Ground Branch

❓ How to join the Community Test beta branch

• Right-click GROUND BRANCH in your Steam Library and select Properties…
  
• Click BETAS on the left-hand list menu
  
• Select 'communitytest - Community testing branch' from the drop-down menu
  

Steam will begin downloading the files for the new testing branch.

🐞 Where to report bugs

You can report bugs and issues using any of these methods:

• The in-game Bugs & Issues screen (press [Esc] once in-game and look along the top menu)
  
• The Steam forums: steamcommunity.com/app/16900/discussions/
  
• The #bug-reports channel on the official GROUND BRANCH™ Discord
  

Your reports help us locate and fix issues faster, so keep them coming!

Patch notes

• Added door handles to shoothouse doors (The Farm)
  
• Fixed up lighting in Paintball
  
• Further small tweaks to dawn/dusk light sensitivity and global skylight settings
  
• Added keybind for Spectator Mode night vision mode (still investigating why not working)
  
• RESET DEFAULT button in Settings › Video now resets both basic and advanced settings
  
• Bots should now respawn in new rounds in Deathmatch
  
• Updated Last Man Standing missions to mirror all current Deathmatch missions
  
• Fixed missed Distance Field Ambient Occlusion (DFAO) value in quality settings; this should fix unlit interior areas being overly bright
  

Shimmering foliage

How to join the V1033 Community Test branch

• Right-click GROUND BRANCH in your Steam Library and select Properties…
  
• Click BETAS on the left-hand list
  
• Select communitytest - Community testing branch from the drop-down menu
  

Steam will download the files for the new testing branch.

Where to report bugs?

You can report bugs and issues using any of these methods:

• The in-game Bugs & Issues screen (press [Esc] once in-game and look along the top menu)
  
• The Steam forums: steamcommunity.com/app/16900/discussions/
  
• The #bug-reports channel on the official GROUND BRANCH™ Discord
  

Patch notes

• Cleaned up some lighting issues in Ready Room due to enabling lit translucency in a previous update
  
• Changed light sensitivity at dawn/dusk (should get a bit brighter)
  
• Fix for slightly offset capture component on ACOG 4x
  
• Fixed some meshes culling around the bridge to early in Depot
  
• Fixed slight offset with the Carry Handle Rear Sight
  
• Rejigged PiP texture scaling to downgrade it somewhat and change available range to 0.4–1.0
  
• Fixed error relating to hit detection on living characters
  
• Fixed Breaching Charge reset removing in-hand charge
  
• Fixed smoke grenades blocking interaction trace
  
• Fixed destroyed doors completely borking physics when resetting
  
• Fixed The Farm (Training mode) having weird time of day and light settings when launched from Main Menu
  
• Wristwatch now responds immediately to level time changes
  
• Switched enemy skins on Docks to "Riot" and Power Station to "Rebel" (previously "Russian")
  
• Fixed up foliage collision in Depot and AI interaction with foliage
  
• Cleaned up some cover point issues in Depot's compound area
  
• Adjusted cull distances on a few lights in Depot
  
• Some settings changes to try to optimize texture streaming: upped RenderTargetMinPool for all post-process (PP) settings, turned off Contact Shadows for "Low" and "Medium" Shadow Quality settings, and upped StreamingPoolSize for all Texture Quality settings
  
• Increased dynamic shadow distance from 5k units to 10k in Storage Facility to fix lighting artifacts, and improved AI interaction with foliage
  
• Fixed being unable to crawl under wall at back of Antenna yard in Depot
  
• Fixed ghosting on broken glass material in Depot
  
• Fixed some interior props not accepting any lighting in Compound
  
• GPNVG-18 model tweaks to front lenses area
  
• Added FDE mount for FDE NVGs (automatically assigns depending on NVG device skin)
  
• Adjusted some light culling distance and light portal issues on 747
  
• Fixed Plate Carrier (MPC) and Fleece Hoodie intersection issues in Customize Operator screen
  
• Fixed some light switch issues in Tanker (outside lights not turning off properly)
  
• Added door handle meshes to The Farm doors
  
• Reset night time sensitivity on Compound to default (was overly bright at night)
  
• Fixed inventory.LimitSupplies() lua library call, so WeaponRestriction mutator should work fine now for all things (via Mutator menu)
  
• Tweaked moonlight to be a little darker and bluer
  

• Fixed issue where closing door was not properly interactable
  
• Changed Ambient Occlusion (AO) settings to stop shimmering grass and trees
  
• Enabled Global Dynamic Field Ambient Occlusion (DFAO) again
  
• Standard (Element-based) callsigns now apply properly
  
• Fixed Binaural reverb bug
  

❓How do I join the V1033 open testing?

Please see this post for details and instructions.

• Big update on doors: should now reset properly, though some glitches remain
  
• Replaced doors on Depot with new system ones
  
• Added missing door handles to previously replaced doors
  
• Fixed VFX particles glowing when viewed through optics and NVG
  
• AffectTranslucentLighting enabled on base light blueprints to provide better illumination of VFX particles (less glowing in the dark, especially)
  
• Added a soft noise texture to NVG effects
  
• Audio preset settings changed
  
• Updated industrial fans attenuation in The Farm, and weird reverb in Small Town
  
• Fixed fire selector switch sound for MK17 DMR
  
• Global Tonemapper Sharpness increased again
  
• Fixed tac light flare VFX stacking on top of itself, causing the texture to blow out
  
• Added lens flare VFX to AN/PEQ-15's visible and IR lasers
  
• More tentative crash fixes in AI light detector component
  
• Tentative fixes for continuing time/date desyncs
  
• Optimized PiP scopes by restricting frequency of render texture resizing
  
• Added new PiP Scope Resolution Scale setting to Settings › Video to allow better performance (when set below 1.0) or last-ditch fixes for persistent pixelation issues (when set above 1.0; performance will most likely be affected in this case!)
  
• Fixed players being kicked when voting a map change (disables match setting option for non admins)
  
• Updated grey skin for Combat Shirts and Combat Pants
  
• Added new AOR-2 camo swatch and updated AOR-2 assets
  
• Updated brightness of ACU Coat in AOR-1 to match other assets in that camo
  
• Fixed "sunken" patch slot at center/rear slot of Helmet (AF)
  
• Spectator Mode night vision now working, with new NV effect
  
• Disabled global Distance Field Ambient Occlusion (DFAO) to reduce foliage flickering
  
• Re-enabled collision for leaning, i.e. fixed leaning through walls
  
• Fixed a LOD issue for some architecture on Tanker culling out too soon
  
• Fixed 747 generator culling out too soon
  
• Improvements to light portal system on 747 and Run Down
  
• Ragdoll collision improved, with itself and with other objects
  
• Enemy AI now register hits for a short time after death
  
• Fixed broken variant names and default filename generation in mission editor
  

❓How do I join the open testing?

Please see this post for details and instructions.

• Created M81 pouch skins for the M81 MPC Plate Carrier
  
• Color pass on MARPAT Woodland assets, as well as Khaki and Black combat clothes
  
• Slight color tweak to Ranger Green JPC Plate Carrier velcro
  
• Fixed bright outline around Combat Shirt (Rolled) velcro patches
  
• Tweaked tan MPC Plate Carrier skin to look a little closer to other tan rigs and pouches
  
• Minor color tweak to Khaki Tactical Pants
  
• Updated Navy color palette (WIP); affects most Navy assets
  
• Added black MK17 suppressor skin
  
• Tweaked AK suppressors: limited PBS-4 to AKS-74U, made PBS-1 available again on remainder of AK-based rifles, and tweaked fit and rotation for all muzzles
  
• Fixed forearm mesh clipping through shirt sleeves
  
• Fixed model gap at neck/chest area when using unzipped combat shirts
  
• Turned on a few things in the scope PIP scene capture (e.g. DFAO) to better match rest of scene (i.e. outside of scope picture)
  
• Slight increase to render texture resolution and responsiveness to changing size to try reduce pixelation effect when crouching or aiming upwards
  
• Removed Wristwatch buzz when walking through Ready Room (RR) portal hints
  
• Fixes to date/time to replicate time and date better and restore lunar phases and so on
  
• Stopped crash when selecting invalid days in advanced time/weather settings
  
• Stopped invalid days being offered in advanced time/weather settings
  
• Weather settings dialog should no longer pop up underneath admin menus
  
• Disabled all weather setting interface (for now)
  
• Updated pouch sockets on JPC and MPC plate carriers: tweaked position for better look/fit
  
• Removed fourth front pouch slot (bottom row) on MPC
  
• Tweaked single AR mag pouch: increased scale by 5% to look better scaled on vests and changed magazine fit to fix clipping
  
• DTAS flag material tweaked to be more constant colour (bugged in optical scopes)
  
• Fixed reflex sight master material so that lowest brightness setting is low but not off
  
• Tweaked all red dot brightnesses for NVG use
  
• Fixed ghosting on Wristwatch
  
• A little more grain added to NVG FX
  
• Fixed invisible collision in Depot building
  
• Reduced Tonemapper sharpening level
  
• Fixed up InventoryManagement mutator (was not decoding some items properly)
  
• As a result of a filename fix, AK-74M builds and loadouts will break; please remake, and sorry for the inconvenience!
  
• Fixed default item builds and loadouts with AK-74M; likewise for MPC loadouts that used the removed pouch slot (see above)
  
• Arena and Arena 2 PvE game modes converted from "Russian" enemy skins to "Riot" for variety
  

❓How do I join the open testing?

Please see this post for details and instructions.

Patch notes

• Fixed some light channel issues on Small Town
  
• Adjusted LOD switch distance on Ural 4320 vehicle wheel meshes
  
• Fixed more audio bleed from levels into Ready Room (RR)
  
• Tentative fix for ringing feedback
  
• Fixed possible log spam
  
• Moved Power Station's RR outside the influence of level reflection captures (fixes blue light in RR)
  
• Customize Operator screen now disables weather/fog/skylight when created, and resets to previous setting when destroyed
  
• Lots of fixes to time and date stuff to get clients better synchronized with listen server hosts
  
• Added side patch slots to NVG Head Mount
  
• Increased color saturation on AN/PEQ-15's texture (was using a lower value from previous model)
  

❓How do I join the open testing?

Please see this post for details and instructions.

• Light over customization bench in The Farm now stays always on
  
• Fixes to stop bots appearing in non free-for-all (FFA) game modes
  
• Collision fixes in The Farm
  
• Tidied up distance fields in Run Down
  
• Fixed bad normals (shading) on AKS-74U
  
• Tweaked magazine placement on 5.45mm AK variants
  
• Rotated lens cap on Kashtan scope out of view
  
• Fixed collision on containers in Docks
  
• Fixed glowing glass on vehicles in Docks
  
• Tweaked cull distance settings on Tanker
  
• Fixed lights turning off but not changing material on The Farm and Compound
  
• Fixed up light switches on 747 and added missing switch to far side construction area
  
• Fixed missing geometry in stairwell in Storage Facility
  
• Carry Handle Rear Sight now only attachable to top sight rails and risers
  
• Another Ready Room audio bleed fix
  
• Setting callsign to --- now hides callsign patches
  
• Default AI settings changed so that Veteran AI now shout a bit
  
• Blockers added to Docks (East Docks) Deathmatch mission to fix out-of-map exploits
  
• Fixed up floating and badly placed laptops in Intel Retrieval missions in Tanker, 747, Small Town, Rundown, Compound, Storage Facility
  
• Fixed bad NW (Rocks) spawn in Creek for Terrorist Hunt and Intel Retrieval game modes
  
• Ladders fixed up so everyone can use them and should stop the "F slide"
  
• Fixed callsigns not updating until player respawns
  
• Fixed cyan-colored button on olive drab Ghillie Pants
  
• Added icon for bare Ghillie Hood
  
• Renamed Ghillie Hood Bare and Ghillie Hood to Ghillie Hood and Ghillie Hood (Cover), respectively, to be consistent with pants
  
• Default bullet impact tweaked
  
• Added chest patch slot: allows patches on front of MPC and JPC plate carriers and the Ballistic Vest
  
  
  
  • Pouches can still be attached to upper slots when a patch is displayed, so keeping the patch unobstructed is up to you for now
    
  • NOTE: Chest patch may disappear if top (shirt) skin is changed, but will still show in-game once loadout is applied. It will display again in the Customize Operator screen if the Platform skin is re-applied.
• Updated audio attenuation for player movement and other minor mix changes
  
• Tentative fix for skylight going missing when listen server host returns to Ready Room
  
• Lua-related crash fixes
  
• Should be possible to rejoin Deathmatch after returning to Ready Room now
  
• Fixed up invalid bot patches
  

• AI barks and arena audio fixed
  
• strobe plastic material tweaked to be less bright in harsh lighting
  
• ranger green fleece hoodie using olive drab palette fixed
  
• FOV warning typo fixed
  
• flecktarn swatch and assets tweaked
  
• ladders fixed up in 747, docks, creek and power station
  
• ghillie items cleaned up and OCP added
  
• clean up of bad meshes on docks, docks container collision issue fixed and nav links updated for better AI pathing
  
• overly bright vehicle windows fixed in rundown and other maps
  
• another pass of attempted crash fixes on the light detector
  
• ghosting fixed on PEQ IR illuminator (missed off last fix)
  
• MCR JAC chest rig mesh collision issue fixed
  
• overly glossy male 5 material fixed
  
• subway light portals fixed up
  
• SCAR mag now shows more than 2 rounds when mag checking
  
• AK bakelite mag added
  
• bare version of viper hood created
  
• flashlight flare adjusted to prevent blown out textures
  
• ready room audio bleed fixed
  
• SVD reload sounds fixed
  
• adjustments to which AKs use which suppressors
  
• MDT sockets tweaked for correct fit
  
• AK 5.45mm mag display names tweaked
  

❓How do I join the open testing?

Please see this post for details and instructions.

Patch notes

• Improved lighting in Compound main house
  
• Another attempt at fixing weapon light ghosting in night TOD
  
• All OpenXR plugins disabled (should fix some startup issues)
  
• Added Stubby Grip C (Zenitco® RK-0)
  
• Fixed skinning issues with M16A4 and HK416D variants
  
• Added light switch to The Farm indoor shooting range
  
• Fixed up light portal issues in City and Tanker
  
• Big pass on red dot and holo reticle brightness, making the brights brighter and the darks darker, and fixing sights that couldn't have reticle brightness adjusted
  
• Optimization and replacing of old assets on Docks
  
• Added AOR-1 akin to Plate Carrier (MPC), both belts and all pouches

❓Not sure how to join the open testing?

See this post and start testing V1033 today!

• Muzzle flash size/colour/duration improved and tweaked
  
• AKs now eject empty casings rather than full rounds
  
• Bird flock concentration and spawn method tweaked
  
• Incorrect reload sounds and M24 reload sounds fixed, and corresponding audio mixed
  
• Missing shotgun reloads and missing M4 charge bolt sound fixed
  
• Suppressors can now be added to both AKS-74U variants
  
• Autoexposure (eye adaptation) settings adjusted in Ready Room to avoid runaway darkening when looking in dark spots
  
• NVG tweaked to make them more sensitive in the dark and more blown out in the light
  
• Shooting range in The Farm no longer does strange things to muzzle VFX
  
• Levitating grass in Small Town spawn area fixed
  
• White glowing beards fixed
  
• Tentative fix for ghosting reticles when using DLSS
  
• Volumetric fog adjustments (should reduce ghosting when moving weapon lights around at night)
  
• Fog settings tweaked on maps
  
• Lots more light detector system-related crashes fixed
  
• Zero length ProcessCommand() calls muted
  
• Some work done on doors but issues remain
  
• Fixed some lights not being tied to the right power box
  
• GPNVG-18 rejigged to add black skins (some loadouts might break due to changes of name)
  
• New default item build for NVG Head Mount
  
• Added inventory icons for SCAR Front and Rear Sights, Ballistic Vest and GPNVG-18 variants
  
• Fixed attachments not able to apply to right rail of FAL (Tactical) when AN/PEQ-15 equipped on top ra
  

Reminder: less than 2 days left on the Steam Winter Sale!