Over The Top: WWI News

Over The Top: WWI fourth Alpha Playtest!

Hey guys!
We are sorry for the short notice, but we are excited to announce that the fourth public Alpha Playtest for Over The Top: WWI will be from the 6th till 9th September 2024!

Since the last playtest, we've primarily focused on improving FPS performance. This has been a challenging task, but we hope the optimizations we've made have significantly enhanced the game’s overall performance. Now, we need to test these changes to ensure we're on the right track, enabling us to continue refining the experience.

For this playtest, our main focus will be on tracking player FPS. We've integrated automatic telemetry to monitor FPS during gameplay, allowing us to gather valuable data. After the playtest, we’ll analyze this information to determine the best direction for further development.

To ensure accurate comparisons, we won't be adding any new maps for this playtest. Introducing new environments could skew the performance data, making it less useful. We understand this may be disappointing, but it’s a necessary step in the game's development process, and there’s no way to bypass it.

Despite the focus on performance tracking, we’re still introducing some new and updated content. You'll find balance adjustments, numerous bug fixes, and new uniform unlocks to explore. Even if you participated in the previous test, we encourage you to check out the latest changes and provide your feedback.

Here are some of the key changes in this playtest:

[h3]FPS Improvements[/h3]
The primary focus of this playtest is to test our performance improvements. We have implemented numerous improvements across various systems in the game to deliver a smoother and more responsive experience.

[h3]Upscaler[/h3]
If you're GPU limited, you may want to try out the FSR 3.1 or XeSS upscaling techniques we've integrated, with XeSS being the preferred option due to its superior quality. You can enable upscaling in the Video options. This may provide significant performance boosts at the expense of some graphical fidelity.

Please note that both the upscaler and the new anti-aliasing (AA) are still experimental, which might result in unwanted behavior and ghosting artifacts. XeSS tends to produce fewer artifacts, which is why it is the recommended upscaler in Over The Top: WWI.

[h3]New AA techniques[/h3]
We have enhanced the Temporal Anti-Aliasing (TAA) technique, resulting in noticeably fewer jagged edges. Additionally, you can now enable FSRAA and XeSSAA, which deliver great AA results - especially XeSSAA - while incurring minimal performance costs. We encourage you to try them out!

[h3]New Uniforms[/h3]
The British faction has been outfitted with a variety of new uniforms, including authentic officers' garb, backpacks, and haversacks. Additionally, the Black Watch Highlander uniform is now available for unlock.

[h3]Randomly Generated Maps[/h3]
We have implemented the first version of randomly generated maps into the game. We might randomly switch to them every now and then, but they will not be in the map rotation for now. Still very experimental. It will be interesting to see how they play.

[h3]Weapon Accuracy[/h3]
We have introduced several new systems that impact gunplay, particularly for automatic and semi-automatic rifles and pistols.

Movement Accuracy: Firing weapons while moving will now significantly increase sway and reduce accuracy. This has been fine-tuned on a per-weapon basis, meaning some weapons handle movement better than others. For example, carbines experience only a minor accuracy penalty, whereas Light Machine Guns suffer a more substantial reduction in accuracy.

Burst Firing: Weapons should now be fired in short bursts. Continuously firing full-auto weapons will cause their accuracy to deteriorate over time, while firing in short bursts will prevent this issue.

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The second alpha Playtest for Over The Top: WWI will start on Friday the 6th of September and will end on the 9th of September.

Please keep in mind that the game is still in alpha and a number of features have not yet been implemented. There will be bugs and performance issues as well unfinished gameplay.

If you are interested in participating in the Playtest, you can register for it from our Steam Store Page. Once registered, you will be notified once the Playtest starts.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2778610/Over_The_Top_WWI/

Thank you! We look forward to seeing you on the battlefield very soon!
/Flying Squirrel Entertainment

Multiplayer FPS Over The Top WW1 guns for Battlefield's crown with 200-head battles and Mount & Blade-inspired melee

If DICE's Battlefield series lacks for one feature, it's surely the option to dig trenches. Properly dig them, I mean, not just waft them into existence with a wave of your magic trowel, a la Battlefield V. Think Minecraft, but with howitzers instead of Creepers. I have never been to war, but I do own several shovels, and let me tell you, if I ever hear artillery fire or even just dangerously raised voices round these parts, the first thing I will do is tunnel straight down.

Fuck it, I might do that if I read any negative comments on this news piece. Vex me not with your pestilent talk of "map balancing". Watch this trailer for Flying Squirrel's new FPS Over The Top WW1 instead. It abounds with trench-digging, and it looks like you can make some decent-sized craters, too.

Join us for your chance to see Over The Top: WWI during February's Next Fest!

The livestream play session of the game and its battles will be held on Friday, June 14th at 9pm CET

The development team will be waiting on the battlefield to answer your questions and fire artillery in your general direction.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Over The Top: WWI will be taking part in the Steam Next Fest June 2024. Starting from the 10th June 2024 at 10:00 PST (19:00 CET - 13:00 EST) you will be able to download and play a Free Demo of Over The Top: WWI. The Demo will last until June 17th at 10:00 PST.

Although the Demo will be limited in content and only include a select number of features, weapons, maps, and game modes, it should still give you a good indication of how the game plays. We will be rotating the game modes throughout the week.

Key Features of the Demo:

Multiplayer and Single-Player Modes: Engage in massive battles with up to 200 players or bots, ensuring every skirmish is a unique and challenging experience.
Conquest Game Mode: Test your strategic skills and teamwork in our Conquest mode, where every decision can turn the tide of war.
Diverse Arsenal: Unlock and wield a curated selection of period-authentic weapons and equipment, giving you the edge in the heat of combat.
Expansive Maps: Explore six hand-crafted maps, each offering distinct landscapes and tactical opportunities.
Armored Warfare: Command four unique tanks and two armored vehicles, alongside transport options and various artillery pieces, to dominate the battlefield.

But wait! Even though Next Fest doesn't start until June 10th, we've decided to give you a few extra days to enjoy the Demo. This means you can download and play the Demo starting TODAY!

So head on over to the Store Page and be one of the first to test the Demo.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2778610/Over_The_Top_WWI/

Please keep in mind that the game is still in alpha. There likely will be bugs and performance issues as well unfinished gameplay. If you have feedback or comments on the game, please feel free to contact us on our Discord.

We hope to see you on the battlefield!
/Flying Squirrel Entertainment

Steam Next Fest is now live!

Hello there everyone! Steam Next Fest has just started! So hop on and play the game today!
We have also updated the demo with a quite sizable patch. Check the changelog further down below.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Over The Top: WWI will be taking part in the Steam Next Fest June 2024. Starting from the 10th June 2024 at 10:00 PST (19:00 CET - 13:00 EST) you will be able to download and play a Free Demo of Over The Top: WWI. The Demo will last until June 17th at 10:00 PST.

Although the Demo will be limited in content and only include a select number of features, weapons, maps, and game modes, it should still give you a good indication of how the game plays. We will be rotating the game modes throughout the week.

Key Features of the Demo:

Multiplayer and Single-Player Modes: Engage in massive battles with up to 200 players or bots, ensuring every skirmish is a unique and challenging experience.
Conquest Game Mode: Test your strategic skills and teamwork in our Conquest mode, where every decision can turn the tide of war.
Diverse Arsenal: Unlock and wield a curated selection of period-authentic weapons and equipment, giving you the edge in the heat of combat.
Expansive Maps: Explore six hand-crafted maps, each offering distinct landscapes and tactical opportunities.
Armored Warfare: Command four unique tanks and two armored vehicles, alongside transport options and various artillery pieces, to dominate the battlefield.

So head on over to the Store Page and be one of the first to test the Demo.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2778610/Over_The_Top_WWI/

Please keep in mind that the game is still in alpha. There likely will be bugs and performance issues as well unfinished gameplay. If you have feedback or comments on the game, please feel free to contact us on our Discord.

Update Changelog

We have also updated the Demo. There are a few new additions and a bunch of changes and fixes. You can read the full changelog below.

New Features:

Engineer can now construct Camo Netting to prevent the enemy from observing troop movements.
The engineer placeable corrugated metal roof is now slightly wider, is easier to place and includes wooden poles at the ends to prevent it from floating.
Added leather cross straps to the British Officer unlock.
Linear Battle Gamemode will now automatically add additional bots to the attacker team to balance the teams.
Linear Battle Gamemode will now automatically add additional time to the match if the attackers managed to capture a point.
Spawning in vehicles is now prohibited if the vehicle is close to an enemy capture point.
Changing melee mode when holding a melee weapon without a ranged option will now switch to a ranged weapon. Inverse for ranged weapon.
When a team is behind 50 or more score, they now get double score from kills.
Bots now utilize player dug trenches for cover and as shooting positions.

Changes and fixes:

Ammunition and Bandaging crates can now be destroyed by melee.
Increased Stamina of players.
Fern and other flora can now be damaged and destroyed by pickaxes.
Dynamite now does 2.5 as much damage.
Tank main guns now do 2 times as much damage.
Grenades now deliver 1.5 times as much damage.
Fixed that you could not put down machine guns and engineer constructibles on floors in buildings or destroyed ruin walls.
Going from crouch to standing and vice versa is now significantly sped up.
Decreased time out to actions after jumping.
Decreased melee switching time.
Adjusted pickaxe position on German backpacks and size on British Soldiers when holstered.
Increased health of various engineer constructibles.
Adjusted build point costs of various engineer constructibles.
Fixed incorrect bleed out icon over downed players.
Fixed that you could not place props ontop of train-tracks.
British Engineers now have access to pioneer shovels.
Increased the amount of predicted frames on rifle grenades, making the prediction ray more accurate.
Reduced dig radius check near objects, making it easier to dig near objects.
Fixed Korean and Japanese translations not appearing correctly.
Changed camera offset when dying inside a vehicle.
Fixed error in death screen Ui and made it show up when you killed yourself.
Fixed an ammo bug when picking up weapons.
Can no longer win by score in linear gamemode unless the time runs out.
You can no longer take fall damage when swimming.
You can no longer put gas mask on when downed.
Camera now moves down when reviving people.
Fixed a bug with player level in scoreboard showing incorrectly.

Performance:

Decreased memory usage slightly for better performance.
Decreased number of grass elements spawned by x8 times while keeping the same density which should yield performance improvements on low VRAM machines.
Updated watershaders with improved rendering tech.

We would greatly appreciate your support in spreading the word about Over The Top: WWI's presence at Steam Next Fest.

Please share this news with your gaming communities and Discord Servers. Gather your friends, join the servers, and play a few rounds.

The more players, the more fun!

We hope to see you on the battlefield!
/Flying Squirrel Entertainment

Over The Top: WWI Steam Next Fest Live Stream

Join us for your chance to see Over The Top: WWI during June's Next Fest!

The livestream play session of the game and its battles will be held on Monday, June 10th at 7pm EST

The development team will be waiting on the battlefield to answer your questions and fire artillery in your general direction.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Over The Top: WWI will be taking part in the Steam Next Fest June 2024. Starting from the 10th June 2024 at 10:00 PST (19:00 CET - 13:00 EST) you will be able to download and play a Free Demo of Over The Top: WWI. The Demo will last until June 17th at 10:00 PST.

Although the Demo will be limited in content and only include a select number of features, weapons, maps, and game modes, it should still give you a good indication of how the game plays. We will be rotating the game modes throughout the week.

Key Features of the Demo:

Multiplayer and Single-Player Modes: Engage in massive battles with up to 200 players or bots, ensuring every skirmish is a unique and challenging experience.
Conquest Game Mode: Test your strategic skills and teamwork in our Conquest mode, where every decision can turn the tide of war.
Diverse Arsenal: Unlock and wield a curated selection of period-authentic weapons and equipment, giving you the edge in the heat of combat.
Expansive Maps: Explore six hand-crafted maps, each offering distinct landscapes and tactical opportunities.
Armored Warfare: Command four unique tanks and two armored vehicles, alongside transport options and various artillery pieces, to dominate the battlefield.