NETCODE UPDATE
In todays update (brought to you in collaboration with the Hardline netcode team) we are enabling framerate based updates on bullets. This means that depending on your client framerate, you will update at that rate – to the server.
An example: Your game is running at 60fps, you will be updating the server on your bullets at 60hz (compared to 30hz now).
These changes _should_ improve significantly on the out of region burst issue, and we will be monitoring this specifically.
Detail oriented players notice that we have not changed the server to client update frequency (the high frequency update) – this is the next step once we know we can trust this new system works as intended.
PATCH CHANGES
These are changes in this patch:
Night Vision changes:
This update is focused on countermeasures to night vision.
Flares, flashlights, lasers and thermal grenades are now significantly more blinding to night vision
Flash lights are blinding at a larger angle than before
Lasers are blinding at a longer distance than before
Thermal grenade smoke and vehicle IR Smoke now blocks thermal signatures
This change introduces a bug that makes more smoke/dust/fog visible through night vision scopes. This is being addressed.
Additionally, the black ring (vignette) has been removed from both scopes. This increases the viewing angle or each, but makes the blinding effects fill more of the screen.
As always, leave feedback on the Official Thread!
Netcode Changes:
Here are the actual changes to enable the new netcode. For feedback or issues you think is related to this, please post them in this thread:
http://www.reddit.com/r/Battlefield_...code_feedback/
Hit mismatch related fixes (essentially bullet changes)
Remove the arbitrary 1cm bullet hit correction on the server of subsequent bullet hits
Removed network input move values which introduced errors
These were particularly bad for pitch/yaw which is used to determine the direction all bullets
Disabled bullet damage for non local shooter (Basically all of AI and MP players) except for when hitting client only physics objects
Basically the shot fired event is issued on the client matching the simulated server time.
Includes several changes to how precision is handled, and how effects related to bullets are handled.
Shot fire events are ghosted/networked and run matching the simulated server time on the client, the resulting part destruction is also sent based on time which means, all destruction happens in sync with the simulated client bullets (for non local shooters)
Any destruction/part health state change which was not issued by the client, is now corrected by the server.
This means: if you see anything weird or off with bullets, effects syncing, tracers etc – let us know in the netcode reddit thread!
Implemented the same pre-simulation updater on client as on server to match processing order of bullets.
On the server, all bullets were previously processed in the order they were added through spawning, as many weapons spawn more than 1 bullet, the processing order is absolutely vital as one bullet may change a health state which affects the next processed bullet. This order mismatch was a huge source of mismatches for the local shooter.
We’ve also made sure that physics sync better between server and client for bullets.
Other netcode changes
Clientside banger performance changes (effects playing on the client)
Lowering physics and synchronization/bandwidth costs
Implemented instant networking for damage tunneling
Speeds up damage updates.
Various other low level tweaks and changes
Other changes:
Second Iteration Pass on Team Callouts
Adjustment (anyone can now hear any 3p “soldierfire/fire” callouts, for more info:
http://www.reddit.com/r/Battlefield_...outs_feedback/)
Major sound crash fix
Fixes a problem where an audio stream was stopping before it had finished playing, potentially leading to audio data corruption. (Potentially the “screeeeeech” issue comes from this).
This showed up as a problem when running a stress test with audio data redirected through a stomp arena – and we think it might also be related to our top 1 sound crash.It is _very_ important that you report crashes and eventual sound issues after this patch is released!
NIGHT MAPS PROJECT
For more information see our wiki page:
http://www.reddit.com/r/Battlefield_...cts/night_maps
Vehicle lights
Placing lights on all vehicles along with a proper emissive material for the lights
COMMUNITY MAP PROJECT
The community map project poll #2 results will be posted with the next poll. This poll will have you guys voting for the top concept based on a combination of the high level framework, the jungle setting and the POI’s you voted for.
Once we know which concept you guys prefer – we will start testing the map on the CTE!
More info here:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Battlefield...poll_3_update/
FEEDBACK
As you might have noticed – we now have a subreddit dedicated to the CTE. Utilize this for general communication and bug reporting. Specific projects (like the Community Map) still will use the forums when needed.
To report a bug, open the subreddit push the “Report CTE Feedback/Bug” within:
http://www.reddit.com/r/Battlefield_4_CTE/
For more information we refer to our wiki-page, that we constantly update to reflect what state our projects and prototypes are in:
http://www.reddit.com/r/Battlefield_4_CTE/wiki/index