfire with such feared designations as the AH-1F, and the infamous A-10A.

AH-1F

A-10A

But they should not be so bold thinking they have the air war won, as there too are feared names in Pact-controlled skies too, from the near limitless numbers of multi-faceted Mi-8s, to the legendary Mi-24P, the "Hind F".

Mi-8

Mi-24P

If you're being chased by them, try losing them in the trees.




On our Discord server we discuss everything from the game and Cold War history to posting photos of hedgehogs!

We hope you enjoyed reading this development update, if you wish to keep up to date with all Afterconflict updates, be sure to follow our Twitter feed too.

As we work further on our West German content that we showed off in our last development update we've also been working on a few other additions. This includes the addition of vehicles, compass models, barrel heat haze, weapon resting, overpenetration mechanics, scope shadow simulation, scope parallax, and one final, more irregular inclusion, the North Korean Type 88-1 rifle.

Starting off, those who have been following our Twitter page have likely seen our previews of various new vehicle models present at the NATO and Pact ranges in-game; so far these include the BTR-70, T-64BV, Ural-4320, Leopard 1, TPz 1 "Fuchs", and the M939 truck.

BTR-70

T-64BV

Ural-4320

Leopard 1

TPz 1 "Fuchs"

M939 Truck

Currently these vehicles are only stationary and their lower-poly models only temporary, but later on we intend on both improving said models and making them fully functional, allowing you to tear up the battlefield at a faster pace, on a larger scale.



On a much smaller scale, we've also been adding faction-specific compasses, which will function as an actual usable item in-game, instead of just a standard HUD element like many other games (which trivialises map navigation and reduces communication between squad members to quickly shouting out various random exact compass coordinates).



So far we've modelled the Soviet Adrianov compass, which faithfully served the USSR for many years, both in a military and civil capacity, and the East German Marschkompaß (or Marschkompass) F73, which was also widely used for both military and civil matters.



Each faction will have their own appropriate compass design, so keep an eye out for the West German CONAT compass and the United States' famous M-1950 compass soon!

In reality, firing off a large amount of rounds in a short period of time will cause a weapon's barrel to heat up, this results in not only the barrel expanding and reducing accuracy, but if the barrel is hot enough it'll create a heat haze, which will rise from the barrel and affect visibility, as seen here.



If you're thinking about firing rounds on full-auto at all, it pays to have your weapon rested on a surface, which we've also implemented!



In Afterconflict, weapon resting not only steadies your weapon, allowing you to take more precise shots, but it also allows you to freely and smoothly peak over cover, ensuring that you're in the best possible position to fire, whether it be returning fire on an enemy that has opened up on you, or setting an ambush.



We've had a lot of great reception regarding the accuracy of our weapon ballistics, and we thank you greatly for it!



Since reception has been so great, we've been showing off the trajectory of rounds fired in our firing range (including ricochets), along with their velocity, as seen here!



Along with the valid reason for the implementation of this feature being "because it looks cool and people enjoy us posting screenshots and videos of it", it also serves an important purpose in testing another feature we've recently implemented, that being overpenetration.

Here's an example of 7.62x39 being fired from an AKM through wood, brick, and sheet metal.



Penetration varies depending on material, that means that unlike in many other FPSes where basic cover gives you the comfort that you're protected against enemy fire, in Afterconflict you must choose your cover wisely depending on the enemy's position, armament, etc., lest you sit in a wooden shack and it gets hosed by 7.62x51 MG3 fire...



Contrary to indiscriminate machine gun fire, scopes allow for more precise, deliberate shots at long ranges, and we have made it a priority that they are portrayed as accurately in-game as possible, and one of the ways we have recently improved that is by adding a physically accurate scope shadow simulation, making scopes feel like scopes, not just a circle showing a zoomed in picture of whatever's in front of it.



Our dedication to the realistic portrayal of scopes also includes the portrayal of scope parallax; scope parallax occurs when you move your eye position while looking down a scope (especially those with higher magnification), causing the reticle to seemingly shift position (though the reticle itself doesn't move, it's just perception-based), making accurate fire difficult.



We'll be showing this off in more depth during the coming days, so keep an eye on our Twitter feed to see it first.




[h3]We've also been working on something a bit more...[/h3]
[h2]unusual.[/h2]


After being unable to acquire a licence to produce the Soviet Union's AK-74, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea looked for other means of producing their own version of the rifle, which led to surprise among Soviet advisors to North Korea when it was found that the DPRK had requested assistance from the People's Republic of China in creating a Juche AK-74.



The PRC's assistance had proved quite fruitless however, as the Chinese had little success themselves in replicating the 5.45 AK-74 (only succeeding in the late 1980s, ironically being named by Norinco as the Type 88S and a 7.62 version as the Type 88SB), which led to the Soviets intervening and giving official assistance in developing the DPRK's domestic version of the AK-74 which would result in 2 rifles, the standard Type 88, and its folding-stock counterpart, the Type 88-1 (sometimes referred to as the Type 98 and Type 98-1 for modernised versions of the Type 88 and 88-1 respectively), which we have here for you today.



Appearing in public for the first time in April 1986, being examined by Kim Il-sung and his son, Kim Jong-il, among a few other examples of newly DPRK-produced equipment and weaponry, the Type 88 and 88-1 would be phased into service with the Korean People's Army from the late 80s into the early 90s, initially with elite units, and eventually trickling down into the equipment stocks of the Worker-Peasant Red Guards.



While the standard full-stock Type 88 is quite similar to the Soviet AK-74, ignoring a lot of the more minor details, the Type 88-1 (which the KPA seemingly prefers over the standard Type 88) has an unusual side-folding stock which, rather than folding to the left like most conventional side-folding AK rifle stocks, instead folds to the right, similar to the Chinese Type 56-2's comparably awkward folding stock design, perhaps a vestigial feature of China's involvement in the Type 88-1's development?



After many hours of meticulous research, we have been sure to faithfully recreate every detail of the 88-1, from its unique side-folding stock to various different minor eccentricities, constructing the most accurate recreation of the Type 88-1 rifle to date, and we'd love to hear your thoughts.








On our Discord server we discuss everything from the game and Cold War history to posting photos of hedgehogs, and our Patreon-exclusive Discord channel, "The Bunker", is where we post exclusive WIP content that our patrons will be able to see before anyone else!

We hope you enjoyed reading this development update, if you wish to keep up to date with all Afterconflict updates, be sure to follow our Twitter feed too.