VAIL News

Over the last several weeks we've been working hard on optimizing every single aspect of the game and we've successfully cut the frame time in half compared to a build from early 2022. This means that if you were getting 72 FPS in early 2022, you would now be able to get 144 FPS with the same setup.

Because of this focus on performance and stability, there aren't that many new exciting features to talk about. But if you haven't played VAIL much in UE5, now is the time to jump back in! This is the closest we've ever been to being as stable as UE4.27.

[h2]PUG Bot[/h2]
We've recently launched our brand new pick-up games bot in Discord!

Use this bot to find players to play against and earn BBB! You'll earn BBB for winning or losing, and you'll be able to use the BBB to get exclusive skins. Join the Discord to learn more!

[h2]General Changes[/h2]

• Improved Match Outcome screens (victory/defeat)
  
• Improved match state timer (warmup, match starting)
  
• TTK adjustments on rifles
  
• Damage increased on MR96 bolt action
  
• Enemy Highlights improved and fixed
  
• Teammate highlights are reduced to a dot to improve performance
  
• Virtual Desktop controller grip bindings fixed
  
• Pico controller bindings fixed
  
• Tacticals/Grenades no longer go through thin walls and terrain.
  
• Fixed issue where scopes were not perfectly accurate at long ranges
  
• Increased magnification of some of the scopes slightly
  
• Reticles are now consistently zeroed at 15m instead of 20m This means that in the shooting range and in play, Bullets are less likely to hit lower than your reticle due to the height of your sight making them feel more precise
  
• Increased MK418 recoil while moving and shooting to bring it more in line with other ARs
  
• Fixed stutters when shooting objects for the first time
  
• Guns and mags now fall to the ground with the character to reduce the amount of physics, gaining a significant performance increase on player death
  
• Added more performant Low graphics settings
  
• Various performance improvements to backend systems
  

We'll keep improving stability, and we have lots of new features coming your way very soon.

See you all in-game!

Love you all, AEXLAB

With Unreal Engine 5.2 out of the way, we're making massive changes to fix remaining bugs and improve overall performance and stability.

We also made an appearance at the UploadVR Showcase, officially announcing that we are releasing a Quest alpha sometime this summer. There is no set date on when we'll release it, but stay tuned in Discord for news on it.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h2]Known Issues (and Fixes)[/h2]
We believe we've fixed two of the most game-breaking bugs that we've had since updating to Unreal Engine 5, which are the frozen hand bug and the world-shaking/wobbling bug. These bugs, especially the frozen hand bug, are hard to replicate so it's difficult to know for sure, but we've implemented some changes that seem to have fixed these issues for us. If you have these bugs after updating, please make sure you're using the correct OpenXR runtime and then let us know in Discord.

Outside of that, there are 2 remaining major bugs that we are working on fixing. However, until we have a more permanent fix you, can get around them pretty easily.

[h3]I cannot grab things/Bindings not working[/h3]
Make sure you are running the correct runtime for your headset.

• For Meta/Oculus, open the Oculus app > Go to settings > Select General > OpenXR Runtime > Set Oculus as active
  
• For SteamVR headsets, launch SteamVR > open the settings through the hamburger menu > Select the Developer tab > Set SteamVR as OpenXR Runtime
  

If you are using Virtual Desktop or the correct runtime doesn't fix the issue, grab one of the community bindings posted in SteamVR. This will fix the issue until we get it fully resolved with OpenXR.

[h3]My UI/Tablet are not showing correctly/can't open or see the menu[/h3]
Make sure you aren't using the beta branch of SteamVR, this has some known issues. Otherwise, run compatibility mode when you launch the game. If the issue persists, let us know in Discord with some information on your setup.


[h2]Community Feedback[/h2]
Based on community feedback, we've fixed many bugs and attempted to improve the overall game feel and balance.

• Changes to damage penetration to mitigate the likelihood of hands and arms blocking a headshot kill.
  
• PM9 recoil adjusted and DPS adjusted to match other secondary firearms.
  
• Charging handles/slide now more accurately pick the correct grip animation.
  
• Controller positions on guns adjusted to feel more consistent and be more comfortable on a gun-to-gun basis, this should also help physical stock users.
  
• Controller trigger and gripping settings were tweaked to make shooting and throwing feel smoother again.
  
• Improvements to the Quest Pro controller position profile (which must be manually chosen), though more feedback is needed.
  
• Throwing improvements to guns, mags, and tacticals.
  
• Overall physics improvements to make throwing feel closer to how it felt before moving to Chaos.
  
• Improved Charging handle gripping to feel better after the OpenXR controller position changes.
  
• Made it easier to grab a pistol with your secondary hand without having to hit your controllers together.
  
• Fixed an issue that caused your gun to start acting differently after hitting an object in some instances.
  
• Graphical settings have been overhauled. Choosing low on "Effects" and "ViewDistance" will very closely mimic Quest optimizations, resulting in much better performance on PC.
  
• Shortened the amount of time you need to hold the thumbstick to toggle the fire rate selector. Still need to do more work on this to make it feel good on every controller.
  
• Scoutzknives movement speed was adjusted.
  

[h2]Maps[/h2]

• Major optimizations on every map. All maps should match Quest level of optimizations on low 'Effects' and 'View Distance' in-game.
  
• 1v1_Armory/1v1_Miru adjusted for spawn camping; more cover and spawns added.
  
• Maar adjustments to cover and timings.
  
• Multiple collision issues impacting player movement/ability to vault certain areas improved on each map.
  
• Slight improvements to certain materials in Cliffside/Armory with optimizations.
  
• Collision reworked and simplified on Este and other maps.
  
• New skybox for 1v1_Volt Night and some other maps.
  
• Added missing physmats for footsteps set on 1v1_Maar and other maps.
  
• The Void was updated visually with an additional lighting pass.
  
• Lods added and reworked/improved on many assets.
  
• Minor gameplay and layout tweaks to Khidi/Miru.
  
• Night scenario on 1v1 Miru Improved.
  
• Fixed many seams in Maar/improved material fidelity and improved visibility/matched tonemapper to closer represent Vulkans look.
  
• Optimizations and improvements to Miru/Cliffside
  

We've also made huge performance gains without sacrificing visual fidelity. To give you an idea, here's what Cliffside and Miru look like on a high-end PC with maxed-out settings.



And this is what they look like on low with the new optimizations made to match what it'll look like on Quest, specifically with low 'Effects' and 'View Distance.'



[h3]Other known issues[/h3]

• Cannot change maps in the scoreboard while offline. This only affects players that are offline, you'll still be able to change maps in custom games.
  
• Enemy Highlights frequently stop working. We are looking to fix this very soon.
  

We look forward to seeing all of your feedback and bug reports in Discord.

See you all in-game!

Love you all, AEXLAB

Our primary focus these last few weeks has been bug fixes and performance optimizations. We're getting ready for the Quest Alpha, and we're fixing as many of the remaining UE5 bugs as we can in preparation for that.

Unreal Engine 5.2 was recently released with many bug fixes, feature improvements, and increased stability. There are also a lot of specific benefits that UE5.2 has for VR, so we promptly updated our engine and set off fixing even more bugs introduced with that update.

Overall it is a net positive for the game, and you'll start seeing many of the benefits of Unreal Engine 5 shortly!

[h2]Controller Fixes[/h2]
One of the biggest bugs associated with porting to Unreal Engine 5, and specifically OpenXR, is related to controller bindings.

If you've recently opened VAIL and noticed you can't grab anything, you know exactly what we're talking about.

Fortunately, this is an easy fix and for most of you, the problem should be solved with this update. Just make sure you're using the default openXR bindings for VAIL in your SteamVR settings. If you're using Virtual Desktop to play, you'll still need to use one of the community-made bindings.

If you are using the default OpenXR bindings and you're still experiencing issues, this is because your default runtime isn't set to OpenXR. In this case, the easiest fix is to simply set your default runtime to OpenXR in your Steam or Oculus settings; or you can use one of the community-made bindings that also fixes the issue (though this isn't recommended as a long-term solution).

[h2]Improved Bindings[/h2]
In addition to fixing the grip issues, we've again updated our controller bindings based on the amazing feedback we received since our last update.

• Fire Rate Selector now requires a quarter-second hold to activate. This is to prevent players from accidentally changing to semi-auto when tensing up for a gunfight. Let us know how this feels!
  
• When not holding a gun, your main hand thumbstick press is used for sprays while your off-hand is used for Push-to-Talk if it is activated in the settings.
  
• B and Y (on Quest controllers) can be used to ping locations when not holding the primary grip of a gun in that hand.
  

Many of you have asked for binding options in-game, which is something we'll explore in the future when we have more bandwidth to develop that kind of feature. But for now, these bindings should fix the major complaints and bugs.

[h2]Grenade Toss[/h2]
In addition to many bug fixes, we've completely remade the grenade toss mini-game! It's now much more similar to something like Top Golf. You'll earn a higher score the farther away the target is and the closer to the center you are. Some of the art is still a prototype and subject to improvements, but let us know what you think!



[h2]Other Changes[/h2]
A new popup will greet you the next time you open the game to inform you of the controller bindings fixes. But you won't need that since you read these update notes, right? Right?? Well just in case, it's still there anyways. Just hold the trigger to dismiss it forever.

If you're having issues with controller positions (Quest Pro is known to have issues) then please select the correct controller profile in the VAIL in-game settings.

[h2]Bug fixes[/h2]

• We're pushing an attempted fix for the frozen controller bug. This bug is difficult to replicate and test, so please reach out to us if you have this bug again so that we can resolve it!
  
• Infinite firing upon mag release is fixed.
  
• No spawn jail on Este Artifact is fixed.
  
• Various menu/tablet bugs were solved. If you were using compatibility mode, try using the default OpenXR launch option now.
  
• Many more minor bugs and performance improvements!
  

We look forward to seeing all of your feedback and bug reports in Discord.

See you all in-game!

Love you all, AEXLAB

We pushed ourselves to release the UE5.1 update knowing that it would have some issues and we are grateful to everyone that's played since that update and helped us to fix the many bugs and issues that came with UE5.1.

We're confident that before long you'll see significant performance gains and an overall better experience thanks to the features in Unreal Engine 5, and we'll continue updating as frequently as we can to get rid of any remaining bugs.

[h2]Can't play the game?[/h2]
We are aware of several problems preventing players from playing the game. Most of those issues should be resolved; just make sure you're using the default OpenXR launch option.

If you're experiencing the small menu bug or have any other main menu or HUD issues, please try the compatibility mode as shown here.



The DX12 launch option is available for those that want to improve their performance, but it is experimental right now and is known to have caused crashes for many players. Make sure your drivers are updated, and if you're still crashing in this mode then please use the first option.

We're also including the Vulkan renderer, which is a bit more stable as well. If you're experiencing the D3D crash or want to try getting even better performance, you can try the Vulkan renderer by using the DX12 launch option and including the launch command "-vulkan" as shown here. This is also experimental, and if you run into any issues then please use the default OpenXR launch option.



[h2]Melee[/h2]
Melee is something that we should have added to the game a LONG time ago. We've had a work-in-progress version of melee for nearly a year now, but it hasn't quite fulfilled our expectations for what we think good melee in a multiplayer FPS should look like.

This version of melee that you'll see in this update also doesn't meet our expectations, but we need melee for a new game mode and we figured if it's live already, we'll have even more reason to iterate on it and make it better.

The current knife model is a placeholder, and everything about melee is subject to improvement. We welcome your feedback as we iterate on this and make melee that is both fun and balanced!


[h2]Scoutzknivez[/h2]
Scoutzknivez is a new TDM-based game mode with snipers, knives, and low-gravity jumping. All players are equipped with the same loadout of an MR96 bolt-action sniper, a knife (WIP), and two impact grenades. The low gravity and increased movement speed allow you to run and jump around the maps with complete freedom as you try to 360-no-scope enemies into another dimension. The first team to get 50 kills or the team with the highest score after 10 minutes wins the match.

Right now the game mode is only available on Cliffside, but we'll soon add it to other maps as we polish the mode up!



[h2]Controller Bindings Update[/h2]
With the addition of jumping for game modes like Scoutzknivez, we realized we really needed a good button for jumping that's convenient and easy to use. We took this opportunity to rework all of the bindings so that A (Quest 2) on your main hand can be used for jumping.

That button was previously used to change the fire rate when holding a gun, which you can now do by clicking in the thumbstick with whichever hand is holding a gun.

We also moved the push-to-talk button to Y (Quest 2) on your offhand when you're not holding a gun in that hand.

Similar changes have been made to all supported controllers.



[h2]Other Changes[/h2]
We've made some improvements to the MR96 bolt reloading mechanic. This is a very difficult feature to get exactly right, so please share your feedback with us as we try to get it to feel smooth and natural.

Listening to the community, we've made many adjustments to TTK. We recognize many players were not happy with the TTK in the UE5 update, so we've made many adjustments to bring it closer to how it was before the update while retaining our ultimate goal of making the game more fun for everyone. We know players want to know the exact changes to damage and recoil per gun, but we've found it very useful to get feedback from the community without releasing exact details. In future updates, after the TTK is more stable, we may include more detailed information.

We've added a victory and defeat screen at the end of every match. Your team's score shows in blue while the enemy's shows in red!

We also made a lot of polish changes to our newest map, Cliffside. Jump in and let us know what you think!

We updated the Patreon wall in the armory. Thank you to all of our loyal supporters!


[h2]Bug fixes[/h2]

• Firearm smoothing now works as intended.
  
• Severe performance issues on Este should be improved.
  
• Servers, including custom game servers, now work as intended; no more infinite loading.
  
• And many other minor and major bugs...
  

We look forward to seeing all of your feedback and bug reports in Discord.

See you all in-game!

Love you all, AEXLAB

We want to thank all of you for your patience over the last few months. Our last update was last year. We did not think it would take this long, and we are grateful for all of you that are still here.

VAIL is now officially upgraded to Unreal Engine 5, bringing new features and rendering technology to elevate the game to a new level. While the fanciest features, such as nanite and lumen, don't work for VR yet; there's still a plethora of features and rendering technology that will elevate VAIL to a whole new level.

• New tools ensure a faster workflow, allowing us to make new content, such as maps, much more quickly. In addition to the newest map added in this update (more on that below), expect many new maps and game modes in the near future.
  
• Physics and player interactions are crucial in virtual worlds, and with the switch to Unreal Engine 5, we are now using the CHAOS engine, which is more performant and capable than the previous PhysX engine.
  
• Unreal Engine's next-generation VFX system, Niagara, has been greatly improved for Unreal Engine 5, allowing us to create more complex and visually stunning effects, even for standalone VR.
  
• VAIL now uses OpenXR, the standard for VR hardware and software interaction. This means VAIL will be more compatible with new VR headsets far into the future.
  
• And much more technical stuff that we don't want to bore you with...
  

We are among the first VR developers to use unreal engine 5, which means many of the bugs and quirks had to be fixed manually by our engineers to ensure the engine could even be used for VR.

In addition, many of the game's systems had to be completely remade from scratch. However, we took this opportunity to not just recreate them, but to make them better than ever before.

VAIL now looks better, feels better, and will soon be running on standalone hardware thanks to the significant performance gains from switching to the newest engine.

In addition to porting the game to the newest engine, we've been hard at work on many new features and content. This update includes only a fraction of the new features we've been working on, so expect much more to come in future updates.

[h2]Cliffside[/h2]
Hidden deep within a network of caves and tunnels, the Cliffside Bazaar is a thriving black market hub that boasted a wide array of weapons and illegal tech and is operated by the neutral Amani Forum. Normally mercs from all sides come here to upgrade their equipment, but a fight broke out between REYAB and Colonists, beginning in the lounge and then spreading throughout the entire bazaar. Nobody knows who started it, but the Amani, wishing to remain neutral, evacuated the area; leaving the REYAB and Colonists to raid the abandoned wares.

Cliffside is the first of many new maps we plan on introducing over the next few months. It's designed as a casual TDM map, but other game modes such as Capture the Orb and Artifact are also available for this map.

Snipe other players from across the map, relax in the lounge, hide behind crates as they move in and out of the market on the conveyor belt, and maybe browse the market stalls for new equipment.

[h2]Hardpoint[/h2]

Fight to control rotating objective areas on the map. Teams earn points for each second one of their players occupies a Hardpoint uncontested. After 60 seconds, the Hardpoint relocates to a new location on the map. The winner of Hardpoint is the first team to score 250 points, or the team with the most points when the timer runs out.

For now, Hardpoint is only available on Cliffside, but it will soon come to more maps.

[h2]New Firearms[/h2]

• MR96 is a bolt-action sniper rifle. Magazines have to be removed with your off-hand and remember to rack the bolt between each shot.
  
• G28Z is a semi-auto DMR. While not as powerful as a bolt-action sniper, the G28Z fills the gap between a true sniper and a service rifle.
  
• GrotB is a bullpup rifle, with the action and magazine behind the trigger. This allows the gun to be much smaller and more versatile while keeping the barrel length, and therefore the accuracy and power, the same as a standard rifle.
  

[h2]Armory Simulations[/h2]
Now included standard in every armory are various simulations for training and leisure. Expect improvements to these existing simulations and many more to come in the future!

• Aim Trainer allows you to practice your aim against moving targets. Leaderboard coming soon.
  
• Grenade Toss to practice your throw with the impact grenade. Leaderboard coming soon.
  
• Basketball and Hockey

[h2]Misc. Changes[/h2]

Get a glimpse of the void, the game intro sequence, the next time you launch the game.

We recreated the entire HUD to improve performance. Fixed a bug where server messages (player joined the game for example) show in white text in the middle of the screen. Now all player messages are shown in the kill feed.

The kill feed is color-coded to show enemies as RED and friendlies as BLUE. More work will be done on the kill feed, the current design is a placeholder.

Carl, the friendly turtle on Miru, has more animations and will react to gunshots!

We made major adjustments to weapon damage, movement stability, and recoil to improve the balance and make the game more welcoming to new players. Nobody likes joining a match and immediately getting one-shotted by a skilled player, but we also want to keep what makes VAIL unique and competitive. Bear with us as we test out these changes, and remember to send us your feedback!

[h2]Map Changes[/h2]

• Lighting was reworked on every map due to the UE5 transition.
  
• Many existing UE4 map bugs have been squashed.
  
• Maar now has a different layout that's simpler and with less dead space. Looking forward to further feedback on how it plays!
  
• Este has had a major visual pass with many new props added.
  
• Extremely Fine details on map materials and textures were re-added and are now supported on multiple platforms.
  
• Every map was adjusted for vaulting and jumping.
  
• Almost every map has had an angle/gameplay adjustment by one of our newest level designers, Tarmac.
  
• Maps are now much more performant, using less complex shaders and taking up much less memory.
  
• Maps have received passes for shimmering and other immersion-breaking visual bugs. More passes are pending.
  

[h2]Bug fixes[/h2]
Switching over to Unreal Engine 5 introduced countless bugs, and the majority of our time porting to the new engine was spent fixing these bugs. Our goal was to ensure that VAIL in Unreal Engine 5 felt just as good, if not better than the Unreal Engine 4.27 experience.

We appreciate everyone that points out new bugs to us, and we will continue to be hard at work updating the game as frequently as possible to get rid of any new bugs introduced with this update. Please, let us know on Discord about any new bugs you find!

Again, thank you all for your patience as we finished this update.

See you all in game!

Love you all, AEXLAB