Squad News

Hello squaddies,

Today, we’re dropping in to let you know of some upcoming playtests the team has planned to run V2.12 through its paces before release.

Before that, we’d like to thank those who joined us in the previous playtests to look at the upcoming Shadows & Lighting changes. We hope you’ll be joining us again (along with some squadmates who may have missed their chance) to give these new changes plus many others that are part of V2.12 a run for their money and to help the development team with any bugs/issues you may uncover while taking part.

NOTE: These playtests will occur on the “Squad - Public Testing” app.

1. The “Squad - Public Testing” app will be available in your Steam Library ONLY if you own Squad. It can be found by searching for “Squad - Public Testing” within the Steam Library search bar.
2. Downloading the “Squad - Public Testing” app is equivalent to downloading another copy of Squad, so please ensure you allow yourself enough time to download it and enough HDD space to have it installed.
3. The build(s) we will be using during the playtests are not currently available. This means if you install the “Squad - Public Testing” app now in preparation for the tests, there will be additional downloads closer to the time of the tests. Please keep that in mind, and set your Steam Library to auto-update if possible.

Currently, we are planning for these tests to run on these dates:

Saturday 2nd October 2021 - Sunday 3rd October 2021

During this, we will provide the means for you to provide your feedback and any bug reports, which the team will then utilize to give a new build for a further test on:

Saturday 9th October 2021 - Sunday 10th October 2021

We’re very excited to see the community taking these builds for a spin in at least one full server so the team can see any issues which may occur at max server capacity, which is why we’d love to see you encouraging everyone you know who plays Squad to get involved so we can observe any issues at total capacity or within niche squad types.

We will also be holding a V2.12/Shadows & Lighting specific SquadChat on Wednesday 29th September 2021. We will be sitting down with some of the Designers and Level Design team to discuss the upcoming update and tests. We can’t wait to see you there.

Keep an eye out here and on our social channels for further information before these events, and we’ll leave you with this little teaser.

This mod aims to represent the armed forces of Denmark as they stand today. The mod will include custom rifles, vehicles, and custom-ish soldier models.





Better Armor Layers catered to the hearts and minds of all those armor squads out there. (And sadly, to all the AT players too.) Sometimes, you just want an armor-focused match, but there isn't quite the Layer you're looking for. BAL aims to scratch that itch with RAAS layers with brand new layouts and vehicle-centric gameplay. Rarely should a crewman be aimlessly wandering around Main Base without a chariot to ride into battle. This also means that Infantry players are going to have to play smart and coordinated, feeding ammo to their ATs, and placing those ever pesky ATGMs. Ever wanted a Tank on Kokan? Yeah. We've got Tanks on Kokan.

Additionally BAL has brought the 6v6 Tanks game mode to your favorite maps like Gorodok, Yehorivka, Narva, Mutaha, and more, while also spicing it up by making it Random Advanced and Secure (RAAS Tanks).

Whether it’s Events, Memes, or general variety in the layer rotation, BAL can provide a fun experience to all. This Layer Pack is in its early days, and that means there is much more content planned for it, including brand new Invasion, AAS, and RAAS layers, eventually covering every map in Squad.

See you on the battlefield. (Don't Ammo Rack me please) - Zee, Mod Author.

For a complete overview of Better Armor Layers, join the Discord: https://discord.gg/KqCgSpqD2v
For a better marketing schpeel, check out the Steam Workshop page: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2583205870





We are creating the JGSDF as a playable Faction in Squad. Our goal is to make a faction that is balanced but feels different enough to be worth the effort. We want the JGSDF to be fun to play but also fun to play against. We're still looking for Blueprint Specialists, Modding Experts, Animators, and 3D Artists, especially for environment Art. If you want to know more or support us please join us at our discord.

Visits our Discord for more information on the Mod: https://discord.gg/UCZZ5Kt3B8





Raid Mod is a brand new PvPvE game mode for Squad that features a hardcore ruleset, full kit customization, and a dynamic, mission-based gameplay loop. In this mode you will become the soldier you idealize, taking into the game whatever weapons and equipment that you need to complete diverse missions to gain tickets and personal currency that can be used to buy even better equipment and assets. However, when you die out in the field you lose anything that you brought in with you, any reward you gained, and are sent back to main to join a new squad and try again. Compete against members of the other team to complete the AI/PvP based objectives and then return to main to collect your reward. Raid Mod is currently in Alpha status so join the discord to see updates and be informed when we hold future playtests: https://discord.gg/Wx9ss89t.




BORIS is currently working on the texture of the Véhicule Blindé Léger for the French Faction. This will be our recon amphibious vehicle, and different versions will be available:

1. VBL Mag 58/AANF1
   
2. VBL Milan
   
3. VBL .50 Cal
   
4. VB2L Mag 58 with turret
   

Discord: https://discord.gg/ZCCYEFx

Website: https://smf.tactical-collective.com/

Steam Workshop: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2198088821





Hey guys we are here once again to showcase another WIP, this time we have the EE-9 Cascavel a Brazilian made reconnaissance vehicle, equipped with a 90mm cannon, capable of firing multiple projectiles such as:
APFSDS, HESH, HEAT-T, HE rounds.





TREASON is a game mode inspired by popular games like Mafia, Secret Hitler, and Trouble in Terrorist Town. Commissars and Comrades work together to uncover the treasonous comrades. The Traitors work in secret to kill all innocent players and carry out their plot!

Featuring a variety of unique custom maps and tools to play, TREASON will be a great mode for taking a break from the stress of leading those blueberries into battle with something a little different :-)

The mode is still in development, but expect to see a playtest soon!

https://discord.gg/uH8pUBYhWe




Now with more layers than ever!

Hawks RAAS Rework looks at tackling the predictability of laned RAAS, redesigning from the ground up how point selection works. Its been dubbed "GRAAS" or "Good-RAAS".
With this new generation method, you'll experience point configurations and areas of the map that you may have never seen before.

Now with well over 100 distinct layer configurations, Hawks RAAS Rework is the perfect supplement to any server, giving you a classic Squad experience with a new twist. Don't bother loading up Squadlanes, because it won’t work, it’s the RAAS experience we always wanted.

Some of the changes since you last saw me on the wrench:
- Added standardized CAF faction templates
- GRAAS Layers on Goose Bay, Manic-5, Anvil, Fools Road, and more!
- Point balance changes to help speed up the early game, so there's less waiting around
- A bunch of new experimental Invasion and TC Layers

Did I mention it’s only 40MB and has workarounds for the "infinite running man" bug that's bothered us all since day 1?

Be sure to check out the workshop page (https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2442357787&searchtext=hawks+raas+rework)
and the Discord (https://discord.gg/mCEH6xZW6M)
and the google doc with more layer information (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1y_OZTQ9n-tIxoJ3beW9umqOQ2DuakL1vzvvN2AV2CZI)

Keep an eye out for a server near you running it!
And as for that last screenshot, some things are best left a surprise





Located on the US-Canada border, Russian forces are approaching from their previous victories during their amphibious landing in Labrador and seizure of the Manic-5 dam, Canadian and NATO forces will have to hold them here or risk Russian infiltration into the American homeland.

Grand Falls is a 4x4.5km map with the goal of capturing the feeling of a North American suburb and small town. It is in an early-playtest stage and remains unoptimized. Some small optimizations have been made in the most recent updates, including an erosion pass on the terrain courtesy of Wunda to help reduce the feeling of the landscape being ‘too smooth’.

Hello squaddies,

We’re back again with another version of The Wrench, your number one source for knowing what the modding community has been up to, and to get updated on how their work is progressing.

Oh boy, have the modding community come through with some delightful-looking mods for y’all to admire.

As always, if any of these mods catch your attention, be sure to join the mod teams Discords, or provide feedback via their Steam Workshop page (if available)

Now, on to the creations!





Titoonet is presenting us the PGM Hecate 2, a long-range precision rifle chambered in .50BMG (12.7mm), used by snipers in the French army. The rifle is equipped with a Scrome J10 (x10 zoom) scope that will allow shots from 500 to 1800 meters. We are thinking of a few ideas to balance this rifle in-game, for example, reduce standing accuracy a lot, low ammo, or a lack of short-range ranging options on the scope



Discord: https://discord.gg/ZCCYEFx

Website: https://smf.tactical-collective.com/

Steam Workshop: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2198088821





The Squad Masters Mod started as a small mod for the Squad Masters BLITZ tournament.
But it grows fast into a caster/streamer-friendly system with alot of features.

Now the mod should be a system for better squad streaming for caster and viewer.
Every AAS vanilla layer is added to the mod to be usable for nearly everyone.
Every Event that wants to use vanilla AAS or RAAS layers should be able to use this mod.
So the caster and the viewer have a much more friendly system to understand what happens on the map.

Caster Cam Features:
- Kill feed
- Radio built and proxy ranges
- Radio health info
- HAB Siege Status, sphere, and ranges
- Rally point siege ranges
- Rally point spawn timer
- Flag Info with capture status
- Kill/Death/Downed info
- Vehicle health info
- Add/Change team logo (128x128px)
- Add/Change event logo (64x64px)
- Add/Change team names
- Teleport by clicking on the Spawnmap
- Stick with the cam on players/vehicles
- Change the stick height and range

And more is being currently worked on.

View more here: https://streamable.com/n3afgr
Visit the Steam Workshop page: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2504260929



A Squad Mod that aims to add an accurate representation of the Dutch Armed Forces into the game.
Read more on their progress over on their site here: https://sites.google.com/view/dafmod1







Visit their Discord: https://discord.gg/FaSEnuc79v


https://youtu.be/lad7qYkEKDs

Steam Workshop link: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2240351000

Squad_JO is a Gameplay modification of Squad, based on the classic game Joint Operations from 2004 - "western democratic" coalition forces versus "rebellious anti-western" allies.
It retains Squads' organization & communications but removes much of the structured role-playing elements required by players, allowing for a more accessible playing style that highlights 'playing the objective'.

With headshots and knife attacks killing outright and no rally points, this makes for a more deadly game that puts a greater value of life on the player and encourages smarter play, with plenty of room for tactical styles that don't rely on the 'FOB-crafting' meta.
The Mod includes Multi-faction teams, modified Gamemodes for AAS, PAAS & TKOTH, and numerous new assets. It also includes numerous gameplay layers for a bunch of Squad-vanilla maps as well as two classic Joint Operations maps; Black Rock Beach and Dormant Volcano Isle.
The mod is now in its final stages of completion of all the basic changes to gameplay and visual elements. The mod will be updated to v1.0 very soon but is totally playable as it stands and is cooked for Windows and Linux servers. Future additions will be the CAF and Aussie factions when they are available within the SDK.

For more in-depth details, please see the description and change notes on the Steam Workshop page.





4x4km

Grand Falls is a town located in Victoria County, New Brunswick, Canada. It's situated on the Saint John River. The town derives its name from a waterfall created by a series of rock ledges over which the river drops 23 meters.

Located on the US-Canada border, Russian forces are approaching from their previous victories during their amphibious landing in Labrador and seizure of the Manic-5 dam, Canadian and NATO forces will have to hold them here or risk Russian infiltration into the American homeland.




Squad: Vietnam update time!



We get asked on a daily, sometimes hourly basis when we’re going to be releasing our mod and we wanted to give a quick shout out to our ever-growing and patient community. We’re nearing 6k Discord members and know many of you are eager to play. We very much appreciate all the support and understanding of our focus on quality over an early release.



Those of you who have been following the mod for a while will be glad to hear that our flagship Mekong delta based map is coming along nicely. We’ve added another member to the mapping team and hope to be featuring it in a Wrench edition very soon. Until then you can catch a few sneak peeks and even a SQD:VN themed wallpaper over on our Instagram.



Recently we showed our Huey helicopter over on our discord. The Huey along with napalm and the M16 are some of the most iconic Vietnam War-era US arsenal pieces we can think of. Po our very talented Huey modeler with assistance from advisers has spent hours making sure it’s perfect and we can’t be happier with the results. So here are a few extra renders for everyone.

Join their Discord



Platoon is a mod set on re-imagining the fundamental Squad gameplay loop.

In typical Squad gameplay, quite often players are subject to walking simulators, but that isn’t because Squad is a slow-paced game. Instead, this is because Squad is an incredibly fast-paced game that rewards those who capture objectives quickly, and not necessarily those who win firefights.



In many games, the most efficient way to capture an objective is usually one Squad Leader running around and placing multiple radios with a HAB on them. For an average game of Squad, this results in uncoordinated hordes of enemy attacks requiring defenders to go out and overrun HABs, play hide and seek with radios, and destroy one FOB while the three other spawn points are still allowing attackers into the objective. FOBs are glorified team spawns, wave spawns are tiresome, and many games can be won without memorable firefights all because of strategic teleportation around the map.



Platoon aims to re-imagine the FOB, create the ability to establish fire support areas around the map, re-imagine a player’s interaction with objectives, and also create more interesting unit cohesion between infantry, vehicles, command assets, and emplacements. Most importantly, Platoon hopes that every game can result in memorable and entertaining firefights.

Join us as we create new gameplay interactions, new game modes, and a new way to enjoy the game we all love.

Here is a link to our Discord server





Koshtantau is a map with high mountains, steep slopes, and dense forests. In the middle of the map, there is a radio station on a mountain top that can be reached through a long tunnel from the valley. There are several checkpoints alongside the road system. The map also contains an iron mine, a worker camp, a scrap yard, and a crash site.

Factions
-Russian vs. Militia

Current Layers
-Koshtantau_AAS_v1
-Koshtantau_RAAS_v1
-Koshtantau_Invasion_v1
-Koshtantau_Training



Check out our Steam Workshop page here.



A conflict theatre set during the South African Border War/Angolan Civil War of the 1960s to 1980s.







Hello, we are the JGSDF MOD Team and aim to create the Japanese Ground Self Defense Force as a playable Faction for Squad. Even though we are a relatively new mod, we're glad that our team already has some very talented people helping from the Squad Modding Community! We do not have any ETA on the mod yet and our main goal is to make a balanced yet fun faction while also having fun and learning while we create this faction. If you want to know more about this project or if you want to actively support and help us, please come around to our Discord.

Greetings from the JGSDF MOD Team!




We first want to thank you for the interest shown in the last Wrench. For this reason, we have listened to you and have created a public discord.

In the last Wrench, we showed you the Jump Helmet and RPG-22, since that we were able to welcome new members to the team and work on new things like the SVDS and Mi-8 retexture.

SVDS

VKS Grey Mi-8
VKS Green Mi-8


If you are willing to join us, we are looking for Military Advisors, 3D Artists, UE4 Developers, etc. you can apply in #📩-apply-here.

You can also head over to our discord for any questions, will be glad to answer those.


Hey guys!

For you out there that doesn’t know us, we are a dev team that aims to bring a Brazilian faction for Squad with unique vehicles, weapons, maps, command actions etc.



Today we have some more work in progress to showcase for you guys, this time we brought the Guarani with actual textures, unfortunately, we didn´t have time to prepare decent textures for the other 2 models, I hope you guys can understand.





Please go check out our discord and website
http://squadbrazil.rf.gd
https://discord.gg/ucXhXEKcaT

Say hello to V2.11 squaddies,

Here at Squad HQ, our team has been taking on feedback since our last update regarding the changes to spawn mechanics at HABs/FOBs and within this update, you should see some new changes come into effect.

Alongside these updated changes, we have a quality of life change to improve everyone’s overall experience with a new “Saveable Keybinds” function that allows you to save multiple keybind presets with all-new preset slots.

Most importantly though, with V2.11 we have a new piece of content arriving, with the map Anvil. Anvil was originally developed by Midnight Interactive for the Australian faction, and although the Australian faction isn’t ready for release quite yet, we didn’t want to hold up the release of this brand new battlefield any longer while our team gave the faction some finishing touches.



A large chunk of our development time on Anvil was spent bringing the map in line with the newer visual standard we are trying to accomplish for future Squad maps, while also increasing accessibility for infantry units moving between the plateau and the canyon basin.

As a quality of life improvement, we have also added more road access on the plateau to promote better vehicle movement, while these updated road networks also hint at future locations for possible additional POIs. We have also improved routing of infantry movement within most major POIs.



Other work has been focused on heavily increasing cover and concealment on the plateaus for infantry, while at the same time adding a handful of minor POI’s throughout the map to cover empty areas between major POI’s.

With Anvil, we have begun working with the entirely new lighting features the team has been developing to reflect future style changes across all maps in a later update. Keen eyes will also notice that the gameplay layers for Anvil have been tweaked and rebalanced since its original showcase, as well as the MEA faction being added to some map layers - as it did not exist when the map was first showcased.

We look forward to hearing your feedback, and we’ll see you on the battlefield!

• Added new map - Anvil. This map is based in Afghanistan, featuring a unique canyon environment with villages and farms in the valley and rocky desert terrain above.
  

Note: the map was originally developed by Midnight Interactive for the Australian faction, and although the Australian faction isn’t ready for release quite yet, we didn’t want to hold up the release of this brand new battlefield any longer.

Once the Australian faction’s optimizations and standardizations are complete, they will be featured on Anvil and Lashkar Valley, adding to the variety of other maps and factions in Squad’s vast catalog.

• Anvil AAS v1 - USA vs RUS, 5 CP’s, 350/350 tickets, 1x helicopter per team, Mid Day lighting.
  
• Anvil AAS v2 - USA vs RUS, 6 CP’s, 350/350 tickets, Mid Day lighting.
  
• Anvil Invasion v1 - RUS (attacking) vs INS (defending), 6 CP’s, 200/800 tickets, Dawn lighting.
  
• Anvil Invasion v2 - RUS (defending) vs INS (attacking), 6 CP’s, 800/200 tickets, Night lighting.
  
• Anvil RAAS v1 - RUS vs MEA, 4 CP’s, 400/400 tickets, 1x helicopter & 1x mbt per team, Mid Day lighting.
  
• Anvil RAAS v2 - CAF vs MEA, 9 CP’s, 300/300 tickets, 1x helicopter & 1x mbt per team, Mid Day lighting.
  
• Anvil Skirmish v1 - USA vs RUS, 5 CP’s, 200/200 tickets, Mid Day lighting.
  
• Anvil TC v1 - RUS vs MEA, 56 Hexes, 400/400 tickets, Mid Day lighting.
  

• Added a new Saveable Keybinds Feature in the Controls menu:
  --You can now save your custom keybinds as a preset.
  --You can switch between presets instantaneously thru this new menu without restarting Squad.
  --Any edits done to key bindings in the Controls menu will be automatically saved to the current loaded preset.
  
• Updated the FOB Exclusion Radius mechanic to now have the possibility of varying exclusion distances depending on the map layer. This change gives designers the ability to lower the FOB Exclusion Radius on smaller maps and layers, allowing for more flexibility in FOB placement where maps have fewer viable placement locations, and preventing centrally placed FOBs from blocking most other viable FOB locations on more compact layers. This change also allows for the possibility in the future to increase the exclusion radius on larger maps, if desired, as well as allowing modders to potentially tweak these values in a more granular manner.
  
  --Reduced the FOB Exclusion Radius from 400m to 300m on the following map layers: All Skirmish map layers, Chora, Fools Road, Kokan, Logar, and Sumari.
  
  --Added a new Map Layer Info popup UI in the Command map, which will indicate specific information about the map layer. It currently includes the FOB Exclusion Radius in meters.
  

• Integrated the CAF faction assets into the main game. This creates an internal workflow improvement, which means the CAF faction will no longer require separate building/installation. This will also benefit modders, who will now have access to CAF content in the modding SDK.
  
• Updated the “Soft-Dead-Dead” system, which will no longer impact the Incapacitated revive times from most infantry small arms. Any damage taken that is less than 260, (which is a headshot with 7.62mm) will no longer decrease Incapacitated revive times.
  
  Designer’s Note: The original design intention with this mechanic was to help reduce mass revive spam, which is no longer necessary due to the implementation of the post revive recovery state. Getting hit by high caliber rounds will still reduce Incap times, this is unchanged. This is intended to emphasize the threat that these larger vehicle/emplaced weapon systems pose to infantry.
  
  --.338 Lapua & .50cal headshot = 30sec revive time.
  --30mm AP bodyshot = 120sec.
  --30mm AP headshot = Instadeath.
  --All 120mm headshot/bodyshot = Instadeath.
  --Close proximity to IED = Instadeath
  --These higher caliber values may change in the future.
  
• Updated the Admin command ‘ListSquads’ to now include which player created the squad.
  
• Updated the HAB map icon to no longer have borders while it is NOT in an active & spawnable state.
  
• Updated the HAT Ammo Rack damage modifier, so now the RUS T72B3 MBT’s ammo rack can be cooked off with a single ATGM from the side, instead of two ATGM in v2.10.
  
• Adjusted the burnout rate for helicopters when in a flipped/unrecoverable state. Helicopters are considered to be in a flipped/unrecoverable state whenever the tail or main rotors are blocked by a collision with world objects. When in this state, a helicopter will begin to take burnout damage after 90 seconds. After entering burnout, the helicopter will slowly take damage and will be destroyed after ~60 seconds (was previously 300 seconds).
  
• Adjusted the ticket loss for all light and medium class APC's from 10 tickets to 5 tickets. This includes the following APC’s: USA M1126 M240, GB FV432 M2, GB FV432 RWS GPMG, RUS/MIL/INS BTR80, RUS/MEA/MIL MTLB VMK, INS MTLB PKT, RUS MTLB 6MA, CAF LAV3 C6.
  
• Adjusted the INS/MIL T62 MBT ammo rack component size. The T62 has two separate ammo racks, as per real world spec. Previously, the T62’s forward ammo rack component was mistakenly emulating the shape of the T62’s fuel tank, which envelopes the ammo compartment - while the shells themselves should only extend about half-way forward. The size of this forward ammo rack has been reduced; the rear ammo rack compartment was also excessively large, so it too has been reduced in size. These changes should make it more difficult to destroy the T62 ammo rack, and also more closely reflect the real world dimensions of these components.
  
• Optimized the Post FX shader for improved performance.
  
• Minor optimization for ground vehicle base class to apply best code practices. The SQGroundVehicle initialization of VehicleMovement component initialization, and the subsequent children of said class, has been updated.
  
• Added the BugItGo command to non-editor builds - this command allows people in admin cam to move to predefined locations instantly, while maintaining a specific viewing angle using precise coordinates. To get these coordinates, you can use the command SqBugit in-game, which will output a screenshot and a text file to C:\Users\\AppData\Local\SquadGame\Saved\BugIt\WindowsNoEditor. In the text file, you will find a section stating BugItGo, followed by a line of coordinates. When reporting map bugs, you can attach that info. to a report to help us find the location of these bugs quicker.
  

• Second Fix attempt at a long standing Client Crash when switching maps, determined to be related to the vehicle tire configs. Further investigation determined the cause was more likely a slightly different threading issue where a TireConfig could report as being destroyed before destruction has actually completed causing a desynchronisation, which is resolved by improving the check to make sure the object is fully destroyed.
  
• Second Fix attempt for a problematic and difficult to reproduce Client Crash that is related to the Particle System at the end of a round when switching maps. The Particle System was reusing a Particle Emitter Instance from a pool, which is tied to the FX System in the current map world, which was persisting to the new map world after a map change, and then re-using one of these instances from the pool, but the FX System it was created with was no longer valid. This fix ensures emitter instances are always reset as the map is changing which should hopefully catch all occurrences of this issue.
  
• Fixed an issue with desynced vehicle components occurring when the vehicle comes to an abrupt stop. Vehicle components such as logi truck supplies, camo netting, exterior bags, exterior ammo cans, etc, as well as the driver/passenger camera would become offset/desynced, resulting in visual oddities.
  
• Fixed an issue with the HAB map icon staying red after the spawn point activation sequence completed.
  
• Fixed an issue with the radial menu where kit roles would show up with SL icons for every kit when rearming at ammo crates.
  
• Fixed an issue with vehicles floating in the air or sinking in the ground when they naturally spawned on a map layer. Most commonly experienced with GB HX60 Trucks, RUS Kamaz 5350 Trucks, and Modern Technicals with BMP1 Turret.
  
• Fixed an issue with backblast and muzzle overpressure components not working on certain emplaced weapons/vehicle turrets. This component’s line trace was sometimes hitting the owning actor and not dealing damage to soldiers in the effect cone, as well as some effect cones not being positioned correctly. Affected vehicles/emplacements: All Kornet & TOW launchers (emplacement + vehicle mounted), BTR82A autocannon, BMP1 cannon and BMP2 autocannon.
  
• Fixed an issue where an infantry player’s reload would unintentionally complete even if the player got into an emplacement or vehicle. Now, if a player initiates a reload and enters an emplacement or vehicle, the reload will be cancelled upon entering the emplacement/vehicle.
  
• Fixed an issue with the ranging on the CAF grenadier rifle (C7A2 w/ M203A1 w/ C79A2). The base ranging of the rifle was set at ~300m (rather than 200m, as intended/in line with the other CAF kits); the offset persisted at higher ranges.
  
• Fixed an issue with the RUS Kamaz 5350 Truck, which had excessively tinted glass windshield/door windows, as seen from the inside of the vehicle cabin.
  
• Fixed an issue with the CAF TAPV Armoured Car, where the RWS gunner seat was incorrectly receiving radial damage with frag rounds.
  
• Fixed an issue with the CAF TAPV armor collision mesh, which had an opening in the back where the hatch is located.
  
• Fixed an issue with the controls where being crouched or prone, and holding down forward while ADS, then tapping the Sprint key would cause the soldier to focus zoom, rather than initiating a sprint, as intended. Hitting the Sprint key while aiming down sights and moving forward while being crouched/prone will now initiate a sprint.
  
• Fixed an issue with the INS Alternative Technical DShK (M1151 Technical DShK), where a redundant shield component in the turret was colliding with the vehicle mesh, affecting the vehicle’s ability to climb hills in a straight line while transitioning from the 2nd to 3rd gear.
  
• Fixed a minor issue with the MIL/INS Emplaced DShK Emplacement, where the shield armor mesh had a duplicated component.
  
• Fixed the in-game name of the Tigr-M RWS Armored Car to include “Kord” in the name.
  
• Fixed the in-game name of the CAF LAV III APC to include the gun variant (C6 or M2).
  
• Fixed a client log spam issue where there was a divide by zero error in the Map Horizontal/Vertical Bar widget.
  

• Added an experimental map layer for server seeding: Sumari Seed v1. This layer has the same capture point configuration as Sumari Skirmish v1, but includes some helpers for seeding a server:
  --2 pre-captured flags for each team (the middle flag is still neutral).
  --Temporary Forward spawn points and ammo crate close to the middle flag; these expire after 10 minutes.
  --Single use forward spawned Logi Truck.
  --No Staging Phase.
  
  
• Updated the Infantry Tutorial to include Community Playtesters’ names in text on the foot lockers. You may recognize a few of the names next time you're in the Infantry Tutorial. Thanks go to all of our Community Play Testers, Wiki editors, and all other dedicated testers that have helped report and reproduce bugs. These dedicated community members have been consistently turning up to report bugs and help us test!
  
  
• Adjusted the defenders initial forward spawns on the following Invasion layers:
  --Removed the defender’s initial forward spawn on the following Invasion map layers: Chora Invasion v1, Chora Invasion v2, Fools Road Invasion v1, Mestia Invasion v1, Mestia Invasion v2, Skorpo Invasion v2, Sumari Invasion v1.
  --Belaya Invasion v1 - moved the defender’s initial forward spawn from Gabukay to Nikola.
  --Belaya Invasion v3 - moved the defender’s initial forward spawn from Depot to Gabukay.
  --Fallujah Invasion v1 - moved the defender’s initial forward spawn from Bus Terminal to Muallimin.
  --Fallujah Invasion v3 - moved the defender’s initial forward spawn from Police Station to Warehouse.
  --Gorodok Invasion v2 - moved the defender’s initial forward spawn from Gain Processing to Mechanic's Homestead.
  --Kamdesh Invasion v2 - moved the defender’s initial forward spawns from Paprok to Manyal and from Kushtoz to north-east of Kushtoz.
  --Kamdesh Invasion v3 - moved the defender’s initial spawn from Parun to Manyal.
  --Kohat Invasion v2 - moved the defender’s initial forward spawn from Suni Khel to Ali Abad (left some hidden bikes on Ali Abad and Malak Abad).
  --Lashkar Invasion v1 - moved defender’s initial forward spawns from Derapet to Lashkar and from Nangalam to Gulestan.
  --Yehorivka Invasion v1 - moved the defender’s initial forward spawn from West Novo to Scrapyard.
  --CAF Goose Bay Invasion v2 - moved the defender’s initial forward spawns from Drilling Site to Churchill.
  --CAF Lashkar Invasion v1 - moved defender’s initial forward spawns from Derapet to Watapur and from Nangalam to Lashkar.
  --CAF Manic-5 Invasion v1 - moved defender’s initial forward spawns from Patrol Base to Cannabis Farm.
  --CAF Manic-5 Invasion v2 - moved defender’s initial forward spawns from Firebase Mississauga to Penstocks.
  --CAF Yehorivka Invasion v1 - moved the defender’s initial forward spawn from West Novo to Lower Stepne.
  
  
• Adjusted Fools Road Destruction v1 and Gorodok Destruction v1 to remove the forward spawned vehicles for defenders.
  
• Adjusted CAF Manic-5 Invasion v2 defenders LAV6 IFV initial spawn time to 10 minutes (was 5 minutes).
  
• Adjusted CAF Al Basrah Invasion v3, added an initial delay on both CAF LAV6 IFV’s and replaced the North VCP Ruins CP with River crossing CP. Also replaced Island Suburbs CP with Canal CP.
  
• Fixed an issue on CAF Yehorivka RAAS v2 where the RUS helipad supply zones were offset.
  
• Fixed an issue with some Skirmish layers having the incorrect setting for minimum # soldiers to capture a flag (was 3, now 2) and incorrect flag capture time (was 120sec, now 90sec). Affected layers were: Belaya Skirmish v1, Mutaha Skirmish v1, Tallil Skirmish v3.
  
• Fixed an issue with Fools Road Skirmish v1 not having enough vehicle spawners to spawn the RUS Tigr during Staging Phase.
  
• Fixed an issue with Sumari TC v1 where MEA started with 100 less tickets than USA.
  
• Fixed CAF Narva Invasion v1 not using fog of war.
  
• Fixed CAF Manic-5 RAAS v1 minimap being offset by 10m.
  
• Fixed a minor issue with a European shed asset which had missing player collision on the small portion of the roof ledge.
  
• Fixed a minor formatting issue with the following map layer data assets that were missing "v" in the name: Belaya RAAS v1, Belaya RAAS v2, Belaya RAAS v3, Logar v1, Sumari Insurgency v1.
  Fixed a minor issue with Kohat RAAS v1 and Kohat RAAS v2 where 2 CP's were named Sarozai Highlands.
  
• Fixed a minor issue with Mutaha Invasion v2 where it had night time ambient sounds playing instead of the day time ambient sounds.
  
• Fixed an issue on CAF Goose Bay where stairs were missing at the Train Derailment POI.
  
• Fixed a minor visual issue on 2 Narva house statics and the large industrial garages at BluFor Main.
  

• Added CAF faction maps and assets to the SDK.
  
• Updated the editor tool TraceViewToggle to have an offset between the lines of output, so the text does not overlap, making it a lot easier to read.
  
• Updated all Single Use Faction setups to use standardized naming.
  
• Updated all Single Use Faction naming.
  
• Updated SquadGame.uproject to enable python plugin, this is an editor only stock plugin from Epic.
  
• Added an editor debug tool for toggling infinite ammo.
  
• Added an initial Foliage LOD Generator tool.
  
• Added a new variant of the Train Car Flat, that does not include the metal poles.
  
• Added a new European rock set.
  
• Cleaned up the deprecated role data assets in the Gameplay folder.
  
• Layer Data Assets now have a FOBRadius Data Table Row Handle near the top, which is used to select preset sizes for FOB Exclusion and Construction radii.
  --This lets you control them on a per-layer basis.
  --It is possible to use a custom data table to implement your own custom radius scales specific to your mod.
  --Note that this DTRowHandle overrules the Range value set in SQRestrictionFOBInRange (see Settings/Deployables/Other_Restrictions folder), as long as FOBRadiusTableColumnName is set to a column which exists in the Data Table.
  

Clear Cache to resolve residual issues

If you are experiencing issues, be sure to go to Settings -> “CLEAR CACHE” after updating.

• Occasional Player (Client) crashes in various circumstances. Detailed crash reports help us fix things faster, and we truly appreciate those that have filled out and sent in crash reports.
  
• Various Kit icon issues - Occasionally the kit and weapon in the deploy screen squad list will show up as a white square instead of the kit.
  
• The deploy screen squad list will sometimes display incorrect players that are not actually in the squad.
  
• SL icons sometimes incorrectly show up for player kits in the spawn screen squad list (and outside of the squad list).
  
• Player kit role icons are sometimes not being displayed on certain menu screens.
  
• “Extremely Low Res Textures” - Some players may be experiencing very low-res textures after the v2.0 release. If you are experiencing this issue,you are likely under the minimum recommended specs for VRAM (4gb). This may be mitigated by ticking the “unlock pool size” box in the settings menu under the textures tab, but it may come with more performance stutter.
  
• "Logi bug" - Occasionally, vehicles with construction resources will have these resources be unavailable for interaction to certain players when they interact with Logi Trucks and Helicopters. This issue may be linked to the “Missing vehicle turret bug” and the “Glitched vehicle passenger seat bug”. There is a fix attempt pending for a future update.
  
• “Missing vehicle turret bug” - Occasionally, vehicles have their turrets missing from the round start. This issue may be linked to the “Logi bug” and “Glitched vehicle passenger seat bug”. There is a fix attempt pending for a future update.
  
• “Glitched vehicle passenger seat bug” - Occasionally, when entering a vehicle’s passenger seat, the player will be permanently stuck in that seat with a fixed camera position. The player is then unable to leave the seat until the vehicle is destroyed. This issue may be linked the the “Logi bug” and “Missing vehicle turret bug”. There is a fix attempt pending for a future update.
  
• “Ghost player in vehicle bug” - Occasionally, entering a vehicle makes a player permanently take up a seat in that vehicle. This issue is a high priority to fix.
  
• "Mass EAC disconnect issue" - Occasionally upon the end of a round and when a map switch occurs, the majority of a server population will be disconnected with a “Server Closed Connection” message. Hopefully this issue should be resolved now.
  
• "FOB teleport bug" - Occasionally upon digging a FOB down, players within a certain radius of the FOB will be teleported outside of the FOB radius in a random direction.
  
• “Commander UAV VOIP bug” - When the commander changes to the UAV camera, he cannot hear local audio anymore, even though he still sees local audio transmissions in the bottom left corner. Others can still hear him when he talks. Additionally, when leaving the UAV camera, he hears all of the local audio broadcasts at the same time, originating from the point where they were initially transmitted from – even if the person doing the transmission has moved afterward. Will be addressed in a future update.
  
• Vehicle Reset Feature does not currently work with Helicopters. This will be addressed in a future update.
  
• Vehicle Reset Feature can freeze a vehicle in the air if used too close to a tree.
  
• Occasionally a player does not spawn at a Rally Point. This often happens when numerous players are spawning in at the same time — This will be addressed in a future update.
  
• Server performance may periodically dip when a server has a high population and high load. We are continuously working to improve server performance and optimization.
  
• ATGM projectiles desync for other players that are not the gunner, however, what the gunner sees should be the actual synced projectile. This is an inherent problem, and the solution is currently in long-term development.
  
• “Alt-tabbing” out of Squad during a loading screen freezes the Player (client). The recommended solution, for now, is to run Squad in the “Borderless” mode. This can be changed in Settings -> Graphics.
  
• The audio module for Squad is initialized at the game start. If a player does not have a microphone plugged in at launch, or accidentally unplug their microphone and then plug it back in, Squad needs to be restarted to get the microphone to work again — This issue will likely require an engine upgrade to UE4.25 to be fixed.
  
• SFX bug while Firing in full auto. If the player presses the fire button for a short period, the sound effect gives the impression that you fired more rounds than you did — This will be addressed in a future update.
  
• Localization for most language translations is currently out of date. We plan to push a full localization pass in a future release as we lock down the text that needs to be translated for the game.
  

• Local/Offline Bug with Commander – Insurgent / Militia Handheld Drone does not move in local. Local/Offline issues currently have a lower priority.
  
• Local/Offline Bug with Commander – UAV hovers in one position instead of moving along the flight path in local.
  
• Local/Offline Bug with Commander – CAS does not do damage in local.
  
• Local/Offline Bug with Vehicles: When playing offline on Jensen’s Range, Tracks, Wheels, and other components are not destructible while on the Jensen’s Range in Local play.
  
• Local/Offline Bug with Weapon damages: When playing offline on Jensen’s Range, Weapon damages with both Infantry and Vehicle weapons are not accurately replicated.
  
• Local/Offline Bug with Scoped Emplacements: When playing offline on Jensen’s Range, if a player exits an Emplacement while looking through the scope, the Scope remains on the Player’s HUD until they get back in the Emplacement and then Scope out.
  

Hello squaddies,

We have an updated Shadows & Lighting Overhaul playtest build that will be available for public play this weekend Sunday 1st August 2021. We especially want to hear from players currently running Squad on PCs which can be considered low/minimum specification to observe if players using such hardware are affected by any significant performance problems. We will shortly be updating the Squad Public Testing* App on Steam in preparation for the weekend.

The playtest server will be available this Sunday, August 1st, and we would love to populate a full server, to have as many players - with varying hardware setups - as possible join us and help put it through its paces. The download should be available shortly on the Squad Public Testing app.

We welcome all player’s feedback and performance reports. Please use the #experimental-shadow-feedback discord channel or our joinsquad forums to provide this feedback.

When providing performance feedback, please supply the following information in your report:
-CPU
-Graphics Card
-RAM
-Resolution
-In-Game Settings

NOTE: The lighting/shadow overhaul changes you see in this build WILL NOT be in the forthcoming v2.11 update, these changes are in a test phase for us to continue receiving feedback before we implement these changes to the live version of Squad in the future.

If you are experiencing issues in the build, be sure to go to Settings -> “CLEAR CACHE” after updating to see if this offers some improvements.

*The Squad - Public Testing application will only appear within your Steam Library if you own Squad, and can be easily found via the search function within your Steam Library.

• Reduced the occurrence of client hitching during gameplay compared to the previous Shadows & Lighting playtest build.
  
• Muzzle flash effects have been overhauled and should be much more prominent and visible in this playtest. Also, infantry and vehicle muzzle flashes should now display at much further ranges than the current live build.
  
• Gorodok grass prototype: Much more lush foliage with better variety and shading. Needs to be evaluated for both performance and gameplay impact.
  
• Gorodok landscape overhaul: Much more detailed and realistic landscape materials, featuring micro detailing and better shading. The landscape texture should no longer appear to repeat.
  

• In this playtest build, walking into a wall will force your character out of ADS. This is not an intentional feature, it is a bug.
  

For those that did not see the full details from the last playtest on June 27th, here are the full changes:


Currently in the live game, when players run with lower Shadows and lower Ambient Occlusion settings, this can allow for somewhat easier spotting of enemies in certain circumstances, while also greatly downgrading the game’s visual quality. Also, the current Far Shadows are not optimized, leading to performance degradation for most player setups when Far Shadows are enabled.

This playtest version has an extensive overhaul of the way lighting and shadows work under the hood, accompanied by a vast new range of performance options, while greatly improving the overall visual quality of lighting and shadows across all quality settings. An essential aspect of this change is retaining a consistent gameplay experience across all settings levels - from low to epic - to reduce potential gameplay advantages that can be attained through toggling the various new shadows settings to a negligible level.

Shadows should now also give a better overall performance for all shadows settings, from low through high/epic settings. Even when running with the lowest possible settings, shadows will still be enabled to allow for an effect on gameplay consistent with higher shadow quality settings, albeit with greatly reduced visual quality to save on performance. We would love to get as many varied setups as possible playing to help us see what impact this potentially has on system performance - particularly on lower-end / minimum-spec hardware.

• Setting Shadows to “Low” will retain most of the gameplay impact of shadows and Ambient Occlusion when they’re set to higher levels, but drastically reduce their quality. Currently in the live game, setting Shadows to “Low” removes shadows almost entirely.
  
  
• This is expected to have a slight performance hit for players running on Low settings - but a large benefit to gameplay, in that all settings levels are much closer to presenting the same overall levels of lighting and shadows, thus providing similar effects on gameplay.
  
  
• Removed Far Shadows tickbox - The new shadow implementation covers the range of the current Far Shadows at higher quality and a lower performance cost. The new shadows will have potentially up to 10x less performance cost compared to the current shadows in the live game.
  
  
• Distant Field Ambient Occlusion will be enabled on all graphics quality settings while having been optimized at lower quality settings. DFAO allows the realistic dimming of enclosed spaces and areas of dense foliage. In combination with the extended shadow ranges, this will ensure that all players will have similar visibility when trying to spot targets.
  
  -Low - 25% quality, 1 sample
  -Medium - 50% quality, 1 sample
  -High - 75% quality, 2 samples
  -Epic - 100% quality, 3 samples
  
  
• Overhauled shadow rendering - all shadows will render up to 1.7 km at all quality levels, while having up to 8 km of surrounding mountain, terrain, and large detail shadows (some maps have exceptions and render at less range if the map is smaller or emphasizes CQB, such as Fallujah, Logar, etc).
  
  
• Optimized Shadow Cascades, as well as increased maximum resolution for epic settings:
  
  -Low - 1k, 3 Cascades
  -Medium - 2k, 3 Cascades
  -High - 4k, 4 Cascades
  -Epic - 8k, 5 Cascades
  
  
• Note that for both Shadows and Ambient Occlusion, "Low" settings will be at lower resolutions than they are now to offset the performance cost of having more shadows on screen. “High” and “Epic” settings will render shadows at a higher resolution than before, achieving improved visual quality while performing better than Far Shadows do in the current live version of the game. This means that you may want to raise or lower your Shadows and Ambient Occlusion graphics settings from what you normally run in the live game.
  
  
• Ambient Occlusion will be reworked for underground areas such as tunnels and bunkers to allow for more accurate shading, better gameplay and greatly improved atmosphere.
  
  
• Lighting will be improved on all layers. Some layers will be completely overhauled with new HDR lighting. The rest will be incrementally upgraded, and will gradually receive their finishing touches in further patches.
  

• Updated lighting to give more contrast, brighter highlights, and deeper shadows on most map layers.
  Overhauled the colour grading and post-processing on all map layers.
  
• Implemented Volumetric Lighting on all map layers.
  
• Reduced fog thickness on Tallil, Yehorivka, Gorodok, Lashkar, and Kohat. Adjustments of fog on many other layers.
  
• Removed Eye Adaptation from all layers to reduce exploits and allow for balanced gameplay in all areas of our maps.
  
• Removed Ambient Cubemaps from layers to reduce the washed out feeling across all maps.
  
• Most night layers are now brighter.
  
• Relit most underground tunnels with new lights and atmospheric effects, especially on Mestia.
  
• Adjusted layout and tooltips of the Graphics menu to improve clarity and user experience.
  
• Added localized volumetric fog for dusty areas such as tunnels.
  

• Fixed Ambient Occlusion artifacts on thousands of buildings, environment objects, and foliage assets.
  
• Fixed Ambient Occlusion artifacts where underground tunnels intersect with the landscape.
  
• Fixed incorrect PBR shading on several hundred environment assets.
  
• There are still some shading artifacts with some older assets on maps. We are continuing to address these.
  
• Fixed incorrect PBR shading on several landscapes, including Skorpo, Manic, Yehorivka, and Al Basrah.
  
• Improved palm tree shaders to have light scattering through the leaves.
  
• Fixed shiny road materials on many maps, including Al Basrah, Yehorivka, Belaya, and Goose Bay.
  

Offworld Out!