Zero Caliber VR News

Hey everyone,

UPDATE 14/04/2020 (Original devblog below)
We are glad you are just as excited as we are for one of, if not the biggest update of Zero Caliber ever :)
We have been pushed back a bit by the virus (we are constantly improving our pipelines in order to be able to progress as efficiently as possible from home office).
We have also made the jump to the latest version of Unreal Engine, which is giving us a hard time as lots of unexpected bugs need to be ironed out - but it is still a necessary change that will make the development process of Zero Caliber more streamlined for us and the whole gameplay experience smoother for you.

We are doing our very best to push this out as soon as possible, hopefully still in April, but we are not able to say any exact date yet.
We are going to release the new build as soon as we are ready (albeit without the new PvP mode).
Don't worry, we will release the PvP mode on our private beta banch some time after the update to test with the community first, before pushing it to the live branch.

We are very sorry that you still have to wait some more, but the new build is going to be the most enjoyable and most stable one ever.
Please bear with us in the meantime, and stay safe out there! (Or more preferably IN there :) )

ORIGINAL: In our latest devlog we gave a little glimpse of what we are up to.
Now let's see what we have in store for Zero Caliber!

Disclaimer: these are the major things we are currently working on. That doesn't mean all of them will be in the next update - some of them will make it, some of them won't, depending on test results.


[h2]PLAYER CUSTOMIZATION[/h2]

You might remember this feature from one of our earlier blog posts.
We have been planning to add player customization to the game for a long time, and it looks like it will make it into the next update!



It works similarly to the weapon skin system - there will be special items hidden throughout all maps!


[h2]WEAPON SMOOTHING[/h2]

This feature is quite self-explanatory - it simulates the weight of an object, giving it a more realistic feel. This, combined with recoil makes using weapons butter smooth!



We still have to polish it a bit more - we'll see if it can be done in time.


[h2]PVP | DEDICATED SERVERS[/h2]

We have been successfully testing the PvP gamemode - on dedicated servers!
There are still a lot of work ahead, but it is shaping up nicely.
Currently we're planning to add four gamemodes. Here's a quick breakdown of each mode. More information coming soon!

[h3]Team Death Match[/h3]
This is the classic game mode we all love. 4v4, 5v5, 5-10 minute battles.
The team with the most points wins.

[h3]Capture The Flag[/h3]
Another classic, but with a little twist thanks to the possibilities of VR.

[h3]Capture The Area[/h3]
Two teams fight to take control of an area. Yet another classic.

[h3]PvPvE[/h3]
This is a unique game mode, mixing classic MOBA and FPS elements.
There will be an ongoing combat between NPCs on two lanes - additionally each team will have turrets on their respective lanes.
The goal is to destroy the enemy team's generator, after eliminating their turrets.
Battles will last 8 minutes. If neither generator is destroyed, the team with the turret advantage (most turrets eliminated) wins.


[h2]TIMBER REWORK[/h2]

The mission called 'Timber' is the oldest one in the game. We felt like it deserved an overhaul.
Every combat has been redesigned, the pace and environment will be far better than it currently is.


[h2]AI OPTIMIZATION[/h2]

This is something we're constantly working on. The next step is to pre-spawn AIs at the beginning of each map, thus reducing the CPU load during populated combat situations.


[h2]RENDER UPDATE[/h2]

We're changing the way the game renders the environment. As a result, everything will look much sharper, the gameplay will feel much smoother.
There are downsides to this method (mainly on the lighting side), but we believe the pros will outweigh the cons - if nothing else, the game will be more optimized without losing graphic quality.
This is difficult to demonstrate on 2D screenshots, so you have to take our word for it. :)


[h2]NEW HANDS | BODY IK[/h2]

We're changing the hand models - the fingers will be thinner, and will look completely different from the current gloves.
In addition, we're improving the whole body model.

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Thank you for reading through the list!
We're not sure when the update will go live - we'd like to release it in March, but as we're working on these features and additions simultaneously, it's possible that we'll have to go with an early April date.

Bonus information: we have also updated our engine version - this makes our life easier. :)

Thank you guys for your continuous support!
-XREAL Games Team-

Hey everyone!

This update is the continuation of the code optimization we've started in the previous content update.
This time we've been focusing on the performance in Co-op as well as in single player - hopefully it is now significantly better across all game modes.
If you notice any fps drops, please let us know in the Bugreports section!

An important thing to note: we had to temporarily disable the game's voice chat feature. We're going to enable it after we overhaul it both functionality- and performance wise.

Besides optimization, we've also improved the Index controls: the ingame player hand is now correctly aligned to match the controllers' actual position and orientation - plus we've fine-tuned the grip's sensitivity based on community feedback.

You can read the full patch notes below:

[h3]PLAYER | CONTROLS[/h3]

• Index controller aligned to match real life hand position (send us feedback!)
• Improved controls, especially with the Index controller - better grip and ungrip sensitivity
  

[h3]AI | GAMEPLAY[/h3]

• Optimized AI animations for better performance
  
• Enemy spawn fixes to reduce fps stuttering
  
• Various small friendly AI spawn fixes
  

[h3]WEAPONS[/h3]

• Improved pump action reload for shotguns
• Fixed misaligned USP grip
  
• Added missing skins for the Kriss Vector light stocks
  
• AK-47 sound fixed
  
• Several unlock icons fixed
  
• Removed the wobbly foregrip from the Uzi
  
• Fixed a client side shotgun clip bug (previously it could move randomly around the player's hand)

[h3]MAPS[/h3]

• Removed the 'Tutorial' map as a 'Quick co-op match' option
  
• Fixed an issue where pressing the button inside the helicopter at the end of 'Lockup' before the narration could result in the player's death
  
• Fixed various minor multiplayer map selection issues
  

[h3]SOUNDS[/h3]

• Fixed a rare issue where death sound could be heard constantly on the whole map
  
• Fixed a client side sound glitch - sometimes enemy gun sound got stuck in a loop
  

[h3]KNOWN ISSUES[/h3]

• We've encountered a sound issue in the last minute: sometimes the slider's sound effect gets stuck in a loop on 'Retaliation' while playing in Co-op. Will be fixed in the next update!
  

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That's all for now. This update is another important step in the optimization process we've started.
Small issues can still occur - if you encounter anything unusual, please let us know somehow. Your feedback is extremely valuable!

We'll soon be back with news about the next update. Follow us on social media if you don't want to miss them!
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As always, thank you everyone for your continuous support!
-XREAL Games Team-

Hey everyone,

The Holiday season is over, we’re back on track!
We’ve read through all your feedback and bug reports after our latest update, and drew the consequences.

Even though the latest update’s code optimization increased the game’s performance for most of our players, we’ve got some reports about worse/inconsistent frame rates compared to previous versions both in single- and multiplayer.
We’re aware of these, and have already started to investigate.
We will spend most of January ironing out these performance related issues, so the game can remain stable for all of our players.
As a result, the next update will mostly contain fixes and improvements.

[h2]When will this update go live? [/h2]
We don’t know yet. We already have a few leads about the cause of the performance drops, but it’s impossible to predict when we’ll be able to get to the bottom of it all.
This is what we’ve uncovered so far:

[h3]VOICE CHAT IN CO-OP[/h3]
Thanks to community reports we’ve discovered that enabling/disabling voice chat can make a huge impact to frame rates in multiplayer, especially at higher pings.

[h3]AI ENCOUNTERS[/h3]
Frame drops mostly happen in combat when there are multiple enemies spawned in the area. We’ve found an issue with the AI’s skeletal mesh which might have a negative effect on the CPU’s performance.

[h3]GFX RELATED EFFECTS[/h3]
We’re also investigating the smoke effect upon firing, and the impact decals’ effects. It’s possible these have negative effects on the performance, albeit unlikely.

[h3]OCULUS SOFTWARE UPDATE[/h3]
There was an Oculus driver update back in December (around the 20th) which could've caused performance- and tracking issues for some players across multiple games.
If you own a Rift/S and experience such issues, it's worth checking this topic: https://forums.oculusvr.com/community/discussion/83258/rift-s-and-rift-build-12-0-release-notes/p8

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We’re constantly fixing, building, testing, then fixing again to make sure nothing gets under our radar. :)
We’re trying our best to push out the update as soon as possible. In the meantime, keep the reports and feedback coming, it helps more than you think!
After getting these fixes done, we can move forward with the development of dedicated servers, the PvP game mode and other goodies.

Following us on social media is the best way to catch all the latest news about future updates. *winkwink*
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Thank you everyone for your continuous support!
-XREAL Games Team-

Hey everyone!

This update is huge. HUGE. Probably the biggest one in the game's history.

We've overhauled the 'Tutorial' for new players (replaying it is recommended even for seasoned Zero Caliber veterans), we've added the first part of the next story chapter, 'Canyon' and three new weapons (MK18, FN SCAR, USP). Shotguns recieved proper reload mechanics and we've introduced a new, experimental reload for pistols. As a result, dual wielding them became one of the most badass things in the game! Oh, and we’ve also added distance-dependent weapon damage. And virtual gunstock. And a new ragdoll system for the AI. And we've increased the amount of XP earned per mission.
Missing Touch controller bindings got fixed and we've revisited the Index controller handling - hopefully it feels much better now!

BUT... an even bigger part of this update can be found under the hood - performance optimization!
Our programmers have been knee-deep in the game's core code to optimize it almost from scratch. We're hoping that this will improve the performance across all kinds of configurations.

We've been testing the game until the last second, but since the code optimization is massive, it's almost guaranteed that players will run into small issues here and there.
If you encounter anything unusual, please head over to our Bugreport section!

ATTENTION: unfortunately one of the negative results of the code optimization is the loss of player equipment and saved loadouts. The progress and unlocked items however should stay the same!

And now.. here's the full list of changes, additions and improvements:

[h2]MAPS[/h2]

• Tutorial rework: we've overhauled the whole tutorial both visually and functionally in order to explain the game better for inexperienced players. If you're a seasoned veteran, you can launch it from the world map.
  
  
  
  
• New story mission: Canyon. It is the first part of the new campaign destination. Can be played after 'Hail'.
  
  

[h2]WEAPONS | ATTACHMENTS[/h2]

• MK18 with 9 different skins
  
• FN SCAR with 6 different skins
  
• USP pistol with 9 different skins
  
• New attachments: MK18 suppressors, 2 angled grips, holo sight. New content is marked in the armory.
  
  
  
  
• Damage falloff: the amount of damage done by a weapon is now distance-dependent.
  
• Pump-action for all shotguns. SPAS has the option for semi-auto firemode.
  
  
  
  
• Unique shotgun spread for all shotguns
  
• Shotguns now take shells one-by-one from clips. If your shotgun is only missing one shell, the other 4 shells will stay in the clip and the clip doesn’t disappear.
• Reworked weapon physics - more realistic behavior when weapon is not held in hands
  
• All holo sights have new, adjustable brightness/color options
  
• Underbarrel grip removal now works the same way it does with other attachments IF autogrip is OFF: hover over the grip, press trigger and pull it away. If autogrip is ON, functionality remains the same - when your hand grips onto the weapon automatically, press trigger and pull away to remove the grip

[h2]GAMEPLAY | AI[/h2]

• Virtual gunstock option added (look for it in the settings!): 'ON' mode is for all weapons, 'REALISTIC' mode applies only to weapons which already have a stock as part of the weapon body (e.g. AWP, AKM, AK47) or weapons which have a stock equipped and opened out (e.g G36C+stock attached)
• Experimental, but badass dual pistol reload: when both mags are ejected (by pressing the mag release button), lower your hand to your ammo pouch, then press the slider back button. BAMM. - This new feature might work inconsistently in Co-op for now.
  
  
  
  
• Improved recoil for every weapon and attachment
  
• Increased XP for levels - less grinding
• Weapon colliders and physics materials are improved to give a smoother gameplay experience when weapons interact with the environment
  
• New ragdoll system: caliber- and shooting distance-dependent AI death reactions
  
• AI soldiers are now able to walk through dead AI bodies
  

[h2]MULTIPLAYER[/h2]

• Optimized network code for smoother Co-op gameplay. It's still not perfect, but we're getting there!
• Map selector at the end of each map - players are now able to continue the game without quitting to the lobby by voting on the next mission.
  

[h2]PLAYER | CONTROL IMPROVEMENTS[/h2]

• Haptic feedback (rumbling) added when gripping weapons and grabbing mags from the belt
  
• Oculus Quest support FIXED with improved Touch controls
  
• Fixed an Oculus Rift S bug where players couldn’t do anything at first start
  
• Improved Index Controller controls: grabbing functionality with the controller has been revisited and improved. You will have to squeeze a little more to grab something (no more sucking up items when you just wanted to rest your fingers), removed the tiny delay when releasing items (smoother grenade throws).
  
• Default Grip Option is set to Hold-To-Grab for Touch and Index Controllers, Toggle-Grip for Vive Wands by default. Can be changed in the settings.
• Updated object handling for Touch controllers: mags, grenades and attachments can only be grabbed and picked up with the trigger, while the grip button is for grabbing weapons and bigger, non-weapon related objects.
  
• Controller dead zone default value increased from 0.05 to 0.11 to avoid phantom movement
  

[h2]GFX[/h2]

• Optimization and more optimization
  

[h2]SOUND[/h2]

• Super immersive environmental sounds
  
• Redesigned indoor sounds
  
• Updated weapon sounds
  

[h2]BUGFIXES[/h2]

• Fixed an issue where after grabbing an attachment from one hand to another, knock-off functionality would be lost
  
• Fixed an issue where after dropping an attachment and quickly grabbing it would make attaching it to the weapon impossible
  
• Fixed bouncing weapons - weapons now have more realistic physics
  
• Menu pointer fixed when holding weapons with both hands
  
• Vive: can’t take weapons out of other players holsters anymore
  
• VIVE and Index Controller: fixed an issue where quickly dropping and grabbing a weapon by its slider caused the weapon to drop to the ground
  
• Sock 17\18c left-hand grab position fixed
  
• Fixed an issue where weapons sometimes disappeared after respawning or the player spawned with other players' equipment
  
• Fixed an issue where the green outline stayed on objects
  
• And endless more small bugfixes...
  

[h2]HONORABLE MENTIONS[/h2]

• PvP - unfortunately we had to delay it. Still needs polishing - you can expect some form of beta testing in Q1 2020!
  
• Dedicated servers - same as with PvP, we have to iron out some technical issues.
  

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Phew... Quite a list!
As you can see, we went a little overboard with the amount of content and new features. Again. :) We wanted to cram everything into this update so you can have an amazing experience during the Holiday season.
As a result, small issues might pop up here and there - please report them via the Steam forums, e-mail, Discord or homing pigeons. We'll check everything after a short Winter break.

Be sure to follow us on Youtube, Facebook and Twitter to recieve all the latest news about the PvP and our games in general.
Thank you for an incredible 2019, 2020 will be even more exciting! Happy Holidays!
-XREAL Games Team-

Hey everyone,

The next Zero Caliber update is coming soon, and it’s gonna be a huge one!
We have mentioned a few things about it in our latest devlog (besides dedicated servers and the PvP game mode): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBrrAAi-ScM

It’s going to be both a content- and an optimization update.
We’re aiming for a mid-December release. Here’s a short summary of what you can expect:


The current tutorial map has been almost the same since the game’s release back in 2018. It was time to overhaul it, which will be benefitial for new players and Zero Caliber veterans alike.
The new tutorial will guide players through all the features that are currently in the game as well as explain the gameplay mechanics better.

Doing all this in a brand new, visually rich environment!




We’ll continue the storyline with an epic new mission in a brand new environment!




We’re also adding three new weapons: the USP, the MK18 and a new SCAR variant.
All three weapons are coming with unique weapon skins!




Poor shotguns will finally recieve proper reloading mechanics. Sarah Connor style included!





We have been knee-deep in the game's code to perform major optimizations which will have a major effect on the game's performance.
We're hoping that this, coupled with network optimization will hugely improve the multiplayer performance as well.


We have to mention the new projectile mechanics: the amount of damage a bullet does will now be calculated by incorporating distance as well. This means that each weapon will have an optimal range and will lose punch outside of this range. We're adding new enemy death animations to spice things up.
Virtual gunstock is coming as well!
We have addressed the issue where Rift S or Quest controllers might not be getting proper key bindings. This will be fixed in the update!
We have also fixed countless community reported issues.

This is just a very short list of the things that will be part of the update. The full patch notes will accompany the update itself.


As you might be aware, we have been working on dedicated servers for a while now. If, and only IF everything goes as planned, we might be firing them up in December.
In case of unforeseen technical issues, this will only happen later in January.

We're very close to testing the game's PvP game mode! We're trying to get everything needed for it done in December but once again, unforeseen issues might hinder our plans.
We will be posting updates concerning both dedicated servers and PvP on our social media channels, follow us if you don't want to miss the news about possible testing periods!

Youtube | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Discord

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Thank you all for your continuous support and feedback!
XREAL Games Team