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Insurgency: Sandstorm patch 1.2 released, features major performance optimizations & new content

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New World Interactive has released a brand new update for Insurgency: Sandstorm. According to the release notes, patch 1.2 introduces a new map, called Outskirts, that is playable in Firefight, Push, Checkpoint, Team Deathmatch and Hardcore Checkpoint, as well as new weapons and new cosmetics.

Furthermore, update 1.2 brings a new official co-op game mode called Hardcore Checkpoint. In this mode, movement speed is significantly reduced, enemies are harder, friendly teammate indicators only show when a teammate is nearby and when you die you will respawn with a Mosin bolt-action rifle and Makarov pistol.

This patch also features some major performance optimizations. For instance, it implements skeletal mesh merging to reduce CPU overhead of character animation, implements UE4 4.22 animation budget allocator to reduce CPU overhead of character animation, optimizes particle overdraw by implementing particle cutout textures, optimizes update frequency of world soundscape actors, optimizes logic, physics, and animation performance impact of helicopter air support, and reduces concurrent particle impact effect limits.

As always, this patch will be downloaded from Steam the next time you launch its client, and you can find its complete changelog below.

Insurgency: Sandstorm Patch 1.2 Release Notes

NEW CONTENT

  • New map “Outskirts” playable in Firefight, Push, Checkpoint, Team Deathmatch and Hardcore Checkpoint.

New official Coop game mode Hardcore Checkpoint

  • Movement speed is significantly reduced. Enemies are harder. Friendly teammate indicators only show when a teammate is nearby. Objective indicators are hidden in the HUD.
  • If you die, you will respawn with a Mosin bolt-action rifle and Makarov pistol. You must resupply at a Supply Crate to get your Loadout.
  • There are only two Supply Crates. One will spawn on a random objective, the other will always spawn on the final objective. You can only resupply once on a Supply Crate. Small Ammo Boxes will give some ammunition for the weapons you are carrying.

New Weapons

  • M82A1 CQ anti-materiel sniper rifle for Security Marksman class.
  • M99 anti-materiel sniper rifle for Insurgent Marksman class.
  • M2HB .50 Cal mounted machine gun for Security vehicles.

New Cosmetics

  • Balaclava and neck gaiter Facewear cosmetics for Security faction.
  • New skull pattern for Insurgent balaclavas.
  • M90F camouflage for Security.
  • Cloth gloves for Insurgents.

NEW FEATURES

  • Class Loadouts can now be customized on the main menu through the Customize button.
  • Enabled voting to kick players on official matchmaking servers.
  • Overhauled community server browser to support favorites, showing empty and full servers, passworded servers, minimum and maximum player filtering, filter reset, search box and better sorting options.
  • Bots will now randomly select all of their loadouts, including weapon attachments.
  • Updates to the helicopter damage models:
    • The top and tail rotor can be destroyed with anti-materiel rifles.
    • Pilots, co-pilots and door gunners can be killed via normal weaponry or an anti-materiel rifle if behind a windscreen or metal plating.
  • Ammo Carrier vests and backpacks can now be customized with different colors and camouflages. See the “Equipment” slot in Appearance under the Customize menu.
  • Dust kickup particles now play when weapons are fired while prone on appropriate surfaces.
  • Added support for storing key bindings and various other settings that are system-agnostic in the Steam Cloud.
  • Local Play is now accessible if you’re offline and unable to sign into New World services.
  • Appearance menu improvements:
    • Different Ammo Carrier and Armor Loadout options can now be previewed on your character.
    • Your character can now be rotated.
  • Upgrade to Unreal Engine 4.22:
    • Upgrading to the latest version of Unreal Engine was a large task, however it was a necessary part of optimizing the console versions, and will enable greater performance and development possibilities in the future for all versions of Insurgency: Sandstorm including PC.

OPTIMIZATION

  • Implemented skeletal mesh merging to reduce CPU overhead of character animation.
  • Implemented UE4 4.22 animation budget allocator to reduce CPU overhead of character animation.
  • Disabled tessellation by default due to a higher than intended GPU cost, it may still be manually enabled.
  • Optimized particle overdraw by implementing particle cutout textures.
  • Fixed certain UI elements incorrectly performing tick logic after being closed.
  • Optimized update frequency of world soundscape actors.
  • Optimized logic, physics, and animation performance impact of helicopter air support.
  • Reduced concurrent particle impact effect limits.

VISUAL IMPROVEMENTS

  • Character movement interpolation improvements; characters will no longer jitter when moving in third person close to the camera.
  • Fixed broken terrain shadows on low settings.
  • Facial hair improvements on low quality settings.
  • Holographic sights reticle has been improved for better target acquisition and clarity.
  • Tweaked reticle brightness values for the 1x Red Dot, 1.5x PK-AS and 1x OKP-7 sights.
  • Weapons with extended magazines and belts will now display correctly in the Loadout menu.
  • New special animations for performing an Ammo Check while deployed.
  • New first person deployed crawl animations.
  • New third person prone deployed reload animations for MGs.
  • Adjusted first person sprint animation speeds to better match footstep sounds.
  • Reduced the playrate of first person rifle sprint animations to improve their look.
  • Improve the synchronization between first and third person leaning animation.
  • Improved melee and knife animations.
  • Cosmetic visual improvements:
    • Updated Very Dark skin tone to be more visually different than the Dark skin tone.
    • Updated long sleeve button down dirt mix.
    • Update on roughness of most gloves.
  • User Interface
    • Reduced size profile of team score element on spectator UI.
    • Improved the alignment of the create party icon.
  • Added a black variant of the 4x SU230 which shows on darker weapons.

BUG FIXES

  • Doors should no longer desync for those joining a server where their client loads a map before the server does during a map change.
  • Fixed an issue where a blue box could be seen while Aiming Down Sights under certain circumstances.
  • Fixed a visual issue causing character models to appear to sink into the ground.
  • Speculative fix due to world time inaccuracy causing stuttery movement on dedicated servers that have long up-times.
  • Fixed an issue with antialiasing that was causing translucent geometry to jitter.
  • Fixed an issue where the Jet flyover and gun audio was not always playing properly for all players on the server.
  • Fixed an issue with non-scoped weapons and sights clipping while up against a wall.
  • Fixed an issue with the weapon scope stencil could occasionally been seen to cut out various parts of weapons under certain circumstances.
  • Fixed issues with weapon scope stencils clipping the weapon in bipod and up positions.
  • Fixed an issue where restricted areas would show improperly on the Tactical Map.
  • Various improvements to soundscape portals ensuring transitions from indoor to outdoor are reliable.
  • Fixed issue where bullet deviation was not being applied properly. This fixed an issue where the Minigun Support’s guns were perfectly accurate.
  • Fixed an issue where the bipod deploy surface sound would be triggered twice when placing the bipod on a surface.
  • Fixed an issue where if you traveled to a new map the loading screen would no longer show the map name.
  • Fixed an issue where a player could lose input when naming a Loadout menu preset while the server travels to a different level.
  • Fixed an engine issue where the numpad keys were not recognized with Num Lock off or while the Shift key was being held.
  • Fixed an issue where if you killed yourself with a grenade an extra grenade might spawn on your body.
  • Fixed an issue with MP5A2 and MP5A5 iron sights being misaligned.
  • Fixed an issue where pressing Escape would not exit the community server browser.
  • Fixed an issue with the bipod foregrip position on the G36K when equipped.
  • Fixed an issue where the carry handle variant of the 4x M150 was also available for the MP5A5 and MP7.
  • Fixed an issue where the goatee cosmetic would not apply correctly to the “Matt” head cosmetic.
  • Fixed a bug where killing yourself with a grenade would count towards grenade multikills.
  • Fixed an issue with the position of the laser sight socket on the SVD which caused it to clip with the bipod.
  • Fixed a lighting bug with the Headband and Beret cosmetics.
  • Fixed an issue where the suicide bomber was not wearing an explosive vest. How embarrassing.
  • Fixed an issue with the reload animation selection in third person.
  • Fixed an issue where dynamic use hints could sometimes be seen in spectator.
  • Fixed a bug in the Loadout menu with underbarrel grenade launcher hand poses.
  • Fixed multiple props missing light map UVs.
  • Fixed an issue with vehicle driver hand IK.
  • Fixed an issue with weapon cache textures.
  • Fixed a bug with the Siderail fallback for the M24.
  • Fixed a bug with the handguard fallback on the M16A2.
  • Fixed a leg animation issue on cancelling prone to stand transition.
  • Fixed a bug where item sprint animations could cause multiple footstep audio to play.
  • Fixed an issue with the LOD bias for the TM-62 UI texture.
  • Fixed an issue with the post-match experience widget animation.
  • Fixed an IK issue causing player hands to appear incorrectly.
  • Fixed an issue with the drivable truck’s large engine part to ensure it always gets hit instead of the vehicle hood.
  • Fixed a morph target issue with certain boot cosmetics.
  • Fixed an issue with camera transitions in the main menu.
  • Fixed an issue with objective pop-ups not refreshing on the scoreboard after switching teams.
  • Fixed an issue where the Q and E keys were not able to cycle the menu tabs.
  • Fixed an issue where the players arms did not look correct in third person during cache rigging.

 

GAMEPLAY

  • AI
    • Updated obstacle avoidance algorithm to be more reliable and improve bots ability to path around Supply Crates, insertion vehicles and small ledges.
    • Updated bot Loadout randomization logic. They will now try to pick something and random for each weapon and item slot of their Class’s available items.
    • Improved the bot investigation logic by sharing information with the squad on previously searched areas.
    • Reworked Elite bot loadouts. They now have a much larger variety of high-end weapons.
    • Bots will now enable laser sights on equipped weapons.
    • Bots with no ammo for their primary & secondary will try to retreat to their spawn, upon which they will resupply.
    • Reworked the behaviors & pathing for the IED drone. It will now use pathfinding like a normal character, with improved navigation in dense urban areas.
    • Bot vehicle drivers can now reverse to reach their target instead of requiring a full turn.
    • Fixed an issue where bots may just stop what they are doing and throw smoke grenades if a teammate is injured.
  • When a grenade has its pin pulled and the player is killed before the grenade has been thrown, it will drop and detonate. Previously, this would only work if the pullback animation had fully completed.
  • Fixed bullet penetration not allowing bullets to pass through double-sided geometry such as glass windows and chain link fences.
  • Improve the synchronization between first and third person leaning animation.
  • Improved bullet penetration on props with multiple hit points in a bullet’s path.
  • You can now enter the bus vehicle props through a hole in the roof.
  • Players can no longer vault inside bus props. This was done to prevent players from getting stuck.
    • No horseplay is allowed in the buses either please stay in your seats until you reach your destination.
  • Increased Tutorial Level player health from 100 to 250.
  • Added weapons and upgrades to various classes:
    • Added the Mosin to the Insurgent Coop Commander and Observer classes.
    • Added the TM-62 to the Insurgent Coop Gunner class.
    • Added the Mk 14 EBR to the Insurgent Coop and Versus Advisor class.
    • Added the Bipod upgrade to the Insurgent Coop Advisor classes.

USER EXPERIENCE

  • MOTD announcements now have support for images and links.
  • Added icons to the main menu which inform the user if they are connected to both New World Services and Steam or not.
  • Altered the text for the leave competitive game dialog to clearly indicate you will receive a leaver penalty for leaving early.
  • If the player has no regions selected when attempting to matchmake, the select region dialogue is now displayed instead of just attempting to matchmake with no region.
  • The top right of the scoreboard will now display the server name that you are playing on.
  • Improved spectator and replay experience by allowing the player to hear the radio events relevant to the player you are spectating.
  • Pressing reload when holding an empty weapon such as an RPG will now switch weapons the same way that pressing the fire button does.
  • Allow for the Alt and Space keys to be pressed together rather than trying to open a system menu.
  • The profanity filter is now also applied to server browser names.
  • Updated ingame text descriptions:
    • Made Tracer Rounds description more generalized and applicable to more weapons.
    • Made round end reasons clearer for the end round screen.
    • Updated Camo option in Appearance menu to say “Uniform Camo” to differentiate it from Equipment camouflage.
    • Updated friendly color override description and title in the settings menu.
    • Updated Lesson text for peeking.
  • Main Menu/In-game Menu:
    • Added prompt to the main menu when you have unsaved changes to your settings.
    • Key bindings now require the user to hit Apply Changes before they are applied in-game.
    • Added some extra key textures for keyboard bindings.

MAP BALANCE & FIXES

  • Crossing
    • Tweaked detail settings for low spec machines to improve performance.
    • Fixed rock disappearing on low settings.
    • Fixed issue where player got stuck on a wall near Checkpoint Insurgents A.
    • Fixed floating rocks near Push Security A.
    • Fixed being able to capture Alpha outside the designated building on Checkpoint Security.
    • Fixed a spot where the player could see through a rock on Push Security A spawn.
    • Fixed an exploit where the player could see Insurgents spawn on Push Insurgents.
    • Fixed an issue where Insurgents could spawn camp Security on Skirmish.
    • Fixed several smaller visual issues throughout the map.
  • Farmhouse
    • Tweaked detail settings for low spec machines to improve performance.
    • Fixed a white stripe on the terrain near Checkpoint Security C.
    • Fixed Supply Crate on objective C overlapping with a wall on Push Security.
    • Fixed collision on a hill that blocked bullets midair.
    • Fixed an issue where the bipod could be deployed against the footing of a wall near Checkpoint Security A spawn.
    • Fixed a missing face on a rock near Skirmish Delta.
    • Fixed several shadow and light issues throughout the map.
  • Summit
    • Improved HLOD clusters in market area to improve performance.
    • Tweaked detail settings for low spec machines to improve performance.
    • Fixed an issue causing fire support projectile rounds not to land on certain target areas.
    • Fixed an exploit where the player could climb on a rock behind Security spawn A on Push Security.
  • Hideout
    • Fixed being able to capture Bravo from the rooftop on Push Insurgents.
    • Changed detail settings on particles and decals for lower end machines.
    • Fixed a tree colliding with a wall near Push Security A.
    • Tweaked exposure to avoid areas with low light intensity to become very dark.
  • Precinct
    • Reduced static mesh memory to lower overall memory usage.
    • Changed detail settings on decals for better performance on lower end machines.
    • Fixed a sidewalk not loading LODs correctly near Push Insurgents B.
    • Improved HLODs visual quality.
    • Extended objective C area slightly to cover the small extension on Checkpoint Security.
    • Players can no longer vault on top of the store shelves.
  • Refinery
    • Fixed spawn kill issue at Security A spawn on Push Security.
    • Adjusted numerous restricted zones on Push and Skirmish scenarios to fix spawn kill exploits.
    • Fixed being able to capture Bravo outside the designated area on Firefight West.
    • Fixed a hole in the playable area that unintentionally gave the impression that the player was outside the map on the majority of game mode layouts.
    • Moved Security spawn to make pre-nades (grenades thrown at the very start of the round as players first approach objectives) less effective while team is approaching objective B on Firefight West.
    • Added more cover at the front building of Security spawn to avoid potential spawn camp issues on Firefight West.
    • Added cover on some of the main roads to break line of sight more effectively.
    • Fixed a light in Insurgent Loadout room that could have an impact on performance.
    • Changed detail settings on particles and decals for lower end machines.