Squad News

• 🎖️ Fixed helicopters floating away on clients when the rotor blades were broken and the pilot exited the helicopter before it stopped moving.
  
• 🎖️ Fixed red VOIP icon appearing if another player disconnected while they were talking with VOIP.
  
• 🎖️ The USA M1128 MGS turret will now properly pass damage to the vehicle’s main HP.
  
• 🎖️ Fixed a bug that could prevent the USA M1128 MGS from burning out and detonating when its ammo rack is destroyed.
  
• 🎖️ Fixed several bugs that could cause emote audio to either not play or play out of sync with the emote.
  
• 🎖️ Fixed a lighting issue that caused weapon skins to appear darker in the store than they are.
  
• 🎖️ Fixed issue where the “FactionSkipRounds” setting did not reliably cause a previously chosen faction to be skipped in the next round of voting (it would skip it for team 1, but not for team 2 where the team 1 players from the previous round have now moved to). Note: the “FactionSkipRounds” setting does not yet correctly apply to units being skipped in the next round of voting, only factions.
  

• 🛠️Added a tool for visualizing blueprint inheritance structure:
  Click “Populate” to map out the blueprint inheritance hierarchy in an easily navigable “tree” view.
  Note: The filter option can be unreliable, so you may need to close and restart the tool to refresh it sometimes.
  
• 🛠️ Completely reworked the inheritance structure of infantry Weapon Static Infos for easier tuning and tweaking:
  Most files have been reparented, and many have been renamed or deleted. While we preserved redirectors to minimize issues for mods that may inherit from these configs, some of your configs may have lost references to their parent.
  The standard inheritance pattern is now:
  - Generic Weapon Static Info
  - - Weapon Parent
  - - - Ironsights variant
  - - - - Ironsights grenadier
  - - - - Ironsights foregrip
  - - - Reflex sight variant
  - - - - Reflex grenadier
  - - - - Reflex foregrip
  - - - Scope variant
  - - - - Scoped Grenadier
  - - - - Scoped foregrip
  We recommend following this pattern in your mods. We also recommend that your weapons' parent static info inherits from “Generic Weapon Static Info” rather than from an existing Squad gun config to reduce the chances of changes to the base game breaking your mods.
  
• 🛠️ Added a script to aid in reparenting blueprints without the risk of data loss. It ensures no properties change in the file after reparenting, even if they were defined in the old parent:
  To use the script, open the console and enter "ODK.ReparentBlueprintLossless [path of file to reparent] [path of file to reparent to]”
  Tip: Select a file in the Content Browser and press Control-C to copy the file path. You can paste this into the console without worrying about syntax.
  

• On Amphibious Invasion layers, some of the vehicle spawn delays shown in the unit voting screen can be inaccurate. Specifically, if a unit starts with tanks without a delay, but no tank spawners exist on the amphibious main spawn (an island or carrier ship), tanks won’t be available until the forward land spawn base is secured upon capturing an objective. This is not reflected in the vehicle spawn delay shown during voting.
  
• The “FactionSetupSkipRounds” setting does not reliably cause a previously chosen unit to be skipped in the next round of voting. There was a fix attempt for this, but it was unsuccessful. It will continue to be looked into. However, the “FactionSkipRounds” setting should now be functional for skipping entire factions.
  

In this update, we have introduced a new and updated Team Select Screen to bring it in line with the rest of our improved UI:

• ⭐ Adjusted sway misalignment of all ironsights rifles, pistols, automatic rifles, machine guns, and submachine guns: The degree of sight misalignment contributed by moving around is no longer so extreme. This makes it easier to see through the sights without the front post being obscured by the rear sight, with a minimal impact on overall weapon sway. Low stamina will still lead to significant misalignment and trigger the over-the-sights ("Clear Sights") perspective shift.
  
• ⭐ Adjusted and standardized the amount of sway necessary to trigger the over-the-sights ("Clear Sights") perspective.
  
• ⭐ Vehicle timers on the unit preview screen during voting, as well as in the team selection menu, now show initial spawn delay instead of respawn time. If a vehicle is immediately available there is a hyphen instead of a timer.
  
• ⭐ Added the “special characteristics” section to the unit preview screen during voting, as well as in the team select menu. This refers to information such as: “+1 extra HAB per FOB,” “+1 extra ATGM Emplacement per FOB”, “Intel on Enemy Vehicle Spawn Times”, etc.
  
• 🛠️ Added new skip options that server owners can use when configuring voting. These include biome, layer size, and expanded game mode skip options.
  
• 🛠️ Added a configuration option that allows server owners to adjust voting to ensure symmetrical unit match-ups.
  
• 🛠️ Added a “night-time / off-hours” configuration that server owners can use to define custom voting options for a scheduled timeframe. It will override the regular config, but will still be overridden by the low player count config.
  

Precision Strike Pack ($4.99 USD)

This new pack contains four weapon skins for use while playing as the TLF faction:



The black skin for the KNT-76 marksman rifle can be used in any biome, the MPT-76 received a desert biome skin, and the SOR-9 got both a woodland and desert biome skin!

Outpost Pack ($3.99 USD)

This new pack contains an emote and four gestures:

• ⭐Flex (Emote)
  
• ⭐Cease Fire (Gesture)
  
• ⭐Overwatch (Gesture)
  
• ⭐Disregard (Gesture)
  
• ⭐Leaders, Join Me! (Gesture)
  

This concludes our debrief for the 7.3 Squad Release Notes! Stay tuned to our Steam forums for all our upcoming comms!

[h3]Offworld out![/h3]

[h2]“We've intercepted new transmissions. Ready to receive!”[/h2]

Listen up Squaddies. We're taking part in the Steam FPS Fest from April 15 - 22, and you can get your friends and soon-to-be fellow squaddies in for 60% off. You heard right, the game's on sale from now until the FPS Fest ends.

You can also check out our most recent DevBlog here, where we show a sneak peak at our upcoming Faction, the PMCs!

[h2]Offworld Out.[/h2]

https://store.steampowered.com/app/393380/Squad/

Welcome Squaddies, to an entirely new line of Dev Blogs. Today’s post is coming hot off the press from our Content team. Later this year we will be introducing our newest Faction, the Private Military Contractors, but today let’s have a sneak peek at what’s to come!

The PMC will be an irregular Independent faction that represents western private military contractors emphasizing the use of non-standardized, modern infantry. They will lack some tools that conventional forces have such as heavy vehicles, heavy weapons, and comprehensive battlefield support. This faction will set us up with a variety of assets that will enable us to deliver more new factions in the near future.

[h3]Distinguishing Features[/h3]

1. An Independent faction that can match up against any other faction in the game and play on any biome and map.
   
2. They will have access to specialized light attack vehicles but lack heavier equipment such as infantry fighting vehicles, and adequate tactical support.
   
3. Will have access to a wide variety of modern small-arms with aftermarket upgrades.
   
4. They will only have access to lighter unit types such as air assault, and light infantry.
   

[h3]SUV[/h3]


While this SUV is still in its block out stages, we wanted to share our current progress on what the vehicles for the PMCs will be!

[h3]MP5[/h3]



[h3]M320[/h3]





--------------------------

And that's all we have to share with you on the Private Military Contractors for now, but we plan on continuing to release Dev Blogs that will, among other exciting additions, keep you updated on the progress of this new Faction!

[h2]OFFWORLD OUT[/h2]

[h3]Welcome to another installment of The Wrench, a look at some of the great work from Squad’s modding community! [/h3]

We’ve seen so many great submissions so far, and are excited to show you even more awesome mods!

What follows are updates sent to us by the people behind the mods themselves: their words, images, and amazing work!

[hr][/hr]
[h2]Liareng Islands by Rookheim[/h2]



Liareng Islands is a custom map set in the Pacific. It features dense jungles, old trench networks, overgrown facilities, tropical islets and perilous cliffs to fight over. Characterised by its focus on island hopping, the map is broken up into four (three currently playable) main islands separated by the Philippine Sea. Between the dense jungles of the north, the dangerous mountain warfare of the west, and the shattered and rocky shores of the south, each island has a unique theme and layout that requires your team to genuinely coordinate and adapt accordingly.



There is also an add-on for Squider's SquidBots Zeus mod, which lets a game master create PvP and/or COOP missions against AI bots!

Since it's a work in progress, the map still has rough edges (and one main island is not yet playable, notably), so if you ever get the chance to play it, feedback is *really* appreciated!

Steam Workshop:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2880901954
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3003303773

[hr][/hr]
[h2]VDV Overhaul Mod by Tactical Collective Modding[/h2]



From the combined modding effort that brought you mods such as Middle East Escalation, the French Faction and the Japanese Faction, Tactical Collective is proud to submit to The Wrench the latest addition to the Tactical Collective mod collection in the form of the VDV expansion and overhaul mod!

With playtesting around the corner, the VDV mod is bringing to Squad a new identity to the VDV faction, one that emphasizes the "airborne" aspect of the Airborne Forces: introducing all-new helicopter classes and airborne capabilities in the vehicle lineup alongside new and unique infantry weapons, ground vehicles and commander actions - giving the VDV a much more in-depth character than is present in Vanilla Squad.

For this Wrench submission, we are simply showcasing a small collection of our assets to show off some of what we have to offer, but be sure to check out all of our other work on our Discord server!

Discord: https://discord.gg/HzDZBKcGzv


[hr][/hr]
[h2]Bundeswehr Mod by the Bundeswehr Mod Team[/h2]





The Bundeswehr Mod is aiming to bring the German army and marines into the game. They are also working on the map Fulda Gap with original middle European architecture, fauna and destruction mechanics for SQUAD. Check out their last 2023 Blog update!

Website: https://bwmod.com/2023/08/06/progress-update-no-8/
Discord: https://discord.gg/Uj9jf3kwgU
[hr][/hr]
[h2]ZombieMod SquadZ: Origin by Fire Arrow[/h2]



SquadZ: Origin is a MOD that focuses on the zombie genre, where you can play as a soldier, squad leader, or commander in the game to constantly recover the land that humanity has lost through continuous battles with zombies. Of course, you can also join the new human (zombie) glorious evolution, leading the new human to constantly expand the territory, the planet to own!

Thanks to all players for accompanying the SquadZ: Origin to 2024, during which we have updated numerous pieces of content and maps, and we will continue to bring continuous updates to the SquadZ: Origin this year as well.



In 2024, we plan to rework Mutla, fix and reset several lower-quality maps, rework the AI, and introduce major gameplay improvements to LastStandV2, PVE mode, etc., as well as other new maps and content as we progress.

We currently have 11 game modes, 24 maps, and 10 factions to give players a rich gaming experience.
We welcome players and server owners from all over the world to join SquadZ. If you have any needs, our team is honoured to serve you. If you need to contact us, you can leave a message in the creative workshop or join our Discord to communicate.

Steam Workshop: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2318834225
[hr][/hr]
[h2]InvasionCrazyMode by BUG09[/h2]



Focusing on Invasion mode, this mod advocates fast-paced and fierce confrontation. Different from MODs that add new content, ICM is an optimization and improvement of the vanilla game, paying more attention to details and making appropriate expansions. A SEAMLESS EXPERIENCE! ICO has been eliminated: gun control, soldier stamina, and suppression effects have all been optimized. Built-in squad creation time query and anti-cheating functions.
Noobs have no learning costs, VETERANS ARE STILL VETERANS!

76 maps, All 12 factions including the most recent Turkish Land Forces and over 480 role kits have been modified.
Search ICM in the server list for available servers.



Support for both Chinese and English as well as Windows and Linux Servers.
Updates once a week!

- Cold War factions such as the Soviet Union and West Germany will appear in Easter egg maps
- Multiple mechanisms to optimize both atk and def experiences and reduce boring
- Anti-personnel mines
- Medical stations, medical vehicles, infantry drones, infantry trenches
- Unlock multiple hidden weapons
- Better SL kits, making you love being SL
- Multiple new vehicles and deployments
- New command actions

[Steam Workshop] https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3038864732
[Gameplay video] https://youtu.be/jLlK-F0fWYg?si=xLi-FbJ_bj3epreQ

[hr][/hr]
[h2]Iran by Londonsmee[/h2]






AAS map using the Iranian Peninsula of Jazireh-ye Shif in the northern province of Bushehr as inspiration. This is a work in progress. Latest version has procedure volumes to control use of litter, and a weather system to add nice dust storms. There is a working version on Steam workshop: it’s a 3km² sized map. I've tried not to have a completely destroyed region, but to have more of the opening days of a conflict. It doesn't follow exactly the area’s urban makeup but I created more POIs that seem to be more like the playstyle of communities.

Steam Workshop: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3131278030
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5JlT8RIY8Y&ab_channel=LondonSmee

[hr][/hr]
[h2]Brazilian Armed Forces by Smoking Snakes[/h2]





Hello and welcome to the Brazilian Armed Forces mod!

This project aims to bring the Brazilian Army as a playable faction into Squad, featuring weapons, vehicles, and equipment utilized by the Brazilian army.

Down below you will witness some of our In-Engine Renders of the mod; a turnable model of our Guarani APC with all its different versions and internal Gameplay footage, testing our main battle rifle the IA2.

Be sure to join our discord to keep track of our mod's progress!

Discord: https://discord.gg/dxGtmc6tAy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RXM5QFTorE&ab_channel=BrazilianArmedForcesMod

[hr][/hr]
[h2]Squad Overhaul by OGL[/h2]



Squad Overhaul is a mod which, as its name suggests, revisits the game and the gameplay of SQUAD. The idea is to modify the game without altering the whole.


Steam Workshop: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2964172192

[hr][/hr]

[h2]Thanks to the modders for their awesome submissions! Make sure to check them out and let us know what you think! [/h2]

[h2]“Communications inbound. Ready to receive!”[/h2]

Thanks Squaddies for taking part in the latest Squad Q&A, where you, the players, get to ask the developers who made Squad all about the game! We were extremely excited with the number of responses to our call for questions. We have taken the time to select ten (10) questions to answer. This will be a slightly shorter Q&A document in comparison to the last one, as we have quite a few topics we are not ready to discuss, but will in the near future!

Aiding in answering the questions are three members of our development team

• CANNON - Senior Producer - Squad
  
• Ceeg - Community Manager
  
• BaronVonBoyce - Lead Game Designer - Squad
  

If your question was not answered this time around please feel free to ask it again next time.

With that we want to thank all of our Squaddies for their participation. To not delay any further let's get into these questions!

Gameplay

Question: How long does OWI intend to develop Squad? UE4 is starting to show it's age, what are the plans for continued development? Will this ever be upgraded to UE5 or another engine?

Answer: There is no end in sight for Squads development, we have lots planned and we’re excited to keep the game going with new features, content and gamemodes for as long as we can. Regarding Unreal 5, we currently have a small team dedicated to looking into this shiny new tech. They are looking at what impact it will have on the current game, what improvements or setbacks we might see and how long it might take to upgrade.

-

Question: Would you consider hiring a workshop mod developer contract to reach your achievements?

Answer: We are currently in contact with a few modding teams and individual modders to help us with various areas of development. This can include anything from creating new content, to helping us set up or improve existing content. Historically we have always been open to working with modding teams, and we do not see that changing!

-

Question: What is an area of the game you're looking to address next, what problem with the game flow is looking to be solved, if anything?

Answer: We’re looking at addressing pain points for new players, including closing the game loop off with more detailed feedback for players. This will allow them to see how the overall team did as a whole, where ticket losses and gains were, as well as onboarding newer players more easily into the experience. We plan on working on it iteratively over the next year, with each update hopefully including something pushing us closer to this goal.

-

Question: When will thermal sights and laser rangefinders be added for MBTs and IFVs?

Answer: Thermal optics are something that we would like to add in the future, however we can’t commit to timelines due to limitations with resources and technology. We would wish for a Thermal system to not only look and feel authentic, but to work realistically, rather than be a post process effect. Laser rangefinders are already present in some IFVs and all tanks.

-

Question: Can we see more tutorials in the future? I'm thinking of a basic SL guide on how to make FOBs and call command strikes, basic vehicle gunnery tutorial, dedicated AT tutorial.

Answer: Yes, we plan on completely reworking our tutorial into a set of shorter tutorials that cover a wide variety of topics, beginning with the basics and moving into more advanced areas and topics. We also plan to add more tools for players to have better visibility on information that is currently hidden or considered tribal knowledge. Our goal with this is to have players be able to search for this information more easily from within the game.

-

Question: Does the Dev team have plans for any kind of player progression?

Answer: We have no plans at this time for a traditional progression system, but we do plan on adding a socially-driven progression system that allows players to recognize each other for their contributions. More on this in upcoming communications!

-

Question: Any plans to bring in new commander assets?

Answer: We are in the process of adding new commander assets, and in the future, we plan to completely rework the current commander system up to a higher standard, that also leans into the asymmetric design of different factions and units within those factions.

-

Question: How far along the pipeline is the TOW-launcher rework

Answer: We are in the process of reworking our missile system in-game to be more authentic, as well as more flexible with the intent to enable us to add more types of missile systems in the future. We will have more to share on this topic in the coming months.

-

Question: Are you going to balancing the factions with the upcoming voting system so it doesn't become too one sided

Answer: Yes, faction balancing will be an ongoing and iterative process using data points from analytics, as well as feedback and observations. We want to make sure every faction feels fun to play, and no one gets left behind with the Voting system!

______

That’s all for this month's Q&A! Thank you all for your participation. While we may not host a Q&A like this every month, expect to see some other forms of communication that you are sure to enjoy. If you missed your chance to ask a question this time around, Keep a close watch on X and Facebook, where we always announce our latest rounds of Q&A and other Blog posts!

[h2]Offworld Out.[/h2]