Alpha 20 was a noteworthy weekend as it featured the return of “Prop Loadouts” that have been missing for quite some time. Prop Loadouts were the level-generators way of applying decorations to objects, adding a little flavor to our levels and making things seem a little less procedural. They were disabled quite some time ago due to performance issues that arose when unselected loadouts weren’t being deleted correctly, which resulted in thousands of invisible objects getting physics calculations when shot at that brought framerates to a standstill. Now that this issue has been fixed, levels look pretty again! The above video, particularly the C-Store Chaos clip, does a good job of showing off the return of Prop Loadouts.



We also managed to sneak in a much needed Spectator upgrade just in time for Dreamhack: Players can now spectate in first person! Anyone spectating a match can press 1 - 5 to toggle between each player to view the game through their eyes. We also added in “super spectator mode” on the map screen that will let the camera follow the action, zooming in and out as players clash, keeping the action front and center. If you’ve ever stopped by our booth at a convention and watched the spectator TV… yeah, it’s that. We have more plans and tools for spectators in mind, so stay tuned for more info!