Beyond The Wire News

Our development recap blog returns with detail on some of the progress on the project through March. With much anticipated reworks of the ragdoll physics and commander menu UI, it’s been a busy month gearing up for Operation IV. As always with these recaps, all work show is still in progress and is subject to change prior to release.

[h2]Ragdoll Physics[/h2]

The development team have been wanting to address the in-game ragdolls for a while and have completed a rework of the physics system attached to character models. Addressing the existing collisions for physical assets players will now see a more realistic reaction when dropping an enemy. While the previous system provided some comedy moments the system wasn’t ideal and now gives a more realistic visual to suit the games atmosphere.

Ragdoll Physics 1 Ragdoll Physics 2

[h2]UI[/h2]

The commander UI has been updated with new icons for call-ins. Non-directional fire support now shows a crosshair icon and directional call-ins had a direction indicator. These new icons are part of the UI and deployment overhaul coming with Operation IV.



[h2]Weapons[/h2]

We have more weapon options on the way and there’s been two recently completed which will play very different roles on the battlefield. First up is a new pistol for the Central Powers, with the C96 arriving soon. Animations for the pistol have recently been completed and show a difficult reload having to hold the bolt while inserting the rounds. A much anticipated sidearm that we’re sure will be a hit with the community.

C96 Animations

Next up is the Tank Gewehr which we’ve revealed in previous blogs and will play a huge role in combating the inbound tanks. With a single round capacity this large caliber rifle will be one of the main methods in taking down advancing tanks.

Tank Gewehr Animations

The final weapon that’s seen progress this month is the new HMG that will be coming in Operation IV, the St Etienne is fully animated and will be bolstering the arsenal for the Entente forces.

St Etienne Animations

[h2]Australian Imperial Force[/h2]

The next faction due for release is close to completion as uniforms, headwear and melee weapons are modeled and ready for texturing. Arriving in Operation IV to reinforce the Western Front the AIF will have unique uniform items and weapons, adding further variety when heading out Beyond The Wire. See the latest update on the faction below!



[h2]A7V[/h2]

The newly revealed German A7V is now in the testing phase with operable cannons being the latest focus. The video below shows the view from the hull and how the cannons work. We’ll soon be testing these landships with our closed testing group so stay posted for a full gameplay video!

A7V Cannon Testing

We'll be dedicating time to previewing the various changes and overhauls coming with Operation IV so stay posted for upcoming developer blogs. See you in the trenches!

For the past few months the management team at Redstone Interactive has been busy defining the future of the studio and looking at ways to ensure the success of the team for the continued development of  Beyond The Wire. The studio was founded with the opportunities our close relationship with Offworld Industries gave us, and while working as a standalone studio has been a fantastic endeavor, we are excited to announce that we have agreed to be acquired in full by Offworld.

This decision will allow us to take advantage of the established infrastructure, publishing, and technical support that Offworld can provide us, to allow us to fully develop Beyond The Wire. With an ambitious roadmap taking us to 1.0 launch and beyond, we see this new direction as the best step for our future plans. We are thrilled to be working with Offworld Industries in an even closer capacity and look forward to the development of BTW with their support and expertise improving all aspects of the project.

This new business decision does not change or impact our plans for Beyond The Wire and our aim is still firmly fixed on the large expansions due in 2022 ready for the 1.0 launch over the next year. We would like to thank our community for their continued support and feedback as we move towards this major goal and the full release of Beyond The Wire!

The best is yet to come.

February has come to an end and the development team continues to storm through the priorities for the upcoming updates for Beyond The Wire. With tanks and the progression system still taking up a large portion of development time we can reveal some of the works being done by the other departments. Take a peek behind the scenes at some of the highlights completed through February!

[h2]Character Models[/h2]
The character models for the new factions are underway with the uniforms and equipment being modeled this month. Making slight changes to the uniform supplied for the British Empire, the Australian Imperial Force will be arriving with distinguishing features to their uniform to help separate them visually from the other Empire forces. Seen here are variations on the coat collar, trench coat and puttees that we've seen from various resources which gives the faction a unique look.

Another development on character models this month had been a much requested addition from the community for soldiers to show the accumulation of mud and blood from the conflict. Working on an update to texture progression players will have the option to choose how much wear is shown on the uniform when customizing their soldiers. Adding increasing levels of dirt and blood to character models will show how your soldier has been deployed throughout the war and the hardships they’ve overcome. Minor details like this will further the authenticity of our customization system and add background for your soldiers story.


[h2]Hotchkiss M1909 Portative[/h2]
Animations have been completed for the next version of the hotchkiss that will be arriving in-game. Building upon the arsenal for the entente the Franco-American Hotchkiss Portative will be seen in the hands of the entente in pre-1916 maps, with some exceptions. While it was eventually replaced by superior weapons the M1909 Portative will be arriving to reinforce the French and British armies in our next update.
Hotchkiss Portative Reload

[h2]Webley Mk. V[/h2]
Another sidearm option is also on the way for the British Empire. Looking almost identical to earlier iterations the Mk IV was revised and scaled down to use smaller ammunition with most of it's internal mechanisms being taken from the Mk III. Keep an eye on the horizon for when this new sidearm will be entering the fray.


[h2]Map Reworks[/h2]
As mentioned in our latest spotlight article many of our released levels have been receiving some attention in preparation for Operation IV. Cantigny has recently been updated with changes to foliage and landscape shaders as well as repainting some of the areas that haven't been touched since it's release. One of the goals for this work was to give players a better sense of direction when moving towards the center of the map. With new trench lines, less dense foliage and clearer pathing players will have an easier time navigating this map

Further focus has been given to updating Combles with more areas receiving a new lease of life. With infantry-heavy areas getting some attention, trench systems have been expanded and various points of interest have received additional detail to help bring the map up to standard for Operation IV. We're sure this new version of the Somme battlefield will be a big hit with the community.


As always we'll be sharing more updates from the team they work through all the new content and features arriving with Operation IV this spring. Keep the eyes on the horizon Soldier, we'll see you in the trenches!

Our Development Spotlight series returns to take a look at the on-going work being done in preparation for the introduction of tanks in our next expansion. Since the decision to include tanks before 1.0 release came recently there has been a number of requirements to update various aspects of gameplay systems, maps, and vehicle physics.


The level design team has been busy identifying the work needed to prepare certain fields of battles to be ready for tanks. With work going into existing maps to open up routes of travel for the land ships the team has also been addressing combat spaces for infantry which will be heavily impacted by the arrival of tanks. Seeking to add new areas to find safety in cover as well as routes onto objectives, players will notice the new and improved maps coming in Operation IV. Expanded trench lines, new tunnel systems and areas of hard cover have all been addressed across several maps giving infantry the safety they need to defend the incoming machines of war.


A new implementation for tank maps is the new tank trap systems that the environment art team have been working on. These new assets are being placed in certain areas of the maps where the design teams want to prevent tanks from accessing for gameplay reasons. Research has been done to see how armies engineered ways to defend against landships and these metal contraptions were seen across many frontlines. Here you can see the first version that the team have produced, large metal beams placed on Vimy Ridge to force tanks to find alternative routes. We’ll share further updates on these as they come closer to completion!


Another aspect that has been refined are the vehicle physics that arrived with the code base we’re using. Given the difficult terrain of WW1 battlefields, the behaviour of vehicles has had to be modified in order to develop tanks that operate properly and give them the advantages that these machines need for traversing across the field. From navigating across the shell holes of no-mans-land to the wide trench networks that sprawl across the field, the rework of these physics has been done to achieve realistic movement.


One aspect of movement that has been completed is independent track movement. Aiming to have tanks move and turn in a realistic fashion we developed the independent track movement early on and can be seen in the video below. The second aspect of movement that has been developed is the switchable gearing that drivers will be able to engage, allowing them to set a constant speed while moving, or to enable a parked mode when stationary. This addition will allow players to move consistently when advancing, giving better control over the vehicle and more opportunity for gunners to acquire and engage targets on the move.
Tank movement video

Finally the A7V has entered the last stages of development.While we have yet to show it in action, this will be third tank arriving with Op IV and will be main tank for the German Empire, offering some unique options for crew sizes to pair with it's formidable looks. A true land ship looking to dominate the field, this tank will be getting more attention in the coming weeks as progress continues so keep your eyes on the horizon for further developments!


Work on the tanks is on-going and will be a major focus of development as we charge towards Operation IV release. Stay posted for more updates and recaps to get the latest detail on how tanks will be changing the landscape for Beyond The Wire. See you in the trenches!

Our first Development Recap of the year is here, and after a much needed winter break the team is picking up steam with major preparations happening for our next expansion - Operation IV. While development continues to work on the features of our next release we’re able to showcase some of the work going on behind the scenes. Catch up from some of the work done in January!


[h2]Passchendaele[/h2]
The next field of battle to arrive is Passchendaele and is well underway with the majority of whiteboxing being completed and the environment art team working on new buildings that will add a unique look to this map. As this battlefield will be debuting with tanks, much of the level design focus has been aimed at ensuring satisfying vehicle gameplay while sticking with our direction for brutal infantry combat. Featuring an open, daunting no-man's-land before tight combat spaces in the town and across bunker systems spread across the line. layers will see the first major gameplay diversity arriving with tanks in this latest map. While much of the map layout is complete the team are still world-building and look to create new assets to offer some unique visuals.



[h2]Tanks[/h2]
Our QA team has been busy taking on the mammoth task of testing the new tanks due in Operation IV. Running these machines through the mill to see exactly where potential issues are - there’s been some funny results with vehicle physics that have been causing issues when traversing complicated terrain. This has resulted in a rework of the physics so tanks won't be sent flying when trying to advance!
Tank Testing Video

The new setup allows tanks to move more smoothly across the terrain and able to overcome obstacles, such as wide trenches, as desired. There’s a long list of test points for these land ships and they’ll be getting many hours of internal testing before going onto large scale gameplay tests closer to spring time. Stay posted on more news on the horizon!
Tank Testing Video

[h2]Customization[/h2]
Work continues to build a large base of options for players with the new customization system arriving in our next Operation. Shown below are example of the types of webbing and backwear options players will have to customize their character model when the system arrives. With over 200 switchable items being introduced when it launches, you won't be short of adding a unique touch to your character. Also, we can finally reveal the full list of cosmetic items will cover your character's face, headwear, facewear, upper body, lower body, webbing, backwear and hand slots! Again we will have more information on this system as we move closer to it's initial release.



[h2]C.L.L.E Mk 1[/h2]
A new rifle is on the way and animations have been recently completed for the Charger Loading Lee Enfield. Utilising a charger bridge for quick, 5-round charger reloads this rifle saw service with many of the Territory Forces after being converted from M.L.E's. Expect this rifle to be textured and ready to ship with the Australian Imperial Force in Operation IV!
C.L.L.E Animations 1 C.L.L.E Animations 2

Stay posted as we prepare to showcase all of the content lined up for our next update. See you in the trenches!