New World: Aeternum News

Greetings, Adventurers!

We will upgrade our old combat and animation system to improve performance in areas with many players alongside the release of Season of the Guardian. This new system (which we affectionately call Slayer Script) will also make it easier to improve our combat going forward. We’ve done our best to keep the feel of the game the same, but would love to hear your feedback following these changes. From the development process to challenges, join Tech Lead Kevin Christensen for a deep dive into what this system means for the future of New World.

[h2]SLAYER SCRIPT[/h2]

Slayer Script is a C++ based scripting language. It is natively compiled and dynamically loaded by New World in order to provide excellent performance as well as live updates to scripts. It can cause events (spawn enemies, play sounds, etc), respond to events (if an enemy dies, if a player enters a room, etc.), play animations, control movement, and more. A lot of work can be packed into a few lines of code.

[h3]DEVELOPMENT PROCESS[/h3]

New World has an enormous amount of objects that update frequently, making it difficult to efficiently use traditional scripting languages. A scripting language, for example Lua, is interpreted and cannot capitalize on hardware optimizations. While the execution performance of Lua is good, it would be used for hundreds of objects in New World. The overhead and memory cost was not going to cut it. We needed a solution to be as fast as possible with an acceptable impact to development iteration.

Our original character scripting system ran well during development, but eventually began to struggle with performance, memory, and runtime allocation as New World continued to grow. This led to Slayer Script as an alternative side project. Slayer Script reduced this cost to a few allocations, and its natively compiled code is very compact, which significantly reduced the runtime memory.

The initial idea was to use Slayer Script to control the player. The player is by far the most expensive game object in New World. Much of the design was focused on reading player input and controlling animations. This task was going to take a large amount of time. Turns out, the Expedition Team was the first to use Slayer Script, which didn’t require player input or animations. This is when Slayer Script changed to be a more general purpose scripting language. It wasn’t until recently that Slayer Script was used for its intended purpose.

[h3]GOALS[/h3]

Over 400 actions have been converted into the new system by hand to ensure gameplay remains one-to-one. Our goals were:

• Use natively compiled C++ to be as fast as possible.
  
• Reduce memory cost by decreasing the amount of state that needs to be stored.
  
• Improve scalability by using an architecture that has a smaller impact on execution for new behaviors.
  
• Be hot loadable in order to allow runtime development.
  
• Be easier to debug.
  

Reducing the memory cost turned out to be the easiest problem to solve. Slayer Script was designed to store the state in one location, and all of the behavior was created in a manner that can be shared amongst all instances of a script.

Scalability will be an ongoing task. Even C++ can be used in an inefficient manner. Care must be taken when adding new features, but C++ provides extensive solutions for tracking performance and observing operation execution.

The previous system was difficult to debug. Tools were created to help but being able to step through execution was not possible. Any designer with a debugger can now set breakpoints, inspect memory and step through the script’s execution. Debugging the previous system was a time sink, just due to the process. Debugging complex scripts is still hard but at least the method is easy.

[h3]CHALLENGES[/h3]

The biggest challenge has been to keep iteration fast. Designers need to be able to see the results of their work quickly. With a compiled language, this would normally mean closing the game, making edits, compiling and then running the game again to see the results. Slayer Script is built into a module that can be loaded while the game is running. Dynamically reloading a module can be tricky, so any references to objects within the module must be released before the module is unloaded, and reacquired after the module is reloaded. If this is not handled correctly, the game or tools will crash.

By using C++, the memory and performance cost of the system starts out with great potential. C++ is intended to develop high performance applications and be as efficient as possible. It is a mature language with many tools to help development and measure performance.

Another challenge was hiding the complexities of C++ from the people who will use Slayer Script. C++ can be a difficult language to use, but when used as a scripting language, it doesn’t have to be any more complex than any other scripting language. There is still a lot of room for improvement on this topic. It will continue to be a goal.

We look forward to your feedback in the Season of the Guardian PTR. Thanks for your support and we’ll see you in Aeternum.

Greetings, Adventurers!

Aeternum is an ever-evolving world, and as such, we continue our efforts in providing our players with an assortment of ongoing new features, content, and changes. Similar to the activities leading up to our latest major update, we are approaching the release of Season of the Guardian and would like to once again invite you all to participate in this iteration of our Public Test Realm (PTR)!

Read on for this PTR's features and FAQ.

[h2]PTR[/h2]
The Public Test Realm (PTR) is a limited-availability server-set that grants an early look at upcoming features. These preview builds are snapshots of upcoming major releases and are not final versions — you may encounter bugs, crashes, missing text, or other issues. Between our internal testing efforts and your reports, we hope to catch and resolve all serious issues before they reach the live servers. Hundreds of changes have already been made — with more to come — and the full release notes will be shared on release day. However, not every bug or feedback piece will be actioned on before release — some changes need time to be investigated further, and may arrive in a subsequent patch or two.

To help with the feedback process, all newly created PTR characters will have the opportunity to instantly level to select level-ranges outfitted with appropriate gear and items.

The PTR will officially open on February 15. If you encounter a bug, exploit, or have suggestions to improve a feature or piece of content, we’d love to hear your feedback on our Discord (you can also utilize our in-game feedback tool). We will do our best to address as much of your feedback as possible before the content update makes its way to our live servers. Your participation will help us to deliver awesome content and updates in the future!

During this iteration of the PTR, we look forward to hearing your playtest feedback on the following changes:

• Winter Rune Forge
  
• Season 5 Artifacts
  
• Main Story Quest Update
  
• Controller Support
  
• Upgraded Combat & Animation System
  
• Weapon Balance Updates
  
• Mounts in Outpost Rush
  
• Season 5 Rewards Track
  
• Cooking Trade Skill changes

Check out our release notes for more details.

[h3]PTR CLIENT ACCESS[/h3]
This special preview client will be made available for download through the stand-alone Steam application, “New World Public Test Realm” (which should already be in your Steam library if you own the main game). When the test period is complete and the main New World game is updated with the previewed content, the PTR world will shut down and may be wiped clean. You will continue to see the New World PTR application in your Steam library, but there will not be an active server until the next time we announce a public test.

[h3]PTR BACKSTORY LOADOUTS[/h3]
Upon character creation on the PTR, players will be given multiple caches of special armor and weapons. Each cache has a designation based upon a general build and a main attribute: CON, DEX, INT, FOC, and STR.

To help manage the sudden onset of new items, do not open all provided caches at once, or you’ll risk becoming encumbered! Instead, equip all provided bags and then follow-up with opening each cache deliberately. Any undesired caches can be dropped or deposited into your personal settlement storage.

[h2]PTR FAQ[/h2]
[h3]HOW DO I ACCESS THE NEW PTR?[/h3]
Everyone with a copy of New World will be automatically granted access to the secondary PTR app. The PTR is not compatible with the live game, so you will need to download a separate client (and have the hard drive space required to support it). From there, we will have special worlds available within supported regions. Not all regions will initially be supported. Access is on a first come, first served basis. There may be queues.

[h3]CAN I PLAY WITH OR TRANSFER MY LIVE CHARACTERS TO THE PTR?[/h3]
Unfortunately, no. These are separate ecosystems, so at this time it is not possible. However, to make testing easier, we will occasionally provide our play-testers with special accommodations such as instant levels, special gear, etc.

[h3]CAN I PROVIDE DESIGN FEEDBACK REGARDING WHAT’S INCLUDED ON THE PTR?[/h3]
Preview game builds on the PTR are finished with their core development and are in their final phase of testing and bug fixing. Our main focus at this phase is improving quality, although we will appreciate any feedback you have to share.

[h3]I HAVE A PROBLEM; HOW CAN I CONTACT CUSTOMER SUPPORT?[/h3]
Our policies and Code of Conduct cover the PTR, and in-game moderation will continue to be supported. Unfortunately, due to the temporary and potentially unstable nature of the PTR, general Customer Service assistance through both Live Chat and through the Support Website will not be available.

[h3]I DON’T WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PTR, CAN I REMOVE THE APP FROM MY LIBRARY?[/h3]
Don’t worry, no offense taken. Players can manage visibility of the New World Public Test Realm Steam Library entry. Opening up the game options (right-click > Manage) offers the “Hide Game” function.

Thanks for your support and participation! We'll see you in Aeternum.

Greetings, Adventurers!

This article was updated on March 22: Season of the Guardian will release on Tuesday, April 2. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we continue to resolve issues based on PTR feedback and work together towards even more enjoyable experiences in Aeternum. You can also look forward to the full release notes at the end of next week.

Survive the Winter Rune Forge, master Cooking Trade Skill changes, experience the updated Shattered Mountain main story quest, and play with a controller when Season of the Guardian releases on March 12. There are also new combat optimizations for smoother combat in PvP modes like Wars. Check out the next PTR for an early preview of our latest features.

Join the Development Team for an in-depth breakdown of Season of the Guardian:

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h2]MAJOR UPDATES[/h2]
The Winter Rune Forge, new Artifacts, Mounts in Outpost Rush, some Journey tasks, and a few of the Challenges will all require Rise of the Angry Earth to experience.

[h3]NEW SEASONAL TRIAL: WINTER RUNE FORGE[/h3]


Join up to 10 max-level players in a bone-chilling gauntlet of increasingly difficult enemies. This Seasonal Trial requires teamwork to overcome Rune puzzles, slay an Icey Construct, and fell an Ancient Ice Guardian for unique rewards.

[h3]NEW ARTIFACTS[/h3]


Grab 8 new Artifacts that excel through unique playstyles. Here are some of their key traits:

Sin - Hatchet

• Corruption: Debuffs last 25% longer. (Works on both weapons)
  
• Defile: Deals 2% more damage per debuff on target. (5 stacks max)
  

Venom - Spear

• Poison Tipped: Heavy attacks with either weapon cause poison dealing 20% weapon damage for 5s.
  

Tempest Fury - Great Axe

• Momentum: Successful attacks gain 3% movement speed for 3s. (Works on both weapons and stacks 10 times).
  

Nature’s Wrath - Medium Chestwear

• Nature’s Blessing: Empower expires 200% faster but you deal 20% more damage.
  

Gilli’s Gravity Gauntlets - Heavy Glove

• Whenever you take damage, gain a charge that increases the damage of your next attack by 3% (max 10 charges).
  

Ironheart - Heavy Legwear

• When not in heavy loadout, gain 20% more max health.
  

Creed Boots - Light Footwear

• Ambush: Deal 15% more damage and 25% critical chance as long as you haven’t hit the target within 20s.
  

Phoenix - Amulet

• Phoenix Revival: When you receive lethal damage, avoid death and become invulnerable for 2s (180s cooldown)
  

[h3]NEW SEASON PASS[/h3]


Season of the Guardian introduces a new Season Journey, new Activity Card, new Challenges, and new rewards including cosmetics and consumables.

[h3]COOKING AND OTHER TRADE SKILL CHANGES[/h3]


Look forward to ingredient updates, revamped Cooking progression, Legendary Fish recipe tweaks, the removal of split attribute food, and more. We’ll have additional details to share in a future Deep Dive article.

[h3]UPGRADED COMBAT & ANIMATION SYSTEM[/h3]

We’ve upgraded our old combat and animation system to improve performance in high traffic areas with many players like Wars and OPR. This new system will also make it easier to improve on our combat going forward. We’ve done our best to keep the feel of the game the same or better, but would definitely like to hear about things that don’t feel right after the upgrade.

[h3]CONTROLLER SUPPORT[/h3]
Controller support is coming to New World! Select from two pre-set controller layouts to make your New World experience even more immersive. As part of optimizing the game to play well with controller, we've introduced the following new features and settings:

• Aim Assist: Helps with aiming ranged attacks. (Controller only, AI only)
  
• Target Friction: Slower reticle speed on roll over of a valid target (Controller only)
  
• Enemy Target Lock: Allows you to lock the camera onto an enemy (AI only). Move the right stick to swap between multiple targets. (Works on both controller and mouse & keyboard with middle mouse button and mouse wheel up/down)
  
• Freeform Movement: Allows running in all directions including towards the camera. Holding block or activating target lock will revert to normal strafe navigation. (Defaults to ON with controller, OFF with mouse & keyboard)
  
• Use Camera Direction for Melee Attacks: If this is off it allows melee attacks and blocking in the direction of your input/character facing instead of your camera facing. (Defaults to OFF with controller, ON with mouse & keyboard)
  
• Improved feature accessibility:
  
• Radial wheel for quick access to features like player emotes, issuing commands and setting up camp.
  
• Shift modifiers to allow for quick access to all combat abilities.
  
• Improved UX navigation with gamepad for faster actions.
  

[h3]MAIN STORY QUEST FULLY UPDATED[/h3]

The entire New World main story quest is now fully updated based on player feedback and improvements made to the revamped starting experience. Experience fresh narratives, more quest variety, and a few new surprises as you put an end to Isabella’s campaign of corruption.

[h3]MOUNTS IN OUTPOST RUSH[/h3]


Ride your favorite mount into battle, gain control of fortifications and resources, and strike down foes in this 20v20 game mode for Level 60+ players.

[h2]SEASONAL EVENTS[/h2]
[h3]RABBIT’S REVENGE[/h3]

The plague of rabbits has returned once again, only now, they are more perilous than ever. Watch out for explosions as you hunt for event-specific loot.

[h3]SPRINGTIDE BLOOM[/h3]

The Time of Awakening has arrived. Springtide Bloom calls its children to share an ancient secret capable of granting true freedom. Help the enigmatic Bloom Herald unravel the mysteries of the ethereal Wispybloom and collect Springtide's fertile bounty of event-specific rewards. Harvest with caution, as swarms of vile Wispy Wasps guard the blooms with fury!

[h2]PTR[/h2]
The Public Test Realm (PTR) is a limited-availability server-set that grants an early look at upcoming features. These preview builds are snapshots of upcoming major releases and are not final versions — you may encounter bugs, crashes, missing text, or other issues. Between our internal testing efforts and your reports, we hope to catch and resolve all serious issues before they reach the live servers. Hundreds of changes have already been made — with more to come — and the full release notes will be shared on release day. However, not every bug or feedback piece will be actioned on before release — some changes need time to be investigated further, and may arrive in a subsequent patch or two.

To help with the feedback process, all newly created PTR characters will have the opportunity to instantly level to select level-ranges outfitted with appropriate gear and items.

The PTR will officially open on February 15. If you encounter a bug, exploit, or have suggestions to improve a feature or piece of content, we’d love to hear your feedback on our Discord (you can also utilize our in-game feedback tool). We will do our best to address as much of your feedback as possible before the content update makes its way to our live servers. Your participation will help us to deliver awesome content and updates in the future!

During this iteration of the PTR, we look forward to hearing your playtest feedback on the following changes:

• Winter Rune Forge
  
• Season 5 Artifacts
  
• Main Story Quest Update
  
• Controller Support
  
• Upgraded Combat & Animation System
  
• Weapon Balance Updates
  
• Mounts in Outpost Rush
  
• Season 5 Rewards Track
  
• Cooking Trade Skill changes
  

This content will be tested in rolling waves. Stay tuned to our Social channels and Discord for the full schedule.

[h3]PTR CLIENT ACCESS[/h3]
This special preview client will be made available for download through the stand-alone Steam application, “New World Public Test Realm” (which should already be in your Steam library if you own the main game). When the test period is complete and the main New World game is updated with the previewed content, the PTR world will shut down and may be wiped clean. You will continue to see the New World PTR application in your Steam library, but there will not be an active server until the next time we announce a public test.

[h3]PTR BACKSTORY LOADOUTS[/h3]
Upon character creation on the PTR, players will be given multiple caches of special armor and weapons. Each cache has a designation based upon a general build and a main attribute: CON, DEX, INT, FOC, and STR.

To help manage the sudden onset of new items, do not open all provided caches at once, or you’ll risk becoming encumbered! Instead, equip all provided bags and then follow-up with opening each cache deliberately. Any undesired caches can be dropped or deposited into your personal settlement storage.

[h2]PTR FAQ[/h2]
[h3]HOW DO I ACCESS THE NEW PTR?[/h3]
Everyone with a copy of New World will be automatically granted access to the secondary PTR app. The PTR is not compatible with the live game, so you will need to download a separate client (and have the hard drive space required to support it). From there, we will have special worlds available within supported regions. Not all regions will initially be supported. Access is on a first come, first served basis. There may be queues.

[h3]CAN I PLAY WITH OR TRANSFER MY LIVE CHARACTERS TO THE PTR?[/h3]
Unfortunately, no. These are separate ecosystems, so at this time it is not possible. However, to make testing easier, we will occasionally provide our play-testers with special accommodations such as instant levels, special gear, etc.

[h3]CAN I PROVIDE DESIGN FEEDBACK REGARDING WHAT’S INCLUDED ON THE PTR?[/h3]
Preview game builds on the PTR are finished with their core development and are in their final phase of testing and bug fixing. Our main focus at this phase is improving quality, although we will appreciate any feedback you have to share.

[h3]I HAVE A PROBLEM; HOW CAN I CONTACT CUSTOMER SUPPORT?[/h3]
Our policies and Code of Conduct cover the PTR, and in-game moderation will continue to be supported. Unfortunately, due to the temporary and potentially unstable nature of the PTR, general Customer Service assistance through both Live Chat and through the Support Website will not be available.

[h3]I DON’T WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PTR, CAN I REMOVE THE APP FROM MY LIBRARY?[/h3]
Don’t worry, no offense taken. Players can manage visibility of the New World Public Test Realm Steam Library entry. Opening up the game options (right-click > Manage) offers the “Hide Game” function.

Thanks for your support and participation! We'll see you in Aeternum.

Greetings, Adventurers!

Exclusive New World consumable items are now available through Prime Gaming until March 12, 2024. If you are an Amazon Prime member, make sure to pick up the Winter Mercenary’s Cache! It contains Vial of Suspended Azoth x10, Dark Matter x50, Gypsum Orb x5, Crowded Armory Rack x1, Ruby Geometric Rug x1, and Powerful Honing Stone x10.


“The sharp contrast of the dark red and the bright silver calls to you in ways you never knew."

With Prime Gaming, Amazon Prime members enjoy tons of free, exclusive content for their favorite PC, console, and mobile games. Plus, they can claim a collection of PC games for free every month that are theirs to keep forever, and a monthly Twitch channel subscription. Prime Gaming’s selection of in-game content and free PC games is always growing and rotating to stay fresh, with new items and free games added every month.

Players who are not currently Amazon Prime members that are interested in accessing the exclusive New World loot can sign-up for a free, 30-day trial on the Prime Gaming website. Prime Gaming Loot can only be claimed once per account.

Stay tuned, as we’ll have more content for Prime Gaming members in the future.

Thanks for your support! We’ll see you in Aeternum.

Greetings, Adventurers!

New World Update 4.0.4 downtime will begin at 5:00AM PT (1:00PM UTC) on February 7 and last approximately 1.5 hours. Find Expedition groups faster through Cross-World Expeditions, gear up for the harsh winter with new Store items, and check out the winners of our Winter Fashion Week contest. Here are the full release notes, plus another episode of Patch Notes Breakdown. Please continue to share your video feedback on Discord or in the YouTube comments section.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h3]CROSS-WORLD EXPEDITIONS WITH IMPROVED GROUP FINDER[/h3]
Your favorite Expeditions will now offer less wait times and even more rewards. Through player feedback, the Activity Finder menu, and our matchmaking system, we have taken big steps toward our vision of more accessible instanced modes. We can’t thank our players enough for their patience as we took the time needed to get these cross-world systems in place. Explore each new feature, including details on our new bonus rewards.


[h3]FEBRUARY STORE SHOWCASE[/h3]
With a heart as cold as the frozen landscape and a willingness to fight in conditions unbearable for others, the Winter Mercenary is a fearsome foe! Outfit yourself for the winter months with new items available in the Store.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h3]WINTER FASHION WEEK CONTEST[/h3]
Thanks to everyone that participated in our Winter Fashion Week Contest. First place will receive 20,000 Marks of Fortune, second place will get 10,000 Marks of Fortune, and third place will net 5,000 Marks of Fortune. Look forward to future contests on the New World Discord.



[h2]RELEASE NOTES[/h2]
[h3]COMBAT[/h3]

• Fixed an issue that caused players to not properly get contribution (including loot bags) for killing enemies while in a group.
  
• Fixed issue that caused Defensive Formation to remain active while sprinting.
  
• Outpost Rush Powder Kegs: Reduced the cost from 100 Azoth to 50 Azoth, and doubled their health (15K to 30K)
  
• Pestilence (Artifact): Increased cooldown between activations from 0.5s to 1s and updated tooltip to clarify that there is a cooldown.
  

[h3]EXPEDITIONS[/h3]

• Added flag to track if a player was kicked from their group. Don't apply leaver penalty when kicked.
  
• Leaver penalty applies when closing the client or connection times out.
  
• Fixed respawn point filtering for Outpost Rush and Expeditions.
  
• Respawn shrines are now available in Cross-World Expeditions.
  
• Expedition counts are now consumed for Cross-World Expeditions.
  
• Revive counts are now enforced in Cross-World Expeditions.
  
• Added "Elapsed Time In Expedition" to control when to apply Deserter Penalty after "X" time.
  
• The number of Mutated Expeditions will be increased to 3 per week. Every Mutation rotation that follows this update will have a set of 3 Mutated Expeditions.
  
• Please note, there will be an interruption to the Mutation schedule for this upcoming rotation. The Mutations will rotate on 2/6 at 11PM PST per the usual schedule, but there will be another rotation during the 2/7 downtime that’ll change the list of Mutations again.
  

[h3]NOTABLE FIXES[/h3]

• All seasonal event quests will be appropriately removed outside of the event, and players who were holding summer event quests will no longer have a broken Journal screen.
  
• Fixed an issue in which three quest rewards characters appeared as generic NPCs instead of their unique appearances.
  
• Fixed an issue that prevented players from entering the Sandworm Elite Trial remotely through the map or activities UI.
  
• Fixed an issue that caused Cross-World Expeditions to not display on the Expedition map.
  
• Fixed an issue that caused Outpost Rush matches to start with only backfilled players.
  
• Fixed a visual issue with element positioning for Soul Trials.
  

[h3]ECONOMY, PROGRESSION & GEAR[/h3]

• Fixed an issue that allowed players without Rise of the Angry Earth to receive unusable loot above 625 Gear Score.
  
• Fixed an issue that caused the Frigid Dawn armor set to not appear as a material replica recipe at the Gypsum Kiln.
  

[h3]KNOWN ISSUES[/h3]

• Players in pre-made groups disband after abandoning or completing an Expedition.
  
• Role selection DOES support the Lost Stopwatch artifact to quality for Tank role, but the UI only mentions Carnelian Gems
  
• Role counter does not update after kicking member from group and can stall the queuing process. Work around - If any remaining player revisits the Role Select screen, the group size will update and will proceed as expected.
  
• Soul Trial entrances can sometimes show both lobby and matchmaking elements. No workaround needed, just click the button and proceed to the entrance screen.
  
• Trying to change your role while in a Cross-World match does not give a reason why it fails to update.
  
• When queuing for Outpost Rush or Arena, the global “Leave Queue” button is missing from the updated UI.
  
• Players must leave queue through the main Queue Status HUD (top right), or from the specific Outpost Rush/Arena screens.
  
• After playing an Outpost Rush match, the Expedition’s queue HUD can briefly show Outpost Rush match sizes before the first player accepts the invite.
  

Thanks for your support! We’ll see you in Aeternum.