Greetings Scavs! This update focuses on the details: improvements to stealth mechanics, more lethal encounters and AI responses, and performance improvements! All that and the Shanty Stacks of Babel, just outside downtown. Getting closer to the heart of the city one day at a time! Beware the Euruska Meatman! 

Link to the trailer is here -

Jason Willey’s latest track featured in this trailer "The Five Suns"

Enemy AI Enhancements 2.0

This update brings significant improvements to the enemy infantry AI during combat.

The AI decision systems once they have decided to enter combat have been refactored to give them better options based on their target’s range, reach-ability, and the environment the infantry finds themselves in. The result should be more lethal AI and more intelligent movement and shooting.

There is still more work to be done here based on feedback from players, but it is a significant step forward and well overdue! 

Stealth Improvements

Multiple improvements have been made for stealth:

Firstly, additional feedback has been added to the infantry to better telegraph their states. They should stop and notify their allies via animations when they think they perceive a potential threat. Their feedback HUD elements should also be more accurate.

Secondly, the vision, hearing, and communication (transference) systems for the AI infantry have received a significant tuning overhaul. They should now react much more quickly to danger-close threats they see / hear. They should also investigate more intelligently to potential threats they perceive from a distance. 

And last (but not least) a new “Decoy” grenade is available to find or manufacture. This grenade will attract AI to its position (if they aren’t already engaged in combat or a higher-priority task) allowing players to distract them or to try to lure them to a specific location.

We are not done with sneaky elements, but this should add more tools to your toolbox!

Player Character Improvements

Movement animations and systems for the Scav Girl and Bagman have been improved and should look more natural, but there is a ton more to be done here.

When players receive a large amount of damage from a specific source (helicopter missiles, large enemy melee attacks, etc.) they will now be knocked down and get back up to better sell the lethality of the attack.

Performance Improvements

Multiple performance improvements have been made in this update including:

• Improved Enemy AI & Animation Handling / Optimized Animation Systems

• Improved Hardware Scaling for lower-end GPUs.

• Optimized Geometry Rendering (Nanite)

• Optimized Volumetric Fog & Smoke Effects

• Various Lighting & Shadow Caching Improvements

• Reduced VRAM Requirements

• Game code optimizations for enemy AI logic

For those that want even more details that means:

• WorldTick: From 16ms to 12ms, stabilizes a bit better and generally lower. (all the below are counted inside this stat)

• Anim GameThread time: stays around 1.3ms instead of peaking to 2.5ms (this is counted inside WorldTick)

  • (Side effect: less time spend on WorkerThreads for low core count CPUs esp. from 6ms peaking down to 3ms)

• Character MoveComp: Now peaks at 1ms down from 2ms.

• AI SenseComp: Cost about halved per frame (0.3ms to 0.15ms)

• AwarnessComp: AwarenessComp (from 0.3ms to 0.1ms)

• Additional improvements from previous systems

  • removal of the slideshow problem

  • better scaling (budget settings)

  • better overall perf pacing during peak moments (combat / many nearby enemies) by throttling not just on distance but prioritizing based on budgets

New Region: Babel

There is a new region to explore: Babel! 

This region is located high up in the ruined world of The Forever Winter and is a new playground to explore, complete new quests, and scavenge for loot. Beware the drones in this area as the enemy utilizes quite a few aerial units to patrol and fight in this elevated nightmare.

Shanty has been renamed to Babel, and is work in progress.

Lordoss Repair Quests Pt. 1

Talking to Lordoss in the Innards will reveal a new quest line that is progression towards his repair and eventual utility. Players must first complete all of his cigarette-based quests before his repair quests will be available.

This quest line will expand in future updates.

Update Summary

Please see the below list of improvements, bug fixes, and newly added features.

• FEATURES

  • New region: Babel and supporting quests (no longer “Shanty”)

  • Decoy grenade: distract enemies and lead them to where you need them

  • Player knockdown animations when receiving damage from lethal foes

  • Euruskan drone sync kills

  • Lordoss Repair Quests in the Innards

  • Euruskan Kotleta “Meatman” boss (if you are able to locate its codex)

• IMPROVEMENTS

  • Improvements to enemy AI sensors and investigation for better stealth

  • Improved infantry animations to telegraph their intent

  • Improved infantry combat behaviours

  • Significant code performance improvements