VAIL News

Smaller download size, faster startup, improved observer mode, new player customization, and much more!

[h2]OBSERVER MODE[/h2]
We've done a full revamp of the VAIL observer mode (PC only). In addition to bringing back all of the old functionality, we've added some new features to the observer mode to make it easier to use for casting matches or creating content. To launch the observer mode through steam, simply right click on VAIL in your Steam library, select properties, go to the general tab, and add the following launch options: -nohmd -observer

We'll be posting a full tutorial and list of key binds soon, but in the meantime here's some useful options if you're new to the observer mode:

• TAB to open the menu
  
• H will toggle UI on or off
  
• O will toggle player outlines that are visible through walls
  
• M will switch between the small and large mini-map for maps that have it
  
• Each number will let you follow the corresponding player
  
• C will switch from first person to third person to free camera mode
  
• B will switch back to free camera mode in any situation
  
• G will make you spectate the player that last shot
  
• And many more cool features which will be outlined on our website soon!
  

[h2]PLAYER CUSTOMIZATION[/h2]
We've finally removed the last remnants of the old tablet and replaced it with a new customization page for selecting character cosmetics. Along with selecting head, body, and hands for each faction; you can now see what cosmetics you're selecting with individual thumbnails and color-coded tiers for Mythic, Legendary, Rare, Uncommon, and Common skins. You can also see your full outfit on a mannequin on the right.

In the loadouts page, you'll also see cosmetics organized by the same color-coded tiers and the default (common) guns have thumbnails now. Additionally, we finally added Knife cosmetics, which means if you get the new Enigmia Pack you'll now be able to equip the very first knife cosmetic in VAIL.



[h2]CHANGES & FIXES[/h2]

• Reduced game download size by a few GBs
  
• Reduced shader complexity, improving game startup time
  
• Improved visuals on all guns and gun cosmetics
  
• Tac rig adjustments to make it easier to force grab items on the ground with a gun on your chest
  
• Ivan woke up with a nightmare about crying Canadian children. So he made Hockey a little better...
  
• Improved the look of the Artifact scanner defuse bar
  
• GEL count now visible in the tablet
  
• Experimental marketplace hidden in the armory
  
• Increased max turn speed from 300 to 360
  
• Friends list is now sorted between offline and online friends
  
• Removed preset loadouts after unlocking custom loadouts
  
• Health is no longer visible when at 100 (full health)
  
• Steam can use PC keyboard to search for friends
  
• Shuttle now has unlimited refreshes
  
• Added Artifact scanner marker
  
• Added CTO Objective markers (only objectives, no orbs yet)
  
• Microphone at the bottom of tablet will now show microphone activity
  
• Fixed hardpoint not delaying at the start of the match
  
• Fixed player profile stats being named incorrectly and showing in the wrong formats
  

See you all in-game!
AEXLAB

[h2]Changes and Fixes[/h2]

• Fixed issue causing players sometimes to appear invisible
  
• Updated Patreon list
  
• Map collision improvements
  
• Character Animation perf improvements
  
• Improving Gold Skins visually on Quest
  
• Reduced likelihood of guns getting stuck when grabbed off the weapon dispenser in Armory
  
• Reduced likelihood of guns getting stuck in walls when grabbing them off your chest
  
• There is a slight increase to bullet penetration damage on all rifles, SMGs, and pistols
  
• The knife now paints your friends
  
• Slightly improved map loading times (but more to come soon)
  
• New Impact Frag kill feed icon to differentiate it from a regular frag
  
• Fixed a few crashes affecting some players
  

See you all in-game!
AEXLAB

Welcome to our first update after our full release on Steam and Quest! This update brings some nice quality-of-life improvements, including the ability to play with friends more easily thanks to the newly added Friends & Parties.

[h2]Friends & Parties[/h2]
Friends will include your platform friends (friends on Steam and Quest), and you'll also be able to add players in VAIL. Click on any player in the scoreboard to open their profile, and there you can see their stats and add them as a friend.

Additionally, quest users can add friends by searching for their username. Steam users are not able to search for friends right now, but we will be adding that functionality in a future update. In the meantime, you can add players on Steam or ask Quest players to send you a friend request.

With new friends added, you can now create a party. Parties are an experimental feature. Let us know about any issues and we'll be working to improve it for future updates. Currently, parties only work with matchmaking. You can create a party with up to 5 players and you can only add people to your party when you are not already in a server. Joining a party while in a server will cause you to leave that server so that you can join your party.


[h2]Weapon Progression[/h2]
All 20 weapons camos are now added and available to unlock in this update. Weapon camos are unlocked by getting headshots with each respective weapon. The number of headshots varies, with rifles needing as many as 1000 headshots to unlock the final 24Karat weapons. Knife cosmetics will be coming soon. In the meantime, who will be the first to unlock all camos for all guns?




[h2]Other Changes[/h2]

• Made tac rig adjustments based on player feedback. You now primarily grab ammo if holding a firearm, and grab your primary if holding nothing. Tacticals are easier to grab off your arms.
  
• Fixed Mag Trigger Grip not working properly on the ammo pouch
  
• Fixed knife killing yourself
  
• Reduced M2 Rifled close-range damage
  
• Reduced shotgun bullet penetration
  
• Adjusted STF12's pump grip position to make it a bit more comfortable
  
• Fixed skins applying to shotgun shells
  
• Fixed MK23 visually ejecting 9mm ammo instead of 45acp
  
• Fixed select players not being able to use Quick Play
  
• Audio fixes to reduce the likelihood of hearing the wrong character or audio cutting out
  
• Reduced warmup time
  
• Swapped PL14 and MK23 positions in the progression so that PL14 is now unlocked at level 10
  
• Large performance optimizations for UI and maps
  
• Visual improvements and optimizations for Atmos
  

See you all in-game!
AEXLAB

VAIL 1.0 is here - a bit early before our Feb 15th launch on the Quest store! Jump in and give us feedback on these new features as we tune everything for the full launch just a couple of weeks from now!

[h2]QUICK PLAY[/h2]
Matchmaking is now enabled! You can now automatically join servers by hitting the Quick Play button, and backfilling is enabled. We are still working on some issues on the backend to make sure you can find matches quickly in all regions, but so far it's working great for most players! Please note that Quick Play servers are the only way to earn XP, level up, and increase your stats; which brings us to the next big feature of this update....

[h2]PROGRESSION[/h2]
Progression for VAIL is live! You can level up from 0 to 50 by playing on any Quick Play server. Along the way, you'll unlock guns, sights, emblems, and in-game currency (which can be used at the in-game marketplace, coming soon). In a future update, we'll add the option to Prestige which will reset your progress in exchange for some cosmetics and emblems. More info on Prestige will come in a future update!

In addition to the main level progression, you can unlock weapon skins by getting headshot kills with each weapon. Currently, there are only 10 cosmetics available for each gun, but 10 more are going to be added in an upcoming update.

Along with progression, we now track your stats and you can get ranked on our global, weekly, and daily leaderboards for kills and wins. Screenshot your stats page and send it to us in Discord so we can see who has the best KDA!

Please note that all stats and progress will be reset at launch on Feb 15th, 2024



[h2]NEW WEAPONS & AMMO POUCH[/h2]
We're adding FOUR NEW WEAPONS and a brand new ammo pouch. The ammo pouch pools ammo together based on type. When a player dies, they drop a pouch with the ammo they were carrying and it can be picked up by other players. This allows players to steal enemy loadouts more easily (no need to chase after individual mags) and it allows for more consistent reloads by having the pouch in one consistent spot! This also gives us the ability to add shotguns and other unique weapons.....

M2 Rifled Shotgun
3 Pellet, tight choke shotgun for close to midrange engagements, however, the long barrel makes it difficult to get around corners. Unlocked at level 16.

STF12 Shotgun
8 pellet, pump action shotgun. Excels at close quarters. Can cycle the action while only holding it with your off-hand (one-handed pump). Unlocked at level 34.

D. Eagle
Long range, low capacity sidearm. From the ammo pouch, it shares ammo with the bolt action sniper. Unlocked at level 50.

Vityaz
AK style SMG. nearly identical in damage to the UMP. However, it has less control than the UMP, and fewer sight options. To make up for this, and to keep it in line with the rebalancing of AKs, it does slightly more headshot damage. Unlocked at level 8.



[h2]NEW MAPS[/h2]
There are two new maps for launch, with another coming soon!

Void
Based on the starting title screen level, you can now fight in the Void in both Scoutzknivez and 1v1s.

Atmos
A REYAB Corporation training institution for the next generation of soldiers. Check it out with Capture the Orb - Complete with jump pads, sniper towers, and much more. Please note that it is known that Atmos has some performance issues on Quest standalone.



[h2]GENERAL CHANGES[/h2]

• Ammo Counters added to all guns
  
• Improved game loading
  
• Fixed FFA/TDM Khidi spawn that you could get stuck on
  
• Scoutzknivez game mode is now infinite ammo
  
• Fixed some scopes being blurry on Quest
  
• Fixed various crashes
  
• Audio improvements and additions (check out the new impact sounds!)
  
• Fixed some issues where players can be visually crouching when they are standing for others
  
• Removed audio for Heaven spectator screen for now
  
• Improved joystick dead zones slightly based on player feedback
  
• Reduced Picnic game mode to be a max of 32 players
  
• Fixed gun getting stuck playing firing sounds if you eject a mag and pull the trigger at the same time
  
• Various performance improvements
  
• Various Map improvements
  

[h2]BALANCE CHANGES[/h2]

• GrotB 1-handed recoil increased
  
• AK12 1-tap headshot extended to 40m
  
• AK303N 1-tap headshot extended to 60m
  
• G28Z recoil slightly reduced
  
• G28Z headshot damage increased to always 1-tap
  
• SCARH recoil slightly reduced
  
• SCARH long range now kills in 3 body-shots instead of 4
  
• SCARH headshot 1-tap extended to 70m
  
• Adjusted UMP45 grip position on the mag, to make it feel easier to reload
  
• New sight options added for all guns
  

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who contributed to VAIL VR's journey through early access – your insights, patience, and creativity have been invaluable. We've finally reached version 1.0 together, and this is just the beginning of an even more exciting future.

AEXLAB

[h2]Changes and Fixes[/h2]

• Fixed Shuttle Buttons text not updating
  
• Fixed Camera in Heaven and Spectating in VR getting stuck constantly rotating
  
• Increased SpitefireAR sight's brightness
  
• Improved spawns on FFA and TDM Khidi
  
• Improved spawns on Hardpoint Suna
  
• Performance improvements for scopes
  
• Major performance improvements for all levels
  
• Temporarily Removed the Bow (It will be back)
  
• Temporarily Removed Grenade Toss Minigame
  

See you all in-game!
AEXLAB