Thank you for taking part in the playtest.
Here is a roundup of the main changes since our previous announcement.
Projectile Skill Customization
- Added Explosive, Homing and Ricochet options to Large Shot, Snipe, Rapid Fire, Barrage and Convergence Shot. Multiple options can be combined.
- The options are balanced through different trade-offs: Explosive increases ENG consumption and reduces projectile speed; Homing reduces damage and projectile speed; Ricochet increases ENG consumption.
- Ricochet projectiles now bounce after hitting an enemy. When combined with Homing, they exclude enemies already hit from their tracking targets and seek another enemy.
- Snipe's trajectory preview now reflects Homing and ricochets off terrain.
- Added crossing glowing rings to explosive projectiles. Equipment and in-match skill icons now also display badges showing their customization options.
- The standalone Homing Shot and Ricochet Salvo skills have been integrated into projectile customization. Push Bolt has been removed.
Skill and Combat Adjustments
- Changed Bomb controls: hold the button to preview its trajectory to the impact point, then release to throw.
- Explosive knockback now uses ragdoll physics. You can still use skills to counter while being knocked back. During actions such as charging or sustained fire, you retain your stance while being pushed away.
- Adjusted small explosions from rapid-fire skills so that taking repeated hits in a short period causes stronger knockback.
- Added 0.15 seconds of invulnerability immediately after using Step or Jump Pad. During this time, you pass through characters, projectiles and rockets. This does not apply when stepping onto an already-placed Jump Pad later.
- Improved simultaneous use of hold-to-use skills, such as sustained fire, and support skills. When using Katana and Step together, Step's movement direction and distance take priority.
- Reduced Snipe's projectile size to approximately that of Rapid Fire. The Explosive option's blast radius is unchanged.
- Reduced Convergence Shot's ENG consumption. Its targeting now stops at ordinary terrain and passes through only Energy Barriers and Physical Barriers.
- Changed Assault Rocket's direct-hit damage to 150 and improved terrain contact while riding and after dismounting.
- Mines are now placed at your feet when the aimed terrain is out of range. Added sounds and flashes when placing a Mine and when it detects an enemy.
- Damage numbers now show the attack's damage even on an overkill hit, rather than being capped at the enemy's remaining HP.
Movement and Barriers
- Adjusted the pace of jumping, falling and knockback. Jump Pads have been compensated to preserve their previous landing points, and an issue causing excessive acceleration from repeated use has been fixed.
- Sped up climbing and improved grabbing ledges by holding Space while airborne.
- Fixed unwanted climbing on small steps and at the ends of ramps. Adjusted low-wall traversal to prioritize climbing onto the wall.
- Reduced barriers sinking into the ground and improved climbing onto Physical Barriers used as platforms.
CPUs and Challenges
- Allied CPUs now respond to Tab messages requesting them to group up, attack, defend, retreat, help or carry.
- Improved CPUs so they advance while holding an Energy Barrier and release it when incoming fire stops.
- CPUs can now use barriers, Stealth and other skills to counter while being knocked back.
- Added ricochet Snipe aiming behavior to Expert CPUs. Random CPUs also use projectile customization.
- CPUs no longer perform unnecessary specialty activities when all living allies have full ENG.
- Expanded the challenge lineup to 16. Beginner challenges now use CPUs of at least Standard difficulty, and new challenges include customized projectiles and three Expert rocket users.
Specialties and Interface
- Added a keyboard guide for typing. It highlights the next keys to press, while incorrectly pressed keys flash red. Its visibility can be toggled in the equipment details panel, and Japanese typing supports the JIS layout.
- A table, board and black-and-white pieces now appear during chess. Also improved positioning of the 3D keyboard during typing.
- Moved the vertical ENG gauge to the right of your character. Added fading when ENG remains unchanged, red flashing when ENG is insufficient, and a display of the amount consumed.
- Added an ENG gauge above specialty panels, with the outer frame glowing on success or failure. Also fixed panels briefly appearing to move from their initial position to their saved position.
- Updated the KILL, READY/GO and Energy Spot effects. Added a screen-shake intensity control to the settings.
Stages and Bug Fixes
- Improved the upper-floor gallery in Indoor Complex and the joints between walls, ramps, bridges and columns across stages.
- Added detail to the perimeter columns in Arena, Crossway and Spiral Tower, and reduced flickering of distant blue glowing lines.
- Adjusted explosion effects and improved issues with missing effects on wall and ceiling impacts and excessive overlapping explosion sounds from Convergence Shot.
- Improved CPU wrist and finger fluttering, size display and face close-ups for some VRM models, and death knockback and camera tracking.
- Added mouse-controlled camera movement when spectating after death under the Elimination rule.
- Reduced the performance impact of saving replays.
Please continue to share your impressions and any issues you notice while playing.