Build Update #054: GROUND BRANCH V1035 now live!
GROUND BRANCH · published · build 18394448
After a few weeks in the Community Test beta branch, we're thrilled to announce that GROUND BRANCH Version 1035 is now live on the main branch of your Steam install!
As extensively previewed and discussed over the past months, V1035 features many improvements to GB, from art upgrades and a revamped customization UI all the way to a campaign mission demo that offers a "vertical slice" of the experience we're aiming for: a mission with a briefing and intel details, multiple objectives (including assassination and demolitions) and AI companions — all accessible via a brand-new interface from which players will be able to play many more missions in the future.
Launch Sale: GROUND BRANCH is 10% OFF!
To celebrate the launch of V1035, GROUND BRANCH will be on sale with a 10% discount for 1 week. Enjoy!
https://store.steampowered.com/app/16900/GROUND_BRANCH/
Without further ado, let's go over the release notes for V1035.
💡 For a more comprehensive and technical list of changes since V1034, see the patch notes for CT Update #01, CT Update #02 and CT Update #03.
⛔ WARNING: Outdated Mods
Please note that mods from V1034 may crash or otherwise cause issues on your V1035 GROUND BRANCH client, as well as V1035 servers. We recommend that you disable all mods until they are updated to V1035.
Release notes
Gameplay Ability System (GAS)
As explained in our Intel Reports on the road to this release, most of the systems in GROUND BRANCH were rebuilt with GAS — the Gameplay Ability System. While this has caused unfortunate delays, we're now over the bump with a more flexible and performant system that offers better control over the complex interplay between characters, inventory, animation and game events.
💡 Due to virtually every system of the game having been converted to GAS, a few bugs may remain undiscovered or unfixed in areas that previously worked. We'll be listing all known issues at the end of this post. No show-stopping bugs should be present, and we aim to fix all remaining GAS-related bugs in upcoming point releases (V1035.X).
Operations menu and campaign mission demo
When you first launch V1035, you might notice the new Operations option on the main menu — right below Training. This option will take you to our new interface for viewing and selecting campaign missions (to be included and expanded in the future) via hotspots around the globe. This is also where you'll find our first campaign mission demo — "Silent Reach" — set on map Depot.
Watch on YouTube
As the video shows, the new interface features a world map for hotspot selection featuring news items, a background briefing for available hotspots, a mission-specific briefing with intel details and images, and of course the mission objectives.
💡 The menu also tracks mission progress for both single player and co-op.
This new demo represents a first pass on campaign missions — it is meant as a "vertical slice" of our projected gameplay experience, featuring AI teammates (admittedly very basic ones at this point) that can receive various types of orders, as well as multiple objectives (including demolitions, scouting/searching and high-value target assassination) and even a simple cutscene at the end (which can be skipped in single player or by the online host).
- The mission demo can be played either with 3 AI teammates, or up to 3 Steam friends.
- The mission demo normally acts like a session launched from the Host Game menu, and the Invite menu (https://youtu.be/4ZbiXT0Z1Nk
Here's the rundown: - Weapon and attachment categories are now selected via checkboxes, which now also allow filtering Headgear and Top types (more categories can be added to other slots as required!).
- Right-clicking the checkboxes allows multiple categories to be selected. If no categories are selected, all items will be displayed.
- Scrolling through attachments should be much faster, as sights are now grouped into subcategories (Accessory, Iron Sights, Red Dot and Scopes) and more items are shown simultaneously.
- Attachments that have more than one skin are now grouped together, with skins being selected via a drop-down menu — this reduces menu clutter considerably.
- Platforms and belts can now also be equipped with pouches of different skins than the parent item, selectable from similar drop-downs.
💡 Magazines and belt boxes can no longer be removed from weapons in the customization screen — only replaced with different options.
Other UI changes
- The Tablet has had a small visual update, particularly in the Roster section: callsigns and player names are now both shown simultaneously, and team elements are more cleanly organized.
- Spin boxes, where you can drag a slider or manually enter a value, have been updated so that arrows on either side now make sensible adjustments to the number. The slider has also been made less sensitive to small misclicks.
- Combo boxes (aka drop-down menus) will now close the menu when clicked a second time, as would be expected, without having to click off of them or selecting an option.
- Text chat (default [T[ and [Y[) has received a small visual update for legibility, and will now only allow the character limit (128 characters) to be input. It also has a new little slide-in animation.
- Global text chat now includes a visual indicator for when the author of the message is a server admin or game host.
- The Roster screen ([Esc[) also now includes indicators for admins or hosts, as applicable.
- The Modding menus (mod lists in particular) have had a UI pass and should be a little nicer to use.
- A lot of the pre-existing UI has had another design pass, as is customary: icons were added and updated, and various elements were tweaked for better contrast, alignments, legibility, flavor, and consistency across menus.
Gameplay changes
Mag check
Mag checks have been overhauled — the days of re-inserting a magazine that you know is empty are gone.
Hold the Reload key to keep the mag out as long as desired. While holding the Reload key, tap it once for a retention reload or double-tap to dump the old magazine.
High and Low Ready
Changing weapon positions can now be interrupted before the transition is complete. Players can also start firing before the weapon is fully in the Ready position (it only needs to be close enough).
Ladders
Ladders now require an interaction press (default [F[) to exit the ladder, to prevent accidentally presenting yourself as a target at the top (by triggering the climbing animation before you’re ready).
Ladders also have a bigger interaction radius now, so you don't have to be as close before being able to start a climb.
Enemy AI options
Enemy counts can now be randomized “a little” or “a lot” in the quick mission modes (Terrorist Hunt, Defuse and Intel Retrieval) using a new mission setting on the Ops Board. Higher enemy counts will be randomized more than smaller counts, hence the non-numerically specific options. The 50 AI limit won’t be exceeded.
Day vs. night spawns for the enemy AI should also create further gameplay variation depending on the time of day.
Ballistics
Ballistics have received a moderate update: while most of it was under-the-hood, you should notice a bigger difference in bullet drop and travel time between different rounds at medium/long ranges.
Damage was also slightly modified in the process, but should be largely unchanged.
💡 Please note this is not our health and armor update yet!
Water and movement
Water volumes now impact player movement depending on how deep you are in the water.
Object interaction
Interactions with laptops (for Intel Retrieval and Uplink) have been improved, and a “magic hand” animation was added for such interactions.
New inventory items
The following items and skins have been added to GROUND BRANCH:
PRIMARY WEAPONS
New assault rifle: AK-103 Alpha
A modernized AKM with plenty of aftermarket accessory rails.
Ammunition: 7.62×39MM
Feed system: 30-round magazines
Fire modes: Semi / Full
New assault rifle: G36K Custom
A modified G36K carbine with accessory rails and a custom stock.
Ammunition: 5.56 NATO
Feed system: 30-round magazines
Fire modes: Semi / Full
New assault rifle: AUG A3
A modernized version of the classic bullpup assault rifle. The built-in scope is replaced with a "flat-top" accessory rail, and a small offset rail is also present on the right side.
Ammunition: 5.56 NATO
Feed system: 30-round magazines
Fire modes: Semi / Full
New assault rifle: LVAW
An AR-15-pattern carbine with an integrated suppressor firing subsonic .300 BLK rounds, this weapon was designed to take over the MP5SD's role. Its name is an acronym for Low Visibility Assault Weapon.
Ammunition: .300 BLK
Feed system: 30-round magazines
Fire modes: Semi / Full
New assault rifles: AS Val and ASM Val
These are integrally suppressed Soviet assault rifles firing subsonic rounds. In addition to the classic AS, the modernized ASM version (pictured) is available with accessory rails on top of the receiver and around the suppressor.
Ammunition: 9×39MM
Feed system: 10- or 20-round magazines
Fire modes: Semi / Full
New sniper rifle: VSS Vintorez and VSSM Vintorez
These are "sniper rifle" versions of the AS assault rifles (above) fitted with fixed, precision-oriented buttstocks. Similarly, the "M" version (pictured) is modernized with a new stock and accessory rails.
Ammunition: 9×39MM
Feed system: 10- or 20-round magazines
Fire modes: Semi / Full
SECONDARY WEAPONS
New pistol: MK24 CAP
Seen here with the DBAL-PL, suppressor and 12-round magazine
This compact semi-automatic pistol firing .45 ACP rounds from 10- or 12-round magazines has been added to the armory.
ACCESSORIES / EQUIPMENT
New pistol attachment: DBAL-PL
The DBAL-PL provides a combined spotlight and laser beam for pistols, both visible and infrared (IR); in accordance with the design of the real-life device, the laser and light can only be toggled in unison.
New scope: PSO-1M2-1
The PSO-1M2-1 is a version of the PSO-1M2 available only for the AS/VSS series of weapons with a specifically designed reticle.
New red dot sight: OKP-7
The original OKP-7 sight, which is mounted via side dovetail rail, is now available for AK platforms.
New red dot sight: Kobra EKP-8-02
A side-mounted version of the Kobra sight is now also available for AK platforms.
New red dot sight: MRO (Raised)
A version of the MRO with a raised mount is now available.
New IR strobe: MS2000
The MS2000 IR strobe makes a return (a new model for it is also on our list). It is functionally identical to the Manta model. Available in 3 pouch colors: Black, Tan and OD.
New equipment: M4 SLAM
The M4 SLAM explosive charge makes its first appearance in v1035, but for now only as a set-piece in the campaign mission demo (Main Menu › Operations). The charge is automatically carried into the mission, so there's no need to add it to your loadout. Likewise, there is no need to equip a detonator.
To place the charge, find a suitable spot on either mission target — indicated by a glowing red mesh — and follow the prompts.
💡 If you choose manual detonation, make sure to trigger the explosion from a safe distance or spot!
💡 The M4 SLAM may eventually be made available as a motion-detecting vehicle mine or manually-detonated explosive.
New equipment: Chemlight
Chemlights are now available. They're useful for marking positions and providing limited illumination.
To drop a chemlight on the ground, select it from Equipment (default [4[) and press Fire/Throw (default [Left Mouse Button[).
💡 Your character will automatically spawn with 10 chemlights — there's no need to add them to your loadout.
💡 Chemlights will match the color of your current team element (Alpha, Bravo, Charlie or Delta).
CLOTHING / GEAR
New top: Softshell Jacket and Softshell Jacket (Hood)
The Softshell Jacket can now be selected for your Top slot. It comes in two versions — one regular and one with the hood exposed — and 4 different skins: Gray, OCP, AOR-1 and AOR-2.
Based on the second generation (aka Block I) of the “Level 5” softshell jacket that is part of the seven-layer Protective Combat Uniform (PCU) system, this item is a breathable, stretchable, water-repellant and windproof garment.
New masks: Balaclava A/B/C/D
The regular Balaclava (eyes exposed only) was remade and renamed Balaclava A.
We've also added variants Balaclava B (eyes and nose exposed) and Balaclava C (eyes, nose and mouth exposed), which are essentially different ways of wearing the same balaclava, as well as a separate "three-hole" model called Balaclava D.
💡 Balaclavas will hide your Facial Hair selection even if the mouth area is exposed. This will be addressed in a later update.
New pouches: 12x 12ga 00 Buck and 7.62 NATO (FMJ)
Pouches for loose cartridges — currently shotgun shells (12-gauge 00 buckshot) and M24 sniper rifle rounds (7.62 NATO) — can now be manually placed on your platform and belt.
This essentially fixes an issue in V1034 and earlier where ammo for these weapons could only be carried with the modular "Primary Ammo" pouch.
SKINS
- Various attachments have received a new FDE skin.
- Vertical Grip B has a new Olive Drab skin (in addition to FDE).
- The T-Shirt has a new GROUND BRANCH logo skin.
- AOR-2 was added for Helmet (HC/Cover) and Helmet (AF/Cover).
New AOR-2 helmet skin and individual pouch skins
Enemy AI and assets
Hostile AI (and in relevant respects, also friendly AI) have had a number of tune-ups and other improvements and changes:
New AI behaviors and systems
- AI may now throw frag grenades at players in some cases.
- AI that feel under pressure may throw a smoke grenade to cover a retreat.
- AI will now see and investigate flashlight beams and laser pointers (WIP).
- AI can be blinded temporarily by flashlights pointed at their faces at close range (WIP).
- AI have new idle animations, which can be explicitly selected for idle AI by a mission designer if desired. It is intended to expand the range of idle animations over time.
- AI movement overall has had various tweaks and changes.
- A widespread AI rout/flee will be initiated by certain game events, like covering fire from a helicopter during the campaign mission exfil sequence.
- The AI patrol route system has had an overhaul, so patrolling AI should be more unpredictable and cover their routes more thoroughly.
- Enemy AI spawn points now have optional day and night states, so some missions will have different distributions of enemy AI depending on the time of day.
- A number of single player missions (including Compound, Depot and others) have been updated to incorporate these new day and night spawns. In Compound, for example, you are much less likely to see enemy AI patrolling fields during the night, and more likely to see idle enemy AI in houses. (There is a new “Sleep AI” state available, but it is not currently implemented. In the future, we envisage having AI sleeping in beds. At least until you start making some noise…)
- The HVT (high-value target) in the mission demo is the first of a series of new AI archetypes — a type of AI with its own set of rules — which will populate missions for more variety and specialized behaviors from V1036 onwards.
New AI visuals and audio
- Some existing factions (e.g. Russian PMC) have been adjusted and expanded with more kit variety, and whole new factions have been added, including Western PMC, Insurgent and Cartel. Some original factions (such as Riot) have been retained and tweaked for now, but may in due course be retired or replaced.
- Idle animations were added to enemy AI, confering a generally more natural feel before bullets start flying.
- New enemy faction voice lines have been brought into the game. Currently we have a whole new set of lines for the new Cartel faction, and a new set of lines for the Russian PMC faction. These are in Mexican Spanish and in Russian, respectively, adding a little more authenticity and flavor to the game. (Other factions will receive their new voice lines in V1036.)
New and updated maps
V1035 features one entirely new map, one full map remake and a couple of significant map updates.
Ranch
Ranch makes its debut in V1035. The map is situated near the US border in Mexico, and is home to a notorious cartel leader.
The expansive estate includes a garage, stables and various other outbuildings, in addition to a sprawling house complex. It is a fairly large and open map, so move carefully!
💡 A whole new set of quick missions has been created for Ranch. PvP missions covering the whole map are tailored more towards full server loads (8v8). The map is a good fit for DTAS, since spawns should be relatively random, and most areas are well-covered from most other areas of the map.
Power Station
Power Station was remade from the ground up for V1035. Though the overall layout is fairly similar, it has been expanded considerably and offers more complexity.
The map is now set in the Libyan desert, with a ferocious civil war taking place in the distance. There are new outbuildings, lots more cover around the place, and a whole new cafeteria complex to explore and get sniped from.
💡 Power Station quick missions have been entirely redone for the updated map. Some new variants have been created.
Depot
Depot has had some changes in lots of places to make it fit in better with the narrative and gameplay of the new campaign mission, and also just to look nicer. You will now find military and camping equipment in various parts of the map — with a focus on the village and compound areas.
Small Town
Small Town has had a little face lift to add a little more character and variety to buildings. Foliage was also updated to offer a little less coverage and look more properly scaled.
It should otherwise play similarly, with the exception of a few new points of cover and concealment.
Art and visual updates
V1035 features a number of updates to art and visuals, from individual models to environments.
Updates to lighting, fog and other map-related changes
An art and optimization pass was done in several maps. Here are the main changes:
- The “time span” system has had an update, whereby dawn and dusk extend much longer into the day, providing more satisfactory transitions into and out of night.
- Fog in-scattering color and other properties have been added to the palette of environmental customizations for our level designers to use, leading to more characterful lighting. Depot, for example, has had a big lighting tweak.
- Lots of assets and foliage have been updated with new models and materials.
- New use of HLOD (hierarchical level of detail) optimizations in various maps to improve graphical performance.
- Grass blades have been upgraded with more natural wind movement on Depot, Storage Facility, Ranch, Small Town and The Farm.
Updated inventory assets
A number of inventory items have been updated with new models, textures and/or art fixes.
- Field Jacket — This new model replaces the old ACU Coat and its very unpopular popped collar with a more conventional style and upgraded texturing. It is available in all the same skins and styles as the previous model, with the addition of tucked-in variants.
- AN/PVS-31A — The old dual-tube night vision goggles have been replaced with the more appropriate AN/PVS-31A. Functionality and versions (GP for green phosphor and WP for white phosphor) remain unchanged.
- M110 and M110K1 — Both sniper rifles have received entirely new models and textures.
- MK25 — This pistol has received a brand-new model and fresh high-res textures by Cody Cudmore (aka ParallaxGameStudios).
- MK17 CQC and MK17 DMR — Another Cody creation, both rifles were upgraded with improved and higher-res texturing. Various shading issues and incorrect materials for the FDE magazine were fixed, and the DMR variant has also received a new aftermarket buttstock for variety.
- UMP45 — New model and textures.
- MPX SBR — New model and textures.
- MP7A1 — New model and textures.
- 1P78 Kashtan — New model and textures.
- OKP-7 (Rail) — New model and textures. We've added (Rail) to the name suffix to differentiate it from the new (AK-only) side-mounted OKP-7.
- Kobra EKP-18-1 — New model and textures. See Inventory additions for new Kobra sight (EKP-8-02).
- MRO — New model and textures.
- Tac Light (X300) — New model and textures. Now also available in FDE skin.
Tech and VFX
The various new items of kit mentioned above have all had relevant particle effects created and implemented. In other developments:
- The NVG system has had another tweak, and now IR lasers are finally visible through the AN/PVS-22 UNS night vision scope. IR illuminators are a work in progress — unfortunately they cannot be realized with the same method.
- There are new effects for underwater grenade explosions and smoke.
- The new campaign mission demo cutscenes also feature a variety of new special effects — no spoilers!
- The Power Station remake includes a lot of new VFX assets for the distance effects.
Animations
Various animations have been updated and some new ones have been hooked up. Main changes include updated animations for the MP7A1, MP5 series, G3A3, UMP45, M110 / M110K1, PMM and AR-15-pattern rifles (M16A4, M4A1, MK18, HK416D and variants).
All new weapons and items (listed earlier) have of course also received new animations.
Miscellaneous animation updates
- New mo-cap and other animations done — and some existing animations cleaned up — for enemy AI.
- Mag-check-into-reload animations for all magazine-fed weapons.
- Completed and/or polished ragdoll death animations for stand, crouch and prone positions.
- Added missing shotgun animations.
Audio
The more significant changes in audio — not listed elsewhere — include:
- Ranch has had a lot of work put in to set up environmental sound effects. This level of attention to detail will be rolled out across other maps in due course.
- Depot has had an environmental sound overhaul, and new sound effects for the new cutscenes.
- Walk footsteps should now be properly audible — previously the clothing rustle was the only sound playing.
- Attenuation changes on all surface types for walk/run/sprint footsteps. This should make other enemies footsteps more present in the mix and fade out naturally instead of cutting off.
- First person player footsteps have been lowered in the mix.
💡 There has been some backend work on the audio — for instance, to upgrade to a version of the Wwise middleware that no longer requires the manual pre-loading of sound banks.
Modding
The GROUND BRANCH Mod Kit has been updated for V1035 and is now in the hands of modders for testing, but there are some remaining issues that will need to be fixed in a point release.
In particular, things like custom magazines and custom ammo may not be fully functional at this point, but otherwise mods from V1034 should be good to go to be recreated in the new Mod Kit.
There are some new details that need to be handled to update mods and we do not have the documentation ready just yet, but we'll be working on that shortly.
Some more modding and Mission Editor information for the enthusiasts:
- There are no new modding types planned per se for V1035, as we will need to focus on getting the existing systems back up and running as they should. However, some groundwork has been laid in V1035 for more flexible systems for modding weapons and kit, and so on.
- It is not intended that campaign missions will be moddable — not just yet, anyway. However, you can explore some of the new tools in the Mission Editor for campaigns. Click the Campaign tab at the top-right after starting the editor to view. The new mission objective system is relatively open-ended, and new objective types can be added using a single Lua script (and any in-game assets that may be needed).
- New controls have been added to the server mod list menu to facilitate bulk operations such as adding all active local mods to the server list, and clearing a whole list. A new gameplay setting (in Modding) allows the local mod list to be used automatically as the server mod list in a listen server (the Host Game option).
- The selection of AI loadouts and mission meshes have been overhauled with quicker picker dialogs. The range of mission meshes has been increased.
- Modding menus have had a quality-of-life pass. There is, for example, a new gameplay setting to use local mod lists for listen servers, instead of having to make a separate server list (although that process is also streamlined).
Known issues
These are issues we were not able to fix yet, but that we considered not worth holding off the release for. They will hopefully be fixed in a point release relatively soon:
- DX12 and DLSS + overlays may cause a crash-to-desktop (CTD) during gameplay (this is on NVIDIA 40-series graphics cards — use DX11 if experiencing multiple crashes).
- Prone movement is currently limited to the "walk" crawl speed; fast crawling (default hold [Shift[) is currently not working.
- The friendly AI and its control system are not fully iterated: AI teammates are known to not always react appropriately to their surroundings, get in the way of players, bunch up and so on.
- Characters may be sent flying when killed, seemingly at random.
- Dead characters may also replicate impact animations when living characters are hit.
- The enemy AI's detection of player lasers is a work-in-progress (WIP) and may have some rough edges.
- Modded listen servers should now be joinable in-game without any issues (fixes big V1034 bug), but it may not work yet when joining from outside the game (aka a "cold start").
- Dynamic Take and Secure (DTAS) isn't fully functional in that the flag model does not spawn in the flag carrier's hand and can't be manually placed; it should be fully functional otherwise.
- Clicking the gear icon ⚙️ to customize a different item than your currently equipped one may apply the former item's textures onto the new item.
- Chemlights do not yet have the correct colors in PvP modes — the desired effect is blue and red (depending on the team).
- Music will stop when the player enters the Admin Panel.
- Multiplayer bots are currently broken.
- Hostage Rescue is not available as it is still in the process of being converted to the new Gameplay Ability System (GAS).
- Weapon mods and other asset mods made with the V1034 Mod Kit will likely not work until they can be updated with the V1035 Mod Kit. Missions, game modes and other non-asset mods may also need updating for V1035. In the future we might filter by build version, but in the meantime you can search for "V1035" tags in the Steam Workshop, or "1035" in the mod title/text.
- The hammer of some pistols have an incorrect rotation applied, which may cause clipping with the body.
This has been Build Update #054!
Thank you for reading the release notes for V1035. And if you participated in the Community Test, have an extra "thank you" for your help getting this release out!
We hope you enjoy this release, and stay tuned for our point releases to wrap it all up nicely.