GROUND BRANCH News

Greetings, tactical realism aficionados.

We're a week into July, and it's about time we put out a new Intel Report for you with fresh dev news and more sneak peeks for upcoming release V1034 of GROUND BRANCH.

[h3]⚠️ This report is not an exhaustive list of V1034 features![/h3]
For the most up-to-date list of expected V1034 and later features, see our roadmap.
You may also want to check out last month's Intel Report #15 (June).

One of V1034's most notable features will be the first iteration of the highly anticipated prone stance, in which characters drop to the ground on their stomachs and move around by crawling.

Lead programmer Kris and animator Mike have spent a lot of time and effort navigating the considerable complexities of GROUND BRANCH’s true first person system, and the prone system is now ready for a little showcasing.

The media below is all very much work-in-progress/first pass, but here are a few shots straight from Kris:

Folks, it's real

And here are some quick and dirty captures of one of the pistol reload animations while prone:

[previewyoutube]https://youtu.be/RhG0GVR7Wac[/previewyoutube]
[previewyoutube]https://youtu.be/-V4raFBAHY8[/previewyoutube]

The prone stance will offer the lowest profile, making you harder to spot and a smaller target in most situations, while also boosting weapon accuracy by providing the most stable of all three basic shooting stances (standing and crouched being the other two).

Here's the result of Mike sacrificing his IRL knees in the name of science hardcore vidya during last month's mocap session:

[previewyoutube]https://youtu.be/BAw1rnBa16Q[/previewyoutube]
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
Though it comes with a stealth and accuracy bonus, prone is also the slowest stance — not just to move around, but also to perform actions such as reloading, changing weapons and equipment, and looking/aiming around. For reference, the prone pistol reloads above are roughly one second slower than the standing/crouched variant.

More upgrades to the animations will include equipping and stowing additional primary weapons on and off the character's back:

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

We're not disclosing too much at this time, but John has a smaller map project going called "Hideout". Here are some sneak peeks:

Any ideas about the possible setting or theme? Drop 'em in the comments!


In each update, we try to include some quality-of-life changes to make your gaming life a little easier — often based on community feedback. When it comes to mission setup, we have two new features coming to V1034 so far:

[h2]Objective and insertion randomization[/h2]
In game modes with randomized insertion/extraction points, search areas, hotspots etc., you can now click the 🔄 button on the Ops Board to "re-roll" them.

Don't like the choice of hotspot in your Terrorist Hunt game, or the search areas in Intel Retrieval? Not a fan of the Team Elimination spawns for the next round? Just click the button on the Ops Board (either in Lone Wolf or as a server admin) and see if you like the new picks better.

[h2]Special role volunteering[/h2]
Feeling like you become the hostage way too often? Ugh. Do you want to place the flag in DTAS, but never get the chance? We feel your pain. That's why we're introducing a "volunteer" button to the Roster menu.

Simply click the button, and you'll be volunteering for any special role associated with the game mode. Only volunteers will then be considered for the special role. If no player volunteers, then the role is picked at random like before (though in all cases, game modes always try not to pick the same player in a row).

💡 Server admins will also be able to, well, "volunteer" other players. Is that a thing? Volunteering other people? *opens new browser tab*

[h2]Color blindness support[/h2]
A quality-of-life update of a slightly different kind is provided by a couple of new Advanced Video options.

We have received reports that the default red reticle, red laser dots, and the red search area and hotspot markers are very hard to see for people with color blindness (especially in the case of deuteranopia, which affects about 6% of males). In response, we're implementing two different schemes to try to assist people with color blindness of different types (and other visual impairments, hopefully).


Firstly, it is now possible to change the color of reticles, lasers, and search/hotspot markers to one of a range of different colors that different types and severities of color blindness may be more sensitive to (and thus have an easier time seeing).

Secondly, we have implemented a number of different extreme look-up tables to attempt to "correct" colors into a palette that is more visible for people with different types of color blindness. This may also shift the default red color of the reticles, lasers, and so on.

We hope that these measures provide at least some alleviation and/or aid for people with different types of visual impairment. We will of course keep an open mind as to other measures we could put in to assist with visual impairments, and we welcome your feedback.

💡 When color blindness corrections are active, a warning message is displayed on screen so that hopefully anyone seeing footage of it will not be confused as to why the colors have gone a bit awry.

The composition below shows the color correction schemes that are possible:


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Speaking of quality of life, we have also managed to fix two very special bugs that you have no doubt grown to know and love:

• Being unable to set the enemy AI count ("Expected resistance") on the Ops Board
  
• Moving option sliders adding one (1) to the number that you wanted
  

Sorry we let those slip through, everyone.


Head and body cams are all the rage these days, and since we always wanted to make it a Spectator Mode camera, we're going ahead and adding a spectator helmet cam perspective in V1034. It may or may not eventually replace the regular first-person spectator camera, depending on feedback and practical implications.

Here's programmer Matt "Fatmarrow" Farrow testing his creation on The Farm's shoothouse:

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

In V1034, we're finally adding a radio pouch to all vest platforms. VOIP radio is a default feature in regular play, so the radio pouch is a fixed, non-removable item — though the former aspect isn't necessarily set in stone.


It's a small cosmetic update, but it adds some flavor to setups.

Grenade effects continue to be iterated on, and VFX artist Charles got to a nice spot with the frags.

Notice how the version below even has some small flying debris bouncing off the ground:

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Cal, one of our programmers, has been making good progress on the GROUND BRANCH SDK and Steam Workshop integration.

He's already got a functioning test mod into Steam Workshop, and servers and clients will soon be able to download mod updates automatically from the Workshop. We are planning to stagger the development of the SDK so as not to delay updates: V1034 should see the addition of weapon mods, while maps and other kinds of modding will follow in later releases.

This should be exciting news to all modders and modding enthusiasts out there who have been having to hack their mods into GROUND BRANCH for a while now.

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If you made it this far, give yourself a pat on the back and know that we do have favorites.

Don't forget to check out last month's report if you haven't already, and maybe check out our Discord community if you're not in there yet.

As always, thank you for supporting GROUND BRANCH. We'll see you again next month!

Patch 1033.3 is a stability/performance update for V1033.

We've done some cleanup that should result in a few crash fixes, as well as more stable framerates (less stuttering, mainly).

That's it!

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[h2]Stay connected[/h2]
Discord / Steam Community Hub / Reddit / Twitter / Instagram / Facebook

Hey, everyone!

The Dev Blog is back with Intel Report #015, where we cover the first news for upcoming release V1034, as well as other dev team-related updates.

Let’s get straight to it.


We’re officially welcoming Elliot Burgess — a level designer and environmental artist with credits including Rising Storm 2: Vietnam and more recently Ready or Not — into the BlackFoot Studios team!

💡 Elliot is currently busy with early work on a new map called Ranch. If you have any guesses, drop it in the comments.

The first implementation of female characters, which have long been in the works, is fully confirmed to be in upcoming release V1034.

🚺 Some might recall that tactical shooter trailblazers Rainbow Six and Ghost Recon featured female operators all the way back in 1998 and 2001, respectively, and we are proud to maintain this tradition.

Because female characters are directly derived from the male counterparts, a lot of things remain to be re-fitted and may look janky, but we’re getting there.

As previously mentioned on the Steam forums and our Discord, there will be no significant gameplay benefits or drawbacks based on the sex of the character.


Our female operators wouldn’t be complete without some more authentic hairstyle options than a shaved head, so we’re finally bringing in a few ‘dos that will add an extra layer of customization — as well as some much needed variety — to all characters.

Here are a few samples:



Hairstyles would be a relatively simple thing to implement if it weren’t for all the headgear options: anything that isn’t a close buzzcut can cause clipping with hats, headsets and even helmets. The clipping requires various areas of different hairstyles to be “masked out” and programmed to be hidden only when combined with certain headgear items.

All of that takes a considerable amount of time, which is why we’re unsure just how many (or which) hairstyles will make it into V1034. But rest assured that they will all be making their way into the game eventually!


In addition to the existing 5 male characters and the previously showcased 5 female characters, contractor Pau Peñalver has created 2 new characters that will also be featured in V1034. Both were inspired by typically Middle Eastern and Mediterranean features:




Up until V1033, recoil animation was restricted to the weapon itself kicking back and up, with some minor secondary arm movement derived only from the hands being attached to it.

For V1034, our animator Mike is upgrading recoil with more secondary movements, which now include the head and upper body reacting to the kick.

💡 This iteration simply adds secondary animations: the actual recoil and underlying system will be upgraded at a later point to both look and feel more realistic.

This first pass will add 5 types or levels of recoil that correspond to: handguns have a 9 mm and a .45 recoil, most primary weapons have a “light”, “medium” and “heavy” recoil depending on caliber, and both machine guns have unique recoils — with the PKM being closer to the “heavy” recoil, and the MK46 to the “medium” one.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h3]🏃 Motion capture[/h3]
This week, Mike is also recording motion capture (mocap) for prone, weapon transitions (e.g. changing from primary to secondary and vice-versa), a new sprint, and some other assorted movements that are all expected to make V1034. Fingers crossed!

VFX artist Charles has spent the last couple of months refining the particles for muzzle effects, in special smoke and flash, while also adding some smaller details here and there. Muzzles will also generate more unique particles based on what type of weapon and muzzle device is being used.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

🌫️ Next stop for Charles is smoke grenades.

We can confirm two new weapons for V1034 so far: the Galil ARM squad automatic weapon (5.56 NATO, 35-round magazine) and the SA58 OSW battle rifle (7.62 NATO, 20-round magazine).



Our partners have also built a new (and more typical) FAL, which will be replacing both the placeholder FAL Tactical (which was standing in for the SA58 OSW) and the FAL Vintage (a stand-in for a more old-school FAL).

New FAL model, seen here with optional top rail attachment

We also have an AUG A1 in its early stages. We wanted to offer modders a template for a bullpup weapon, and though bullpups aren’t very common in modern battlefields, the AUG is one of the more common types out there.

❌ The AUG A1 will not be in V1034, as Mike's to-do list is very much packed already — meaning no time to animate it. We just thought you'd like to know it's on the way.

Another classic GROUND BRANCH map has received a makeover by environment artist Will Bullen: MOUT training site Small Town.

This is less of a major overhaul (à la Depot) and more of a visual update to get it more in line with newer maps. It also officially establishes the map as a training site, linking it visually with The Farm.

💡 The layout for V1034's Small Town remains mostly unchanged.

Per community request, server admins will be able to disable the Ready Room’s shooting range in V1034. Enabling this server option will add a locked gate to the entrance:




Enemy AI has been moved over to the Kythera AI middleware, with immediate upgrades in both pathfinding and cover usage. We’ll be showing more once things are less under-the-hood and more visible to the player.

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As always, we’re incredibly grateful for everyone’s continued support through GROUND BRANCH’s development. We’ll keep working hard on the update.

We’ll have a new report for you next month, so stay tuned. See ya then!

We wanted to get out a quick hotfix for a few gameplay issues introduced in the V1033.2 release from a few days ago.

CONTROLLER SUPPORT

• created controllers icons for Gamepad_LeftX, Gamepad_LeftY, Gamepad_RightX & Gamepad_RightY
  
• updated DefaultInput.ini
  
  • ensured controller shift and ctrl modifiers are bound.
    
  • ensured default controller bindings that use modifiers only use the shift and ctrl modifiers by defaults.
    
• updated widgets related to key and controller binding
  
  • added input events to catch mouse, gamepad left stick and face button down key events.
    
  • now be possible to bind to mouseX/Y, left stick X/Y and A button again.
    
  • ensured "Unbound" is displayed instead of "None" for a key that is not bound.
    
  • updated bind overlays to set the existing key so that cancelling out shows a valid key instead of unbound.
    
  • updated game pad bind overlay to hide modifiers that are not currently bound to a button.
    
  • added "X to cancel" message when binding buttons.
    
  • added warning dialogue that pops up if a controller modifier is cleared while still in use.
    

GAMEPLAY

• fixed bad laptop on aircraft stairs in SE apron in 747 Intel Retrieval
  
• added warning to kit restrictions UI to inform users that skins may additionally be permitted for fallback items defined in default loadout .kit files
  
• updated text for kit restrictions warning about default loadout files
  
• rejigged admin kit restrictions widget again to fix some text and change tooltip to GB version
  

As always, please let us know if and when issues arise and thank you for your continued support!

BUILD UPDATE #044: Patch V1033.2
Patch V1033.2 is now available, and (barring any subsequent hotfixes if needed) we anticipate that this is the last update for 1033. We've squashed lots of bugs, made tweaks in a lot of areas, and put things generally in order until the next update. Apologies if we didn't get round to fixing everything, but we will have another pass in V1034.

We are now turning our attention full-time to version 1034, which will have some exciting new features. See the #roadmap for more details (subject to change, as always). We will be in touch about that in due course!

[h3]⛔ IMPORTANT: Clear your old config files[/h3]
If you are coming from V1032, have not played V1033 in a while, or are having issues with settings/graphics/audio, you need to delete all contents in the following locations (copy-paste these paths into your File Explorer address bar and hit Enter):

1. %LOCALAPPDATA%\GroundBranch\Saved\Config\WindowsNoEditor
2. Documents\GroundBranch

⚠️ Not doing so will cause various asset and input issues in your game, and may impact performance.

MAPS

• 747
  - Small optimization combining meshes in 747 interior
  - Updated audio volumes
  - Cleaned up a lot of Distance Field visual junk in 747 (plane interior)
  - Added skylight adjustment volumes to plane for more consistent interior lighting (night vs day)
  - Fixed issue with Power Station generator light not working with attached switch
  
• City
  - Fixed City subway light switch not working
  - Fixed double window pane
  
• Enabled 'Affect Translucent Lighting' in lights for better vfx illumination
  
• Docks
  - Fixed issue in Intel Retrieval where sometimes only 8 spawns would be available
  
• Storage Facility
  - Fixed missing collision exploit
  
• Tanker
  - Fixed issue in Intel Retrieval where only 8 spawns were available
  

GAMEPLAY/SYSTEMS

• Added fallback system for kit restrictions (shirt, pants and footwear now need a fallback skin defined)
  
• Rejigged inventory management system to fix some bugs and make inventory setting smoother internally
  
• Thrown grenades no longer block doors once they stop moving
  
• Replaced loading screen system with more robust and hopefully more bug-free system
  
• Internal changes relating to pouch handling to make more robust and to handle skins more consistently
  
• Removed a lot of debug logging
  

GRAPHICS

• Changed foliage.MinLOD to prevent trees from only showing the flat billboard up close, regardless of setting
  
• Fixed improper texture setting in base vehicle glass material
  
• Fixed front wheel that was inverted on Ural truck
  
• Rejigged the skylight override system (used in Storage Facility, Rundown and 747) for more consistent lighting results
  

INVENTORY / ANIMATION

• Removed erroneous dump pouches from various .kit files
  
• Fixed MK17 rate of fire (from 750 to 600)
  
• Fixed magnifier not being placable in front of an iron sight
  
• Updated logic regarding red dots and front sights posts (some red dots will work if they are similar in height to the front sight post)
  
• Fixed SVD bolt not animating properly
  
• Fixed bullets showing through magazines
  
• Default item builds (weapons, vests, etc) updated across the board
  
• Fixed M24 looping ejection FX
  
• Fixed M24 floating shells during reload / bolt rack
  
• Fixed shadow not showing up for NVG mount
  
• Fixed some bad json syntax in default loadouts
  

CONTROLS

• Created dedicated keybind/hotkey for the IR Illuminator (AN/PEQ-15): default key is 8, but we recommend setting it to a mouse button if available
  
• Ensured that all Keyboard/Mouse keybinds were also available under the Controller tab (Settings › Controls)
  
• Fixed hard coded bindings to controller modifiers
  
• Fixed bad controller modifier action names
  
• Fixed missing controller icons for left/right stick movements
  

UI

• Added UI to indicate to players when kit restrictions have invalidated parts of their loadout
  
• More info on kit restrictions displayed in character editor
  
• Minor UI cleanup/style pass (location/time/night conditions section in TOD dialog, restricted items dialog content)
  
• Added legend to inventory bar to inform players of how to close it (RMB), and minor style tweaks
  
• Updated controls screen:
  - Added IR Illuminator keybind
  - Minor text tweaks to a few keybinds for extra info/clarity (e.g. reticle brightness also controlling illuminator mode)
  - Added gamepad binds for actions that were only listed under KB/M
  - Increased size of keybind icons
  - Added minimum height to bind entries to prevent the lack of an icon from collapsing the height
  - Changed color and style of the "None" entry
  
• Repositioned spectator overlay options to be a little higher on the screen so it's harder to miss
  
• Added/updated mission selection thumbnails for most maps
  
• Attempting to change a local player element via the server player list should also work for admins in all cases
  
• New entry in credits for Rangda (Additional Media)
  
• Changed default MaxChatMessages from 12 to 10 and default ChatDisplayTime from 15 to 10
  

VFX

• Muzzle particle effects (smoke, casings, etc) switched to Niagara system and tweaked some more
  
• Updated non-9mm based firearms to either use 45ACP or 556 as their shell impact type
  
• Made sunlight and moonlight affect translucent lighting, for better smoke and other vfx lighting
  
• Disabled the emitters for the muzzle shockwave (which kicks up secondary dust)
  
• Stun effect reworked, hopefully also fixing audio issues
  

SOUND

• Some native UE4 sound calls moved to wwise
  
• Updated reverb for weapons
  
• Fixed missing scope zoom sound
  
• Tentative bug fixes relating to audio bank manager
  
• Miscellaneous minor audio tweaks
  
• Tweaked footsteps
  
• Fixed missing weapons bank for Farm
  

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[h2]Stay connected[/h2]
Discord / Steam Community Hub / Reddit / Twitter / Instagram / Facebook