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Driveclub – No More Delays, First Look At Dynamic Weather

Originally planned as a PlayStation 4-exclusive launch title, Driveclub is now dead-set to release this October and will no longer be receiving any sort of delays, according to developer Evolution Studios.

“No. No. We’re improving the game past launch. But there is no more delays, we’re hitting the deadline. And it’s going to be beautiful,” game art director, Alex Perkins told Gamereactor in an interview that you can watch below.

As Alex stated the studio will continue to work on the game post launch with an impressive weathering system releasing sometimes after. You can check out the work-in-progress weather system down below, which looks absolutely stunning:

Alex also held a Q&A Session on the PS Blog, going into further details about Driveclub’s weather system and what their end goals are.

How have you approached weather in DRIVECLUB?

Alex Perkins: We’ve approached our weather system with the same guiding principles as we’ve done with everything in DRIVECLUB, to make it as immersive and fun as possible. We’ve developed a powerful engine that has the capability to model the entire environment in stunning detail; from each cloud that makes up our living skies, to every crest and fall in the tarmac beneath your wheels.

From there, we’re breathing additional life into the environments by developing the earth’s atmosphere around it. Originally we focussed on authentic lighting and skies as the tool for you to customise stunning backdrops for fun challenges with your friends. Now, we’re developing a dynamic weather system that plays into all of this, adding another powerful tool to your arsenal.

The cloud cover and conditions you choose will dictate how much snow and rain will fall. The wind direction and speed determines where snow will settle. Then when it stops, the temperature and height of the sun governs how quickly clouds evaporate and roads dry out. We’re really striving for consistency in every detail just like we have done with everything else in the game.

What’s the scale of the weather types in the game? Is it just rain or snow, or can we expect drizzle, sleet, downpours, blizzards and so forth?

Alex Perkins: You can expect every one of those and you can expect it to change dynamically and unpredictably while you race – because we’ve designed it to be just like real weather systems. Spots of rain can become torrential downpours or transition into blizzards, quickly or slowly, and when the clouds clear up the tracks will dry out too.

So if you’re in Norway, for example, you’ll face heavier snow when you’re racing atop the mountains and much lighter snow or sleet when you descend to a lower altitude. Lots of things play into this, like elevation, wind speed and temperature. We can even adjust all the way to zero visibility conditions too – the only limit will be the need to balance things for fun and usability.

And what about really extreme stuff, like thunder and lightning?

Alex Perkins: Deafening thunder storms with flashes of fork lightning are what we’re aiming for. Our intention is to make this as immersive and exciting as we can.

How customisable will the weather be?

Alex Perkins: We want you to be able to create epic races that you want to share with your friends because they took your breath away. Just like we do with time of day, skies and time lapse speed, we’re going to add lots of options for you to be able to adjust how the weather plays out in your challenges. We don’t want to just offer fixed settings for “rain” or “snow”, we want it to be dynamic and exciting. We’re still working on how best to present this to you and we’ll show more closer to launch.

On that note, can you go into details on exactly what implications dynamic weather has on gameplay?

Alex Perkins: As you’d expect, weather is a game changer. When your tires get wet it’s harder to brake and easier to drift, which has a big effect on how you race and score fame for your club. It’s not just the handling that changes though, visibility can also change massively and impact on how the game plays too, especially at night when you’ve got your windscreen wipers going like crazy and your headlights are reflecting on the snowflakes ahead of you to blanket the sky in white.

Accurately replicating real life weather sounds like a massive technical challenge? Is that fair?
Alex Perkins: Challenging ourselves is part of what makes us Evolution Studios. We’re very ambitious and we want to keep pushing our own tools and the power of PS4 to create new and exciting game play experiences. We’ve had to learn a lot about weather systems and experiment with how it interacts with everything else in the game.

It’s all about the detail: the dampening surfaces, moisture absorption, changing material appearances, lighting in the sky, and so on. It’s amazing to see this come together; to see little details like rain forming puddles that can hold water, then dry out or get bigger depending on the terrain topology and changes to the temperature. To be able to make a break-thru like this is what makes the new PlayStation 4 hardware so exciting.

Driveclub is set to release this October 7 with a free limited version releasing for PS+ users on the same month.

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James Lara

A gamer at heart, James has been working for MP1st for the last decade to do exactly what he loves, writing about video games and having fun doing it. Growing up in the 90's gaming has been in his DNA since the days of NES. One day he hopes to develop his own game.

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Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel – Behind The Scenes Dev Diary With Gearbox Software and 2K Australia

Putting their collaboration together in the spotlight, Gearbox Software and 2K Australia have put together a neat little behind-the-scened video that offers an inside look at development on their upcoming Borderlands title, The Pre-Sequel.

Franchise director Matt Armstrong explains why the studio went with a prequel-sequel story, rather than hopping on the Borderlands 3 bandwagon. In the video, you also get to see how both studios are work individually and together to create the next borderlands experience.

Catch part one above and stay tuned for part two at a later date.

Borderlands hits Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC on October 14.

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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New Mortal Kombat X Character To Be Revealed During Injustice Finals At Evo 2014, Hints Point to Fujin or Raiden

Patiently waiting for the next Mortal Kombat X character reveal? You should already know that NetherRealm Studios is set to reveal their next character some time during EVO 2014, thanks to Boon’s cryptic tweets.

But, the question is, when and where they will make this announcement? Thankfully, the Mortal Kombat Facebook page has narrowed down when exactly we’ll get to learn about another roster addition to Mortal Kombat X.

Check out the image below:

10525971_779381075426625_1848576949608564600_n

Unsurprisingly, NetherRealm Studios will be revealing a new character during the Injustice: Gods Among Us finals on Saturday, July 12 at 12PM PDT. However, the quote included in the image above is very interesting as it gives us a big clue as to who it might actually be.

It wouldn’t be surprising if either Fujin or Raiden happen to be the character revealed on Saturday, seeing how they both “stand watch” over Earthrealm in the original Mortal Kombat storyline and are both “eternal” due to their God status. As someone who’s been watching the events of Mortal Kombat unfold for quite some time, Shinnok is also a possible candidate. What do you think?

Check back with MP1st during the EVO 2014 event to see who is officially revealed.

Mortal Kombat X is slated for a 2015 release on the PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360 and Xbox One platforms.

Joel Santana

Gamer for the past 20 years who loves anything ranging from RPGs, Fighters and of course FPS games. Author

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Battlefield Hardline – Visceral Still Making Tweaks to Character Models and Classes, More on Weapons

Visceral Games VP and GM Steve Papoutsis is sharing a ton of details on the studio’s follow up to DICE’s Battlefield 4 with details on weapons and classes in Battlefield Hardline.

Taking in questions from fans, Papoutsis talked about Hardline’s character models and classes, explaining that a lot of what we saw in the first beta is still a work-in-progress. He also reveals a few yet-to-be-seen weapons that will be available in Hardline, including the MP5 sub-machine gune and the M1911 hand gun. He also gives us a rough estimate of the amount of weapons that will be in the game.

Check out the questions and answers below:

Classes

@DeadSyncPS4: Loadouts are a BIG part of BF. Any plans to include loadout presets with in-game integration (not just Battlelog)?

Papoutsis: Yes, absolutely. Planning to support loadout presets in-game.

@deadide00: are the classes final? They’re basically copy/paste bf4 classes.

Papoutsis: We are making some tweaks to classes based on feedback from the beta. Balancing, renaming, this will continue up to launch.

@deadside00: Will the character models for the classes be changed? Criminal models are kinda generic/lame

Papoutsis: Yes, we’re going to be changing and improving the models (and everything else as we final the game)

Weapons

@fretz07: how many weapons will you be able to use per class?

Papoutsis: Around 12 weapons per class.

@gen_kacl_oneil: will the M1911 be in hardline?

Papoutsis: Yes. M1911 confirmed.

@KHodgDog: I didn’t get to play the beta (I’m on xbox). What snipers are in the game besides the R700(think that’s what it is)

Papoutsis: We have 3 other bolt actions and 4-semi auto sniper rifles.

@ntsmusic9: Will the MP5 be in the game? Will there be a dino mode?

Papoutsis: Yes, the MP5 is in the game… and you’ll just have to wait and see

@ZengarenTaloven: Do you plan to just include conventional weapons that already exist or will the criminals use improvised weapons?

Papoutsis: Both.

Good answers so far. Also be sure to read up on what Papoutsis had to say about Hardline’s maps and game modes right here. No details were shared on Hardline’s Premium service, but Papoutsis assured readers that we willl “hear more soon.”

Keep your sights on MP1st for more on Battlefield Hardline.

Source: Twitter

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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Visceral on Battlefield Hardline Maps and Modes, Conquest Returns as “Turf Wars”

Visceral Games VP and GM Steve Papoutsis has been rather busy answering questions from gamers anxious to know more about the studio’s upcoming cops vs. criminals shooter, Battlefield Hardline.

Among many subjects, Papoutsis dived into detail surround Hardline’s multiplayer maps and game modes. Here are a few of the things he talked about that we’ve organized into two different sections.

Maps

@absol_89: Will there be night time maps, because the city environments are filled with streetlights, more map variety

Papooutsis: Yes, there will be a night time map. Lots of variety in multiplayer — maps and modes.

@Avj_24: will there be jets or a water based map?

Papoutsis: We have prop planes and water maps yes!

@That_Sony_FREAK: Will maps be more vehicle based like high tension or is it just that map.

Papoutsis: The game is about 50/50 vehicle/on foot focused.

Modes

@absol_89 Will there be a VIP escort mode, like a mobile version of hostage or vip scenario depending on atkrs/dfndrs

Papoutsis: We have our take on this type of mode which fits in with the cops and criminals fantasy of Hardline.

@alainshihime: will the classic battlefield modes be available such as rush and conquest?

Papoutsis: We have two classic modes returning including Turf War, our take on Conquest, more to come soon.

@dcowboys4life24: is there going to be a game mode like conquest or one with the same name.

Papoutsis: In Hardline we call it Turf War and we’ve added some twists that we’ll be talking about soon.

@blairimus: will we be seeing varied objectives depending on the map for the heist game mode ie. bank vault, safes etc

Papoutsis: Yes, Heist will be themed to the specific map you’re playing on.

@JackyRecker: Will there be 64 player servers? How big are the other maps as compared to the beta map?

Papoutsis: We will have 64 player maps. Map sizes vary, we have larger maps than High Tension, and smaller. Good variety to mix things up.

@WilmarLuna: How is the hotwire game mode going to work? Are we going to see anything like the upcoming Rainbow6 game?

Papoutsis: Hotwire is looking promising. We’re having a blast with it. We have some competitive modes we’ll be showing soon.

@DANNYonPC: How will the eSport support be?

Papoutsis: We’re doing a couple new things with eSports. More info soon. How much support will partly depend on demand.

What are your thoughts on Papoutsis’ answers so far? Anything caught your eye?

Source: Twitter

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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White PlayStation 4 Console To Be Sold In Europe Without Destiny

That glacier white PlayStation 4 console you’ve been eyeing up since it was first introduced at E3 2014 as a part of a bundle that includes Bungie’s s Destiny is headed towards a standalone release in Europe later this year.

Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida confirmed the news to French site GameOne. It will be sold for €399 while the white vertical stand and white DualShock 4 controller will be sold for €19 and €59, respectively.

The bundle will launch with a glacier white 500 GB PS4, a matching vertical stand, an Urban Camoflage DualShock 4, a copy of Destiny, and a 30-day voucher for PlayStation Plus for $499. So if you aren’t keen on waiting to learn if the console will be sold separately in North America, your best bet is to pick up the bundle this September 9.

CLARIFICATION: The PS4 Destiny bundle will still sell in Europe as described above starting this September. Shuhei has confirmed that the glacier white PS4 will eventually sell separately later in the year in Europe.

Thanks, VG247

David Veselka

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New Gameplay on Destiny’s “Blind Watch” Multiplayer Map

Bungie is showing off a third location to join the roster of multiplayer maps that will be available in Destiny‘s upcoming beta.

In addition to Rusted Lands and the new map Shores of Time that we discovered only a few days ago, a new location on Mars called Blind Watch will be another playable area in the Crucible where you’ll be able to enjoy even more Guardian vs. Guardian combat.

IGN has the full map walkthrough with Bungie design lead Lars Bakken that you can catch above. Or there’s also some straight up gameplay that you can catch below. Both videos showcase the Capture game mode.

[youtube id=”xTxKlN9BweY”]

Bungie’s beta is coming to PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3 on July 17. Xbox One and Xbox 360 users will gain access on July 23. Catch the details and the latest trailer right here.

If you’ve pre ordered the game or already have your Beta code, you will be able to select your platform of choice later today on Bungie.net. We’ll update you as soon as the portal becomes available.

UPDATE: If you’ve previously redeemed your Destiny Beta code, you can now select your preferred platform over at Bungie.net.

 

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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Cliff Bleszinski on Free-to-Play and Community, More Details on New Project Surface

Having just announced his return to video game development, Cliff Bleszkinski is dishing out the details on his upcoming free-to-play PC shooter code named BlueStreak.

Choosing a Reddit AMA as his vehicle, Bleszinski answered a ton of questions about his new studio, Boss Key, and his new project.

Naturally, the most popular questions called for his thoughts on microtransactions in a free-to-play title. Here’s what he had to say:

“The #1 question that comes up in Free to Play every time.

Honest answer: I’m not sure, and it’s entirely too easy to tell or make the call. Free to Play is one of those genres that means something entirely different depending on the game. For every model that feels like Las Vegas methods (Zynga, Candy Crush) there’s folks who do it right, like League of Legends, or WarFrame.

I’ve never shipped a Free to Play game before. That’s one of the MANY reasons why we’re going with Nexon, they can provide server structures and a global peek into gamers of all types and guide us into a game that’s more “Shut up and take my money” as opposed to “shaking you down for your hard earned cash.”

So we’ll experiment, tweak, tune, and most importantly, build a positive community around the game as we develop it.”

As for why he chose a free-to-play model? Mostly, accessibility. He also promises to keep pay-to-win practices out of the picture as well:

“Anyone can just jump in and play your darned game. I’m DETERMINED to not do Pay To Win. Since this game is a shooter I want that one player who likes the game and doesn’t feel like spending any money to be able to take down the trust fund kid that’s spent a ton of money to have All The Stuff.”

Bleszinski also noted that he and his COO Arjan are huge fans of user-generated content, but his team needs to build the community before figuring that out. Community is, seemingly at the heart of his project, as he explained:

“My goal is to:

Build the company While we build the community While we build the game

Got new concept art? Post it. Get playable builds out as early as possible. It’s the new era of transparent development, honestly, there’s no real reason to hide what you’re doing. Get the community involved and have them see how the “sausage” is made. Weekly podcasts.

I’m actively recruiting for a community manager as we speak. Community is everything.”

As for gameplay details, he and his team are “pretty excited” about considering building their project on Unreal Engine 4, but that has yet to be determined. The game will ship on PC before the studio takes a wait-and-see approach with regards to launching on other platforms. Bleszinski wants his shooter “to look fantastic on the high end rigs but also run on a potato.”

Inspiration from Team Fortress 2 will be borrowed, but “it remains to be seen if we’re going to do no classes, light classes, or super identified roles,” he said. He is also targeting 5 vs. 5 game modes with initial focus being on Free-for-All.

With so many shooters already out there, it appears that Bleszinski is confident his project will stand out. He commended Titanfall developers Respawn Entertainment for proving that there are still new ideas to be explored:

“There’s still PLENTY that can be done in regards to environmental manipulation, weaponry, and player movement in the FPS space.

TitanFall tapped into some of the things that excite me in this area – wall running, double jumping, the smart pistol, the mech ‘absorb bullets and fire them back at people.’ That’s the kind of thinking the FPS market needs, less damned red dot iron sights.

When’s the last time you led a target in a mainstream shooter? Pretty rare, it seems.”

Bleszinski also wishes the development process to be a transparent one:

“My COO loves to say about our coders, for example “Your task list for the week? Throw it up online!” That’s the level we’re gunning for.

A while back I saw American McGee posting concept art for a female character for one of his games on Facebook. The girl had high heels on, and it was an action game. A fan pointed out to him that that makes no sense, and the heels were lost.

That’s the sort of magic I’m gunning for here.

When I’d get into work before I’d get a build note email that had all the tasty new things the coders had implemented, I’d look at each one, and go meet with them with some notes and things to change/tune.

I want fans of Boss Key/BlueStreak to have that very experience and excitement.”

Lastly, here’s a bit of concept art for BlueStreak:

projblues_610

 

What are your thoughts on the project so far, having learned a little bit more about it? Tell us in the comments!

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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Team Fortress 2 – Valve Launches Early Access to New Beta Maps and Game Mode

Valve is looking for willing test subjects to help improve the Team Fortress 2 experience by throwing a couple of new Beta maps and a new mode up for testing, the studio announced yesterday.

“We need volunteers that are capable of putting these spaces through the wringer,” Valve wrote in a recent blog update. “We want to make sure they stand the test of time for future generations of mercenaries, so they may also enjoy the simple things in life, such as detonating explosive ordinance, setting men on fire and conga dancing.”

The studio hopes to include participants in the development process as they “cycle through different iterations of gameplay, based on your feedback.” That includes feedback on the new mode, Robot Destruction, a sort of mix of CTF and Capture Point modes.

There’s also this informative FAQ that you should read:

FAQ

How do I participate?

  • Click on Play Multiplayer, enable Play Beta Maps checkbox, and then choose a mode to play.

Why are you running a maps Beta?

  • We would like to include the community early in the development process to gather feedback as we try variations in the map layout and game play mechanics.

What sorts of things can I do to help the development process?

  • Continually playing the maps is one of the biggest ways you can help us develop. Having servers full of users interacting with each other quickly points out problems with the gameplay that need to be addressed.

How do I submit feedback?

  • To help gather feedback, send us links to discussions happening on your favorite community forum. Or you can write us directly to express your thoughts. We will also be joining servers to play alongside you, shooting down enemies for the greater benefit of the team.

Will the maps be changing a lot?

  • Yes. There will be times when a change will be needed. That change may be as small as moving a health kit to a different room or it may be a larger change, such as reworking an entire section of the layout.

Are the game mode rules final?

  • No. We may see drastic swings in rule sets to make comparisons to previous versions. We may change the rule set one update only to find the previous iteration was better.

Are there Beta map servers? Can we host our own?

  • Yes and Yes. We’re running a set of official Valve Beta servers using quick play matchmaking. Community server owners are welcome to host beta maps.

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 and Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare Now Discounted on Xbox 360

A short list of Xbox 360 games are currently on sale on the Xbox Live Marketplace today through to tomorrow, July 10.

In addition to The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, Red Faction: Armageddon, and Assassin’s Creed Liberation, Treyarch’s Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 and PopCap HD’s Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare are two notable shooters among the list of discounted titles.

You’ll find Black Ops 2 at 50% off while Garden Warfare now sits at 33% off. You can follow the links to be taken to their download pages.

If you missed, Titanfall on Xbox One, along with Call of Duty: Ghosts’ Season Pass on Xbox One and Xbox 360 are also on sale until July 14. Get the details here.

Thanks, Major Nelson

David Veselka

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This Halo 3 Easter Egg Has Remained Hidden For 7 Years

Thought you knew everything there was to know about the most popular Halo game to grace the Xbox 360? Seven years since launch, and we’re still discovering Easter Eggs that have been cleverly hidden in Halo 3 that developer Bungie has kept secret for all this time.

The hunt for the just-discovered secret began shortly after Bungie opened up their “Bungie Mail Sack,” a weekly Q&A session between developers and fans, back when the studio handed their Halo IP over to 343. One week, the studio was asked if they were surprised at how quickly or how long it took gamers to discover past Easter Eggs in their games. Here’s the answer fans got: “Definitely the IWHBYD skull in H3. But you cheated. There is one Easter egg in Halo 3 that I don’t think anyone has found – I stumbled across it in code a while back. It only happens on a specific day…so good luck.”

Later, when one developer was asked about his proudest moment during his time at Bungie, he answered, “Showing my wife the Easter egg I put in the halo 3 loading screen for her – the one that nobody has found yet.”

Yesterday, YouTuber Lord Zedd discovered a neat little trick whereby changing the date on an Xbox 360 to December 25 would allow the user to zoom out of Halo 3’s loading screen when holding down both thumb sticks at the same time, providing a full view of a digitalized Halo ring. It’s significance was unknown until earlier today when, upon closer inspection, Lord Zedd, Nowise10, LeGiiTXSLaYeR, and the folks over at TeamBeyond spotted the message, “Happy Birthday, Lauren!”

You can see it here, courtesy of TeamBeyond:

[youtube id=”LuKaWd6_Stg”]

Pretty cool!

Bungie is no stranger to Easter Eggs. The studio even managed to throw a hint about their then unannounced new IP, Destiny, in Halo 3: ODST back in 2008, which was only discovered in 2012.

Now, development on Destiny is in full swing as the studio is preparing to not only launch the game on September 9, but a Beta this July 17 as well.

So, have we found all of the Easter Eggs in previous Halo games? It’s hard to say. But what we can say is, good game, Bungie, and Happy Birthday, Lauren!

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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Battlefield Hardline Beta Statistics Account For Money Stolen and Damages Done

So, who comes out on top in the war between cops and criminals? According to a recently posted Battlefield Hardline Beta info-graph, statistics show that both the good guys and the bad guys come out pretty evenly when it comes to successful break-ins.

But, it doesn’t look like the $9 trillion in loot grabbed will even come close to paying for $374 trillion in damages caused to over 12 million police cruisers, muscle cars, vans, choppers, and motor-bikes that caused all that mayhem in the streets of down town Los Angeles – and that was just the Beta.

Battlefield community manager Dan Mitre posted the official info-graph on the Battlefield Blog rounding up numbers from the first Hardline Beta. Check it out below:

BFHL_Beta_Stats_800px

You’ll get the chance to out-do yourself once the second Battlefield Hardline Beta hits all platforms later this Fall. We imagine steeper numbers with the inclusion of PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Xbox One users.

Battlefield Hardline officially launches October 21.

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare to Feature Kryptek Weapon Camos

It appears that outdoor apparel manufacturer Kryptek will be supplying the inspiration behind some of the weapon and uniform camoflage patterns featured in Sledgehammer Games’ upcoming shooter, Call of Duty: Advanced Wafare.

The company provides “combat proven features and designs in ultra high-performance technical and tactical outdoor adventure apparel” that is “proven in austere combat environments and extreme hunting conditions,” reads their mission statement. But according to a banner on their home page, it looks like their patterns will also serve as a basis for some of the designs used in Advanced Warfare.

slide21

Thanks, CharlieIntel

It’s not clear if their designs will be for use in single player, multiplayer, or both, but they certainly have some pretty sweet patterns that would make for some badass-looking exo-suit soldiers or sleek weapon aesthetics.

You can check out the full list of patterns on Kryptek’s official website. Their range includes patterns with names like Mandrake, Raid, Highlander, Altitude, Nomad, Banshee, Typhon, Neptune, Yeti, and Pontus, so keep a look out for those camo titles in Advanced Warfare, perhaps as unlocks, when it launches November 4.

Which camo pattern catches your eye the most?

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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Watch The Evolution Fighting Championship 2014 This Weekend – Official Twitch Schedules

This year’s Evolution Fighting Championship is about to kick things off in Las Vegas and we now have official Twitch schedule so you don’t miss a thing.

The mayhem begins this Friday, July 11 and concludes on Sunday, July 13. The tournament will be streamed from two different stages while Capcom will be hosting it’s own stream for the Ultra Street Fighter IV pools. Tekken Tag Tournament 2 finals begin on July 11, with Injustice: Gods Among Us and King of Fighters XIII finals beginning on July 12. The tournament will conclude with finals for BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasma, Killer Instinct, Super Smash Bros. Melee, Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom, and Ultra Street Fighter IV finals on July 13.

You can catch all the tournament details, including official Twitch schedules via Shoryuken, below to stay up-to-date with all the EVO 2014 chaos over the weekend.

Tell us in the comments what fights you’ll be watching this weekend!

Tournament Games

  • BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasma
  • Injustice: Gods Among Us
  • Killer Instinct
  • The King of Fighters XIII
  • Super Smash Bros. Melee
  • Tekken Tag Tournament 2
  • Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3
  • Ultimate Street Fighter IV

Streams

Stream Schedules

evo2014_stream_schedule_v3

Stage 1

Friday, June 11

  • 8:00 AM – Super Smash Bros. Melee Pools
  • 4:00 PM – Tekken Tag Tournament 2 Finals
  • 6:00 PM – Ultra Street Fighter 4 Quarter Finals
  • 8:00 PM – Ultra Street Fighter 4 Semifinals
  • 11:00 PM – Ultra Street Fighter 4 Exhibition

Saturday, July 12

  • 8:00 AM – Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 Pools
  • 12:00 PM. – Injustice Finals
  • 2:00 PM – King of Fighters 13 Finals
  • 5:00 PM – Super Turbo Finals
  • 7:00 PM – Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 Quarter Finals
  • 9:00 PM – Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 Semifinals

Sunday, July 13

  • 10:00 AM – Tournament Finals

Stage 2

Friday, June 11

  • 8:00 AM – Injustice: Gods Among Us Pools
  • 10:00 AM – Tekken Tag Tournament 2 Pools
  • 12:00 PM – Injustice Semifinals
  • 2:00 PM – Tekken Tag Tournament 2 Semifinals
  • 4:00 PM – Remaining Smash Bros. Pools

Saturday, July 12

  • 8:00 AM – Killer Instinct Pools
  • 10:00 AM – Super Smash Bros. Melee Quarter-Finals
  • 12:00 PM – Smash Bros. Semifinals
  • 2:00 PM – BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasma Quarter-Finals
  • 4:00 PM – BlazBlue Semifinals
  • 6:00 PM – Killer Instinct Semifinals

Thanks, Polygon

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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DICE Introduces “Battlefest” Month-Long BF4 Festival, Offers AMD Graphics Cards and PCs as Prizes

July 12 marks the start of Battlefest, a fan-focused Battlefield 4 event presented by developers at Digital Illusions CE that aims to “give back” to the Battlefield community.

The month-long festival will be filled with in-game awards, community missions, special events, and even prizes including graphics cards and three gaming PCs, provided by AMD.

To kick things off, a Battlefield 4 double XP weekend stars this Saturday, July 12. The 12th also marks the start of DICE’s “Battleshots” competition where gamers send in screenshots based on different theme requirements. According to the studio, each daily winner (until August 13) will score an AMD graphics card, a $50 gift card to the DICE Store, and a Battlefield 4 Premium membership on any chosen platform. Pretty neat!

Battlefest’s first Community Mission begins on July 15, tasking the community with achieving 15 million revives across all platforms collectively by July 20.

Here are some additional Battlefest details from the Battlefield Blog, with more details to come in the following weeks.

bf4-battlefest-bfblog

Free Camo Unlocks

“Each week we will be releasing a free camo in-game for all players.  This will give you more ways to standout on the battlefield.”

Double XP

“As noted above, we’re kicking Battlefest off with a double XP weekend and we’re definitely going to end with one too for all players to reap the benefits.”

Community Missions

“Each week we will be hosting a global community challenge to reach a specific goal in-game.  If you reach the goal, everyone who logs in will receive a free gold Battlepack the following week.  The first mission starts on July 15, 2014, where you will have to collectively reach 15 million revives across all platforms, with the mission ending on the eve of July 20, 2014.”

Stunt Video Competition

“This a month long contest where we are asking you to send us your best stunt video that can only be done in Battlefield 4. Once we receive the submissions, the DICE team will pick the top 12 and then you, the fans, will vote on the top three winners to win a massive prize.  Official announcement to come; official rules can be found here.”

Thinking about participating in any of the events? Ain’t nothing wrong with free camos and a little bit of double XP, right?

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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The International 2014 DOTA 2 Championships Preview

The International 2014, Valve’s DOTA 2 World Championship, has now confirmed all of its 16 participants, including well known teams and some, perhaps, unfamiliar faces.

However, the tournament promises really high level plays with each participating team, and with its current $10,536,536 USD prize pool, it’s pretty safe to say teams will try their hardest to achieve that first place.

Now without hesitation, let’s get prepped and analyze each invited, qualified, and wild card team participating in The International 2014.

Invited Teams

Alliance

The 2013 champions, Alliance wasn’t a team known for their individual skill but their team synergy. When in-game, you can see why they are the reigning world champions, since their team play is something to watch for. With no team roster changes since the last International, Alliance is looking as strong as last year. The team is represented by Gustav “s4” Magnusson, Henrik “AdmiralBulldog” Ahnberg, Jonathan “Loda” Berg, Joakim “Akke” Akterhall, and Jerry “EGM” Lundqvist.

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Titan

SEA’s lone invitee, Team Titan, is the strongest team between Asia and Oceania, with the only exception of China. So to speak, they are the Titans in Asia, but with their recent performance against teams from other regions like Europe, they lack good results. They have the potential, but haven’t unleashed it internationally. They come to The International 2014 as underdogs but will they surprise us? Only time will tell. The team consists of players Lee Kong “kYxY” Yang, Chong “Ohaiyo” Xin Khoo, Wai “Net” Pern Lim, Joel Chan “XtiNcT” Zhan Leong, and  Ng “YamateH” Wei Poong.

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Evil Geniuses

Evil Geniuses, a team full of potential that’s never quite been unleashed, has received a complete overhaul since last year with a new squad that can now be arguably placed as one of the best in the world. Since its complete roster change, EG has only placed in the top three spots, beating high tier teams like Na’Vi and Team DK. Evil Geniouses’ reputation as a mediocre team has now vanished and the moment for its players to prove themselves has come. The team roster consists of Mason “Mason” Veene, Artour “Arteezy” Babaev, Saahil “Universe” Arora, Ludwig “zai” Wahlberg, and Peter “ppd” Dager.

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Fnatic

A team that started in the Heroes of Newerth scene, Fnatic has established themselves in the DOTA 2 pro scene as the most consistent team with their constant top four placements. However, this consistency has only awarded them three first place spots in premier tournaments. Last month, Xcalibur’s Meepo and Tinker were so strong they started to attract bans from other teams. It may be time to unleash themselves and try to achieve a top three place with their recent performance. The team is formed by Tal “Fly” Aizik, Johan “N0tail” Sundstein, Adrian “Era” Kryeziu, Kai “H4nn1” Hanbueckers, and Kalle “Trixi” Saarinen.

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NewBee

A team just recently formed, NewBee has been on the scene since February. With roster problems since its inception, the team finally established itself as top tier when SanSheng joined and they started stomping the Chinese scene, constantly beating the Chinese top tier teams, winning the MarsTV Dota League undefeated against their fellow The International Chinese attendees. It is a safe bet to say this team has an extremely high potential in The International, but it’s up to the other teams to set how far NewBee will make it. The team consists of Chen “Hao” Zhihao, Zhang “Mu” Pan, Zhang “xiao8” Ning, Wang “Banana” Jiao, and Wang “SanSheng” Zhaohui.

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Vici Gaming

Vici Gaming, a Chinese giant where, during a small part of 2013, they were considered the best team in the world with their perfect strategies, is now a team searching for the light after their decay in late 2013. This year, they are still searching for a rediscovery. They have the potential to redeem themselves in The International, but it’s up to them to rediscover their glorious playstyle present from 2013. The team consists of Liu “Sylar” Jiajum, Xie “Super” Junhao, Bai “rOtk” Fan, Lu “Fenrir” Chao, and Xu “Fy” Linsen.

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Natus Vincere

Natus Vincere, also known as Na’Vi, is the reference team in DOTA 2. They’ve been a dominant team since the DOTA 2 pro scene inception. Even though they have only won one of the three Internationals, they have placed in the finals of all three. Since its inception in 2011, Na’Vi has placed outside of the top three only four times in premier events, with the majority being first places. If that isn’t dominance, then I don’t know what is. If someone has the possibility of getting to the 2014 finals, it’s Na’Vi. The squad is formed by Clement “Puppey” Ivanov, Aleksander “XBOCT” Dashkevich, Danylo “Dendi” Ishutin, Gleb “Funn1k” Lipatnikov, and Kuro “KuroKy” Salehi Takhasomi.

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Team DK

One of the latest dominants, Team DK wants to prove to the world what they are capable of with their high calibre players. With the leadership of BurNIng, perhaps the most legendary Chinese carry, they seek victory against everyone. In the recent months, Team DK has been dominating and placing first in almost every tournament they’ve entered. Last month, however, they lost two grand finals and now come to The International with the opportunity to prove it was only a minor slump. The team consists of Xu “BurNIng” Zhilei, Chai “Mushi” Yee Fung, Daryl Koh “iceiceice” Pei Xiang, Zhang “LaNm” Zhicheng, and Lei “X!!” Zengrong.

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Invictus Gaming

If there was one team that had established dominance in 2012, it was Invictus Gaming, champions of The International 2012. However, no team fell harder from its throne than IG. In 2013 they were only considered a mediocre team with damaging roster changes that put them on a downward spiral. Enter the 2014 season, IG introduced to their roster Luo and ChuaN. Evil Geniouses, who was arguably the strongest team in the ESL Champions, fells against Invictus with a 22-0 score the last game, showing how strong IG is looking at the moment. It’s time for them to prove the world that they’re back. The roster is formed by Luo “Luo” Yinqi, Luo “Ferrari_430” Feichi, Jiang “YYF” Cen, Wong “ChuaN” Hock Chuan, and Zeng “Faith” Hongda.

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Cloud 9

One of the most recent teams in the DOTA 2 scene, Cloud 9 is looking for a top spot in The International. Like Alliance, this team was formed because of its formidable synergy by players from North America and Europe. Lately, the team has been in a slump and can’t seem to place higher than 5-7, but they are hoping to break this streak at this tournament. The team consists of Jacky “EternaLEnVy” Mao, Weh “SingSing” Sing Yuen, Pittner “bOne7″Armand, Kurtis “Aui_2000” Ling, and Johan “Pieliedie” Astrom.

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Team Empire

Although they have been a well-established team in European DOTA, this International is the first time Team Empire has been invited. The current roster was established at the end of 2013 and has shown an excellent form, beating giants like Alliance, Evil Geniouses, and Invictus Gaming. They have, however, missed both ESL One and The summit, which are this year’s big tournaments, so it’s difficult to predict their performance in this International, especially since the team has been bootcamping for the tournament. We can’t say how well prepared will they be. The team is formed by Airat “Silent” Gaziev, Ivan “VANKSOR” Skorokhod, Andrew “Mag” Chipenko, Andrey “ALWAYSWANNAFLY” Bondarenko, and Roman “Resolut1on” Fominok.

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Regional Qualifier Winners

Na’Vi.US (North America)

It’s hard to describe the Natus Vincere North America squad without asking “who are they?”. To answer quickly, they’re five “rejects” from their former teams that decided to join forces and build the most recent competitive DOTA 2 team there is. At the Beginning of april, players started to practice against each other, and in just 31 days since the team’s inception, they had secured a spot in The International 2014. While one can argue that the team hasn’t been long enough to be a significant threat, it’s important to note what they achieved in just 31 days. With that in mind, it’s hard to predict where they will place in this tournament. They come here as lethal underdogs. The roster is formed by JinJung “Sneyking” Wu, Steven “Korok” Ashworth, Braxton “Brax” Paulson, Ioannis “Fogged” Loucas, and Theeben “1437” Siva.

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Arrow Gaming (SouthEast Asia)

Another underdog, Arrow Gaming wasn’t known outside of the SEA region until their players had their visas rejected trying to enter The International. However, they were later approved and with that scandal, they’ve been on the radar for many, making them one of the favorite underdogs. They destroyed everyone in the SEA qualifiers, making them a formidable opponent in The International. The team consists of Fua “Lance” Hsien Wan, Chiok “XiangZai” Soon Siang, Kok “ddz” Yi Liong, Chung “MOZuN-” Kah Sheng, and Johnny “JoHnNy” Lee.

Arrow

LGD Gaming (China)

The oldest established team in China with a lot of history behind and with several high calibre players coming from LGD like Xiao8, LGD has always been a potential powerhouse. They’ve recently decayed, however, up to the point that Valve stated LGD wasn’t getting an invitation to participate in The International 2014. Everything seemed lost until, in the Chinese Qualifier, LGD beat every team except CIS, going 8-1, and securing their spot in The International. The team is prepared to show the world it’s still relevant, and Valve that they should’ve invited them. The team is formed by Fat-meng “DDC” Leong, Zhengzheng “Yao” Yao, Bin “DD” Xie, Zhang “xiaotuji” Wang, and Ziyang “Lin” Xu.

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mousesports (Europe)

This team has been around since the inception of the DOTA 2 pro scene, but has been extremely inconsistent with 23 former players, some of which are high calibre and decided to join other organizations. Although they have never received an invitation for an International, this will be the third time they will be participating in one, only missing The first International. Their International results have been less than satisfactory, but this time, they carry an incredible 67% win ratio, which earned them an invitation to the Qualifier, where they destroyed every opponent in the European Qualifier. There’s a moment for everyone and this is the moment for mousesports to shine and show everyone what this iteration is capable of. The roster is formed by Per Anders “pajkatt” Olson Lille, Adrian “FATA” Trinks, Arif “MSS” Anwar, Rasmus “MiSeRy” Filipsen, and Pascal “paS” Lohmeier.

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Wild Card Winner

Team Liquid

The last team to get in The International 2014, Team Liquid earned the last spot by winning the Wild Card Qualifier, where the second place in each Qualifier would have a second and last chance to place in the tournament. It was do or die for Team Liquid, and yesterday, they managed 2-0 against MVP Phoenix, SEA Qualifier’s second place. It’s going to be interesting to see what Team Liquid can offer with just a few days preparation. The team consists of  Tyler “TC” Cook, Peter “Waytosexy” Nguyen, Max “qojqva” Broecker, Jimmy “DeMoN” Ho, and Sam “BuLba” Sosale

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Finals are July 18-21, but you can start watching The International 2014 action starting now from inside your DOTA 2 client, as well as on TwitchTV. All broadcasts start at 9am PST. Check out the full schedule below and tell us in the comments who you are rooting for in The International 2014!

UPDATE: Newcomers who aren’t so familiar with DOTA 2 but still want to watch the tournament can catch the action over on the International 2014’s Newcomer’s Stream.

For more details on the event, including a breakdown of the current prize pool, be sure to visit the official overview page.

The International DOTA 2 Championships 2014 Schedule

TUESDAY 8

Playoffs: Phase One – Wild Card
Solo Championship

WEDNESDAY 9 through SATURDAY 12

Playoffs: Phase Two

SUNDAY 13 through MONDAY 14

Playoffs: Phase Three

FRIDAY 18

Main Event: Upper Bracket

SATURDAY 19

Main Event: Lower Bracket
All-Star Match

SUNDAY 20

Main Event: Lower Bracket

MONDAY 21

Main Event: Grand Finals
Pre and Post-Match Press Conferences

MP1st Staff

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Boss Key Founder Cliff Bleszinski Working on Free-to-Play Sci-Fi PC Shooter, More Details Incoming

Cliff Bleszinski and his new studio, Boss Key, will be teaming up with Nexon to publish a free-to-play PC arena shooter set in a sci-fi universe.

The project’s working name is “BlueStreak,” Bleszinski announced on Twitter earlier today, and we’ll be learning a lot more about it tomorrow, July 9.

Last December, Bleszinski told “Pointless” podcast he was working on a “proper” PC shooter, calling it a “PC experience that will harken back to a certain type of game that we cut our teeth on, if you know what I’m saying.”

“A first-person shooter. It’s in my DNA. It’s one of those things – a lot of these kids playing Call of Duty, I don’t think they’d know what a proper arena shooter is if it’d hit them across the fucking head.”

Bleszinski says studio members will be announced shortly and will be made up of both new and familiar faces. As for the game reveal, don’t expect a “fake CGI trailer showing ‘gameplay’ because that’s not how @bosskey does it,” he stated.

Keep your sights on MP1st for more details.

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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Gearbox Software Announces MOBA-Inspired Shooter Battleborn For PC, PS4, Xbox One,

Inspired by popular multiplayer online battle arena games like League of Legends and DOTA 2, Borderlands creator Gearbox Software is introducing a creative and cartoony new first-person shooter called Battleborn.

Warriors from the farthest reaches of the universe are assembled to do battle in competitive game types like the 5 vs. 5 mode called Incursion. Heroes hunt one another amidst a constant tug-of-war battle between AI-controlled minions. Like any MOBA, players level up quickly, earn new abilities, unlock new gear, and play to each heroes’ strength. Gearbox also promise a 5-player co-op campaign which the studio isn’t talking about just yet.

Characteristics between each hero are vastly different, including the way they feel and control. Art design is also greatly varied, as each warrior hails from a different part of the galaxy. Story-wise, heroes are battling over the last star in the cosmos, so one could assume that the stakes are pretty darn high.

Look out for Battleborn on PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 in 2015.

Check out the announcement trailer and some of the first artwork below:

Battleborn BattlebornThanks, GameInformer

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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Watch the Entire Halo: The Master Chief Collection Panel With 343 Industries at RTX 2014

Over the weekend, during RTX 2014 in Austin, Texas, Halo developers 343 Industries presented audience members with details on the Halo: The Master Chief Collection, along with a full gameplay walkthrough of the popular Halo 2 multiplayer map, Ascension, reimagined in Halo 2 Anniversary on Xbox One.

The studio covered everything there is to know so far about the upcoming collection while showing off some of the in-game menus and user interface. You’ll see a number of different playlists dedicated to different Halo titles or mixed experiences.

343 also talked about some of Halo 2 Anniversary’s key design and visual improvements, along with some of the challenges that presented themselves during the update process. The studio then went on to detail all of the new additions being made to the title which we covered in our earlier report right here.

You can catch the full RTX 2014 panel above. Check it out and tell us about some of your highlights in the comments below!

Halo 2 Anniversary will be included in the Halo: The Master Chief Collection, along with Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 3, and Halo 4. Be sure to read up on everything you need to know about the collection before it launches this November 11 on Xbox One.

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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New Battlefield 4 Game Update Introduces Competitive Obliteration and Much More, Patch Notes

The notes for Battlefield 4‘s latest game update are in.

Today, all versions of Battlefield 4 were updated, except for the Xbox One version which is expected to receive a patch tomorrow, July 9.

We’ve rounded up all the notes into one change log with specific platform tweaks highlighted in corresponding colors. But, for the most part, the update is relatively similar across all platforms. Players will find a new competitive Obliteration game mode, increased aim-down-sight customization options, and a ton of other fixes and improvements.

Check out the details below:

Battlefield 4 July 8 / 9 Game Update Notes

COMMANDER APP

  • Addition of VOIP for Xbox One allowing tablet players to communicate to teammates via voice [Xbox One]
  • Various bug fixes

GENERAL

  • Fix for an issue where players were able to duplicate Battle Pickups by repeatedly picking up a kit
  • Fix for an issue where field upgrades would stop working after one round when players had reached the max field upgrade level
  • Fix for a crash that could occur when a player left a round
  • Added a 15 seconds warm-up timer for all Official games
  • Fix for an issue that would cause the Squad Join (Beta) feature to loose functionality after a player has suspended the game while creating a squad, and returns to the game [Xbox One]
  • Created a user interface for tweaking the joystick dead zone on PC because the lack of it was preventing some players to use their joysticks [PC]
  • Fix for an issue that prevented players to issue squad order around capture points during the sandstorm on Gulf of Oman
  • Fix for an issue where a squad leader would kick a member from the squad, but the slot wouldn’t become available for others to join [Consoles]
  • Option added for double tap forward to sprint (when on foot)

GRAPHICAL

  • Fix for an issue where the player would get a water splash effect on the screen after crashing an EOD/MAV/SUAV into the water
  • Fix for an issue where Mantle users would receive a low frame rate when running the default Mantle multi-GPU settings [PC]

MODES

  • Added Conquest Small on Xbox One [Xbox One]
  • Added Conquest Small on PlayStation 4 [PS4]
  • Added a competitive Obliteration game mode

SERVERS

  • Server Browser support added to Squad Join (Beta) [Consoles]
  • Fix for an issue where server administrators couldn’t ban players that had clan tags
  • Fix for an issue where server administrators would be able to set password longer than the max allowed characters [Xbox One]
  • Fix for an issue that could cause the game to freeze while in the My Rental Server menu

USER INTERFACE

  • Fix for an issue where the Squad Join (Beta) feature wouldn’t display squad members presence correctly [Consoles]
  • Added total team experience points to the end of round screen for the Capture the Flag game mode
  • Added user interface options for tweaking the ADS aiming sensitivity
  • Fix for an issue where the kill card wasn’t displayed in some cases in Hardcore mode
  • Fix for an issue where an incorrect message would be displayed on the first Xbox One if a user decided to sign-in on a second Xbox One [Xbox One]
  • Dog tags are rearranged in the kill cards so the right one is not obstructed

VEHICLES

  • Removed the boost button press to turn off boost for vehicles, boost should be turned off by releasing the accelerator, this makes it consistent with soldier sprint and helps using vehicle boost easier
  • Adjusted the PWC physics so it drives/controls more nicely in all water levels
  • Option added for double tap forward to boost (when driving a vehicle)
  • Fix for an issue where the flag would occasionally float in mid-air when players got out of vehicles while carrying the flag

WEAPONS

  • Fix for an issue where a weapon would flail wildly after a player would die
  • Removed the 2nd set of shell that are visible in the speed loader when reloading the M412 revolver
  • Fix for the Hawk Shotgun missing “pump action” animation in 3rd person while crouching
  • Fix for RPG-7 rocket remaining visible in the launcher after the last shot is fired while zoomed in
  • Fixed the bipod animations for MTAR-21
  • Foregrip in 3rd person now has hand in the correct position on M416/M417
  • Fix for a broken animation when switching to AWS as main weapon

 

David Veselka

Musician, Gamer, Geek. Subscriber

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