We can’t believe it but it’s nearing the release of Squad on Steam Early Access. Everyone on the team is all hands on deck working away on the Steam release build. As a side note our community continues to grow larger with the 10000 registered forum user mark being broken just a few days ago!

Before we dive in though, we would like to remind you that the end of Pre-Purchasing for Squad is Midnight PST, November 30th 2015. This will be your last chance to purchase the game at a discounted rate compared to when we finally launch on Steam Early Access.

Systems

Vehicles

A lot of progress has been made since the last time we mentioned Vehicles, namely the basics when it comes to networking, possession, vehicle-borne weapons, movement and engine behavior (such as automatic gear shifting and turning mechanics). In our internal builds they are drive-able and have the bones on which future development and polish like animation coupling, audio cues, and special effects can derive from.

Role Limit Systems

We have implemented a system of Kit Role limitations that takes into account how many kits are limited to the entire team (and not just Squads), as well as the range and diversity of kit roles that are available to different sized Squads. Generally the more populous a squad is, the more Roles open to members of that squad there are.

A more in-depth explanation for this can be found on this forum thread here.

Playable Militia & Russian factions

After a few months each in development, these factions will get a piece of the action come Early Access! The Russians have a full compliment of assault rifles and support weapons nearing completion (including optics). The texture work on the Militia faction is still being worked on, but in its current stages it is more than presentable, and playable!

Static Randomizer

We have also introduced a new system for randomizing buildings and other static meshes when starting a new map, greatly increasing round variety and encouraging players to adapt to the always changing tactical situation. One round it could be an open alley, the next it could be a blocked off section of wall. In the future we want to continue to add to this system and include modules like doors, windows and other elements to make the player constantly aware of their surroundings.

TrueSky Integration

We have begun a partnership with Simul and have begun initial integration of their unique weather, lighting and volumetric clouds solution, Truesky. This will give us a real boost in the graphical and visual fidelity of our landscapes and hopefully open a number of doors when it comes to environmental effects like weather and lighting transitions. At the moment we still are in the very early stages of integration, and we will provide updates when we are ready.

Art

New Tracer and Explosion Effects

Our Tracers have gone another makeover, this time to make them much more visible during the day and especially from the shooters perspective. Rather than reading, how about watching them in action?

In addition we have some new kinds of explosions to help differentiate the different kinds of munitions that you’ll be sending downrange.

Added Smoke Grenade Models for UGLs

In the future you will now be able to see a difference in the kind of munitions you load into Underbarrel Grenade Launchers. At the moment it is the difference between smokes (and different colours) and Frag grenades.

Mapping

Chora

More development on Chora and in particular a very large mosque area with sweeping fields of fire and gardens full of obstacles.

Sumari Bala

A much denser and more claustrophobic map, Sumari Bala is a literal maze of slums, market complexes and alleyways designed to confuse and disorient ill-prepared squads. This too is taking shape and will undergo many more changes as development on this map continues.

Fools Road

A huge graphical overhaul of the lighting and eastern european foliage has seen this map mature in ways we could not have fathomed within the engine. The addition of a brand new set of train and rail-related statics, bunker/trench systems and other decoration has made Fools Road a definite milestone in developing the look for our other theatre of war.

Jensens (Training) Range

This fun little range has seen a number of interesting additions to the standard pop-up targets, namely with the creation of two different kinds of arenas designed to test a Squads skill at close quarter battle.

In addition to the above additions and more systemic changes, below is a changelog of a few other additions that Squad has undergone over the past month.

Finalised moving Squad to Steam

When you leave a squad no longer lets you keep your kit

Added new systems to edit color of statics, increasing color variety on maps.

Added lean limits, players can no longer lean into walls

All weapons now have a 2x non-ADS recoil multiplier

Various UI tweaks and UI animation edits

Sorted Kit Roles into different categories to better reflect what kind of kit they are

Added MP443, AKM GP25, AKS74, RPK74, M4 with old-style hand guard and burst function, RPG w/ HEAT rocket

And thats all folks, dont forget that Pre-Purchasing will be ending very soon, on the 30th of November. So if you want to save some coin, now is the time.

Looking forward to seeing everyone in the field this 15th of December!

Offworld out.