GROUND BRANCH News

Patch #13 is now live on the Community Test beta branch!

[h3]❓ How to join the Community Test beta branch[/h3]

• Right-click GROUND BRANCH in your Steam Library and select Properties…
• Click BETAS on the left-hand list menu
  
• Select 'communitytest - Community testing branch' from the drop-down menu
  

Steam will begin downloading the files for the new testing branch.

[h3]🐞 Where to report bugs[/h3]
You can report bugs and issues using any of these methods:

• The in-game Bugs & Issues screen (press [Esc] once in-game and look along the top menu)
  
• The Steam forums: steamcommunity.com/app/16900/discussions/
• The #bug-reports channel on the official GROUND BRANCH™ Discord

Your reports help us locate and fix issues faster, so keep them coming!

[h2]Patch notes[/h2]

• Added distance cull setting to base door blueprint with default of 2500 units
  
• Added door handles to Compound, Small Town, Run Down and Tanker doors
  
• Fixed dark splotchy lighting inside several buildings in Compound
  
• Fixed some clipping issues with Combat Pants and Fleece Hoodie
• Fixed some mesh culling issues on City and Run Down
  
• Added black version of Specter DR 1x/4x
• Added a variable length delay when turning on strobes, to desync them a bit
  
• Added billboards to Sea Grass meshes (used in Depot too)
  
• Texture size optimization (on assets used in Small Town, will be a small amount of crossover in other maps)
  
• Mesh build setting optimization (again on assets used in Small Town, will be small crossover)
  
• Removed inconsistent sprint related hack in AnimAction_Reload_Master
• Updated handgun and PMM reloads to split mag check into compressed and non-compressed, as originally intended (fixes PMM mag check being played twice)
  
• Hooked up firing & charge animations MK46 belt
  
• Disabled multi-threading on AI light detector component (prefer stability over performance right now)
  
• Crash fixes in modding manager relating to Lua state being used before initialized
  
• Fix to skylight override volume where minimum light level was not set properly for AI light checks when exiting the volume(s)
  
• Cleaned up some foliage in big rocks on Storage Facility
• Made truck window glass in Compound not glow at night
  
• Fixed strange particle collision, switched affected emitter from GPU to CPU
  
• Fixed bug in Team Scores function
  
• Fixed a few bad lighting channels on doors in Small Town
  
• Fixed issue with UMP45 stock being offset
  
• Updated MK8 CQBSS 1–8x LPVO: added proper reticle (M-TMR), tweaked magnification values and fixed magnification ring rotation
  
• Updated Vudu 1–6x LPVO: reduced max reticle brightness and tweaked reticle color based on reference
  
• Updated PSO-1M2 4x scope: removed eyecup to improve sight picture and added reticle illumination (for now, works like other optics — brightness levels rather than on/off like the real thing)
  
• Applied subtle greenish-yellow tint to 1P78 Kashtan 2.8x and PSO-1M2 4x scopes (characteristic of Russian scopes)
  
• Fixed magnification ring rotation on all LPVO-type scopes
  
• Fixed some scopes using a static "fake glass" texture on the rear lens
  
• Updated display names for scopes: removed brackets around magnification to make names shorter — e.g. ACOG (4x) is now ACOG 4x
• Adjusted LOD distances on Sea Grass and allowed AI visibility blocking
  
• Tweaked some light culling distances on Compound
  
• Tweaked Mesh culling distances on Power Station and Run Down
  
• Fixed a few collision issues on Creek
• Standardized vehicle glass material between vehicles in maps
  
• Streamlined some antialiasing (AA) settings to hopefully help with Temporal AA (TAA) issues
  
• Fixed glowing window glass in Storage Facility
  
• Visual adjustments made to the flesh bullet impact (VFX)
  
• Fixed missing third-person PKM sound and updated Depot audio level
  
• Fixed a few collision issues on 747 and PowerStation maps
  
• Fixed character lighting in dark tunnel issue on Power Station
  
• Cleaned up some light leaking in Docks
  
• Auto balance routines moved to game mode Lua library
  
• Using vote map change now merges game mode and mutator options set in the maplist with the standard game mode options
  
• Fixed function name in WeaponRestriction mutator (weapon restrictions now working again)
  
• Initial reticle sight brightness now depends on sun intensity (night = 1, day = 3, dawn/dusk = somewhere in-between)
  
• Spectator night vision now usable if following character (because some follow camera modes can use it)
  
• Changed way NVG eye light color is done to try avoid replication type issues and to simplify things
  
• admin startround command should work a little better
  
• Spawn behavior improved in cases where players are brought into a round without a valid insertion point selection (under-the-hood change)

Patch #12 is live for the Community Test beta branch!

This is a quick set of fixes for a few game breaking issues (with a couple content things thrown in).

• Added door handles to City doors
  
• Replaced old STANAG mag with newer model
  
• removed erroneous dump pouch from the BattleBelt_TF.kit file.
  
• This should fix kit saving issues
  
• Fixed reticle disappearing issue with AK105 using a riser and G33
  
• Fix full auto loop bug caused when someone begins firing while you are / are not watching them, then stops firing while you are not / are watching them. This will need extensive testing.
  

Patch #11 is now live on the Community Test branch!

[h3]❓ How to join the Community Test beta branch[/h3]

• Right-click GROUND BRANCH in your Steam Library and select Properties…
• Click BETAS on the left-hand list menu
  
• Select 'communitytest - Community testing branch' from the drop-down menu
  

Steam will begin downloading the files for the new testing branch.

[h3]🐞 Where to report bugs[/h3]
You can report bugs and issues using any of these methods:

• The in-game Bugs & Issues screen (press [Esc] once in-game and look along the top menu)
  
• The Steam forums: steamcommunity.com/app/16900/discussions/
• The #bug-reports channel on the official GROUND BRANCH™ Discord

Your reports help us locate and fix issues faster, so keep them coming!

[h2]Patch notes[/h2]

• Added night-time reflection capture scaling to Depot and Docks
• Turned off weather occlusion in master materials for possible performance boost
  
• Fixed shotgun reload using incorrect bone when inserting a second shell
  
• Fixed Eye Bias slider so it shows up as 0% to 100% again instead of 0 to 1%
  
• Fixed destroyed doors interfering with firearm collision
  
• Fixed Headset headband area clipping through Ball Cap (Reverse)
• Added player.Teleport() lua function, and fixed up some inventory.XXX calls
  
• Updated ACOG 6x48 optic with new model, and lowered scope shadow value on ACOGs
  
• Updated ATACR 1–8x scope: added proper reticle textures and fixed adjustment ring rotation
  
• Re-exported HK416D CQB to try to get rid of crash
  
• Added option to disable immunity on spawn protection volumes
  
• General material optimizations and deleted very old meshes/textures no longer used since Depot remake
  
• Fixed up some bad mesh call distances and set light culling distance on tunnel lights in Power Station
• Lots of behind-the-scenes stuff for upcoming Hostage Rescue game mode (PvP)
  
• Added logic to prevent sneaky people manually adding stuff to kit that should not show up in Customize Operator screen
  
• Fixed AI seeing and shooting through Ural 375 flatbed and canvas cover
  
• Cleaned up some missing geo on a floor/ceiling mesh in Small Town
• Fixed various mesh culling distance issues in Depot
  
• Added door handles to Power Station doors
  
• Lots of AI fixes, including making bots less idle in Deathmatch
  
• Stopped AI being so polite with doors while attacking; now will just go through them
  
• AI that have switched to a sidearm due to their primary being empty will now switch back if they haven't seen their current enemy in a bit
  
• AI should do the enemy-line-of-sight shuffle a bit less
  
• Navigation improvements to Arena and Arena 2
• Fixed roughness not being hooked up properly in a master material
  
• Slightly lowered IR illuminator brightness in both modes
  

That's it! Keep the reports/feedback coming and have a bangin' weekend, everyone.

Today's patch for the V1033 Community Test beta branch has more updates to lighting, skins, audio and more.

[h3]❓ How to join the Community Test beta branch[/h3]

• Right-click GROUND BRANCH in your Steam Library and select Properties…
• Click BETAS on the left-hand list menu
  
• Select 'communitytest - Community testing branch' from the drop-down menu
  

Steam will begin downloading the files for the new testing branch.

[h3]🐞 Where to report bugs[/h3]
You can report bugs and issues using any of these methods:

• The in-game Bugs & Issues screen (press [Esc] once in-game and look along the top menu)
  
• The Steam forums: steamcommunity.com/app/16900/discussions/
• The #bug-reports channel on the official GROUND BRANCH™ Discord

Your reports help us locate and fix issues faster, so keep them coming!

[h2]Patch notes[/h2]

• Tweaked Distance Field Ambient Occlusion (DFAO) settings globally
  
• Partial fix for crazy VFX stuff happening at map origin
  
• Disabled Subsurface Scattering (SSS) globally
  
• Fixed light portals in Run Down, City and Tanker
• Upped skylight on Run Down a bit
  
• Fixed Ready Room (RR) lights getting shot out
  
• Overhaul of skylight override volumes to balance day and night better (see Storage Facility tunnels and Run Down basement)
  
• Fixed bad laptop in Docks (Intel Retrieval game mode)
  
• Fixed grouped lights so that changing time of day won't switch on lights that have been switched off at a power box
  
• Fixed tedious bug where you see a blue transparent wall in low-light conditions
  
• Moonlight made a bit bluer
  
• [FIRST PASS] Added options to manually cycle bolt- and pump-action weapons (currently M24 sniper rifle and SDASS shotgun) in Settings › Controls
  
• Gun tail audio change and VOIP remixed
  
• Cleaned up mesh intersection issues with helmet chin straps and the Balaclava
• Deleted old/hidden meshes in Creek
• Tweaked some light cull distances in Compound
• Fixed Vudu 1–6x not properly switching reticles for all magnification levels
  
• Removed the target cameras/screens from The Farm's shooting range, and replaced old sandbag meshes with updated ones
  
• Tweaked grey skin for Combat Shirt and Combat Pants: now a lighter grey with black secondary colors
  
• Created grey skin for ACU Coat and Tactical Pants
• Fixed the Combat Shirt's cuff and arm velcro patches being assigned different colors
  
• Fixed subtle red-tinted areas in Combat and Tactical Pants
  
• Added reflection capture scaling option, currently applied to Power Station so less blue ghosting at night
  
• Created additional effect type for bullet casings
  
• Adjusted max bullet impact instances from 30 to 7
  
• Fixed laser flare material being visible while sprinting
  
• Deleted deprecated (unused) pouch blueprint
  

Is it me or are these patches rolling out faster and faster?

Another hotfix out on the Community Test beta branch as we keep getting closer to the official V1033 release!

[h3]❓ How to join the Community Test beta branch[/h3]

• Right-click GROUND BRANCH in your Steam Library and select Properties…
• Click BETAS on the left-hand list menu
  
• Select 'communitytest - Community testing branch' from the drop-down menu
  

Steam will begin downloading the files for the new testing branch.

[h3]🐞 Where to report bugs[/h3]
You can report bugs and issues using any of these methods:

• The in-game Bugs & Issues screen (press [Esc] once in-game and look along the top menu)
  
• The Steam forums: steamcommunity.com/app/16900/discussions/
• The #bug-reports channel on the official GROUND BRANCH™ Discord

Your reports help us locate and fix issues faster, so keep them coming!

[h2]Patch notes[/h2]

• Added door handles to shoothouse doors (The Farm)
  
• Fixed up lighting in Paintball
• Further small tweaks to dawn/dusk light sensitivity and global skylight settings
  
• Added keybind for Spectator Mode night vision mode (still investigating why not working)
  
• RESET DEFAULT button in Settings › Video now resets both basic and advanced settings
  
• Bots should now respawn in new rounds in Deathmatch
  
• Updated Last Man Standing missions to mirror all current Deathmatch missions
  
• Fixed missed Distance Field Ambient Occlusion (DFAO) value in quality settings; this should fix unlit interior areas being overly bright
  

[h2]Shimmering foliage[/h2]
With the ongoing process of tuning and trying different combinations of settings to fix/improve various aspects of lighting, the shimmering foliage artifact (especially noticeable in grass) is present again in this build.

There's no need to report it—we'll continue to look for a fix that doesn't cause issues elsewhere.

[hr][/hr]
Enjoy the weekend, everyone!