Urban Strife News

[p]The October update is finally here, now available for everyone on the Public Branch. To mark the occasion, we’ve launched a special Halloween discount so more players can join the fight for Urban’s survival. This version integrates the feedback of the beta players and the extra development we had on the pipeline.[/p][p]We also took the opportunity to fix the regional price issue for Poland and bring it in line with the regular price. A big thank you to the Polish community and polishourprices.pl for bringing this to our attention. [/p][hr][/hr][h3]What’s New[/h3][p]The world outside the shelter just got more dangerous.[/p][p][/p]

• [p]Highway encounters will now interrupt your travels, with both undead and human (bandit) spawns, making every trip outside the city a risk worth thinking twice about; as the looming threat of the Atlanta horde approaches, the number of zombies on the streets will grow and humans will become more scarce; in the end these random groups will be replaced by the roaming groups we already talked about in the previous patch notes.[/p]
• [p]These random encounters will scale in difficulty as your travel activity generates more threat, ensuring the roads feel progressively more hostile as the campaign unfolds.[/p]
• [p]As per your feedback, we’ve removed the forced pauses for non-critical events during travel to keep gameplay smoother and less interrupted.[/p]
• [p]You can now travel freely to any destination from any unlocked exit sector, as long as you’re not currently engaged in an encounter with enemy forces.[/p]

[p]On the narrative side, all current campaign dialogues have been fully proofread and finalized for localization. This brings the writing up to release quality and prepares the ground for community translations. We’ve also updated the in-game fonts to support Cyrillic, Greek, and Latin alphabets, ensuring better compatibility for upcoming localization efforts. Coincidentally this also made the texts easier to read.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]In addition, work on Steam Workshop integration and user-made localization support (.PO files) is nearly complete. Modders will soon be able to contribute their own translations or content directly. Expect a patch bringing required files and tools to your Steam client in a matter of days.[/p][p]
Finally, early support for LUA scripting is in progress to open the door for future modding possibilities, and a potential hang when leaving maps has been fixed.[/p][p][/p][h3]October Patch (summary)[/h3]

• [p]Vectorial Travel System Added[/p]
• [p]Fire Station vs Pyromaniacs[/p]
• [p]Booby Traps Implemented[/p]
• [p]Firefighter Suits Added[/p]
• [p]Auto Inventory Expansion[/p]
• [p]Auto-Sort Function[/p]
• [p]Select One / Multiple Stacks[/p]
• [p]Ability to Exit Clue Dialogues[/p]
• [p]Quest Items Now Marked[/p]
• [p]Hover Info[/p]
• [p]More Proofread Episodes[/p]

[p]Full October Patch notes here.[/p][p][/p][h3]Looking ahead[/h3][p]This update pushes Urban closer to the vision we’ve been building from the start: a living, reactive world where every journey, decision, and alliance matters and a complete game loop.[/p][p]Thank you all for your patience and support — and enjoy the Halloween discount while it lasts.[/p][p][/p][p][/p]

[p]This month’s beta build rolls out the foundation for the living, breathing endgame we’ve been promising — factions will soon be on the move, hordes will be converging on human camps, and new blood-soaked missions will be waiting to test your resolve. For now you are invited to test and give feedback on the mechanics that will make all this possible.
[/p][h3]New Features[/h3][p]Vectorial Travel System Added [/p][p]Your team and enemy factions (soon) will be able move between unlocked locations via vectorial routes. This is the first major step toward the dynamic endgame campaign we envisioned, allowing full simulation of faction wars — human groups attacking each other and zombie hordes ravaging settlements regardless of allegiance. The travel times are now accurately scaled and that will allow us to estimate a campaign duration and rebalance the resources accordingly.[/p][p][/p][p]Fire Station vs Pyromaniacs
A new campaign episode has been added, featuring an off-the-rails group of pyromaniac bikers planning to turn the entire city into ashes using fire engines as improvised flamethrowers. Their leader is the maddest of them all — yet deeply connected to some powerful players. A gory tale of human sacrifice that only you can put to an end.[/p][p][/p][p]Booby Traps Implemented
The Pyros have rigged their base with deadly traps. Watch your step unless you want to end up roasted. The trigger mechanism is easy to spot and destroy if you’re observant. Expect even nastier surprises in the next iterations — this isn’t the Urban you remember.[/p][p][/p][p]Firefighter Suits Added [/p][p]Introducing the new Firefighter faction armor – a full-body suit providing strong protection against fire and panic, as well as decent general defense. The iconic helmet offers matching bonuses. As a full-suit gear type, it covers chest and limbs in one piece.[/p][p][/p][p]Auto Inventory Expansion
To prevent players from losing items during trades when inventories were full, a new auto-expansion system adds extra rows automatically once capacity is reached. Weight limits still apply — exceeding them will show a special icon and deny the transfer.[/p][p]Auto-Sort Function
All inventories and containers now include an auto-sort feature to remove gaps and keep the visible area fully packed. It doesn’t merge stacks automatically — use the manual Sort button when you want to group items, keeping your trade and stash layouts intact.[/p][p]Select One / Multiple Stacks
A new toggle next to the Sort button allows quick switching between single-item and whole-stack transfers (via the small arrow widget). Mouse drag-and-drop behavior remains unchanged.[/p][p]Ability to Exit Clue Dialogues
By popular request, you can now postpone or exit a hidden clue dialogue and return later when better prepared. Older clues may need retroactive adjustments, but all new episodes now support this feature.[/p][p]Quest Items Now Marked
Quest items are now visually highlighted with a star icon, making them easier to spot in loot. Many have been updated to auto-consume upon quest completion, reducing inventory clutter.[/p][p]Hover Info
Inventory icons now feature hover boxes that display detailed descriptions and usage tips, a long-awaited quality-of-life upgrade.[/p][p]More Proofread Episodes
Our guest-star editor, Scott Hamm, has sent over new proofread and edited campaign episodes, bringing us closer to a release quality story script. (You can check out Scott’s work here: MobyGames profile)[/p][hr][/hr][h3]Balance & Fixes[/h3]

• [p]Mossberg shotgun rebalanced (-1 AP).[/p]
• [p]Two new Tier 2 sniper rifles added to late-game loot and trader pools.[/p]
• [p]Added a proper camp setup for the two rescued girls in the Old Port storyline.[/p]

[hr][/hr][h3]Known Issues[/h3][p]When a game event (such as a shelter crisis) triggers during travel, movement will pause automatically. However, no popup notification appears yet — you can resume travel manually using the PLAY button on the timeline widget.[/p][hr][/hr][h3]How to Join the Beta Branch[/h3]

1. [p]Go to your Steam Library[/p]
2. [p]Right-click the game > Properties[/p]
3. [p]Navigate to the Betas tab[/p]
4. [p]Choose “beta_branch” from the dropdown[/p]
5. [p]Wait for the update to download[/p]

[p]And remember—back up your saves before switching![/p][hr][/hr][p]Let us know what you think, and keep the feedback coming. We’re shaping this game together, and the experimental Beta Branch is your backstage pass to the future.[/p]

Some broken map assets that would cause navigation errors on Train Depot map have been fixed.

[p]It’s Time! After simmering on the Beta Branch for a while, a new content patch and a massive list of fixes are now live on the public build. Remember — you can always jump into the beta (if you own the game on Steam), but if you prefer sticking with the main branch, this update brings together everything we’ve added over the last month.[/p][hr][/hr][h2]CtH Cursor Comes to Public[/h2][p][/p][p]The biggest (and most positive) change is without a doubt the Chance-to-Hit (CtH) system, now integrated directly into the aiming cursor. This is a true CtH, calculated through a smart Monte Carlo integration formula built on dynamic ballistic simulation — thousands of line traces factoring in shooter skill, target idle animations, weapon behavior, and more. The old heuristic indicator that shows shot quality will remain as well, giving you both systems side by side.
[/p][p]Weapon classes have also been reworked to emphasize their specializations:[/p]

• [p]Pistols, shotguns, SMGs: dominate at close range.[/p]

• [p]Bolt-actions, crossbows, ARs: effective at close to medium range.[/p]
• [p]Sniper rifles: deadly accurate at long range, but unwieldy up close.[/p]

[hr][/hr][h2]Murder on the Freedom Express[/h2][p][/p][p]For those eager to continue the campaign, we’ve added Father Pio’s arch-enemies, the Strongarm biker gang, who run the local train depot.[/p][p]This is where the Freedom Train is being built — the same train Lucio is selling tickets on to desperate grave robbers. In this new scenario, you’ll need to use your detective skills to uncover who murdered the train’s engineer and why, then bring the culprits to justice.[/p][p]Expect to face:[/p]

• [p]Ghouls — feral humans who feed on corpses, rot alive, yet resist the virus.[/p]
• [p]The Sicilian mafia — the slick but treacherous Di’Angello clan.[/p]

[p][/p][hr][/hr][h2]New Tier 2 Weapons & Bullets[/h2][p]On the gear side, an old JA2 fan favorite makes its entry (remember the phrase "Help, I've FAL-len, and I can't get up"?), alongside the fearsome Saiga automatic shotgun.[/p][p]The ammo press has also been upgraded, now supporting custom ammo recipes for every weapon in the game. So dust off that SVD — it’s time to put it back to work.[/p][hr][/hr][h2]Bug Fixes[/h2][p]Thanks to feedback from our players, we’ve also squashed a number of nasty bugs. Here’s what’s included in the public build (along with fixes already in beta):[/p][h3]Fixes Shortlist[/h3]

• [p]Fixed a crash caused by melee attacks from height.[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue preventing fire from spreading on certain maps — firebombs now work correctly.[/p]
• [p]Fixed a crash when aiming at Lucio on the Hideout map (beta only).[/p]
• [p]Broken weapons now preserve attachments, which can be removed.[/p]
• [p]Refugees gained during the campaign now have proper waypoints and integrate with the crowd.[/p]
• [p]Miscellaneous vests and helmets now have a recycle value and can be scrapped for materials.[/p]
• [p]Close-range weapons had their bullet drop balanced properly.[/p]
• [p]Adjusted weight for several shotguns and their variants.[/p]

[h3]Fixes Ported from Beta[/h3]

• [p]Shotgun projectiles now deal reduced damage over distance (close-range power preserved).[/p]
• [p]Tactical/polymer weapon upgrades now properly reduce weight.[/p]
• [p]Pending shelter industry orders (not yet in production) can now be cancelled.[/p]
• [p]Fixed a bug where characters could get stuck after ending a turn in an invalid stance.[/p]
• [p]Fixed an AI Overwatch/fire bug that could trap the player.[/p]
• [p]Fixed a bug that could make the Roster menu unusable after recruiting all NPCs.[/p]
• [p]Fixed keybinds (1–5 and 0) not saving correctly after reassignment.[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue in Miguel Cordoba’s quest that left a floating objective marker.[/p]
• [p]Fixed bullets colliding with window frames when crouch-shooting.[/p]
• [p]Corrected sniper rifle images to display proper attachments.[/p]

[p][/p][h2]Thank You![/h2][p]As always, a huge thank you to everyone playing, testing, and sharing feedback with us. Your reports and ideas help us squash bugs, refine systems, and keep pushing the game forward.[/p][p]If you haven’t yet, join the discussion on our Steam forums or Discord — we’d love to hear your thoughts on the new CtH system and the Freedom Train episode. And if you enjoy the game, don’t forget to leave us a review on Steam — it really helps us reach more players and keep development rolling.[/p][p][/p][p]See you in the field![/p]

[p]We’re officially launching our Beta Branch! Access is open to anyone who owns the game and is curious about upcoming features. This branch will serve as a testing lab—a place where future updates are shaped, tested, and refined with your feedback.[/p]

[p]⚠️ Important: Before joining the Beta Branch, make sure you BACK UP YOUR SAVES.
Steam doesn’t offer a reliable way to separate save files between builds, so switching to Beta will overwrite your current installation—and may affect your progress. The good news? You can revert back to the regular version at any time, as long as you have your saves backed up.[/p]

[p]Here’s what’s waiting for you in the Beta—and how to join:[/p][p][/p][h3]New Feature: CTH Cursor (Chance to Hit)[/h3][p]A cursor showing Chance to Hit (CTH) has been one of the most requested features over time. We understand that having clear, intuitive data makes for a better gameplay experience—and this is our response to that request.[/p][p]But implementing CTH wasn’t straightforward. The classic percentages you’ve seen in other games are often based on simple D&D-style dice rolls. Ours, however, is built on a dynamic ballistic simulation—thousands of line traces, shooter skill and target idle animations, weapon behavior, and more.[/p][p]To make that complexity readable, we refined our system:[/p]

• [p]Idle animations (like target bobbing) are now factored in and only frame zero is used[/p]
• [p]Gun accuracy, shooter skill, and target shape are all part of the equation[/p]
• [p]Thousand of line-traces behind the hood are distilled into one clean, human-readable number[/p]
• [p]The resulted CTH is determined by Monte Carlo integration.[/p]

[hr][/hr][h3]Heuristics + New CTH: Best of Both Worlds[/h3][p]We’re not throwing out the old system entirely. The color-coded heuristic dummy that shows whether a shot is generally a good idea (based on both hit chance and damage expectation) is still there. It’s also used by the AI to make decisions, so keeping it ensures fair play.[/p][p]But now, you’ll also see exact percentages with the new CTH indicator. For example, say an enemy is behind a closed door, ready to throw a grenade. The heuristic says red—bad shot. But you know that even a low-chance hit could save your squad. The new cursor lets you see:[/p]

• [p]Your actual chance to shoot through that door[/p]
• [p]A damage estimate (Graze / Light / Solid)[/p]
• [p]If you're trying a completely out-of-range shot, you'll get a ?? CTH and grey heuristic estimation, but you're free to try (see below Billy trying to hit a FAR target with a .22 gun)[/p]

[p][/p][carousel][/carousel][hr][/hr][h3]Weapon Class Rework[/h3][p]We’ve overhauled how weapon roles are defined in the UI. Previously, the aiming cursor only showed how close you were to the target when it defined the optimal range. But that didn’t reflect reality—why should a sniper rifle beat a handgun in close quarters?[/p][p]Now, weapons display range suitability (CLOSE / MEDIUM / FAR), with color coding:[/p]

• [p]Green = weapon is optimal at that range[/p]
• [p]Yellow = weapon is sub-optimal[/p]

[p]Examples:[/p]

• [p]Pistols, shotguns, SMGs → CLOSE[/p]
• [p]Bolt action rifles, crossbows, AR → CLOSE/MEDIUM [/p]
• [p]Sniper rifles → FAR[/p]

[p]Close-range weapons excel at fast firing (low AP costs) but generally deal lower damage per shot or their bullets lose energy fast over distance. Medium-range weapons perform decently up close, but their higher AP costs make them most effective at mid-range. Finally, sniper rifles deliver devastating damage, but their high AP costs make close-quarters engagements risky and leave you exposed.[/p][p]Weapon attachments have also been rebalanced to match these roles, with meaningful gameplay bonuses. [/p][p]Below: A crossbow is in optimal (green) range at both SHORT and MEDIUM distances.[/p][carousel][/carousel][p]Below: A dedicated sniper rifle performs best at FAR range and it will be outperformed at CLOSE/MEDIUM ranges by dedicated weapons.[/p][carousel][/carousel][hr][/hr][h3]Coming Soon: Aimed Shot Bonuses[/h3][p]While we test these changes in Beta, we’re already working on the next big update: bonuses for aimed shots. This will evolve the current body-part targeting system into a proper marksman mode. Here’s the idea:[/p]

• [p]Spend more Action Points to aim carefully[/p]
• [p]Get a higher CTH for vital body parts[/p]
• [p]Use aimed shots as a precision tool[/p]
• [p]Un-aimed shots remain efficient and default to the torso[/p]

[p]Veterans of Jagged Alliance 2 will feel right at home. Stay tuned![/p][p]Also those waiting for new maps and progress with the campaign will be happy to hear that we have scheduled another update later this month that will add more Tier 2 content to the game and unlock new locations.[/p][hr][/hr][h3]Other Fixes in This Update[/h3]

• [p]Shotgun projectiles now deal reduced damage over distance (preserving close-range power)[/p]
• [p]Tactical/polymer weapon upgrades now properly reduce weight[/p]
• [p]Pending shelter industry orders (not yet in production) can now be cancelled[/p]
• [p]Fixed a bug where characters could get stuck by ending a turn in an invalid stance[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue caused by AI on Overwatch being set on fire that could lead to player being stuck[/p]
• [p]Fixed a bug that could make the Roster menu unusable after recruiting all NPCs[/p]
• [p]Fixed keybinds (1–5 and 0) not saving correctly after reassigning them[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue in Miguel Cordoba's quest that left a floating objective marker[/p]
• [p]Fixed bullets getting caught on a window frame when crouch-shooting through windows[/p]
• [p]Corrected sniper rifle images to display proper attachments[/p]

[hr][/hr][h3]Ready to Join the Beta Branch?[/h3]

1. [p]Go to your Steam Library[/p]
2. [p]Right-click the game > Properties[/p]
3. [p]Navigate to the Betas tab[/p]
4. [p]Choose “beta_branch” from the dropdown[/p]
5. [p]Wait for the update to download[/p]

[p]And remember—back up your saves before switching![/p][hr][/hr][p]Let us know what you think, and keep the feedback coming. We’re shaping this game together, and the experimental Beta Branch is your backstage pass to the future.[/p][p][/p]