I wanted to give a quick shout since it has been a while.
As many of you have noticed things been moving rather slow. This partly due to funding (or lack thereof) issues for this project but also the sheer amount of work involved. Nonetheless, slowly but surely, things are moving in the right direction. Also, to put some of you at ease, I have no intentions of abandoning this project, surrender is not an option, fight to the death!
The good
I am happy to say, I have completed an entirely new open world system. This will allow us to have a huge map without any loading. The best part about this is that, you (the potential Modder) will be able to create an entirely new map using your own assets. You will however need to use the Unity editor to make these maps and I will make a tutorial when the time comes -it is not too difficult.
I am nearly finished with a whole new vehicle controls system, and this will probably take of the whole of this month to complete.
Input system has also been overhauled, including the ability to remap control bindings. But one big item remains. Which is is the overhaul of the interaction system -my previous attempts of updating the existing system has been subpar. Once this is complete, you will also be able to also play without VR, which I am personally very excited about!
I am, also laying the foundation for the campaign, it will be a survival type campaign where you ultimately must reach the enemy lines, with as much of your crew as possible. I will have more information on this later, as it is a little way away -hopefully, before the end of the year!
The (somewhat) bad/changes (though some might find this be good!)
The physics interactions will be completely removed. I tried to get this to work but due to performance limitations of VR and the tight spaces in the vehicle, this creates far more issues than the fun it delivers. To be frank, it is simply not fun at times. Also, if I am not mistaken (from feedback I got) most you do prefer simple controls over complex and potentially clunky physical interactions.
This also means, you must grab/interact with a button first (no more pushing with the hand) then move. Shell loading will also have to be somewhat simplified. For VR, you can still grab and place the shell, but it will insert itself. I will work on this more though, to see if I can get it back to where it is now. No promises!
And I have a bit of a dilemma. I must migrate all of these in one go because all systems are interconnected. If I were to update one system at a time, there is a good chance that game is going to break (which is also why you haven’t seen any small updates thus far). There are too many VR devices to account for, which makes this process even more challenging.
Because of this and all the remaining work, it is unlikely you will see a game update until sometime in August 2022, but rest assured it is coming.
Lastly, I apologize for the long radio silence -it’s been bit rough going, but it is going! and I will do my best to keep you informed going forward.
Cheers!
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
Hello all, I hope everyone is enjoying the Christmas and holidays!
I just want to say how grateful I am for your support this year and I could not have done this without you!
I also want to give you a quick summary of what is currently being worked on and will be showing up during the Q1 of next year. You will in fact see some of these showing up within the next several weeks.
I have been reading all your comments and feedback and I have found some of the items require special attention. Especially when it comes to interacting and vehicle operation.
Improvements to Tiger and Vehicle Systems
Tiger will be going through the next phase of its updates. You will see improvements to lighting, shadows, visuals, and mechanics such as fuel consumption and overheating. Tiger will also receive a hull machine-gun, interior and exterior lights, and smoke dischargers.
I am also reworking some of the driving systems to make the operation of vehicles a lot smoother and predictable, especially when shifting! And for those who prefer even simpler driving, you will have an automatic shift option in the settings.
Input/Interactions
While last update should have helped a lot, it is obvious that interactions still need improving and this is probably the most reported issue. I get it, if the controls are clunky it takes the fun out of the game. Therefore, some of the things related to interaction will be further improved. If you have any opinions on the interactions, please let me know below.
Movement
Both walking and in-vehicle movement will be improved. And grab move will have dedicated grab points to prevent unintended grabs. Furthermore, if you are interacting with something, you will not be able to move at all. For walking movements, there will be an option to move towards where you are looking at or where the controller is being pointed at.
Crew Commands and Actions
After reading what you have to say, I see that the current method of giving crew commands via the intercom is less than practical. It seems that a lot of you are having trouble with giving commands quickly, especially while on the move. I have decided to replace the intercom with an easy-to-use radial menu. This will be used for pretty much all the tank operations and other interactions, from giving commands to moving to a crew station. You will use the touch-pad or the thumb-stick to navigate in the menu.
Sandbox mode
There will be a low threat sandbox mode where you can play with vehicles. You can get in and out of vehicles and take them for a spin and check out their driving and combat capabilities. There will be enemies but they will stay within a zone and will not come after you.
Game Engine
Game engine will also be updated to the latest version. This will give us much better lighting, shadows and even some performance improvements.
Kettenkrad
You will also see the next playable vehicle which is the Kettenkrad!
Tutorial/Intro
This is something that is lacking in the game and I understand not everyone knows how to drive a tiger tank or operate ww2 weaponry. I think this will help out our new comers to get into the game.
Enter and Exit Vehicles
One of most requested features is to be able to get out of vehicles. In one of the coming updates, you will be able to get in and out of any playable vehicles. Please note that this is not so that you can play as infantry (at least not initially) but to perform tasks around the tank like looking ahead at the terrain/enemy or perform repairs etc..
Thanks again for your support and I hope you have a wonderful 2022! We got a lot coming!!
AFTC
Update (BUILD 2)
Added
Mounted (MG-34) Machine gun for the commander
Added highlights for interactive items and it is now much easier to find them
Improved
Improved Tips
Improved hand interaction area and detection method
General code base improvements
General physics interaction improvements
Changed
Tiger's gunner accuracy increased
Changed Pak40 lever resistance -should make it easier to turn
Changed Pak40 shell insert detection -easier to insert shells
Changed 88's shell insert detection -easier to insert shells
Changed how the control inputs behave. With exception of few (e.g. gear selector), controls no longer can be manipulated with direct contact. You must now, hover over it and grab. This provides much more smoother and predictable controls. Those that still have direct control will also be switched over in the future.
Fixed
Fixed sandbag collision boxes to fit properly
Fixed hands being drawn on top of objects at the FOB
Fixed, initiating a grab move while grip button is already down
Fixed display latency issue with certain headset
Fix 2 for HP Reverb G2
Fix 2 for HP Reverb G2 issues.
Armored Front is now on Early Access!
Hello Tank Commanders!
Thank you for your long patience and supporting the game thus far!
There are few things you should understand before purchasing/playing.
This game is not intended for VR beginners and you will need have some VR experience and understand the intricacies of VR. Game only features a smooth locomotion system and there is no teleport!
This is an Early Access game. Game is currently at an Alpha state with a lot of work ahead. This means that the game is incomplete, buggy, imperfect, and can be frustrating to play! Content will be limited, especially in the beginning. Not only that, but as the game develops, things will be added, changed, or removed!
If you would like a more complete game, I highly encourage you to wait for the final release!
If you are OK with everything above, enjoy the game and thank you for being an early supporter!
Levels
There are 4 levels available now and I will be added few more in the next several days along with a map for the commander.
Controls
Controls are meant to be intuitive (if you do not feel that let me know!!), most controls can be grabbed (by pressing the grip button) or moved by simply pushing with your hand.
Intecom
You can use the intercom to give commands to your crew (note there is no radio operator at this time).
Take it slow!
Don't rush into battle, first play around with the PAK 40 at the base and learn how the loading and firing works. Use the driving course to learn to drive the tank and give commands without the stress of combat. In combat keep your distance!
Bug reports and feedback
When you find bugs, please report them via the bug report forum and please do create a new thread per issue so they can be easily tracked and dealt with.
Also, you may provide feedback via steam forums or using our discord server: https://discord.gg/qTGT34U
Lastly, here is a little tip that will come in handy! While grabbing a either the traverse or the elevation cranks, you can press trigger to fire the main gun or press the secondary button to fire the machine gun.
Again, thank you for your support and going on this journey! Enjoy!
Release date
Hello all,
First, thank you for patiently following this game for such a long time!
Secondly, I apologize for the recent release delays! And unfortunately, I will be needing few additional days before I am ready to publish. There were new content added to the game and that required little more time than I anticipated.
Despite this, I am happy to announce that I was able to exceed the content goals for the Early Access release. You will have infantry AI, armored AI, off map air and artillery support at your disposal.
Rest assured that the game will be out in a few days! New release date will be in 8 days from now, Friday the 19th.
Until then, I hope you enjoy this new trailer, highlighting some of the added content.
[previewyoutube="k28FDOlpbMk;full"]
Thank you and appreciate your patience!
AFTC
Development Progress Update
Hello Everyone!
Hope you are having a great weekend!
Those who are participating on the the Playtest, thank you for your feedback so far!
And for those who did not get a chance to participate, I'd still like to give you an update on the development progress and this time I have a video log for you.
[previewyoutube="eaVwC6iqBzk;full"]
Let me know if you like more of these video updates announcements in the future, in the comments section.
Hope you enjoy! AFTC
Playtest
Hello All,
Playtest will go alive shortly! Those who requested access should get a notification. Keep in mind that you may have to restart the Steam app for it to show up in the library.
Important
There are now two new forums on Steam. One called Feedback and the other is Bug/Issues Report.
Please these forums for bug reports and feedback. Also, please create a separate, new post per bugs/issues/feedback, etc.. so they can be easily tracked and resolved.
Discord is fine for quick questions but it is impossible to keep track of things, so please use Steam forums for communications.
Here are few tips to get you started
Controls
Almost everything in the game can be manipulated by hand without pressing a button on the controller.
You can also grab hold of things by hovering over the handover interactive items (such as levers) and pressing the Grip button on your controller.
You can fire the main gun while grabbing any corresponding crank (elevation, traverse) and pressing the trigger on your controller. Or you can simply hit the actual trigger lever.
Movements
I can move around the tank by grabbing (hover over and press Grip button) on to walls of the tank. The important point about this. You can’t grab a move if you grab too close to an interactive object. When you successfully grab, your hand will turn transparent white.
Crew
Use the intercom (in the commander’s station) to give crew commands. If you need to enter a crew station, just drag yourself over the AI, he will get out of your way.
Keep note that there is no loader (AI) at this time. You are it. Load a shell and set the gunner to “Engage at will” to target get and fire at the enemy.
You can use the gunner to refill the ready rack. Note that you cannot field rearm or repair during the Playtest. I must return to FOB and restart if you die or run out of ammo.
Menu
Pressing and holding the secondary button (e.g. B ) opens the menu. You can also use the ESC key on your keyboard if in case it doesn’t work for you.
FOB
Go check out the Forward Operating Base (FOB) via the menu.
If you want to go back to fight, walk over to your gunner (he is standing next to the tank) and talk to start a “Patrol”
Once again, if you have any “how-to” questions you may hop on to the discord server and for any feedback or bug reports please use Steam forums.
This session will run from now until midnight (Pacific time) Sunday.
Hope you have wonderful time and are excited to hear what you think.
Cheers!
Playtest and the Release Date
Dear Commanders,
Hope you are having a great weekend! Just a quick announcement about the first Playtest and the release date.
Playtest
You may now request to Playtest through the Steam, Armored Front Store page. Please keep in mind that only a limited amount of players will be allowed. Playtest will take place at some time (depending on time zone) from Friday, Oct 1, 2021, to late Sunday, Oct 3, 2021.
Note that if you do not see a request access button, that means all available slots for this Playtest have been filled up.
Release Date
The release date is now set for November 5, 2021 (Pacific time-zone).
I must reiterate that this will be an Early Access game (See Roadmap) and there is still a lot of work to be done. So, please do NOT expect the polished quality of a final released game. There WILL be plenty of bugs and imperfections, so this may not be for everyone’s taste.
So, if you like a more polished and complete game, I highly encourage you to wait until the final release.
Hope you can join the Playtest and good hunting!
ARMORED FRONT
Development update and Playtest
[previewyoutube="bnhZ74dlYaA;full"]
Hello All,
I thank you for sticking with Armored Front thus far and I hope you will enjoy what we have coming up.
Play Test
First, playtest will take place at some time (depending on time zone) from Friday, Oct 1, 2021, to late Sunday, Oct 3, 2021. Please note that there will be limited slots. If you do not get a slot, don’t worry, there will be another test before the release. You cannot request access yet, but I should have this ready by next Sunday.
Most of the features for Armored Front are more or less finalized and we have a good idea of where the game is headed. Please take a moment to go over the roadmap and if you have any questions please don’t hesitate to ask. Also, keep note that this is a live roadmap. This means every time a feature is completed this road map will get updated. Therefore you can always refer to this to find out about the current state of the game and what’s coming up. https://app.milanote.com/1MqRPR1Pt2ppdb?p=dtnCnYZnLw4
Word of Caution
One very important thing to keep in mind. This will be an Early Access game and as you see from the roadmap, that there is still a lot of work to be done. So, please do NOT expect the polished quality of a released game. There WILL be plenty of bugs and imperfections, so this is not for everyone. If you like a more polished and complete game, I highly encourage you to wait until the final release.
I need your help!
When reporting a bug please include as much detail as possible and when possible please include a screenshot. One screenshot will help more than all the words you can come up with. You know what they say a picture is worth a thousand words! And you know what I say to that? A video is worth ten thousand pictures!!
So if possible please, please include a video (you can use the OBS studio, free and open-source software that works great with VR), otherwise, try to include some screenshots. These will help resolve the issues very much faster, but anything, even words, is better than nothing!
