Hello, fellas! We’ve rolled out the update 0.52.9 in which the mechanisms of damage are significantly reworked. It means, that PvP and PvE battles became different. So, what has been changed? Read this article!

New mechanics of armor and armor-piercing

We’ve introduced significant changes in armor and armor-piercing mechanics in the version 0.52.9. It means, that the damage doing to monster and players works an absolutely different way now.

How it was before?

Before, if the weapon had not enough of armor-piercing, players weren’t able to do damage to the enemy. For example, if the enemy had 60 points of armor, and your weapon had only 40 points of armor-piercing, you weren’t able to do even small damage, only “zeroes”, and you become very sad. It has been changed now.

And what’s now?

There will be no more “zeroes” in the game. Now, if the weapon has even a small amount of armor-piercing points, it will be able to do damage to the enemy, but some part of this damage will be absorbed by the armor according to the difference between armor and armor-piercing values. Theoretically, now it is possible to kill a high-level enemy dressed up the faction armor even with a low-level weapon, such as TT, PPSH, SKS, Marauder 5, not to mention the Mosin rifle and the Marauder 7 and handguns. Only for this, you need more time and ammo :-)

How does it work?

For example, if your target has 100 points of armor, and your weapon has 60 points of armor-piercing, you able to deal up to 60% of maximum damage in the best case (excluding the critical hit). If the weapon has only 40 points of armor-piercing, it will able to do only 40% of maximum damage and so on. If the armor and weapon have the same value of armor and armor-piercing rates, the weapon will able to do maximum damage depending on of current experience rate for this weapon.

What does it mean on practice?

It means, that the high-level players should not underestimate the low-level players, and players of even 16th and 13th levels will be able to fight back higher-level players. Yes, it wouldn’t be equal fights, but nonetheless… It means, that the Zastava M70 has got better efficiency to low-armored targets than AS VAL, and the AS Val does much better with high-armored targets because it has a high value of armor-piercing. It means, that the Magnum slugs and 12 GA shots now are able to do damage. And the SKS with the 7.62x39 M1 round become like a sniper rifle for everyone.

(Low-level player joined the battle with PPSH)

Since the weapon with a high value of armor-piercing is available in the game (AS VAL, Thunder, VSS, SPAS), the minimum value of armor has been increased twice and highest value of armor has been increased three times for each armor.

Since the damage algorithms have been changed, we’ve devoted a considerable amount of time to rebalancing the weapon, adapting it to new conditions, conducting tests of each weapon available in the game. Specifications of some ammo, such as 12Ga, 9x39, .30-06AP and M1, 7.62x54 Extra и 7.62x39 Extra, also have been revised. Somewhere the armor-piercing has changed, but somewhere damage.

It is worth noting, that the armor-piercing now depends on from the bullet speed and the distance. This, in general, is logical, since the bullets lose their energy, depending on the distance.

We understand that it is not possible to do a good weapon balance from the first time, that’s why players should be patient, and adopt the new rules of the game. We are sure, that these changes are steps in the right way, and the balance is just only question of the time.

Drop from characters

In connection with the new damage mechanics, we’ve revised the chance and amount of drop from the characters. We’ve reduced the chance ammo and medical kits dropping out, and also significantly reduced their amount: ammo now drop by 10% less, and medicines - by 15%.

Other changes

• HP ammo now do less damage to characters by 20%;

• Wear of the armor plates reduced by 50%;

• The problem when 12Ga Shot able to do quad damage has been solved;

• The speed of experience gaining for “Privet” submachine gun has been increased;

• Some quests are disabled for the group. This will eliminate problems with quests that are not suitable for the group;

• Information about the possibility to do a quest in the group now displays in the PDA;

• Now monsters, which are under the water, able to take the damage;

• The problem with displaying medical kits in the fast access slot after usage the last medkit has been solved;

• Fixed a bug with markers duplicates on minimap after death;

• Solved a bug with character’s transfer from “Solnecniy outskirts” to the “Swamp”, and the bug with using the guide as well;

• Now unloaded weapon display the specifications of damage like it charged with FMJ ammo;

• Solved the bug when the killing of aggressor from opposite faction (players with the blue identification) not accrued reputation.

• Solved a bug when the rain rains through the buildings and caves.

• In order to optimize the load on the client and the server of the game, the chat logs now display the total damage done for each 50 ms from each player, monster or NPC, and not for a single shot as before, and reading such a log will become more convenient;

• Improved textures of stokehold in Solnechniy;

• The overall color scheme of the game has been changed.