PC | Server Files and 1.0.3 Patch Info

[Tren]

<a href="http://status.kaosstudios.com/?cat=8"><img src="http://images.totalgamingnetwork.com/images/frontlines_status_PC.jpg" alt="Frontlines Status - PC Update" border="0" /></a>
Dedicated Server Files on 4/7 & 1.0.3 Patch Info

The newest update on the Frontlines Status Page (http://status.kaosstudios.com/) has given a ton of information, including the official word that the dedicated server files will be released on Monday, April 7th as well as a bunch of changes and information about the next patch. Check it out:

PC Dedicated Server 1.0.2 Status

First I’d like to let you all know that we are performing final tests on the 1.0.2 dedicated server files. This will be released to the community on Monday, April 7th, 2008.

PC Patch 1.0.3 Information

I also wanted to post some details on what is in current development and testing for the next PC 1.0.3 patch. Our objective is to have these fixes and features sent over to THQ QA’s internal test team in the last week of April and then released soon thereafter.

›› New Server Browser

• Phase 1 of the NEW Server Browser
o New streamlined design w/easy to use layout
o Added text filters for the following categories: Server Name, Player Count, Ping, Map Name & Version Number
o Added server IP display field
o Added text clan/server company banner support
o Added ability to Cancel Server Search and will continue to display already pulled servers

›› Gameplay

• Players can no longer stick Landmines onto their legs
• Invert controls for land vehicles has been fixed
• Players can no longer “fly” or “jump” around levels
• Turrets will no longer continue firing when squad menu is raised
• All positions in vehicles now iterates when the vehicle is hit
• Sentry guns take less damage to destroy.
• Sentry guns will cause slightly less damage.
• Grenade launcher damage vs infantry has been reduced.

See the complete list of changes and this whole update here (http://status.kaosstudios.com/?p=42).

[|D|-Jaws]

It is my sole opinion, that tweaking gameplay settings while bugs exist is wrong and unproductive.

I do not believe that gameplay issues can be isolated at this time, so long as bugs exist. The only way to measure gameplay is to do it from a stable engine where everything is equal and not equally broken.

How can we achieve game balance when people still can't play the game or play it without issues?

We, the gaming community, have seen this all before. We've seen it with BF2 and with mods for BF2.

Can someone please explain to me why we would be making gameplay tweaks to a broken game? How can we accurately predict the ramifications of such tweaks?

I think a broken game greatly affects game balance more so than any single other part of the game!

Nerfing the sentry guns, nade launcher, etc....bad idea. Why aren't their counters working? Why do we always get the nerf? But it doesn't matter for me....the game is broken and needs to become stable before any changes are made.

It's kinda like putting a high performance exhaust system on a hot rod with a broken carbuerator. How will the exhaust benefit the car at this point?

[kiff]

i wouldn't really call them nerfs. their settings were/are too high. the GL has become a large problem and many servers have even disabled the assault class because of it. the sentry guns too, they're just overpowered and I really don't think it has to do w/ bugs in the game. Bugs are bugs, overpowered weapons are overpowered weapons...

[Namakan]

I lol'd at

›› Gameplay

• Players can no longer stick Landmines onto their legs

[The_Eliminator]

^^^

I didnt even no you could do it.

But thanks i got a month of fun whilst i still can :yay:

[impl]

Its fun to land mine your legs, then run into enemy snipers.
The only problems with this are that you die when you kill them, and if anyone shoots your mines you die.

[|D|-Jaws]

i wouldn't really call them nerfs. their settings were/are too high. the GL has become a large problem and many servers have even disabled the assault class because of it. the sentry guns too, they're just overpowered and I really don't think it has to do w/ bugs in the game. Bugs are bugs, overpowered weapons are overpowered weapons...

I think, again, that it's about priorities. Fix bugs first, last, and always. Once bugs have been fixed, then we can make decisions based on a clean game environment.

I don't recall the GL being a problem during the beta. Can a GL take out a sentry gun? Can a sniper take out a sentry gunner? I know for a fact that an AT weapon can take out a sentry gun because every time I put one out, I get an AT to the face lol.

I don't think I'm being unreasonable here.

Yes, the GL may be overpowered...I stress the word may. The GL is part of the assault class loadout. Assault classes are supposed to be the deadliest class on the battlefield. Look at what happened to the assault class in BF2. Once the GL in BF2 became crippled, everyone went to C4 chucking...and once that was taken away, everyone went to being a medic.

We already have a frustrated user base....fix bugs first. Let the gameplay work itself out on it's own for a couple of months.

We already have spawning on squadleaders which means I might have to kill the same person more than once to end a push.

Do you see where this is leading? This is DCON territory...part two.

[kiff]

I think, again, that it's about priorities. Fix bugs first, last, and always.
I agree with that, but there's something I think you might be overlooking. I seriously doubt that all of the devs at kaos are involved in the bug fixes. I'm sure the artists, mappers and others have absolutely nothing to do w/ that area. Should they all sit around and sit on their hands while the bugs are getting fixes? I would say no. Also, a LOT of people have complained about the GL's, so if somebody that isn't involved in fixing bugs, why shouldn't they fix other aspects of the game that have had many complaints?

I also know where you're coming from about bugs affecting gameplay and adjusting the game when it's "clean", but some are obviously non-bug related and deserve attention. Example; If the emp shockwave stick had a huge area of effect, that disabled ALL enemy vehicles on the entire map, wouldn't you say it needs immediate attention? It's not a case of it being a bug, but a bad setting. Why not fix it if it's having a large negative effect on gameplay and the person fixing it isn't working on any other time critical aspect of the game?

This reminds me a little of when DCon was making the first fix/patch. We got slammed because we released some more maps with the patch/fix. Truth is, the maps didn't hold back the release of the patch, it was stuff other devs not involved in the patch were able to crank out in the meantime...

[|D|-Jaws]

I agree with that, but there's something I think you might be overlooking. I seriously doubt that all of the devs at kaos are involved in the bug fixes. I'm sure the artists, mappers and others have absolutely nothing to do w/ that area. Should they all sit around and sit on their hands while the bugs are getting fixes? I would say no. Also, a LOT of people have complained about the GL's, so if somebody that isn't involved in fixing bugs, why shouldn't they fix other aspects of the game that have had many complaints?

I also know where you're coming from about bugs affecting gameplay and adjusting the game when it's "clean", but some are obviously non-bug related and deserve attention. Example; If the emp shockwave stick had a huge area of effect, that disabled ALL enemy vehicles on the entire map, wouldn't you say it needs immediate attention? It's not a case of it being a bug, but a bad setting. Why not fix it if it's having a large negative effect on gameplay and the person fixing it isn't working on any other time critical aspect of the game?

This reminds me a little of when DCon was making the first fix/patch. We got slammed because we released some more maps with the patch/fix. Truth is, the maps didn't hold back the release of the patch, it was stuff other devs not involved in the patch were able to crank out in the meantime...

If the emp was that bad, of course, because it's a game breaker. The GL in it's current state isn't a game breaker. I don't know how we can validate some of this stuff when we don't have huge numbers of people playing the game on the PC side of the house yet. This game hasn't even taken off on the PC yet...and already changes are being made? So the vocal few have the say?

About DCON....all I'm gonna say is this: You had the entire competitive gaming community by the balls. Adding maps didn't kill DCON, the patch took too long and then you made negative gameplay changes on top of it all. All you had to do was setup a 2nd version of the mod and call it DCON_CAL. Done. We would all still be playing DCON today if that had happened. We asked for a fixed version to be delivered as fast as possible and if that meant without lightmaps or gameplay changes, so be it. All we wanted was the lag to be fixed on Desert Shield. If that meant removing whatever object/structure was causing such lag....we didn't care. Competition gamers play on low settings most if not all of the time so that they get the best FPS and so they can see everything.

DCON had absolutely hit the nail on the head sans the lag on DS. Who plays mods???? Not the ranked kiddies....competition players play mods. We were your base.

I know...it's all 20/20 now. But if you want to hit a homerun out of the friggin ballpark with DCON2...then let me give you my quick list:

1. MUST have accurate guns...obscenely accurate.
2. Player movement MUST be smooth as grease on ice.
3. Vehicle movement MUST be smooth...no jerkiness.
4. Must have Dustbowl and Basrah's Edge. (if you don't bring it with those two maps....don't even bother. Wait to release until you do.)

[kiff]

I was just using dcon for a specific example. and yes, the patch took way too long, not because of the time put into the extra maps, but for other reasons i'd rather not discuss. trust me when i say i wish things went different and SHOULD have, but like you said, that's all 20/20 now. Feel free to discuss this in our forums, as i know you have in the past.

The server files are out ;)

http://community.kaosstudios.com/showthread.php?p=72700#post72700